Hybrid Positional Players Showing Their Versatility

The off-season is heating up, and for the ballers striving to be elite, it is also the final step in the off-season gauntlet.   Arguably, the toughest step.   With school coming to a close and vacations springing up all over it is distraction time on steroids and it is easy to rationalize taking some time off and enjoy the summer break.   It is also blazing hot, making workouts even more challenging than it was earlier in the year training indoor for the most part.   And, besides, after the work put in and all the training deposits made earlier most ballers are close to being in the kind of shape needed to play already. What's the harm in putting the focus aside for a little while?   For the guys striving to be elite, this is not a consideration. As soon as you take some time off, your competition is stepping up the work. And as crazy-competitive as the recruiting process is, that kind of thinking can't be entertained.   Takin' a break like normal kids should? No way José...   If anything it is a call to ratchet things up even more and leave no doubt comin' down the homestretch.   For the five guys below representing all four classes it means working even harder and staying locked in on the fall objectives.   So without further adieu, let's check out what these ballers have going on:   [player_tooltip player_id='1651500' first='Derek' last='Cloughley Jr'], 6'0, 195, LB/RB, Mill Valley, '29, first out of the tunnel is a rising star coming off a strong freshman season when he piled up 55 tackles, 15 TFL, 4 sacks, 4 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. For this 3-sport athlete who also excels in wrestling and track, it only served to stoke the internal fire even more. On offense he is an athletic running back who has shown considerable promise, but where he really shines is as a jackhammer linebacker or even a hybrid strong safety bent on destruction. With finely-tuned instincts and great read and react skills he shoots the gap like a heat-seeking missile and explodes through the ball carrier. He has a busy summer planned and is still finalizing his plans for using what time is left to get even better. This guy is a hitter and is just getting warmed up. Expect to hear his name a lot this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='1080736' first='Edric' last='Zorn']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/edric-zorn/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/edric-zorn/"></a> , 6'0, 200, RB/LB, Halstead, '28, up first for the juniors-to-be is a guy who is developing into one of the better two-way ballers in the state. On offense he can do it all and is coming off a season when he carried the ball 60 times for 415 yards, averaging seven yards a carry and scoring seven TDs. He also caught 23 passes for 236 yards and added 242 yards on kickoff returns, including a 94-yard return for a TD. In total he ended up with 900+ total yards and 10 touchdowns. On defense he can play linebacker or come out of the secondary and had 49 tackles, a pair of tackles for loss and picked off a pass and took it to the house. This off-season he has been playing 7v7 and training with Coach Tabor and PIA. He is also getting on the road to hit camps at William Jewel, KU and SMU among others. This guy is getting ready to go scorched earth in 2026.   [player_tooltip player_id='1590414' first='Derek' last='Leggett']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/derek-leggett/"></a> , 6'4, 270, OL/DL, Sedgwick, '28, up next in the same class and a stone's throw south in Sedgwick is a two-way grinder who is one of the more relentless workers in the off-season that I have covered. With a couple of seasons under his belt he is starting to show his next-level talents in the trenches. He has the size, strength and reach, along with quick feet and hands coaches are looking for and is versatile enough to play anywhere along the line on both sides of the ball. He has been burning the candle at both ends as usual, working with Coach Rashad on speed and agility as well as training with Coach Andra at BattleAx for power and strength. He has a long list of camp invites that he is still deciding on but will definitely be going to the Oklahoma Sooners camp to continue to build that relationship. This fall is going to be a huge breakout year for this baller.   [player_tooltip player_id='1556861' first='Wes' last='Riegel'] , 6'3”, 195, WR/ATH, Blue Valley North, ‘27, next up getting ready for his senior year is a hybrid receiver who has next-level size, reach and burst and can play any of the receiver positions, split wide, in tight, on the wing, in the slot or as an H-back as needed. He is coming off a season when he used his expansive catch radius and strong hands to haul in 20 passes for just under 200 yards and a couple of scores. He has also developed into a punishing blocker in the run game as well as stalk blocking on the perimeter. His off-season has already shifted into overdrive as he was on the road to Lindenwood and South Dakota in March and recently returned from a Drake visit in April. He also has some mega camps and Ivy League events to attend this summer. This baller has made all the off-season deposits and is getting ready to cash out with a big senior season this fall.   Gad Munganga, 6'0, 170, WR/DB, Topeka West, '26, (PICTURED ABOVE) and last but certainly not least is a guy who wrapped up his senior year last fall and after a number of NAIA offers and D2 interest will be attending Kansas Wesleyan in Salina this fall as a wide receiver. He is also a versatile defensive back on the other side of the ball, but where he has drawn next-level interest is as a sizzling wideout. As a receiver he can line up in the slot or split wide, runs sharp routes and can be counted on to make the difficult grabs in traffic. He also has the speed and quickness to burn teams deep or find the soft areas in zone coverage. Last fall he ramped up his game and earned honorable mention all-state honors and parlayed that into an off-season perfecting his craft playing 7v7 with Top City and continues to pound the iron and get in speedwork to ensure he is fully prepared for his freshman season at the next level. This guy is ready to roll.     In conclusion, check these guys out - you won't be disappointed! Also, if you know of any players not getting any/enough coverage that they deserve, please feel free to DM me via X so we can take care of that!   And, most importantly...   Keep Grindin'

The off-season is heating up, and for the ballers striving to be elite, it is also the final step in the off-season gauntlet.