Keep an Eye on These Iowa 2028s in 2026

Get 30% off your first billing cycle with code: howe30 in the coupon code area   We've moved into May a step closer to the 2026 season. Prep Redzone Iowa 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 and elsewhere. Ask for help if you need it in compiling a video with any clips you have.   Here's another batch of fresh reports:    Thompson played like a veteran as a Charles City sophomore in 2025. He registered 25.0 tackles, nine of which were solo stops. Thompson collected 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack. He also caught a pass and could contribute more as a tight end this coming season. It's a tall, athletic frame that moves well laterally and possesses athletic explosion. There's projection left with Thompson being able to fill out and add strength without losing the speed that already makes him effective. He provides evidence of that during his <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/23121696/69e44594ca3c2438367f2799" id="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/23121696/69e44594ca3c2438367f2799">10th-grade highlight video</a>. The first clip shows him filling the gap, breaking down the ball carrier and dropping him with a technically-sound tackle for little to no gain. Thompson plays assignment football, diagnoses plays fast and flows well with the action. His long arms and fluid movements in coverage help him stick with receivers. Thompson made noise as an underclassman, but it's about the get a lot louder in the fall.     Evans announced his arrival as a Washington varsity contributor in a big way during 2025. The sophomore piled up 75.0 tackles, which ranked second in the squad. Forty of those stops were of the solo variety, and he recorded 5.5 tackles for loss. He forced a fumble, rushed for 90 yards, caught a couple of passes and chipped in on special teams. A glance at Evans' <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/22532953/clayton-evans/highlights" id="https://www.hudl.com/profile/22532953/clayton-evans/highlights">Hudl page</a> reveals only a few videos of individual game highlights, and, unfortunately, we do not see him playing defense. That said, we can witness why he has success on that side of the ball when watching his running back highlights. Physicality stands out as a strength, which obviously works well on defense. Evans should see more reps carrying the football after graduation losses, and he's an interesting prospect there as well. He gets downhill in a hurry, makes quick decisions, has some wiggle and deceptive speed. With a solid frame able to fill out more and plenty of development time remaining, Evans is one to watch this fall.     Helling was an important part of a three-headed monster at running back for Mount Pleasant last season. The Panthers rushed for 1,603 yards and 24 touchdowns with the sophomore accounting for 308 (5.9 YPC) and a trio of ground scores. He also flashed potential on defense with four of his five tackles being of the solo variety. Helling added 2.0 tackles for loss. We don't have a lot to go on when it comes to seeing how he succeeded through on-line video. His Hudl page contains a few videos with individual game highlights from the 2025 campaign. On them, there's a ball carrier capable of gashing defenses as a well-rounded back. Helling is solidly built with a low center of gravity. He slides his feet well laterally and makes quick decisions in finding the hole through which to run. He's tough to arm tackle and hard to bring down once he gets going. It's a set of skills that would work well on the second or third level of the defense and special teams, too. Watch out for Helling in the fall.     Rose did just about everything short of selling popcorn at halftime during Mount Pleasant games last fall. The sophomore defensive back/wide receiver came up with 21.0 tackles, 17 of which were solo stops. He picked off three passes and recovered a fumble. Rose's lone catch was a 74-yard touchdown grab, and he also delivered a pancake block. His only kick return went for 13 yards. Rose has a few videos of clips from individual games in 2025 on his <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/18410982/Asa-Rose/highlights" id="https://www.hudl.com/profile/18410982/Asa-Rose/highlights">Hudl page</a>. The footage of his interception against West Delaware impresses. He's playing safety, reads the play quickly and reacts fast. Rose jumps the route, tips the ball in the air and catches the rebound. Speed and smooth actions allow him to shift over to cornerback, where he works well in a zone. Rose is a willing and able tackler that embraces the chance to come up and stuff the run, too. Last season was a good start, and Rose looks like a guy ready to rise even more in the coming years.     Burns spent last season backing up a successful junior starter at quarterback. The sophomore completed four of nine throws for 113 yards (28.3 yards per completion). He rushed for 21 yards (5.3 yards per carry) and a touchdown. The dual-threat ability behind center speaks to the athleticism that leaves open the door to other positions, too. During limited time on defense last year, he intercepted a pass. On-line video football of Burns' 10th-grade season is limited. There's a clip of a 75-yard completion on his Hudl page. It shows a comfortability behind center with a shoulder-dip fake and a touched ball he drops in the bucket 25 yards downfield so his guy can grab it and go. Burns owns a projectable frame capable of filling out and adding strength without the loss of athleticism that allowed him to averaged 13.2 points per game for the Bulldog varsity basketball team this past winter. He should be called upon to contribute more on the gridiron next season and looks ready for takeoff.

Get 30% off your first billing cycle with code: howe30 in the coupon code area