Doing just a little bit of everything for the 1A state champions last fall, Mason McCarty Mason McCarty 5'11" | 150 lbs | WR/DB West Lyon | 2027 IA could play a variety of positions for a program like the Raiders in his college career.

At just 5-foot-11 and 150 pounds, McCarty wasn’t West Lyon’s go-to offensive weapon or a leading tackler on defense, but when they went to him, he made a play. Showing off surprisingly good ball skills on a few of his catches, serving as a deceivingly good blocker in the run game, taking off and making something happen in the return game and playing cornerback for the Wildcats, McCarty was one of the more versatile pieces for the state champs in 2025.

I caught McCarty in action during the state semifinals at the UNI-Dome in November. The junior was contributing in all three of the game’s phases while the Lions were putting together their championship run. He posted 59 yards and a touchdown on four carries, and hauled in 10 passes for 199 yards and a pair of scores. On defense, he recorded 12.0 tackles, eight of which were solo and one of them resulting in lost yardage. He averaged 25.0 yards on four kick returns. His lone punt return went for 20 yards. In the end, he earned second-team all-district laurels. You can witness how McCarty gets the job done while viewing his 11th-grade highlight video. He’s fast and athletic with a frame capable of adding strength, giving him some upside from here.