Following tonight’s Super Bowl we won’t have a real football game to watch for roughly seven months.
That almost feels un-American…
Fortunately for football junkies, camps, combines and 7-V-7 tournaments will start this month and coming off of a National Signing Day that saw nearly 100 area athletes ink football NLIs, it seems fitting to take a look into the crystal ball and see what February of 2017 could hold for the Ozarks.
For a basketball area, the Ozarks has sent more guys to FBS programs recently and Chase Allen (Iowa State), Trystan Castillo (Mizzou), Mason Husmann (Louisiana-Monroe) and Logan Tyler (Florida State) will continue that trend this year.
Who are the juniors most likely to continue the legacy? Here is a look at a few.
First of all, it might be a return of “The Year of the Quarterback” from 2013 that saw Rafe Peavey (Bolivar-Arkansas), Anthony Cooper (Kickapoo-SEMO), Jaelon Acklin (MV-BT/Liberty-Western Illinois), Blayne Armstrong (Marshfield-Missouri State/Northeastern State) and Jacob Wade (Strafford-Evangel) all put up monster numbers and all entertain D-1 offers before making their final choice.
I don’t think this class has the same depth, but with Chris Lawson (Kickapoo) and Payton Evans (Aurora) it could have just as much top end talent.
Lawson and Evans are eerily similar players when you watch them on film and both have the versatility that coaches at the next level are looking for. Both are extremely athletic with live arms, two of the better arms I’ve seen since we launched O-Zone and both guys win. Kickapoo and Aurora both advanced to the Final Four this year. Lawson is more compact at 6-foot-1, 205lbs and his junior numbers were scary good (1,578 yards, 20 TDs, 3 INTs; 548 rushing yards, five TDs). Evans is a little closer to a prototypical frame (6-foot-3, 200lbs) and his numbers back up the hype (2,236 yards, 19 touchdowns, 66% completion percentage; 610 rushing yards, 11 TDs). These two guys will make the rounds this summer and could even play their way into the regional Elite 11 competition in Chicago. I would be shocked if they didn’t end up playing Division One football.
Potentially the most intriguing quarterback, similar to 2013, is a kid from MV-BT/Liberty. Josh Pruett put up numbers that are very similar to Jaelon Acklin (2,543 yards, 37 touchdowns; 1,015 rushing yards, 23 touchdowns) and all of that came in 13 games. If you’ve seen him play anything then you understand his athleticism is serious and there aren’t any programs in the area that he couldn’t play for in some capacity. The question is does he have enough arm talent to be a quarterback at the next level enough or is he athletic enough to transition to another position and play at the D-1 level, similar to his predecessor Acklin.
Bolivar’s Connor Sechler is another guy that would be in this conversation, but the 6-foot-2 junior has already committed to Missouri State to play baseball and should continue to field offers (see what I did there) from several Power 5 programs.
Sechler’s favorite target, 6-foot-6 tight end Brandon Emmert is also a D-1 prospect and potentially a high-major prospect. He’s the next guy to benefit from the Tony Gonzalez theory; the same reason that Chase Allen turned into one of the hottest prospects in the nation over the last two months. He’s a 20-10 guy on the basketball court and understands using his body and attacking the ball at its highest point. Emmert has already taken an unofficial visit to Kansas State and interest will only increase this summer after making the rounds at camps and combines.
Speaking of Chase Allen, another potential D-1 guy to keep an eye on shares his bloodline. No, not little brother Alex, who will be a breakout athlete next year, but the cousin, and Kickapoo standout, Travis Vokolek.
His dad is former Missouri State defensive coordinator and current Buffalo University defensive back coach D.J. Vokolek and Travis has been blessed with the family stock (6-foot-6, 200lbs) as well. He was a standout for the Chiefs defensively with 81 tackles and a pair of interceptions which is really just a sign of how versatile he is; he can legitimately lineup and play at all three levels with no issue. The big question is will he slide over and play more of a role offensively. He’s another long, rangy basketball player that has no problem high-pointing footballs and runs like a deer; don’t be surprised to see teams make a run at him as a WR/TE.
Carl Junction will transition into the COC Large and while the Bulldogs lose several key pieces, Doug Buckmaster does return the best secondary in the Ozarks led by Michael Elbert and Zayshawn Weston. They have an FCS feel to me, but both will have to prove they can run well enough to play at that level. Elbert (84 tackles, 9 TFL, 5 INTs) reminds me a lot of Mason Pack (Kickapoo) who I felt was one of the best defensive players in the area. He has an insanely high football IQ and that allows him to always be in the right spot on the field. In an era with spread offenses and speed, you need a safety that can play in the box and in space and Elbert can do that.
I love Weston’s instincts and toughness; he’s not afraid to stick his nose in there and make tackles on the perimeter. He rarely gets to play press, man-to-man coverage but he’s actually good enough with his hands to be effective. He had six interceptions and 46 tackles last year. Again, the big thing for him will be proving he has enough speed to play at a high level. He’s reportedly a 4.6 guy now, depending on how legit that is and how much he can get that number down, you could see his ceiling rise.
The last group to keep an eye on is a trio of running backs and a record-breaking receiver.
Michael Branch (Monett), Trystan Short (Mountain Grove) and Luke Hardman (Lamar) have very different running style, but could play themselves into favorable situations.
Branch already has great size (6-foot, 210lbs) and he runs with a physicality and a toughness that is missing from many high school backs. I like his vision as well. He will never be a speed back, but he will need to prove that he has enough of it to be a factor at the next level. His 208 carries, 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns in the Big 8 is impressive.
Short had a monster junior year (160 carries, 1,801 yards, 19 TDs) but he isn’t a very big back. What makes him appealing is his speed. He was around 11 flat in the 100 last year, getting that number to a sub 10.8 could increase his stock to the FCS level.
Hardman may be the most alluring of any non-quarterback in the Ozarks because of his size and versatility. His numbers don’t jump off the page, but his impact on a game through offense, defense and special teams is immeasurable. At 6-foot, 175lbs he’s not huge, but I would look for that number to be close to 190lbs by the start of summer camp. But, the most impressive thing about Hardman is his raw athleticism. He finished the 2015 track season ranked in the area’s top 10 in the 100 (10.81), 200 (22.28), 110 hurdles (15.45) and 300 hurdles (40.54). In a sport that continues to be enamored with measurables, Hardman would draw interest based on his speed alone, the fact that he can play is the cherry on top. He will be the best two-way player in the Ozarks next fall.
Luke Montgomery shattered DGB’s SPS receptions record and by the end of his career will likely rewrite many SPS and MSHSAA receiving records. But, is he a D-1 prospect? It is easy to look at Mike Mauk’s system and say no. Blame poor Ozark Conference defenses and short passing concepts for the fact Montgomery finished 2015 with a ridiculous 123 receptions, 1,936 yards and 27 touchdowns. But the tape tells a different story. At 6-foot-1, 190lbs already, Montgomery has a solid frame. He has also run sub 4.5 40s, which if he can duplicate this summer will be enough to get him some looks. But he’s also a physical receiver who racks up YAC and has good ball skills. I like his game, he’s more than just a system receiver and if Glendale can again make a summer 7-v-7 run, which they did last summer, Montgomery will have a chance to put his game on display against some of the nation’s best.
OTHER GUYS TO KEEP AN EYE ON:
Ken Coopwood, OL, Kickapoo: Will be a four-year starter for the Chiefs. He’s a little undersized, but athletic enough to play a guard or center spot.
Mark Duley, DE/TE, Joplin: He’s also a baseball standout, but 59 tackles and 11 sacks to go along with his 6-foot-4, 220lb frame could make his college choice tough.
Tucker Edmonson, OL/DL, Carthage: At 6-foot-3, 320lbs his size alone will get him some interest. I love him as a nose guard and he plays with a bit of a mean streak. Another summer in the weight room could be the difference.
Trey Gibson, DB, Webb City: He’s another heady Webb City safety that loves playing in the box. Led the Cardinals in tackles last year, but also had four interceptions.
Justin Nichols, DB, West Plains: Had a tremendous season for the Zizzers with 87 tackles and six interceptions.
Nicos Oropeza, RB, Nixa: Well, the Eagles have produced FBS talent in back-to-back years. It might be tough for Oropeza to get to that level, but rushing for 1,654 yards and 21 touchdowns will certainly have him on some FCS radars.
Alex Turner, DE/TE, Monett: He’s another guy with that textbook 6-foot-4, 220lb frame and some athleticism. He’s been a two-way starter since his sophomore year. Had 61 tackles, 13 TFL as a junior.
*NOTE: The Class of 2018 should offer several D-1 prospects. Very similar to the Class of 2016*
