A kid that sent me to my notes and roster to check on over and over was Jaydan Ponder Jaydan Ponder 5'10" | 185 lbs | RB Horlick | 2026 State WI out of Racine Horlick. I was dialed in for the 1v1 reps vs LBs during run game reps. Every rep Jaydan flashed a burst of acceleration that stood out from the crowd of RBs and caught the LBs off guard almost every single time. Jaydan is an explosive runner with the football, making decisive cuts and then getting downhill and back to top speed. It was great to see him stand out in pads. The cherry on top is the incoming senior also had a really good combine with numbers like a 4.68 40, 4.63 shuttle, and a 9’4″ broad jump. Jaydan has been able to carve out a solid role in recent years, but 2025 is going to be his time to shine on Friday nights. Do not overlook this kid.

Another strong 2024 producer who looks like he is about to really blow up is Racine Horlick’s Jaydan Ponder Jaydan Ponder 5'10" | 185 lbs | RB Horlick | 2026 State WI . Jaydan broke 700 yards in 2024 while handling the second most carries on the team. However, despite the solid numbers he was still 100 carries behind the team’s RB1. With Fletcher graduating we have almost 200 carries available. I don’t expect to see Ponder take all of them, but he doesn’t need to. Ponder is a physical runner who plays behind his pads and will wear down defenses as games go on. The tough runner is going to be given a chance for a big senior season. Pumped to watch it unfold.

Junior RB Jaydan Ponder was another head-turning athlete at the Showcase. Right from the testing portion of the day, Jaydan was dominating. The 5’9″ 183 lbs back is built very strong and has plenty of length with a 6’2″ wingspan and 10.25″ hands. The ’26 RB also posted an impressive 4.75 40 yard dash, 4.62 5-10-5, 9’3″ broad jump, and a 7.34 L-Drill. All numbers that suggest he can play at the next level.

On the field, Jaydan is a powerful runner who is best as a one cut runner. That one cut is plenty effective for the decisive runner as he showed at the Showcase he could make one cut and burst upfield to beat LBs 1 on 1 in space. Ponder also did a solid job as a receiver and still showed that powerful agility with his route running. A big year is on the way for the 2026 RB.