July Edition: Under the Radar

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Football season is one month away in the Natural State. We have plenty of players to keep an eye on who have been flying under the radar over the past few months. In this article, we shine a spotlight on several players who have flown under the radar.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1548663' first='Connor' last='Reed']-Offensive Line-Prairie Grove-6'1” 300-Pounds-2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Reed is the type of player who will see playing time on both sides of the ball this upcoming season. He is capable of playing on both the offensive as well as the defensive lines. On the offensive side of the ball, he is key to the Prairie Grove rushing attack. He is able to consistently open up rushing lanes with ease. Reed can overpower opposing defenders. Reed is a prospect to watch out for this upcoming season for the Tigers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1192186' first='Tavien' last='Clegg']-Running Back-Malvern-5'9” 170-Pounds-2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1192186' first='Tavien' last='Clegg'] is a patient running back who does a great job of allowing his rushing lanes to develop before exploding through the hole. Clegg is the kind of running back who just gets stronger as the game progresses into the fourth quarter. He missed four games a season ago but still rushed for 1,000 yards. Clegg is a running back to watch out for this upcoming season. I expect him to have a great 2025 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1262586' first='Seth' last='Wilson']-Linebacker-Booneville-5'10” 165-Pounds-2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Booneville Bearcats always have talented prospects on both sides of the ball. [player_tooltip player_id='1262586' first='Seth' last='Wilson'] has the versatility to play the linebacker spot or come off of the edge for the Bearcats. Wilson uses a good mix of power and speed to shed blocks. He can pressure the opposing quarterback or have an impact on the rushing attack. Wilson is a prospect with the potential to have a strong senior season for the Bearcats.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1732684' first='CJ' last='Bolinger']-Defensive Back-Gentry-5'10” 170-Pounds-2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1732684' first='CJ' last='Bolinger'] is a prospect who has had no problem locking down one side of the field for the Pioneers. He does a great job of playing the ball while it is in the air. Bolinger will separate the ball from the wide receiver. He moves up to play the run effectively and will make the tackle. Bolinger is a prospect who will likely see playing time on both sides of the ball this upcoming season. He is a player to watch out for this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1247771' first='Akin' last='Johnson']-Wide Receiver-Farmington-6'2” 165-Pounds-2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1247771' first='Akin' last='Johnson'] is part of the wide receiver group at Farmington who can slice up an opposing defensive secondary. Johnson has excellent speed and can stretch the defense easily from a vertical perspective. He has the speed to cause plenty of headaches for the opposing defense. Johnson has a knack for hauling in big receptions and extending drives. Johnson is a wide receiver for the Cardinals to watch out for over the next few months.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->