Closer Look at Notable Iowa Juniors-to-Be

Get 30% off your first billing cycle with code: howe30 in the coupon code area   As the middle of March approaches, we're moving farther away from the 2026 season and closer to a new campaign in the fall. Prep Redzone has continued preparations for it by rifling through student-athletes' highlight videos and churning out evaluations.   If you don't yet have highlights on your Hudl page, interested college coaches will be looking for them on there. Ask for help if you need it in getting a video together with any clips you have.   Here's another batch of fresh reports:    With a strong, veteran linebacking group holding down reps on the varsity, Crisholm spent the 2025 season developing on the program's junior varsity. When viewing his <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/20076879/69207762c57f485abe4ce86c" id="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/20076879/69207762c57f485abe4ce86c">sophomore highlight video</a>, the multi-sport athlete appears capable of helping the top team in the fall. He reports registering 47.0 tackles, six of which were of the solo variety, and a pair of sacks. Crisholm can play inside but athleticism and speed make him a natural for the outside. He's disciplined in setting the end when needed and then breaking on the ball. Crisholm diagnoses what's coming his way quickly and active hands help him shed blocks. He flows well to the football, providing thump upon arrival, and is a technically-sound tackler.     Dowling annually boasts a roster that can match up with any in the state. It's a football factory, where younger players often must wait their turn before getting a chance on the varsity. The process works through development, which is what happened for Towey as he played on the 10th-Grade/Junior Varsity in the 2025 when the Maroons won the Class 5A state championship. We can't find a lot of footage from last season on his <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/22988427/Liam-Towey/highlights" id="https://www.hudl.com/profile/22988427/Liam-Towey/highlights">Hudl page</a>, but there are a few clips along with film from previous years. On them, we witness an defensive tackle that explodes off of the snap. Quickness and burst make him tough for an offensive lineman to square up. When he is absorbing a blocks, active hands and strength help Towey separate from them regularly. He has a way of pouncing on his prey.     As a sophomore on the Crestwood varsity last fall, Mehmert laid the foundation for what could be a breakout season in 2026. The long-limbed, rangy athlete boasts a frame that can comfortability add mass and strength without the loss of the speed, quickness and agility he already flashes. Eleven of Mehmert's 14.5 tackles were solo stops this season. He added a 1.5 for loss and a sack. A prospect with promise at tight end, too, Mehmert caught one pass for 10 yards. He best fits on defense, however, with his <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/19418060/693f0860540685f13c77f909" id="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/19418060/693f0860540685f13c77f909">10th-grade highlight video</a> serving as the evidence. Mehmert often lines up as a stand-up edge, where he gets the job done with a burst off of the snap and quickness around the outside. Long arms and active hands help him shed blocks fast. There's a clip of him blowing up a punt return, too.     Loving was tabbed as a second-team all-district pick as a Lawton-Bronson sophomore in 2025. Thirteen of his 21.0 tackles on the defensive line were solo stops. He posted 7.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks. He flashed his athleticism by kicking off three times and punting once. We also witness that agility and fluid movement when watching his <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/22738653/6971b9137942eab403f91e89" id="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/22738653/6971b9137942eab403f91e89">10th-grade highlight video</a>. The first few clips feature his physicality as a blocker. Loving finds his assignments in space and follows through with a boom. He's quick off of the snap and gets up to speed fast. Active hands help him when clearing the way on the O-Line and also aid in separating from blocks. Colleges already are involved with Loving, who has a chance to raise his stock on the summer team camp circuit.     Valentine spent his sophomore season of 2025 backing up a senior that was starting for the varsity. That limited his development time to five and a half games on the sophomore team. It was time well spent, however, and his <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/22945533/691a73ed762a2df8434fd42a" id="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/22945533/691a73ed762a2df8434fd42a">10th-grade highlight video</a> provides plenty of evidence that he'll be in the hunt for the QB1 job this coming fall. Valentine displays a great feel for the position. He sets up quick and gets through his progressions from the pocket in a timely manner. Valentine senses the rush and moves smoothly to avoid it while keeping his eyes down the field. His throwing motion is short and efficient with the arm strength to fit the ball into right windows. Valentine is a good athlete that can keep plays alive off of schedule and pick up yards on the ground if there's an opening. He can push the ball downfield with ease and a projectable frame offers room for physical growth.

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