PRZ Illinois Prospect Tour Preview: Potential Breakout Prospects

You can feel the competition in the air—that’s the best part about attending showcases such as our Prospect Tour that kicks off in Westmont, IL, this weekend. At every camp/showcase that I’ve attended over the past few years, there’s always been a handful of prospects that emerge from the smoke and increase their stock. It never fails, whether it be in 1-on-1 competition, position-specific drills, or the 40-yard dash, these showcases help shine a light on who’s been putting in the work and doing their best to maximize their chances of earning a scholarship to play football at the next level. So without further ado, here are a handful of prospects who I believe can be potential breakouts during this weekend’s showcase... <hr /> <h5><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="299461" first="Cameron" last="Ashley"] | WR | Simeon ’23</strong></em></h5> <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-146822" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/05/Cameron-Ashley3.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /> Ashley has been on a mission to increase his stock and get on college coaches’ radars as he prepares for his senior campaign at Simeon. I most recently saw him last fall during Simeon’s matchup against Morgan Park, so I’m very interested in seeing how much he’s progressed as an athlete. He possesses the physical tools to be a productive playmaking possession receiver, so I’ll definitely keep a close eye on Ashley and watch how he fares against the talented DB pool that’ll be in attendance at our showcase this weekend. <h5><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="130397" first="Nick" last="Day"] | RB | Antioch ’24</strong></em></h5> Lake County is an area that is grossly overlooked as it pertains to football prospects. This showcase serves as an opportunity for Day to put the state on notice and let everyone know that there needs to be more attention paid to the prospects who reside in Lake County. Day is a running back who can carry the load for his team and flashes both power and elusiveness. He’s currently in a run-heavy system, so I’m interested to see how well he catches the ball, especially since there’s a premium on running back being able to catch in the ariel evolution we’ve witnessed in football today. <h5><em><strong>Clayton Horton | LB | Lakes ’24</strong></em></h5> Horton is virtually unknown in Illinois’ recruiting circuit. Most players like to chalk up being unknown due to being overlooked or slept on, but that’s not the case for Horton. He hasn’t had a chance to consistently showcase his skills on the big stage due to mainly playing JV last season, so I believe this showcase could be his coming-out party. He’s more of a hybrid defender that’ll spend most of his time at the inside linebacker position. I’ll be most interested to see how well he tests in the 40-yard dash and agility drills. <h5><em><strong>Jayden Payne | ATH | Zion- Benton ’23</strong></em></h5> I expect Payne’s blazing speed to be on display during this weekend’s showcase. Another part of his game he can showcase is his route-running and ability to create separation. He’s extremely dangerous with the ball and is beyond slippery in space. I’m looking forward to watching him in 1-on-1s and I’m very curious to see what he clocks in the 40-yard dash. <h5><em><strong>Kejuan Fountain | DL/TE | Clark ’23</strong></em></h5> I’ve spoken with one of Fountain’s coaches and he has done nothing but rave about how talented of a prospect he is. To put it in perspective, Fountain measures in at 6’4" 235lbs, runs 55.5 seconds in the 400-meter dash, triple jumps 39 ft., and wreaks absolute havoc off the edge. Not to mention, he’s a pretty decent pass-catcher for a prospect his size. And since our showcase is split up into two different sessions, he can showcase his skillset with the defensive lineman in session 1 and the pass-catchers in session 2. I could definitely see him being one of the finalists for showcase MVP. <h5><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="172084" first="Walker" last="Owens"] | RB | Wheaton North ’ 24</strong></em></h5> Owens was a member of the Wheaton North team that claimed the IHSA 7A state championship this past season. So he’ll be one of a few athletes in attendance that’ll be able to classify themselves as a "State Champion." I’ve been a fan of Owens since he was a freshman and featured him in my article titled <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/06/24-for-24-breaking-down-illinois-stars-of-tomorrow/">24 for ’24: Breaking Down Illinois’ Future Stars of Tomorrow</a> which was published about a year ago. Owens’ versatility is what intrigues me the most. On one end of the spectrum, he can impose his will as an all-purpose back; on the end, he can be a pretty dynamic linebacker who can give an offense a headache. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-243821" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/12/109-Walker-Owens.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />