Northwest Showcase: Oregon, Washington RB stars and standouts

The Northwest Showcase featured roughly 800 student-athletes and more than 100 college coaches in one of the biggest mega-camps on the West Coast.   For many, the showcase was an opportunity to launch their recruitment to the next level, and we saw dozens of offers stem from the camp in the past week.   These camp performances will be part of a big rankings update for Prep Redzone in the month of July.   I expect some major changes - with a few high risers potential coming from this group.    Here's a look a the stars and standouts from Oregon and Washington at the running back position:   *I apologize for the delay. I got sick and am finally bouncing back and rolling out position-by-position reviews.    [player_tooltip player_id='635258' first='Thor' last='Brody'], Camas (2027) — For the second consecutive year Brody was an MVP finalist in a split vote, and for the second consecutive year he fell just one vote short.   The 5-foot-9, 182-pound ball-carrier looked excellent in early drills and proved to be a difficult cover for linebackers in passing situations.   Brody was a top-3 performer on every (unofficial) ballot, and he drew enough praise from several to have him as high as No. 1.    The all-state running back had a great day, and his George Fox offer could be the beginning of more to come.    [player_tooltip player_id='1591586' first='Luke' last='Ortner'], Jesuit (2027) — The Jesuit 2,000-yard rusher had a speculator day as a receiver, making several catches away from his body.   Ortner made a few diving catches, highlighting his concentration and athleticism.   The 5-foot-9, 190-pound ‘back continues to work on his speed, and is clearly showing some signs of improvement.   He's a versatile back who may end up being a steal for the small school that lands him.    Chystian Ervin, O'Dea (2028) — In a camp setting without pads, smaller backs have a distinct advantage.   But that didn't stop the 5-foot-11, 205-pound Ervin from having a solid day.   He was difficult to cover in 1-on-1s and looked his best in the drills portion.   Ervin will be one of the top running backs in the state of Washington.    [player_tooltip player_id='937241' first='Cole' last='Hachmeister'], Tualatin (2027) — A legit 4.4 speed guy is quite rare in high school athletics, but Hachmeister is flirting with that territory.   And he proved to be an impossible cover for linebackers out of the slot.   The 5-foot-9, 180-pound hybrid running back/wide receiver earned RB MVP on the day, and has since earned an offer from Portland State to go along with Western Kentucky.   Hachmeister isn't your traditional offensive weapon, but used correctly and he can be a match-up nightmare.   He showed that at Western Oregon.    [player_tooltip player_id='1125493' first='Reece' last='Ballew'], Mountainside (2027) — A sleeper all-state contender, Ballew's fastest 100 time is actually .04 faster than Hachmeister's - and both of those young men are blazing!    Ballew flashed as a sophomore, got hurt as a junior and has looked the part of a potential 2,000-yard back this spring and summer on the camp circuit.   It's not overstating it to say he may have the biggest statistical jump of any back in Oregon this fall.   Big things are ahead!    [player_tooltip player_id='1563740' first='Mason' last='Girt'], Lakeridge (2029) — The 2029 Lakeridge class is a big-time group - with several athletes worth keeping a close eye on going forward.    Girt is a small back at 5-foot-8, 160 pounds, but he held his own against significantly older, bigger competition at the camp.   As he gets bigger, stronger and faster, he'll be an all-league candidate - with all-state upside if he puts in the work.    [player_tooltip player_id='2213886' first='Kalama' last='Roberson'], Walla Walla (2028) — Roberson earned a RB MVP award and looked excellent in drills.   He made a spectacular endzone catch right in front of me that was one of the top players of his session.   The three-star athlete and RB/OLB had an excellent day and continues to build on his strong resume.    [player_tooltip player_id='1924374' first='Zuzi' last='Alwineyan'], Willamette (2027) — Zuzi burst onto the scene last year at Willamette, churning out more than 1,000 yards and looking every bit like a future college back.   He continues to build on that success, and had a great day at the Northwest Showcase.    The 5-foot-10, 195-pound playmaker has offers from George Fox and Whitworth, but could see another round of offers as he continues to gain exposure.   Zuzi will have to share carries next fall in a loaded Willamette backfield, but expect the. Highlights to be no less impressive.   He's a very talented back.    [player_tooltip player_id='1219715' first='Kian' last='Krueger'], Prairie (2028) — Krueger stood out immediately as a player who wasn't wearing gloves during the pass-catching drills and displayed very good hands, regardless.   Krueger looked good in pass-catching drills and was a player who I noticed making a few very nice plays in one-on-one situations.   He holds an offer from Pacific Lutheran and should have a big junior campaign.

The Northwest Showcase featured roughly 800 student-athletes and more than 100 college coaches in one of the biggest mega-camps on the West Coast.