Grand Valley State Camp: WRs/RBs Shine

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Yesterday at Grand Valley's first prospect camp of the season, I focused my time on offensive skill positions + QB. The talent pool from these positions was immense, and I'm incredibly excited to share a few standouts from yesterday. From a U.P. hidden gem to reliable favorites, here are my seven skill position standouts from yesterday's camp!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">RB | [player_tooltip player_id='881599' first='Kainoa' last='Lacar'] | Negaunee | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/15029439/Kainoa-Lacar/about">Hudl</a></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wow! I was shocked to learn that the #6 I kept being impressed by is from Negaunee in the Upper Peninsula! Talk about a hidden gem- Kaiona was dancing past opponents with a super impressive jump cut and an overall effective combo of moves. At times I thought, "okay, he might be doing too much," as his moves took some time to accomplish, but he was doing things out there that I've seen some top prospects try and massively fail. It's clear that Kainoa was one of the most athletic and explosive players in the entire camp. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Looking more into his Hudl, the athleticism shows up on tape. His quick cuts show, as well as a few hurdles, which I haven't seen many high schoolers dare to attempt. He also claims to have a 38-inch vertical, a 4.6 40, and a 405 squat. Clearly, a super underrated prospect that deserves some collegiate attention. I don't know if I'd evaluate him as high as D2, but he was sure on par with D2-offered backs yesterday, and I could easily see a school like Northern Michigan uncovering him and bringing him in. Overall a prospect that's really caught my eye and one that I will be pounding the table for from here on out. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> Looking at his State Championship numbers from last season, he only rushed for 45 yards on 18 carries, but listen, Negaunee's line didn't stand a chance against West Catholic's front 7. Watch the film, and it's clear to see that Kainoa was in an unfavorable situation there, and I don't blame him for the performance. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/KainoaLacar/status/1673121096386707457","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/KainoaLacar/status/1673121096386707457 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">WR | Nicholas Gordon | Coopersville | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/15206655/Nicholas-Gordon/about">Hudl</a></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is a prospect that turned heads throughout the entire camp. A great, athletic slot receiver, Nicholas Gordon was running great routes, had awesome concentration on his catches, and earned his separation. He's yet another guy that I didn't know about going in, but now, 100% on my radar. Coopersville as a whole keeps on surprising me with sleeper prospects, so I look forward to looking into the program!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">WR | [player_tooltip player_id='251363' first='Kevin' last='Simes'] | Belleville | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/14557824/Kevin-Simes/about">Hudl</a></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:image {"id":877383,"width":347,"height":228,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/06/IMG-1504-crop-3015x1980-1687798022.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-877383" width="347" height="228" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I noted Simes as having good athleticism &amp; change of direction throughout the duration of the camp. He also ran good routes, and I didn't see any drops. Nice and reliable, just as you'd expect from a Wide Receiver from Belleville! It will be interesting if GV pulls the trigger and decides to offer Simes, as Ferris State sent over an offer just a few days ago.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">WR | [player_tooltip player_id='1298738' first='Julian' last='Johnson'] | Belleville | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/15916390/Julian-Johnson/about">Hudl</a></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I have in my notes "amazing agility for a bigger receiver." He's listed at 6'3" 180 on Hudl, though I think he's heavier than 180, which is not a bad thing. Julian was making great cuts, running great routes, and overall it was clear this was not his first camp rodeo. I was impressed by his ability to plant and change direction on a dime, and it's no surprise to me that he has a few MAC offers with D2 schools fighting for his recruitment. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">WR | Cristopher Murphy-Ware | GR Union | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/16232164/Chris-Ware/about">Hudl</a></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Murphy-Ware may be Union's top weapon this season. I noted a few great routes yesterday, as well as overall good athleticism. Specifically, I love Murphy-Ware's release and route-running. He's a prototypical deep threat that showed some flashes last season. His film shows some of the same great qualities I saw in person; release, speed, and route-running. As long as he can stay consistent with his focus and not drop any balls, he'll have a truly great season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">RB | [player_tooltip player_id='551278' first='Elijah' last='Jones'] | East Kentwood | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/16744455/Elijah-A-Jones/about">Hudl</a></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:image {"id":877391,"width":372,"height":279,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/06/IMG-1494.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-877391" width="372" height="279" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='551278' first='Elijah' last='Jones'] surprised me a lot yesterday. He immediately passed the eye test during warm-ups, and I wrote him down as someone to watch. Once things got going, Elijah shined. Fast feet, shot through the bag drills, nice reaction time. During 1v1s, I liked how Elijah kept it simple yet effective, as he confidently used his upper body to fake one way while his feet moved the opposite. Overall a great prospect who I'm looking forward to watching grow over the next year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">RB | [player_tooltip player_id='533709' first='Kellen' last='Russell-Dixon'] | GR Catholic Central | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/14434569/Kellen-RussellDixon/about">Hudl</a></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kellen did what Kellen does. Another solid performance. I'll note his great concentration and supreme balance. During 1v1 reps, a lot of running backs noticeably catch themselves off balance when trying to make a cut, which, at best, slows them down and, at worst, allows for an easy tackle. Kellen is always square, balanced, and his film shows he can also be powerful. Put power and balance together, and you've got yourself a weapon. Kellen also showcased good change of direction and overall athleticism. He isn't the most athletic back in the world, but he has other elite traits that make him stand out.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->