Ballers Athletes Looking For Breakout Season This Fall

The clock is ticking as we roll into the first week of August and for the kind of ballers I follow, they all want the darn thing to tick a little quicker.   In the rearview mirror is eight months of dedicated training, off-season sports and mind-dumbing anticipation preparing to get off to a fast start.   Time to put the grind behind and get your gray matter right to perform at an apex level.   In this report, we are taking a quick look at five multi-positional athletes from each of the returning classes who having been busy getting ready.   These guys are ballers who are off and running establishing themselves in the varsity game. They have not been flying under the radar so to speak, but certainly have not received the kind of attention warranted to date and it has driven them to prep like there is no tomorrow.   So, without further adieu, let's check out why these guys are ready for the next step:     Kayden Baker, 5'11, 185, DB/WR/ATH, Perry Lecompton, '27, up first for the seniors is a versatile playmaker athlete who is coming off a strong junior season as a sticky-fingered wideout on offense and a smothering corner on defense. Once football was over he has been busy playing basketball and then had an outstanding spring, as both an all-conference and 1st-team all-state outfielder. He has continued playing baseball this summer while setting PRs in the weight room on all the key lifts and getting in plenty of speedwork and agilities. At the Washburn camp he showcased good measurables (35" VJ; 10.69 Flying 10 & hit 20+ mph) as well as athleticism and position skills. He has been fine-tuning his wide receiver mechanics, working on route running and playing 7v7. On defense he is athletic enough to play as a press corner, hitting the WR in the mouth at the line & mirroring coverage off the snap; or sink back and play ballhawk coverage in zone. This guy is ready to roll this fall.     Tanner Wheat, 5'10, 185, RB/LB/ATH, Perry Lecompton, '28, up first for the juniors is another versatile baller for the Kaws who can play either linebacker or in the secondary on defense and is particularly versatile on offense as a hybrid running back and a wide receiver who also lines up in the slot and on the wing. He is coming off a good sophomore season when he gave fans and coaches a glimpse of great things to come. As a runner he gets the ball in a variety of ways to take advantage of his burst and elusiveness running to daylight. He is a slashing runner with a low center of gravity who blows up arm tackles and picks up big yardage after the initial hit. This summer he has been busy training with Coach Barah at Ubuntu Performance, hit camps at William Jewell, Washburn, FT Hays, Emporia State, and Mid-America Nazarene, played 7v7 and even found time for a little basketball. This guy may not be getting the attention he deserves for now but is going to change that in a hurry this fall.     [player_tooltip player_id='1620511' first='Keelyn' last='Duncan'], 5'11, 205, ATH/RB, Eudora, '28, next up for the juniors is a gifted RB who spearheaded a strong Cardinal running attack, helping the team go 9-2 and win the Frontier League title. Along the way he carried the ball 86 times for 864 yards and averaged 10+ yards per carry. He also caught 6 passes for 155 yards, averaging 26+ per catch and finished with over 1,000 APYs. This summer was busy on the camp circuit, hitting Ivy League camps at Dartmouth, Yale, Harvard and Cornell; and performed well at the Lindenwood camp and at Miami (OH). He has also been working with TheGoodGame for speed and agility training as well as improving explosiveness and power. He is a punishing runner between the tackles who has great spatial awareness and patience before making decisive cuts to blow through gaps and trample defenders in his path. This guy was just getting warmed up last year and is going to be en fuego this fall.     [player_tooltip player_id='1907979' first='Tommy' last='Burgess'], 5'10, 165, QB/ATH, Shawnee Mission East, '29, first up for the sophomores is a rising star dual-threat quarterback getting ready to lead the Lancer's powerful flexbone offense this fall. His off-season training has been moving along at warp speed as he threw the javelin in track and qualified for New Balance Nationals in the spring and then this summer has been focused on fine-tuning QB mechanics and footwork, working with trainers in the KC area and throwing to his receivers. His off-season training is paying off as he has put on 25 pounds, shattered PRs in the key lifts and is faster and more explosive. As a dual-threat quarterback he plays a high-IQ game with good cognitive/processing skills and decision making. He is also an athletic, elusive runner extending plays or running the RPO and has good ball placement attacking all three levels from the pocket or on the move. This guy is ready to take it to another level this fall.     [player_tooltip player_id='1883432' first='Bryce' last='Mitchem'], 6'3, 175, WR/DB/ATH, Olathe North, '29, and last but certainly not least is a sophomore who caught my eye earlier as a promising two-way baller who is a versatile WR on offense and d-back on the other side of the ball. Last fall as a freshman he put his talented game on display scoring five touchdowns, intercepted a pair of passes and turned one into a pick-6 touchdown. He has had a busy off-season in the weight room, playing 7v7 and doing speedwork. He also traveled to Stillwater to showcase his game at the Oklahoma State camp. With a three-inch growth spurt, he has also gotten bigger and faster and has been focused on making a difference on both sides of the ball this fall. On offense he runs precise routes, has strong hands and a good catch radius. On defense he has great read and react skills in pass coverage with the closing burst to cut off backs trying to hit the perimeter. This guy is ready for a breakout year.     In conclusion, get out and see these guys dominate this fall - you will not be disappointed. Also, DM me via X if you run across any players flying under the radar.   And, as usual…   Keep grindin'

The clock is ticking as we roll into the first week of August and for the kind of ballers I follow, they all want the darn thing to tick a little quicker.