Early Season Watchlist: Players Ready To Dominate

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the '25 season closing in hard and fast I wanted to shoe horn in a couple of articles and circle back to some guys covered earlier in the year who I made note of at the time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In covering and visiting with hundreds of high school football players every month there are always a few that catch my eye for different reasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Some are raw talent ballers who are right on the cusp of breaking out. Some are over-achievers who I have followed and enjoyed watching their progress. Some are small-school guys or off the beaten path that deserve more attention than they have been getting.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Whatever the reason was for initially catching my eye it was reinforced upon circling back.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These guys can play and are ready to take the next step. And for some of these ballers it could be a big step next year as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this report we are taking a closer look at a combination of classes and positions that passed the early eye test in the off-season and are getting ready to rip it up this fall </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So, without further adieu, let's take a quick pre-season look at guys to have on your watchlists:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>SENIORS:</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='780305' first='Nick' last='Philhour Jr.']</strong>, 6'3, 290. OL, <em>Mill Valley</em>, '26. First out of the chute is a large and in charge trench warrior ready to parlay a strong off-season into a dominating senior year. Working with coach/trainer-extraordinaire, <em>Chris Gomez</em>, for o-line training and <em>Avery Parker</em> for speed/mobility, he focused on sharpening skills and bolstering explosiveness. In the process he trimmed up to enhance quickness, going from 288 and 27% body fat to 272 with 20% body fat. Already possessing next-level feet to go with size and strength, this guy is a piledriver in the run game but also excels in pass pro, walling off the perimeter from his left tackle spot. He will be leading the way for a powerful offense that features game-wrecking RB <em>[player_tooltip player_id='1310981' first='Reggie' last='Reece']</em>, who is looking for a 2K season this fall, and standout TE <em>[player_tooltip player_id='934074' first='Stone' last='Zambo']</em>. The <em>Jaguars</em> are hungry this year as they were nipped in the 5A quarterfinals, 23-22, by eventual state champion <em>Aquinas</em>, snapping a five-year run of titles. This guy is a force in the trenches and ready for a blockbuster senior year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='291673' first='William' last='Owens']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/william-owens/"></a> </strong>, 6'3, 250, ATH, <em>Derby</em>, '26. Another master blaster in the trenches on the other side of the ball, he is a multi-positional defensive lineman who can play anywhere along the defensive front but will be a great fit at DT in the Panthers 3-4 scheme. After playing for several different schools over the past few years, he has settled in at <em>Derby</em> to give them another baller along the d-line to go with run-pounding teammates <em>[player_tooltip player_id='1401788' first='Houston' last='Bowlin']</em> at NT, and <em>[player_tooltip player_id='904440' first='Dalton' last='Hornback']</em> at DE/LB, who I recently covered as well. With a powerful frame, good reach and standout lateral quickness, he is athletic and disruptive and can shut down the opposing team's run game between the tackles while also pressing the QB. He has been dedicated in the off-season playing 7v7 with <em>Sharp Performance</em>, working out daily this summer and is coming off an impressive boot camp. This guy may be flying under the radar early but expect to see him make some noise by season end for the powerful <em>Panthers</em>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1708714' first='Wyatt' last='Deneau Bice']</strong>, 6'3, 255, OL/DL, <em>Belle Plaine</em>, '26. He has had a warp speed off-season getting prepped for his final year as he hit camps this summer almost weekly, which included a stretch when he attended five camps in five different states. Coming off a strong junior season as a starter he is a mauling, brawling masher in the trenches. He can play anywhere along the offensive line but will line up at tackle this fall and stonewall rushers in pass pro to buy time for the <em>Dragon</em> passing game, which will feature <em>[player_tooltip player_id='1307968' first='Damian' last='Nicholson']</em> at one of the wideouts, who I reported on earlier in the off-season. On defense he started to really shine as a hammer of a DE who uses his quick feet, lower-body muscle and strike-force hands to effectively penetrate double teams or just bull-rush right over the top of blockers. His off-season goal was to get his playing weight up to 260 and he will be close to that by the time the season rolls a round. All of his time, effort and work is getting ready to pay off with a dominating senior season for the <em>Dragons</em>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1343588' first='Tahj' last='Edwards']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/tahj-edwards/"></a>&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/tahj-edwards/"></a>&nbsp;, 5'10”, 175, RB,&nbsp;<em>Lawrence</em>, '26. Last but certainly not least, we have a game-breaker, all-purpose back who has set the stage for a monster senior season after running, receiving and returning kicks for 1,000+ yards and scoring 12 touchdowns along the way. Wasting no time last year he got out of the blocks in a hurry, putting the rest of the state on notice in game number two when he piled up a scorching 255 yards rushing and scored a pair of TD's. This off-season he continued to focus on speed and explosiveness and after a strong track season has his forty time down to a sizzling 4.5. He has remained at the same weight from last year but will be a couple of steps faster with even better spatial awareness blazing through available gaps this fall. The Lions are looking to get off to a promising start against <em>Olathe West</em> in the opening game and along with a gunslinger at quarterback in <em>[player_tooltip player_id='1166125' first='Colt' last='Curry']</em>, who I recently covered, they will present a difficult assignment in the first game of the '25 season. Get your popcorn handy, <em>Edwards</em> is getting ready to put on a show this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>SOPHOMORES:</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1487875' first='Maxon' last='Smiley']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/maxon-smiley/"></a>&nbsp;, 5'11, 175, QB,&nbsp;<em>Colby</em>, '28. First up for the sophomores in this report we have a guy with some serious upside who spent his first year of varsity football last fall learning the ropes from a graduating senior quarterback. He didn't just sit back and watch with clipboard in hand either, as when he got a chance to show his stuff competing with his peers he opened both barrels in a dizzying display of offensive firepower on the freshman squad, throwing for 2,665 yards and 19 TD passes <em>in only eight games</em>. He also shredded defenses on the ground with 1,115 rushing yards and five more TD's. As reported earlier in the year, his offensive game is already mature and he is ready to hit the ground running as a dual-threat quarterback. With his foot speed and lateral quickness he makes defenders miss in the open field but is also an accurate passer with trained mechanics who can sit in the pocket and dismantle the defense or go on the move and use his pin-point passes to move the chains. Along with standout teammate, athlete <em>[player_tooltip player_id='1333005' first='Cody' last='Wright']</em>, the <em>Eagles</em> are ready to soar in '25.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1622499' first='Tommy' last='Knighton']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/tommy-knighton/"></a>&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/tommy-knighton/"></a>&nbsp;</strong>, 6'0, 200, RB/LB,&nbsp;<em>Blue Valley North</em>, '28. Last fall he saw action as a two-way standout who can throttle the opposing team's offense from his LB position or move to the other side of the ball and showcase his talents as an all-purpose running back. On offense he is a back who has the patience to size up running lanes before exploding through gaps, busting up arm tackles and picking up big yardage after the initial hit. In limited action last fall as a RB, he showed what kind of a potential weapon he is, piling up 195 yards rushing on a scant 11 carries for an eye-popping 18-yards per carry and scored a TD. On defense he is looking for a big year as a sledgehammer backer who brings the heat with great instincts and a nose for the ball. His off-season was crazy-busy as he incorporated cross-training in lacrosse and swimming, while lifting daily and doing speedwork and agilities three days a week. Along with rising star QB<em> [player_tooltip player_id='1083571' first='Braxton' last='Wagner']</em>, who I covered recently as well, the <em>Mustangs</em> have a strong young nucleus on offense. Get out and see a stud in the making this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tre Hafenstein</strong>, 5'11, 195, QB/ATH, <em>Central of Burden</em>, '28. And last but certainly noteworthy, we have a sophomore quarterback who I am really anxious to see in action this fall. With already good size, speed and athleticism, he is a baller dual-threat QB who can put the team on his back and lead them to victory behind center, but is also versatile enough to be used as a running back or split out wide as a receiver if needed. In the off-season he stayed busy on the camp-combine circuit while working hard in the weight room and on conditioning to get stronger and more explosive for this fall. He was also fortunate to attend the well-known <em>Manning Passing Academy</em> in Louisiana earlier in the summer to help him fine-tune his skills as a strong-arm passer who processes information quickly and makes instantaneous decisions when the heat is on. He has spent time working on speed and making sure his cardio enables him to play whatever position the team needs him to play. With a love of the game and a strong work ethic, he will be pushing himself and his team to make an impact this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In conclusion, get out and see these guys in action – you will not be disappointed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And, as usual…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Keep grindin'</em></strong>…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->