#Back2Ballin with Iowa 7v7: The WR Session, Part 2

<!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"16px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:16px"><strong>CEDAR FALLS, IA--</strong>For one of our last series from Back 2 Ballin with Iowa 7v7 last weekend at the UNI Dome, we keep rolling into the offensive side of the ball. This list will really make you appreciate the wide receiver talent the Midwest has brewing in the next several recruiting cycles starting wit the 2024 class on down to a deep 2026 class I saw last weekend. Let's break down more WR standouts from UNI.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='405489' first='Mekai' last='Ward'], WR, TopLine/Madison Memorial (WI) 2024 </strong><a href="https://twitter.com/MekaiWard">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":797697,"width":298,"height":196,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/04/IMG_7812-rotated-crop-480x316-1682375478.jpg?w=479" alt="" class="wp-image-797697" width="298" height="196" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This will be the second of the Ward brothers from Madison Memorial that I have been able to evaluate in the last handful of years with PRZ, and what pops out as similar with both, is how much elusive speed from start to finish there is within both of the Ward brothers. Mekai however, lines up primarily as an offensive weapon and has some great agility when he makes his cut as a route-runner. I also love the balance this young man plays with, as Mekai has so much athleticism despite smaller measurables that he had great distinction on being able to come back to the ball when it was off line based on his great vision and timing with his vertical. The amount of 1v1 wins he had against bigger defensive backs was a blast to watch last weekend at Back 2 Ballin as Mekai should be a slot-receiver to make some heavy noise with college camps this summer with just how elusive he is across the board with his route running, burst, cuts, etc.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='948101' first='Aiden' last='Elinsky'], WR, TopLine/Bay Port (WI) 2026</strong> <a href="https://twitter.com/aidenelinsky1">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":797706,"width":313,"height":206,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/04/IMG_7837-rotated-crop-480x316-1682375540.jpg?w=479" alt="" class="wp-image-797706" width="313" height="206" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aiden was one of the biggest of the younger group of WR prospects I evaluated last weekend at Back 2 Ballin with Iowa 7v7. Aiden showed off some well-connected glue hands that no matter where you lined him up or placed the football on any route on all three levels, he was going to make the catch with his sizable wingspan and well-tuned athleticism built for higher traffic areas with his 6'1 185 pound frame. For his size Aiden also intrigued me with his route-running as he showed efficent stop/go burst with quick bursts out of his brakes which paint well for this incoming sophomore of Green Bay Area powerhouse Bay Port. Aiden also showed some durability for his age that could slide thru heavier contact. Will be a Wisconsin prospect I will be tracking in the 920 over the next several years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Owen George, WR/DB, Apex Air 7v7/Ankeny (IA) 2025</strong> <a href="https://twitter.com/owengeorge_13">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Owen might measure out as a 5'11 175 pound wide receiver, however his stretch for the football plays significantly longer than those measurables you say based on what I watched last weekend at Back 2 Ballin with Iowa 7v7. He also put those extended arms on display on the defensive side of the ball this weekend with his instincts he had with ball-tracking the football around the edges and has the same success in deep territory in the middle of the field as well. I think skillsets set me higher on this kid is the WR spot, as that length shows off instinctive versatility as a prospect that has position flexibility but my lean stays out at wide receiver in the coming years although I expect Owen to be on both sides of the field for Ankeny over his next two years. Owen will need to get a more recent highlight tape together to entice the likes of college recruiters more in dpeth, but there are skillsets there they should be watching as he gets that done.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Cole Fee, WR, Minnesota Go Get It/St. Paul Central (MN) 2023 </strong><a href="https://twitter.com/ArthurRussell06">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":797709,"width":321,"height":211,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/04/IMG_7857-rotated-crop-480x316-1682375609.jpg?w=479" alt="" class="wp-image-797709" width="321" height="211" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cole showed on the 18U champs last weekend that he's a wide receiver that you can just throw that touch ball in his direction and he will use every ounce of athletic ability he has in his plethora to make the catch, and extend it as this young man has showed me over the last year or so what a flyer he is in the open field. The UW-River Falls commit has a bunch of swiss army knife skillsets, but it was very easy to see why last Sunday that the Falcons like his talents as a wide receiver next year, as Cole's quick and balanced speed throughout his route-running and his high-top ability he showed off at Back 2 Ball with Iowa 7v7 last weekend, I know that the Falcons got a steal out St. Paul Central.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Louis Welstead, WR, Nebraska Red Wolves/Lincoln (NE) 2026</strong> <a href="https://twitter.com/LouisWelstead1">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":797723,"width":312,"height":205,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/04/IMG_7832-rotated-crop-480x316-1682375924.jpg?w=479" alt="" class="wp-image-797723" width="312" height="205" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>By far, Nebraska Red Wolves wide receiver Louis Welstead was the fastest human I got to watch overall in the 2026 class this weekend. He also passed my early eye test from looking at his frame for his age. The burst this kid had short and long in the open field, was dynamic as a first look wide receiver prospect from Lincoln High's Louis Welstead. This young man also had a plethora of agility tacked on as well into his skillsets and I believe this is even a deeper ceiling over the coming years to be seen with that skillset. Louis was another prospect on this second list of wide receivers that had electric hands last weekend out of the 2026 class, as I liked how fast he turned his hands over when getting thru high-traffic routes to make a key play. Louis also hit a game-winning touchdown catch last weekend which was one of the most impressive offensive plays I saw this weekend from the 15U division.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>James Kopfmann, WR, Minnesota Go Get It/Chanhassen (MN) 2026</strong> <a href="https://twitter.com/JamesKopfmann">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":797733,"width":323,"height":212,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/04/IMG_7833-rotated-crop-480x316-1682376033.jpg?w=479" alt="" class="wp-image-797733" width="323" height="212" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>James was a first look wide receiver prospect for me out of Chanhassen, Minn that was really intriguing from the 15U division from Minnesota Go Get It. He showed off some significant twitch with his agility with his route-running and had consistently built hands that caught everything that came his way. There is also a sizable amount of frame that James can fill out over the coming years, as already a 6'0 but can probably add 20-30 pounds in the weight room in the coming years. James shows off a good sized reach on precision routes and also can dangle with heavier contact areas and still use those sizable hands to his advantage. Certainly a 2026 WR prospect to watch out of the Twin Cities Metro!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->