St. John's Prospect Camp Top LB/DB Performers

Continuing our coverage of the St. John's Football Camp that took place on Sunday, we move to the defensive side of the ball, particularly placing our focus on the back-end players at the second and third levels of defense that stood out in front of the Johnnies' coaching staff on Sunday and made their presences known at Clemens Stadium. We take a look at the top LB/DB performers from St. John's Football Camp that took place on Sunday!   LBs:    Jack Franzwa had a prominent role on the Raptors' freshman squad at QB, but he competed on Sunday at the LB position, flashing impressively on the defensive side of the ball. Franzwa showcased strong reads and anticipation on where the ball was going and where the RBs were leading their routes, making his progressions like a QB on the defense, and he held his ground keeping up with fast RBs against the pass and limiting the gap of separation on their routes during the 1-on-1 reps. Franzwa could become a breakout candidate for the Raptors in 2026 as he looks to break into the varsity lineup on either side of the ball, whether at LB or at QB.     A versatile threat on the Gobblers' defense, Eli McNevin emerged from obscurity to flash as a very legitimate small-school threat to keep your eyes on going forward. McNevin posted a 4.77 40 yard dash time, ranking as one of the fastest times at the position on Sunday. McNevin did an excellent job during the 1-on-1 drills, showing a strong knack for breaking up passes, using his hands well in coverage, and flashing an impressive amount of strength in being able to swat several passes out of the receiver's hands. McNevin has been certainly overlooked in comparison to his teammate [player_tooltip player_id='1629905' first='Parker' last='Fulton'], but he's proving to be growing significantly as well in his mechanics this offseason, and Aitkin's LB corps will be looking very dangerous within the 2A conference entering 2026.     Already having stood out already this offseason with a strong showing recently at the St. Olaf prospect camp, Grady Giffen built off that performance with another impressive camp performance at SJU. Giffen already boasts impressive size and physicality for the position, Giffen matched his frame with a physical style of play, being able to effectively jam routes and disrupt timing for the receivers while also doing a great job in redirecting and make quick adjustments in coverage. Giffen should find a comfortable role as a focal leader for the Thunderhawks' defense in 2026.     After playing mostly on JV during his sophomore season, Karson Nicholson is making a strong case this offseason to start getting more reps and potentially breaking out on the Tigers' varsity defense in 2026. Nicholson did a solid job with his reads and instincts, and it was his ability to force receivers to redirect and effectively disrupt the timing and placement on the throw to consistently win during the 1-on-1 sessions on Sunday. Nicholson should be on watch for a potential breakout campaign as a junior.     Coming out of Mounds View, the 6', 205 lb [player_tooltip player_id='2210345' first='Luke' last='Hinkel'] made a strong presence on Sunday standing out as a strong, versatile athlete who's already shown the potential to be a potent ILB at the next level. Hinkel flashes a lot of power and physicality in his play-style, but shows the versatility to handle pass-coverage well and could fit as a solid LB/Safety hybrid, especially with his ability to cover the deep ball, flashing several great reps in keeping up with the RBs on deep throws and breaking up the long pass. Hinkel should continue to be a force for the Mustangs' defense after a strong junior showing.    DBs:    Despite his smaller size, [player_tooltip player_id='1632982' first='Maxwell' last='Simpson'] has had an overwhelming presence in the secondary for the Holy Catholic Fire, and he was on fire during Sunday's camp. Simpson posted an unofficial 4.51 40 yard time, a shockingly strong performance that was by far the fastest time during the session. Simpson also excelled during the 1-on-1s, giving little leeway for the WRs, staying tight hip-to-hip, using his hands well, quickly breaking to the ball, and showcasing great reach to break up passes despite his size. Simpson played well beyond what his ranking suggest, and he should become a hot commodity this offseason among D3 teams with the potential to break through up to the D2 level.     Being one of the most reputable D3 programs in the nation, the Johnnies brought in a couple of out-of-state prospects to their event, with the most prominent being Darren Garrett, a top prospect out of New York. Garrett shined among the DB prospects, posting a 4.65 40 yard time to start out, and he was outstanding during the 1-on-1 sessions, proving to be one of the most physical DBs in the competition, using his hands very well, engaging in an aggressive, but very effective hand-fighting ability to jam his receivers and completely disrupt their catching ability. In the end, Garrett was offered by the Johnnies, his 1st official offer so far, and he's bound to receive plenty more over the next year.     Already having showcased as a two-year starter on the Raiders' secondary, [player_tooltip player_id='2137717' first='Nick' last='Rosga'] continues to boost his profile as a legitimate DB prospect to keep an eye on as he enters his senior season. Rosga posted a solid 4.71 40 yard time during the testing portion of the event. For his size, he shows great length and physicality at the position, being able to change direction quickly and knock passes away with an impressively wide reach, showing great instincts and timing in his ability to play the ball to knock it out of the receiver's hands. An experience starter who plays the position very well and continues to flash his growth over the course of this offseason, it's quite impressive that Rosga has not received much offers so far, as he would make an excellent D3 prospect with high upside.     A lengthy, but lean DB prospect, what [player_tooltip player_id='2154295' first='Brayden' last='Treadway'] lacks in size he made up for in strong mechanics and an ability to get receivers off their footing. Treadway played exceptionally well during the Indy and 1-on-1 sessions, making clean strides when he runs, a controlled backpedal, and sharp timing when breaking to the ball. Treadway was able to stay tight with his receivers, but it was his impressive knack on forcing receivers to slip on their routes which I saw on a repeated basis on Sunday that really stood out to me, flashing the potential to erase a receiver's ability to make a play altogether with hand-fighting strong enough to knock them off their feet. With some bulk to his frame, who knows what Treadway could be capable of in the secondary going forward.     Despite being listed as a two-way threat, [player_tooltip player_id='2154291' first='Cooper' last='Henson'] saw all of his reps on Sunday at the DB position, and he performed very well throughout. Henson showed solid footwork, being able to stay tight hip-to-hip with his receivers and forcing receivers to redirect their footing, disrupting the flow of the pass between the WR and the QB. He also had one of the most impressive plays of the day, catching an interception through contact where he was able to completely overpower the WR to get to the ball. Henson will be an intriguing name to keep an eye on as he looks to make a big splash in his senior season for the Knights.     [player_tooltip player_id='2154305' first='Michael' last='Beliveau'] entered the St. John's camp with a pair of D3 offers already as a promising D3 prospect, and he continued to flash his worth in front of the Johnnies' staff on Sunday. With a good stance and quick strides when he runs, Beliveau is able to keep up with quick receivers, and he shows great hand-fighting skills in being able to jam receivers and force them to redirect their routes. Beliveau is bound to receive more D3 offers over the course of this offseason and will look to parlay his growth this offseason into a strong senior showing for the Warriors.

Continuing our coverage of the St. John's Football Camp that took place on Sunday, we move to the defensive side of the ball, particularly placing our focus on the back-end players at the second and third levels of defense that stood out in front of the Johnnies' coaching staff on Sunday and made their presences known at Clemens Stadium. We take a look at the top LB/DB performers from St. John's Football Camp that took place on Sunday!