PRZ Exposure Camp WR Analysis

Our Prep Redzone Exposure Camp was on Friday, as over 70 athletes from across the state (and a few from out of state) came to compete in front of college coaches. We'll have plenty of coverage from the event this week, and we've already taken a <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/05/prep-redzone-exposure-camp-underclassman-accolades/">bird's-eye view</a> of the camp. Here, we're continuing our positional breakdowns by getting technical with our breakdowns of the 12 wide receivers and two tight ends.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Breaking Down the PRZ Exposure Camp WRs</h2>   Check out our other PRZ Camp Pieces:   <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/05/prep-redzone-all-camp-team-offense/">All-Camp Offense </a><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/05/prep-redzone-all-camp-team-defense/">All-Camp Defense </a><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/05/prep-redzone-exposure-camp-underclassman-accolades/">Underclassmen Accolades</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/05/prep-redzone-north-carolina-exposure-camp-winners/">PRZ Camp Winners</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/05/north-carolina-exposure-series-testing-leaders/">Testing Leaders</a><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/05/prep-redzone-exposure-camp-underclassman-accolades/"> </a><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/05/prz-exposure-camp-qb-analysis/">QB Breakdown</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/05/prz-exposure-camp-rb-analysis/" id="https://prepredzone.com/2026/05/prz-exposure-camp-rb-analysis/">RB Breakdown</a>   We had 12 wide receivers and two tight ends in attendance from the classes of 2027-2029, and here we'll have something on all of them.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Athletic 2027s</h3>   We only had two 2027 receivers in attendance, but both were impressive in very different ways.   North Lenoir receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1194708' first='Kegian' last='Blanchard'] both transferred and earned his first offer recently. He's much bigger and faster than when we saw him last, dropping nearly a quarter second off of his 40 and looking for more "functionally fast" than we've seen him in the past.   I like it when the testing and the drill work align. Blanchard's L-Drill and shuttle were both excellent, and that showed up in how he was able to create separation without having elite speed. Blanchard's nuance as a route-runner is excellent.   [player_tooltip player_id='2155292' first='Caleb' last='Gray'] was one of only a couple of longer receivers. He checked in with a wingspan of 73 inches. He's an explosive receiver who wins after the catch because he can get to full speed in a hurry. He made a handful of difficult catches look routine in one-on-ones and showed good sideline awareness.   I'll lump in the tight ends here, two of the most impressive players regardless of position.   [player_tooltip player_id='1718784' first='Phoenix' last='Barnes'] has blown up on the recruiting trail, despite modest receiving stats at Jack Britt last season, and it's easy to see why. With an 81-inch wingspan and 10.75-inch arms, Barnes is a freakish athlete. He explodes out of his breaks and knows how to use his body to shield the ball at the catch point.   Equally impressive was Roanoke Catholic (VA) athlete Andrew Lewis Jr. The rising senior plays quarterback for his high school, so I was surprised how comfortable he looked as a pass-catcher. He has natural hands and explosive attributes, finishing in the top 10 overall in both the broad jump and pro shuttle. I can't speak to his abilities as a passer, but I can say that he can be a great tight end, if he makes the switch.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Strong Group of 2028s</h3>   As a whole, I had the highest expectations for the 2028 crop of receivers in attendance.   Kings Mountain's [player_tooltip player_id='1616138' first='Xavier' last='Hutchens'] (22), Lincolnton's [player_tooltip player_id='1421082' first='RJ' last='Lynch'] (28), Newton-Conover's [player_tooltip player_id='590094' first='Amari' last='Coulter'] (122), and West Stokes' [player_tooltip player_id='2112028' first='Jay' last='Taylor'] (187) all rank inside the top 200 of our class rankings, while Mooresville's [player_tooltip player_id='2192334' first='Coby' last='Wise-Smith'] was the fourth-fastest player in the 40.   Let's start with the top two.   In all honesty, there wasn't anything in particular I was hoping to see from Hutchens. That being said, while he's smooth on film, it's on a different level in person. He's a long-strider with fantastic natural ball skills, with the body control to make tough catches. His deceleration into his breaks is elite, and leaves defenders wondering how he's able to cut so quickly.   I wrote in my camp preview that I wanted to see Lynch run in the 4.6 range. He threw down a 4.52 laser-timed 40 in his first attempt. Then, he showed his lateral agility in drills and created separation fairly consistently in one-on-ones.   Coulter plays outside for Newton-Conover, but he's built like the modern slot receiver. Excellent after the catch, Coulter has great strength, and that showed as he was able to shed defenders at the top of his routes.   Taylor impressed me too, running faster than I'd expected and showing excellent ball skills for his size. He was highly productive last season for West Stokes, especially with the ball in his hands. He averaged 22 yards per catch and had 60 rushing attempts. A do-it-all athlete, his athletic testing results suggest he'll have success at a high level, and his production isn't simply a product of playing in a lower classification.   Finally, Wise-Smith ran well and made some great plays in one-on-ones. It was our first chance to see the Mooresville rising senior as a receiver, as his best work last season was at defensive back. I'm not sure exactly how he'll be used this season, but I think he's a guy who should help the Blue Devils in 2026.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Younger Guys to Know</h3>   We had five 2029 receivers in attendance. I talked a lot about them in my <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/05/prep-redzone-exposure-camp-underclassman-accolades/">underclassman accolades</a> piece, but I wanted to add some extra insight here.   In hindsight, I didn't say enough about Northern Guilford's [player_tooltip player_id='2196432' first='David' last='Evans']. He wasn't the guy I expected to pop, but almost every time he had a rep, I felt like I was getting another piece of the puzzle. He's quick, long (76-inch wingspan), and his release package was among the best we saw all night, regardless of class. This might be another case of Prep Redzone stumbling into a high-level recruit as a camp youngster. There's no pressure; we're just excited about his potential.   South Caldwell's [player_tooltip player_id='1657464' first='Cayden' last='Millsaps'] is a guy who could make an impact for his high school as a sophomore. He has excellent footwork and body control, and his hands and ball skills are great for a rising sophomore.   I was impressed with a few other younger guys.   West Stokes rising sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2153030' first='Na'Zir' last='King-Chiles'] popped a couple of times in multi-receiver drills. He's a crisp route-runner with good ball skills and a solid vertical. I don't think I saw him drop a pass all night.   [player_tooltip player_id='2152135' first='Alec' last='Jones'] (North Mecklenburg) is raw, but the ability and physical traits are there, giving him great upside. He ran a 4.64-second 40 (fourth-best overall and best in the 2029 class) and had some decent times in the other athletic tests, good enough that some technical refinement and combine training should put him in great company.   As a receiver, that speed translates, and he gets in and out of his breaks well.   We'll end with some thoughts on ALA-Johnston two-way player [player_tooltip player_id='2128796' first='Tyler' last='Worthington'], who participated at receiver. With an established older starter at quarterback and one of the more pass-heavy attacks, there's a void that Worthington may be able to fill.   That's especially true after Blanchard transferred and a third-leading receiver who could move to running back. Worthington is best suited for the slot with elite short-area quickness (camp-best 4.32 shuttle), but he's a guy who has speed to run fades and get behind the defense. I think he could be a huge part of the Patriots' offense this year with a diverse skill set. Could he break out as a senior?   We'll have plenty more to come from our Prep Redzone Exposure Camp this week, including breakdowns of the other position groups and some unique angles to keep our content fresh and relevant. We're updating rankings soon, so keep it locked in with Prep Redzone.   Want to share Prep Redzone with a friend? Use promo code Helms30 to get 30% off their first billing cycle.

Our Prep Redzone Exposure Camp was on Friday, as over 70 athletes from across the state (and a few from out of state) came to compete in front of college coaches. We'll have plenty of coverage from the event this week, and we've already taken a bird's-eye view of the camp. Here, we're continuing our positional breakdowns by getting technical with our breakdowns of the 12 wide receivers and two tight ends.