Gilbert-Mesa Area Prospects Set to Blow Up During Spring Ball

The East Valley has a surplus of talent, that's no secret. If you aren't making time to check in on these guys right now, you're probably making a mistake.    [player_tooltip player_id='1690386' first='Tye' last='Kennedy'] is one of those guys where you don't need a full game to get it — a couple reps and it clicks. He looks like a tackle, yeah, but more importantly he plays like one, and that's where a lot of big high school linemen separate themselves from just being big. What stood out to me wasn't the size — everyone sees that — it was how comfortable he is when things don't go perfectly. Edge guys try to win with speed, counters, whatever, and he doesn't freak out or start grabbing. His feet stay calm, he keeps his base, and he actually trusts his length instead of just throwing his body at the problem. That's real pass pro feel, not just surviving out there. You'll still get the downhill reps where he caves a guy in and reminds you how big he is, but he's not just winning because he's stronger than everyone else. He can move, he can climb, and when he gets to the second level he at least knows what he's trying to do — even if he'll occasionally overrun it like a lot of young tackles do when they get a little too eager. That's normal stuff. The important part is he's not guessing out there. There's a plan to how he plays, and it shows up snap after snap. And honestly, that's why he feels different from a lot of linemen you watch at this level. Spring ball with him isn't about hoping something flashes — it's about seeing how consistent it is in person, because the film already tells you this is a legit tackle, not just a big kid getting away with it.     There aren't many true “just put him out there and let him find it” guys, but this is one of them. The ATH tag actually means something here because the production shows up everywhere — real route running on offense, and enough range that he can erase mistakes on the back end. What stood out to me was how early he gets himself in position. He's not just reacting late and relying on athleticism to clean it up; he's reading it, getting a jump, and that's why the interceptions keep coming in. The length helps, the stride eats up ground, and when he trusts what he's seeing he closes way faster than it looks at first glance. He'll still get caught peeking every now and then and that's where you'll see a rep get a little loose, but he has the recovery speed to bail himself out more often than not. Offensively, he's not just filling space either — he can actually give you something with the ball. The best part is you don't have to force a position on him right now. Safety makes sense, sure, but you can see why someone would try him at receiver too. That's kind of the point with him — you're not trying to limit it yet, you're trying to see how much he can handle.     If you're looking for one of the cleanest coverage guys in this area, this is probably the one you keep coming back to. Everything just looks calm. The feet are quiet, the hips are easy, and he doesn't waste a bunch of motion trying to recover after the break — he's already there. That's the difference between a guy living on athleticism and a guy who actually understands how to play the position. You'll see receivers try to stack him vertically or break him off underneath, and he stays in phase without grabbing or panicking, then finds the ball at the right time instead of just face-guarding and hoping. That “glue” feel shows up a lot. In press, he's patient enough to not give the release away for free, and in off coverage, he trusts his eyes and closes with enough length to make quarterbacks think twice about throwing it outside. Could he be more physical at the line and really disrupt timing? Sure — that's the next step — but he doesn't need to right now because he's already winning with positioning and control.     There's a lot going on with his tape, but if you go back and watch both of the past two seasons, it becomes pretty clear: [player_tooltip player_id='498322' first='Aidan' last='Whitaker'] can do just about anything, but he's going to be a really good wide receiver. That just feels like the most natural version of him. The ball skills, the way he adjusts mid-air, how smooth he is working in and out of breaks… that stuff shows up consistently, and it's the part of his game that feels the most translatable long-term. But what made this past season really interesting was seeing him step in at quarterback, because it showed a different side of him you don't always get when he's lined up outside. You got to see the elusiveness, how comfortable he is with the ball in his hands, how he can make people miss in space and extend plays instead of just being a target downfield. That adds context to everything he does at receiver, because now you know what it looks like when the play breaks down and he has to create. The versatility is great, and it's part of why he's so valuable right now, but the long-term picture feels pretty clear. Let him keep doing everything, sure, but there's a really high-end receiver in there just waiting to take over.     Quarterback evaluations can get really tough with bigger kids because sometimes people fall in love with the frame before the actual quarterback play shows up. That's not an issue with Silver. The size is certainly there — 6'5", 230 is hard to miss, but what makes him interesting is that there are already stretches on film where he looks completely comfortable running the offense. The ball comes out naturally and he'll stand in there and rip throws without looking sped up; the whole thing just looks settled when he's in charge. That's the stuff that grabs you. Not one huge throw 50 yards downfield — the easier stuff. The in-rhythm reps. The snaps where you can see him moving through progressions and finding the right option in real time. The move to Red Mountain could end up being a really good thing for him too. He's stepping into a program with real talent around him, more speed on the outside, and the kind of environment where quarterbacks either level up fast or get exposed. Honestly, it feels more like the first one here. You're not trying to hunt for upside with him. It's already on tape. You're trying to see how often those really good stretches start showing up, especially now that he's stepping into a program where the speed around him is only going to ramp up. Because when he's comfortable and in rhythm, he doesn't just look like a big young quarterback with some arm talent. He looks like someone who could end up being really, really good.     Tight end is such a weird position at this level because most young players are either more like big receivers being put in a three-point stance or more like extra linemen pretending to run routes every now and then. [player_tooltip player_id='1707446' first='Jayden' last='Windom'] already feels more complete than that. The frame jumps out first, but what makes him interesting is he doesn't play soft with it. He'll actually mix it up in the run game, stay engaged as a blocker, and give you something there instead of just treating blocking like a quick side job before the route starts. But the receiving upside is really where this gets fun. He moves better than you expect for a younger tight end with that kind of size, and there are flashes on tape where you can see the mismatch potential starting to show up. Not just underneath stuff either. He can get vertical and can really run after the catch. The best part of the eval, honestly, is that he still feels early in the process. There's still plenty of room for him to grow. But that's what makes him such a good spring ball watch right now. The hard part — the frame, movement skills, willingness to block, flashes as a pass catcher — is already there. Now it's about seeing how quickly the polish catches up, because if it does, this is the kind of player that could start climbing up boards really fast.

The East Valley has a surplus of talent, that's no secret. If you aren't making time to check in on these guys right now, you're probably making a mistake.