Prep Redzone WI Showcase: Game Changers in the Backfield

We saw a strong stable of running backs down in Oak Creek for the Prep Redzone Wisconsin Winter Showcase! Difference makers, mismatches out of the backfield, and athletes who look like they are well on their way towards becoming full time starters before they graduate. Today we are going to go through our notes from Session 1 where the RBs came to play and also face off against the LBs in 1 on 1 receiving and rushing battles. If you want to know more about [player_tooltip player_id='1570966' first='Vidal' last='Spivey'], our RB MVP, head over to the <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2024/12/prep-redzone-wi-winter-showcase-mvps/">MVP article</a>! For everyone else, continue reading!    An RB that college recruiters are going to want on their radars for the next couple years is sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1570915' first='Kain' last='Strong']. The 5'10" 170 lbs back has a 6'1" wingspan and 10" hands to bolster the sophomore playmaker's ball security. Kain ran a 4.81 40, 4.30 5-10-5, broad jumped 9'8", and went 7.46 in the L-Drill. Those numbers are just the tip of describing Strong.   The 2027 has made noticeable strides in his game across the board. His agility and change of direction are explosive and powerful. He has lightning quick feet and hips that allowed him to fly through drills and shake LBs in run and receiving battles. Kain's balance and body control shined through agility drills and when he would meet an opponent in the open field. Kain is a versatile back that looks to be in position to take over RB1 for West De Pere. Keep your eyes on the talented athlete.     Maybe the top senior steal at the entire Showcase was Medford senior RB [player_tooltip player_id='1570947' first='Paxton' last='Rothmeier']. He is coming off a pair of insanely productive seasons and looking to make one last impression as he finds his college home. On Sunday the senior checked in at 5'9" 175 lbs with just shy of 10" hands. He ran 4.32 in the 5-10-5, and 6.98 in the L-Drill. Those two outstanding numbers do a great job of illustrating Paxton's game. The short area burst, agility, and change of direction and the power in his legs out of those changes of direction shined at the Showcase and on the football field this fall. That has allowed him to be able to run inside or outside and create plays off the space that he is able to make with that agility. A team needs to come in and steal the senior ball carrier.     A junior RB to get on campus and into camps this summer is Middleton's [player_tooltip player_id='1570875' first='Elijah' last='Jackson']. The junior has a bigger frame than the usual RB at 6'2" 185 lbs. He has a wingspan to match and hands that are 9.5". Elijah was able to post a 9' broad jump and post a very impressive 6.93 L-Drill. For a bigger frame, Elijah is able to carry himself on the field very fluidly. As a route runner, Elijah was able to run some of the smoothest routes in the group. Plus his ability to make the sudden route break helped him open up plenty of separation for his QB to target. The bigger back should have a sizable workload this coming fall on varsity. Get on him way before that time comes around, though.     A sophomore who has made a big leap from when he first hit our radars last summer is Indian Trail's [player_tooltip player_id='1227010' first='Corbin' last='Burrell- Warfield']. The RB checks in at 6' 180 lbs with a 6'3" wingspan and 10" hands. The long frame helped him make plays as a varsity LB and at the Showcase at RB. The '27 RB is a straight line athlete. Let him run north-south and muscle his way to yards. Plus what he showed us at the Showcase tells me you can also send him out of the backfield to catch passes. Corbin looked comfortable and natural catching the ball out in space. He made some night concentration catches. He also showed that he could adjust his body or path to get to the football. As the sophomore continues to develop his balance and agility he is only going to become a more and more impressive recruit.     Junior RB [player_tooltip player_id='1570905' first='Jaydan' last='Ponder'] was another head-turning athlete at the Showcase. Right from the testing portion of the day, Jaydan was dominating. The 5'9" 183 lbs back is built very strong and has plenty of length with a 6'2" wingspan and 10.25" hands. The '26 RB also posted an impressive 4.75 40 yard dash, 4.62 5-10-5, 9'3" broad jump, and a 7.34 L-Drill. All numbers that suggest he can play at the next level.   On the field, Jaydan is a powerful runner who is best as a one cut runner. That one cut is plenty effective for the decisive runner as he showed at the Showcase he could make one cut and burst upfield to beat LBs 1 on 1 in space. Ponder also did a solid job as a receiver and still showed that powerful agility with his route running. A big year is on the way for the 2026 RB.     A freshman RB who has had our attention since early in the season is Bradford's [player_tooltip player_id='1570879' first='Gahari' last='Barnes']. The '28 is a very talented athlete who was able to play JV and some varsity this past season. So I had high hopes for the freshman during the Showcase. The 5'8" 155 lbs RB has 9.25" hands, ran a 4.78 40, 4.45 shuttle, 7.42 L-Drill, and jumped 8'11". The freshman has a strong base of athleticism, speed, agility, and body control to be a difference maker out in space. He is a natural hands catcher out of the backfield and was difficult for LBs to stick with when we started doing the 1 on 1 receiving battles. Gahari is a gamechanger and should have plenty of moments on the varsity field during the coming years. Keep your eyes on the 2028.     One of the more impressive showings among RBs was from the 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='1570924' first='Logan' last='Bivens'] out of Menasha HS. The 5'7" 150 lbs athlete was definitely one of the most explosively agile players in attendance. He ran a 4.85 40, has a blazing 4.21 5-10-5 shuttle, and an elite 6.59 L-Drill. Watching Logan fly through the RB drills was impressive to watch. He has lightning quick feet and his body control and balance allowed him to fly through drills that focused on quick feet and change of direction at nearly top speed. That elusive and explosive agility were outstanding in the moments where we put him 1 on 1 vs an LB in space. Both as a runner and as a receiver. The '27 offers mismatch versatility out of the backfield as a runner and a receiver. The sophomore athlete put together a great showing in Oak Creek.     Another freshman RB who put himself on our radar early in his freshman season was Arrowhead's [player_tooltip player_id='1570871' first='Dylan' last='Puskas']. It was great to get him out to the Showcase and get some base numbers from him so we can watch him grow and develop over the years. Currently, Dylan sits at 5'7" 145 lbs, has 4.88 40 speed, 8'6" broad jump, and a 7.80 L-Drill. A solid base of athleticism that stands out when you watch his freshman highlights. The freshman really impressed me with his receiving talents. He tracked the ball really well downfield, high pointing it and showing he could adjust last second. Dylan also showed the suddenness in his route breaks to open up separation on shorter routes. It was a good day for the freshman RB.     The Pewaukee freshman put himself on my radar on Sunday with his testing and with multiple wow plays that caught my eyes. The 5'8" 150 lbs freshman RB ran 4.93 in the 40, and demonstrated game changing agility, body control, and change of direction with a 4.40 shuttle time and a 7.05 L-Drill. Colton first caught my eyes with his shuttle. Easy flexibility to dip and touch the line then burst the other direction are difficult traits to have, but Colton is showing it as a freshman. On top of the special athleticism making him difficult to cover, Colton also has reliable hands. He caught my attention again with a one handed grab he made during the session. I'm interested in how Wall continues to grow and develop.     Logan was a prospect who interested me coming into the day. Watching his film it is clear that he is a north-south runner who would rather punish a defender than try to go around them. These showcases don't offer that opportunity, so I was intrigued by how Logan would handle it. The 5'11" 187 lbs junior has a 6'3" wingspan and nearly 10" hands. Logan showed that he can direct that power into his acceleration instead of just trying to run someone over. That is highlighted by his 7.15 and 7.17 L-Drill times. Logan was able to also win some receiving reps with that powerful one cut route running. Check out the junior.

We saw a strong stable of running backs down in Oak Creek for the Prep Redzone Wisconsin Winter Showcase! Difference makers, mismatches out of the backfield, and athletes who look like they are well on their way towards becoming full time starters before they graduate. Today we are going to go through our notes from Session 1 where the RBs came to play and also face off against the LBs in 1 on 1 receiving and rushing battles. If you want to know more about Vidal Spivey Vidal Spivey 5'7" | 165 lbs | RB/WR New Berlin Eisenhower | 2026 State WI , our RB MVP, head over to the MVP article! For everyone else, continue reading!