Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase: Nate’s DB Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The defensive backs got their money's worth when it came to reps on Saturday at our Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase that is for sure! We feature our DB MVP, who I thought had a great ahead of time for getting after it, as well as two more Sioux Falls defensive backs that made their noise with their skillsets surely as well!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1745608"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a054c39f1bcc"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The defensive backs got in a ton of work at our Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase in Sioux Falls on Saturday at Augustana, and one of our top-tier defensive backs from our winter showcase in Aberdeen, Sioux Falls Jefferson's [player_tooltip player_id='1745608' first='Mason' last='Leno'], showed where he's grown his skillsets since then. I have to start with two things that popped out outside of drills. The character and coachability of this young man is excellent for his age, as you could tell early and often Mason relished every opportunity he had from an attention to detail perspective. Yes, we noted the size he's put on since spring, but where Mason grew the most in my eyes, came down to his footwork as he was quick to learn and grasp new concepts from the college coaches with quick ease. There's surely a high bar from where Mason is now, to wear he will be with three more years of high school football under his belt with the Cavaliers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2110174"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a054c39f1c46"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Fresh off a visit to Mount Marty recently, Ivan was in my top-tier group amongst the defensive back group and I felt, had not only some of the best footwork in the DB group, but man, was I was I impressed with the range he had with his strides off the early reps. He surely shows why he has the position flexibility in the secondary to play safety, but the ideal fit in my eyes for Ivan aligns at cornerback at the next-level based on the live eval we got on Saturday in Sioux Falls. He shows off a great first step with his ball-tracking ability and constantly was in the pocket of the wide receivers he went up against in the reps I got to watch on Saturday. He was inside our top 10 at #9 overall in the entire showcase with a 4.79 lasered 40-yard dash, 7.26 (4th overall at camp), and #11 overall with a 4.56 pro agility. Surely is one that should get some next-level attention this summer into fall at college camps around the Dakotas and improved his stock to be a stockriser in this 2027 South Dakota class with the live eval.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://x.com/ivan_mpumuro" id="https://x.com/ivan_mpumuro">TWITTER</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2182291"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a054c39f1c92"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><strong>-DB MVP</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>You may have heard about Caleb from our Prep Redzone Dakotas DB preview from last Friday, that I thought he had a great chance to be in the running for DB MVP out of this group, and that turned out to be the case for the 2028 prospect out of Sioux Falls Christian. He showed off that his ball-tracking ability was even more intriguing with our live eval on Saturday as even though our defensive back group was undersized, Caleb stood out amongst the crew with I felt having one of the most dynamic presences of physicality in the great chunk of reps I got to watch. If there's one thing I have learned about the Chargers in all the years scouting South Dakota, is that this young man surely is going to gain more frame in the weight room in their offseasons and the agility is already there and in my eyes, still has more ceiling to get even better, as Caleb was top 4 in the pro agility at 4.44 and the explosive traits tell even more of a story, as he jumped a 9'4 broad jump which was in our top 5 in the showcase and screams the upside this young man still has yet to grow with a DB MVP now under his belt heading into his junior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->