Junior Recruits to Pursue In and Around Eau Claire

Eau Claire has long been a great hub for talent to recruit when it comes to football. So it had to be a stop on our journey around Wisconsin identifying the top junior recruits of every region. While researching the area it quickly became apparent that the city and a pair of nearby schools would need to be its own region because of how much talent is within the city and surrounding areas. Our focus of the Eau Claire region will be the schools within the city like North, Memorial, and Regis while also adding in Elk Mound, Altoona, and Chippewa Falls. Coaches, this is a special group of athletes. Make sure they are all on your recruiting boards and databases. This will also be a multiple part series here on Prep Redzone WI so make sure to stay tuned for more athletes from this region in the near future! Let's get started!    One of the top athletes in this Class overall is EC North's [player_tooltip player_id='1475845' first='Kenton' last='Mondeau']. Kenton possesses elite physical tools that make him a D1 level recruit. The junior has rare size and length and carries his 315 lbs really well. Kenton plays with the hands of a heavyweight boxer. His initial punches have devastating impact that have repeatedly put DL on the ground. His overall power is elite too, easily driving opponents off the ball in the run game and showing a strong anchor in pass protection. The big man also plays with sufficient range to his game. Whether it be getting up to the second level or reaching across his man to cut them off. Kenton also plays with some of the most physical finish to his reps that I have seen in WI. Mondeau is looking to punish his opponents every chance he can.      The city of Eau Claire and the surrounding area is loaded up with offensive linemen in the Class of 2026. [player_tooltip player_id='1610025' first='Noah' last='King'] is one of the best in the state. He checks so many boxes from his 6'6" 260 lbs frame with long arms and plenty of room to continue to bulk up to his elite athleticism for the position. Noah's range shines throughout his tape. He can so easily get out in space and run down DBs or LBs. His athleticism in short areas also shines as he possesses the reactive athleticism to provide excellent pass protection as he mirrors pass rushers. King's balance and body control paired with his athleticism and size should have every D2 in the area after him and D1 programs also checking in on him. Noah is a talented recruit that still has such a high ceiling to go after in the future.      One of the best DBs in the area is Eau Claire Memorial's [player_tooltip player_id='1506633' first='Ryan' last='Schultz']. The 5'10" 175 lbs is a versatile athlete who has varsity success at safety and cornerback. To start things off, Ryan has the mentality and physicality to play at the next level. He is coming off a season with 100+ tackles where he aggressively attacks and wraps up ball carriers. There is no hesitation when the '26 DB has to fight through a block or make tackles 1 on 1. On top of the physicality, Ryan is talented in coverage. His read and reaction in zone coverage jumps off the tape as he baits QBs into bad throws and quickly closes on the ball. The junior also has the feet and hips to be able to line up tight and play man coverage, mirroring route breaks. Plus he has the ball skills to make plays when the ball is in the air. I'm excited to watch him continue to rise this summer/fall.      Zach is a WR that is well worth a watch on tape, and should be a skill player that coaches want to get in for camps. He is coming off a season where he led the team in receiving with a 45/596/6 stat line. The playmaker also contributed on the ground where he added another 8 TDs. Zach brings a natural playmaking ability to the field. The ability to find a way to make something out of nothing, or turn good plays into highlight reel plays. Out wide you see the smooth athleticism and route running from his excellent balance and body control. The junior has trustworthy hands in traffic and the speed he plays with is more than effective for this level and the next. Dive into his highlight reel.      Brody is the type of athlete at the FB position that makes these option teams successful. He has a strong frame that can handle running between the tackles and wearing down the interior of a defense. As a runner, Brody is patient and runs downhill with a head full of steam. You see the north-south, straight ahead running that is needed from the FB in this offense. You will also see the speed to create the big play up the middle when a seam does open up. Tarbox also brings the physicality as a blocker in the run game, easily moving defenders out of lanes. Give the film a look.      Aaron will return to the helm after being the starter for the varsity at EC Memorial in 2024. A year that saw him complete 55% of his passes for 1,175 yards and 10 TDs. The left handed QB is an undersized recruit at 5'11" 165 lbs, but he gets the job done. There are clips of him hitting tight windows with velocity 20-25 yards downfield. He is accurate while on the move. You will see him go from read to read on several highlight clips as well. He is a poised athlete that does a good job of finding the right spot to go with the ball and then gives him man a chance at bringing it in. It will be interesting to see who steps up on the receiving end with the graduation of Memorial's top targets from the past couple years.      Deion is a versatile offensive skill player to get to know. The 5'9" 175 lbs junior finished 2024 with 47/311/1 on the ground and 115/253/1 as a receiver. Deion is a tough kid to contain with the speed he brings to the field. The junior uses it to get outside on the ground and also stretch the field as a receiver. His burst of acceleration gets him to his top speed very quickly, allowing him to be effective in tight quarters. A lot of the production on offense returns to Altoona in 2025 so it will be exciting to see how much more explosive Deion and this group is with another offseason of development under their belt.      It will be interesting to see where Rownan is recruited on the field. He currently plays DL, but at 6' 205 lbs he doesn't fit the typical mold. The kid is a football player, though. He is physical and wins in the trenches very often with his hand use, quick lateral agility, and a high motor that helps him fight through blocks and chase down plays in space. Rownan also plays a FB/TE role on offense where that same physicality aids in his ability to clear out running lanes as a blocker. The '26 is a kid that the D3 level should definitely have on their radars.

Eau Claire has long been a great hub for talent to recruit when it comes to football. So it had to be a stop on our journey around Wisconsin identifying the top junior recruits of every region. While researching the area it quickly became apparent that the city and a pair of nearby schools would need to be its own region because of how much talent is within the city and surrounding areas. Our focus of the Eau Claire region will be the schools within the city like North, Memorial, and Regis while also adding in Elk Mound, Altoona, and Chippewa Falls. Coaches, this is a special group of athletes. Make sure they are all on your recruiting boards and databases. This will also be a multiple part series here on Prep Redzone WI so make sure to stay tuned for more athletes from this region in the near future! Let's get started!