Twitter Mania: Film Analysis Part I

*Use code Johnson30 for 30% off a Prep Redzone annual subscription*   Nothing is better than sitting back and breaking down the highlight reels of the talent across our great state! So, I decided to go on the hunt for some tape to watch and put out a message on Twitter/X to see who would like me to dive in and give my thoughts on their tape. The results have been outstanding, giving myself so much tape to watch. So much that we will be turning this Twitter Mania into a series. So if you messaged me your highlights and don't see yourself in this article then you will be in an upcoming article over the coming days. We start with 10 truly impressive members of the Classes of 2027-2029. Coaches make sure you have these kids on your boards! Enjoy!    As just a sophomore, Brody went into the best conference in WI and put up 35/442/2 as a receiver. Those totals all led Kettle Moraine for 2025. When it comes to the WR position it is all about how you can create separation for your QB. Brody does it with a combo of athleticism and route running. The '28 WR has proven he can stretch the field and run away from DBs, or he can get in and out of breaks in a split second. His ability to cut and accelerate in the short to intermediate routes consistently got him open. It is always very noteworthy that even when Schimpf didn't create a ton of separation his QB still trusted him to make a play. That is because Brody does a great job of fighting through contact and attacking the ball in the air instead of waiting for the ball. Route running, speed, strong hands, and elusive running after the catch are all coming together to make Brody one of the toughest matchups in the Classic 8.      Jonah is one of the most versatile athletes in the Class of 2027 based off what the tape shows and what the production looks like. The '27 QB/DB put up 449 passing yards, 5 TDs, 515 rushing yards with 5 more TDs, and 33 tackles on defense to go along with 4 PBUs, and 2 INTs. As a passer Jonah has a very live arm. He can get the ball out quick and is able to really drive the ball on a rope 30+ yards downfield. The tape also shows the range to push it even further with some air under the ball. The natural athlete makes it look easy to quickly set and throw in the pocket or after rolling out. The '27 also has some clips showing touch to drop the ball between layers.   Jonah is a legitimate threat on the ground too. He makes smart reads on options and has the top end speed to fly through gaps and beat angles down the sideline. That speed also allows him to effectively roam the middle of the field at safety. Back there we see him show off the ability to read the QB and go make plays on the ball. Jonah does a great job of being patient in coverage over the top as to not take himself out of position before closing quickly on the ball when the QB commits. Check out both the offensive and defensive highlights on Jonah's page.      Jack is one of the most productive RBs returning in 2026. He is coming off 1,729 yards and 23 TDs on the ground and also added 11 receptions for 130 yards and a TD. The 5'11" 195 lbs 2027 RB is building a strong and sturdy frame that has been able to handle the wear and tear of the RB position. The motor, power, and contact balance are featured on so many highlight clips and are clearly the pillars of his game. Jack is able to absorb contact and churn his legs through tackle attempts. The 2027 also shows some lateral wiggle to make a defender miss or give himself a better angle to break through a tackle attempt at the last second. The cherry on top is that Jack can also hit a gap and beat the entire field with his long speed. You need to tap into the small school RB's highlights.      Kain has been biding his time on the West De Pere offense, contributing where he could with his opportunities. 2026 looks like his year to breakout and take over. The highlights scream to me that he is ready for a heavy workload on Friday nights. Coming in at 6' 205 lbs, Kain is built for a feature role. He can create big plays between the tackles thanks to his acceleration through gaps and second gear in space. Kain also shows off very reliable hands as a check down option or downfield running routes. On those downfield throws it is really impressive how natural Strong looks tracking the ball and snagging the ball out of the air. His size, athleticism, and rushing/receiving abilities tell me that Kain is one of the top RBs to have on your radars this summer and fall.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8wezAy3oCo </div></figure>     Laythan is a kid that I am liking more and more every time I watch him. He has a strong 5'10" 180 lbs frame that he has built to be able to deliver some powerful tackles. It is eye-opening how versatile he is as a safety. He has the physicality to be a box safety, filling vs the run and being an effective blitzer off the edge. But he is way more than box safety. Laythan has made some wildly impressive plays in coverage. He has the range to be able to turn and run/close/recover with a WR or TE. I love the awareness he shows downfield too. That includes a play where he basically covered two guys at once and was able to get a PBU out of it. If that dynamic playmaking ability at safety isn't enough, Hurst also flashes his big play potential as a kick returner. Hurst is an electric defender and athlete in the Class of 2027.      We go to the 8 Man League for our next athlete. WR [player_tooltip player_id='2004353' first='Carter' last='Reed'], a 2027 out of Florence, is coming off a junior season where he played defense, WR, and carried the ball several times. In total Carter piled up 12/213/2 through the air, 20/66/1 on the ground, and 27 tackles with 3 INTs on defense. The very first thing that jumps off the tape is Carter's hands. The dude catches everything. He has an unreal one handed catch down the sideline, leaping grab for the ball outside his frame, and a difficult catch while fighting through traffic just in the first minute of his highlights. Carter is used at every level of the field too. The speed is there to win vertically and he has the change of direction agility to quickly open up some space from DBs in the quick passing game. Carter is one of the top 8 Man athletes to watch this summer/fall.      Andrew has been one of the hotter recruits on the recruiting trail this month. He has earned multiple offers since around mid-April. I was really impressed to see AJ playing all along the DL in 2025 at 6'2" 290 lbs. The massive DL is very disruptive and able to whoop OL with his first step explosion or with his strength. When he is looking to play through his gap with speed, AJ flashes strong and quick hands that quickly get him past OL and into the backfield. Even when the OL is trying to trap him the big man is so strong and stout that he can take on the block and shed it with his power and still get to the football. Chromy plays with a high level of discipline to go along with the physical tools. I think this kid is just starting to see his recruitment take off. He is going to be a massive riser this summer.      Christian finds himself locked into a battle for the top OL spot in the Class of 2028. A battle that he is putting up a very good fight in. The '28 OT has a rare frame, checking in at 6'6" 300 lbs as a sophomore. Despite the massive frame at such an early age, Zywicki has shown to be advanced in his balance and body control. He moves his feet quickly so that he doesn't get caught reaching while attacking DL. That massive frame also comes with next level worthy strength. Throughout his tape you see him burst off the line, get his hands inside, keep his pad level low with good knee bend and then driving DL off the ball and out of gaps in the run game. I love how Christian always lands his hands inside on his target. Doesn't matter if it is a DL or LB at the second level and his ability to lock onto his man lets him show off his ability to sustain and finish blocks. This is one of the top tier talents in the Class of 2028. Don't miss out on him.      Landon is actually apart of the Class of 2029 now, and coming off his freshman season with Racine Case. After watching through the highlight reel from the 2025 season I am very intrigued by the building blocks of traits that he has to work with. At WR you see examples of a quick and elusive release vs press with speed to stretch the field. You see him make adjustments last second to reel in the pass. There are also several examples of him making difficult catches in traffic. I'm excited to watch him at the Prep Redzone WI Showcase coming up on the 17th!      This is an under the radar TE to keep an eye on. He finished 2025 with a modest stat line of 7 receptions for 88 yards, but that leads all the returning weapons so we could see Logan reel in much more this fall. The First Team All Conference TE/FB is built for that exact type of role at the next level. He uses that big frame to his advantage every snap. As a receiver he uses it to box out and protect the ball or to nudge away defenders and open up separation. Logan is at his peak as a run blocker. He comes off the line quick, closing on edges or second level LBs quickly and violently. Any teams that utilize a FB or H-back need to get Logan on their radars and watch the tape down below.

*Use code Johnson30 for 30% off a Prep Redzone annual subscription*