In what was an otherwise difficult 2025 season at Maquoketa, O’Connell’s three-phase performance as a sophomore provided hope for brighter days this fall. He hauled in 22 throws for 252 yards. All 23 of his tackles were of the solo stops. He picked off a pass and recovered a fumble. O’Connell averaged 20.5 yards on 10 kick returns. He shows off is wide array of skills during a sophomore highlight video that also projects upside. O’Connell’s burst and speed pop off the tape when he has the ball in his hands. He evades defenders in space and regularly breaks tackles. O’Connell rips off precise routes and can adjust to throws with a large catch radius. A good athlete, his skills also play well on defense, where he can stick in coverage or come down in run support.

O’Connell produced in all three phases as a sophomore in 2025. The sophomore caught 22 balls for 252 yards. All 23 of his tackles were of the solo variety, and he intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble. O’Connell averaged 20.5 yards on 10 kick returns. We can see how he gets the job done when watching individual game clips from his 10th-grade campaign on his Hudl page. On them, his explosiveness and speed stand out whether he’s running after a catch or returning a kickoff. He makes would-be tacklers miss in space and breaks tackles. O’Connell runs crisp routes and can adjust to throws with a solid catch radius. There aren’t any defensive clips available, but it’s a skill set that translates well to that side of the ball.