This was held on Sunday at Naperville Yard....which is the home of Boom 7on7 and Acceleration Speed training aka JR Niklos. I've been able to attend many many Boom events over the years and I really enjoy JR and all of the Boom team and remain good friends and we support each other's events and will continue to do so I hope for years to come. With my own Showcase the next day....I come here to support the event and to also get a quick eyeball on some kids I know and others I might not be aware of at this event. I was at this event for 2/3rds of the day unfortunately I had to leave with maybe a half hour left in the day, so I missed several one on ones but saw plenty in positional work etc.
Again for the record...let me clarify. I try to watch and see as many kids as I can at these showcase and camp events....but I've yet to be able to find a way to watch 200/300 plus kids in one spot at one time...and I can and will miss seeing some additional top names...but I'll keep trying my best to see as many kids as possible.
My Take: Boom Midwest Best of the Best Showcase Part 2
Who Stood Out?
061 Carson Boyd QB 2025 Cardinal Ritter- Out of state name who was one of the better overall QB's at this event....was an East St Louis kid who's family last year transferred to Cardinal Ritter in St Louis.
062 DB Javy Payne 2025 Mount Carmel- Younger brother of former Simeon and NIU DB Leon Payne. Javy is a terrific lock down cover with impressive speed, quickness and the ability to just separate the receiver from the football on a consistent basis. Payne also has impressive ball skills and awareness and his ability to track then close on the deep ball was pretty evident here. I can see Payne also being a plus defender in run support and this kid will see his recruiting stock soar this winter and spring.
063 WR Kyan Berry Johnson 2024 Bolingbrook- Maybe, just maybe we all might be sleeping a bit on Kyan Berry Johnson this summer. Berry-Johnson has gotten bigger and stronger from last summer, can still run extremely well and best of all, he might have the best overall ball skills and hands out of any receivers in the Illinois Class of 2024. Berry Johnson just makes catches most human beings aren't suppose to catch... and his ability to make one handed catches in traffic (yes we all know not fundamentally sound./correct etc) just shows you a flash of his truly high level ability.
078 WR Maurice Davis Jr 2024 Mount Carmel- Just a very solid all around football player and prospect here. Davis Jr. runs well, showed good overall hands and is very capable of making the over the middle catch consistently.
097 QB Keshaun Parker 2024 Simeon- Had a really strong 2022 season for the Wolverines and Parker just does a lot of nice things here. Parker also ran pretty well and is a higher level athlete in my opinion for sure.
099 WR IMarion Stewart 2024 Bolingbrook- The highly sought after 4 star Imarion Stewart is about as smooth as they come at these events. Stewart has impressive high level speed and quickness, his bursty, first few steps and ability to stop, start then cut on a dime and change direction is eye opening for sure. Stewart also has very good hands and ball skills and his biggest plus I feel is is overall Football IQ and multiple gears (downfield speed).
194 WR Talyn Taylor 2025 Geneva- Talyn Taylor has been one of the top overall receivers in Illinois for the last year plus. Taylor, who is already holding a handful of Power 5 offers just is incredibly physically advanced for his age, has very high level athletic skills and his game just is about as polished and as smooth as any IHSA player in Illinois. Taylor at times was just dominant here and very few defensive backs seemed to find a way to lock him down in coverage. Taylor still has some things to learn and improve and more reps and experience will help no question...yet in my mind Taylor will be another very high level ranked recruit in a very strong Class of 2025 locally and nationally.
200 WR Miles Cremascoli 2024 New Trier- Not sure if Miles will end up as a receiver or say a tight end in college. Cremascoli has good size (6-foot-3, 195 pounds) who also has good hands and was very competive here.
220 WR Kaiser Williams 2025 Naperville North- Great looking prospect on the hoof here. Williams has impressive size and length, ran well and was more than a handful for opposing defenders to handle one on one. Williams just looks like a D1 level name who will no question draw a ton of looks this winter and spring.
224 WR Adrian Washington 2024 Joliet Catholic- Washington is another big, tall and lanky receiver who was able to show good overall hands and ball skills here. I liked Washington's speed and quickness in positional work.
228 WR Quinn Morris 2025 Plainfield East- Quinn Morris is the younger brother of Naz/Michigan WR Tyler Morris. Quinn just continues to grow and develop into a high level receiver and a big time target. Quinn Morris has great twitch and explosiveness, runs impressive routes and physically is just a tough matchup.
236 RB Nico Bertolini 2024 Belvidere North- Was one of the overall fastest players at this event. Ran really well here and also was able to make some nice plays in positional work and is just an overall solid athlete.
238 Charles Miles DB 2024 Mount Carmel- Miles transferred from TF South to MC last season and had to fight and scrap for every rep on a very deep MC roster. Miles has a lot to offer here including strong cover skills, good overall length and closes quickly on the football. The more schools who get to see Miles in person this winter and spring will like what they see.
248 Rasheed Johnson RB 2024 Rockford Boylan- Liked what I saw live from Rasheed Johnson in person last season live and he also carried his overall speed and quickness to this event as well. Johnson is a strong in between the tackles runner when needed but also shows the ability to have outside/breakaway speed.
252 Jacob Bell QB 2025 Naperville North- A well known name in recruiting circles who should have a better path towards becoming a full time starter in 2023. Bell sat behind Aidan Gray (Northwestern) last season and Bell has a ton of upside including a live arm and just an impressive physical presence.
255 WR George Dimopoulos 2024 Crystal Lake Central- Just a really nice receiver and overall athlete here. Bigger kid who shows really strong hands and ball skills in traffic who also hung with and against several of the higher profile names at this event.
256 Phillip Goodrich Jr. 2026 RB Carmel Catholic- Goodrich Jr. is just a freshman who has upperclassmen level skills tools and ability. Goodrich Jr. also had a strong 2022 season on the varsity and I'm excited to see his development.
Again for the record...let me clarify. I try to watch and see as many kids as I can at these showcase and camp events....but I've yet to be able to find a way to watch 200/300 plus kids in one spot at one time...and I can and will miss seeing some additional top names...but I'll keep trying my best to see as many kids as possible.
My Take: Boom Midwest Best of the Best Showcase Part 2
Who Stood Out?
061 Carson Boyd QB 2025 Cardinal Ritter- Out of state name who was one of the better overall QB's at this event....was an East St Louis kid who's family last year transferred to Cardinal Ritter in St Louis.
062 DB Javy Payne 2025 Mount Carmel- Younger brother of former Simeon and NIU DB Leon Payne. Javy is a terrific lock down cover with impressive speed, quickness and the ability to just separate the receiver from the football on a consistent basis. Payne also has impressive ball skills and awareness and his ability to track then close on the deep ball was pretty evident here. I can see Payne also being a plus defender in run support and this kid will see his recruiting stock soar this winter and spring.
063 WR Kyan Berry Johnson 2024 Bolingbrook- Maybe, just maybe we all might be sleeping a bit on Kyan Berry Johnson this summer. Berry-Johnson has gotten bigger and stronger from last summer, can still run extremely well and best of all, he might have the best overall ball skills and hands out of any receivers in the Illinois Class of 2024. Berry Johnson just makes catches most human beings aren't suppose to catch... and his ability to make one handed catches in traffic (yes we all know not fundamentally sound./correct etc) just shows you a flash of his truly high level ability.
078 WR Maurice Davis Jr 2024 Mount Carmel- Just a very solid all around football player and prospect here. Davis Jr. runs well, showed good overall hands and is very capable of making the over the middle catch consistently.
097 QB Keshaun Parker 2024 Simeon- Had a really strong 2022 season for the Wolverines and Parker just does a lot of nice things here. Parker also ran pretty well and is a higher level athlete in my opinion for sure.
099 WR IMarion Stewart 2024 Bolingbrook- The highly sought after 4 star Imarion Stewart is about as smooth as they come at these events. Stewart has impressive high level speed and quickness, his bursty, first few steps and ability to stop, start then cut on a dime and change direction is eye opening for sure. Stewart also has very good hands and ball skills and his biggest plus I feel is is overall Football IQ and multiple gears (downfield speed).
194 WR Talyn Taylor 2025 Geneva- Talyn Taylor has been one of the top overall receivers in Illinois for the last year plus. Taylor, who is already holding a handful of Power 5 offers just is incredibly physically advanced for his age, has very high level athletic skills and his game just is about as polished and as smooth as any IHSA player in Illinois. Taylor at times was just dominant here and very few defensive backs seemed to find a way to lock him down in coverage. Taylor still has some things to learn and improve and more reps and experience will help no question...yet in my mind Taylor will be another very high level ranked recruit in a very strong Class of 2025 locally and nationally.
200 WR Miles Cremascoli 2024 New Trier- Not sure if Miles will end up as a receiver or say a tight end in college. Cremascoli has good size (6-foot-3, 195 pounds) who also has good hands and was very competive here.
220 WR Kaiser Williams 2025 Naperville North- Great looking prospect on the hoof here. Williams has impressive size and length, ran well and was more than a handful for opposing defenders to handle one on one. Williams just looks like a D1 level name who will no question draw a ton of looks this winter and spring.
224 WR Adrian Washington 2024 Joliet Catholic- Washington is another big, tall and lanky receiver who was able to show good overall hands and ball skills here. I liked Washington's speed and quickness in positional work.
228 WR Quinn Morris 2025 Plainfield East- Quinn Morris is the younger brother of Naz/Michigan WR Tyler Morris. Quinn just continues to grow and develop into a high level receiver and a big time target. Quinn Morris has great twitch and explosiveness, runs impressive routes and physically is just a tough matchup.
236 RB Nico Bertolini 2024 Belvidere North- Was one of the overall fastest players at this event. Ran really well here and also was able to make some nice plays in positional work and is just an overall solid athlete.
238 Charles Miles DB 2024 Mount Carmel- Miles transferred from TF South to MC last season and had to fight and scrap for every rep on a very deep MC roster. Miles has a lot to offer here including strong cover skills, good overall length and closes quickly on the football. The more schools who get to see Miles in person this winter and spring will like what they see.
248 Rasheed Johnson RB 2024 Rockford Boylan- Liked what I saw live from Rasheed Johnson in person last season live and he also carried his overall speed and quickness to this event as well. Johnson is a strong in between the tackles runner when needed but also shows the ability to have outside/breakaway speed.
252 Jacob Bell QB 2025 Naperville North- A well known name in recruiting circles who should have a better path towards becoming a full time starter in 2023. Bell sat behind Aidan Gray (Northwestern) last season and Bell has a ton of upside including a live arm and just an impressive physical presence.
255 WR George Dimopoulos 2024 Crystal Lake Central- Just a really nice receiver and overall athlete here. Bigger kid who shows really strong hands and ball skills in traffic who also hung with and against several of the higher profile names at this event.
256 Phillip Goodrich Jr. 2026 RB Carmel Catholic- Goodrich Jr. is just a freshman who has upperclassmen level skills tools and ability. Goodrich Jr. also had a strong 2022 season on the varsity and I'm excited to see his development.
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