Overall I came away feeling good about how this camp ran on Monday on several levels. We had nearly 400 kids and we found a way to best manage reps, making sure we took full advantage of the size of the Max Center in McCook. One of my top priorities in this yearly camp is to find the best possible way to get kids reps and work....and we had several new drills and work fixes that overall accomplished that goal. We stagger check in times and we split up the kids into three separate groups (OL/DL then QB/RB/TE/LB and finally QB/WR/DB) over the entire day. This allows us more field to use....and also limits the crunch of kids in lines, over filling a facility during COVID times and helps us just better manage drills and more position specific work.
As always with any event I host.....I truly am running around the entire day doing a million things at once and do not get see as many kids as in depth as I would if I was not hosting a camp/showcase. I have always believed that being upfront and honest with you is the only way to go (and I know of one self proclaimed expert/guru who has never worked an entire full camp day yet still seems to find a way to make full evaluations from a camp showing). Don't believe everything you read folks.
I rely on what I see myself along with feedback from each positional coach working the camp. Below is my best effort on who I felt Stood Out on Monday. Look for this to grow into a 2-3 part series and I hope to have this completed by Thursday or Friday at the latest.
So Who Stood Out?
Offensive Linemen
103 Parker Brault Palatine 2025- One of a handful of younger OL who I thought had a good showing here. Brault moves pretty well, has good size and again has a ton of growth and development ahead of him over the next few seasons.
105 Talan Chandler St Charles Lutheran 2024- Was easily one of the top OL at this event. Chandler has good size (6-foot-2, 290 pounds) and will be an interior linemen at the college level. Chandler moves really well, showed great power and punch along with having a very good motor. Chandler also just seemed to take his game to a higher level once one on ones and just attacked everyone in front of him.
108 Spencer Dow Maine South 2023- A decent sized interior OL (6-foot-2 1/2, 258 pounds) who also showed really good mobility, was able to match up pretty well in one on ones and was also very solid fundamentally in positional drill work.
111 Colin Gerger St. Rita 2023- I joked with Collin before the camp about how it seems like St Rita has a machine that just generates linemen who are all 6-foot-4, 270 pounds every year. Gerger really was impressive late in the fall and was able to show pretty well here. Gerger has good size (6-foot-4, 270 pounds) and is a consistently solid blocker rep in and rep out who was able to also show pretty good overall feet and balance.
112 Blaine Halley Olympia 2023- Another name pretty well known on the recruiting trail. Halley (6-5 1/2, 285 pounds) is a big lanky kid who really carries his 285 pounds really well. Halley has a frame that can handle even more addition size and muscle at the next level. Halley is a really impressive athlete here who was strong cutting off the outside pass rush, and showed good hand use and punch. Halley will need to keep focusing and working on his overall pass pro...and Halley's overall physical tools and upside are really impressive.
113 Brandon Hansen Mundelein 2024- Another younger guy with a ton of upside. This was the second straight day seeing Hansen and he was equally as impressive on Monday as he was Sunday at Boom. Hansen has really good size (6-foot-6, 290 pounds) moves well, has very good bend, balance and feet. Hansen will need to improve on his overall fundamentals and pass pro technique....yet I have nop question Hansen has FBS level tools and potential in the 2024 class.
119 Jacob Klink Hononegah 2023- I dug deep into Jacob Klink quite a bit in my Boom Showcase breakdown he overall I felt he was good on Monday as he was on Sunday. Klink just gets after it rep after rep and his overall mindset, approach and attack mentality remains impressive.
120 Michael Kostantonov Loyola 2024- Loved this kid since he came to one of our 2020 fall No COVID camps. Kostantonov has cut some baby fat, has gotten even more stronger since last season and has very good quickness and is another inside mauler who I feel will end up playing OC/OG at the high college level. Kostantonov will need to improve his feet and overall footwork along with getting a bit more flexible, but his overall skills and physical tools and highly impressive.
123 Cannon Leonard Iroquois West 2023- Big, tall and lanky kid who someday will grow into his 6-foot-8 1/2, 240 plus pound frame. Leonard admittedly was a bit rusty here and has been playing basketball since the moment his football season ended. The positive for me was that his early bad reps turned into better and better reps as the camp moved along. His overall physical tools and upside will be hard for many FBS schools to pass up.
126 Michael McDonough Andrew 2025- A younger guy who was really an eye opener in one on ones in particular, McDonough checked in at 6-foot-3, 258 pounds and has the frame and wingspan to add more good weight and muscle over the next few seasons. McDonough has impressive feet and balance, showed to have very good strength and again his one on ones really separated him from the pack.
128 Christian Medlock Homewood Flossmoor 2023- Medlock has made nice overall progress in his game after seeing him in person last season. He checked in at nearly 6-foot-5, 310 pounds and his overall quickness, feet and balance was a positive. Medlock still has work to do in the weight room but he's also started to close that gap this winter. Medlock no question needed work on his overall fundamentals and his pass pro, and he''s made a ton of progress. Look for Medlock to start to draw say some FBS and FCS attention this spring.
134 Gabe Rosen Evanston 2023- Big kid (6-foot-6, 396 pounds) who has a ton to offer including good power and punch, moves well for his size and is a locked down pass blocker who at times was mauling kids in one on ones. Rosen no question will need to cut some weight this off-season while also improving his overall quickness and first few steps. If he remains on the right track he could end up playing at the mid FBS/high FCS level in college
140 Luke Voorhees Homewood-Flossmoor 2023- Was sort of raw here at times but this is a kid with good size (6-foot-5 1/2, 263 pounds) who also has good strength and a frame that will allow him to continue to add more strength. A name to watch this spring and early summer.
Defensive Linemen
200 Ethan Aghakhan Stevenson 2024- Aghakhan was pretty much an unknown name here and he was able to impress me along with the defensive line coaches with his work ethic, was quick to take coaching and has very good overall speed and quickness. No question a name to watch this spring.
204 Chris Boyd Tuscola 2023- Had a very good day here I felt as Boyd, who looks more like a possible OLB/DE at the next level runs well, showed some real quickness and explosion and was very hard to block in one on ones. I also really liked Boyd's overall motor as well.
209 Jake Davies Yorkville 2023- Yorkville has been generating some really solid players over the past handful of years and add Davies to that list. Davies has terrific length and reach (6-foot-5 1/4, 221 pounds) and he will also be able to get bigger and stronger from here on out.
221 Mirko Jaksic Fenwick 2023- Just went hard and is a bigger inside guy (6-foot-1 1/2, 278 pounds) who was able to cuae some havoc in one on ones.
223 Cort Leonard Iroquois West 20250- Is the youngest of the Leonard brothers. Cort checked in at 6-foot-1, 208 pounds but taking one loom at this 2025 name and he will continue to grow and develop over the next few years. I'll be keeping an eye on Leonard over the next few years.
230 Brayden Walker Chicago Hope 2023- I was a little bit familiar with Walker this past season but seeing him work up close was a real positive. Walker was strong in positional drill work and is another name who just went hard all day here.
234 Andrew Zook Yorkville 2023- Zook is also coming off a pretty solid junior season for the Foxes and was also pretty solid here as well. Zook has good strength and power, was able to show off some pass rush moves in one on ones and I just like his overall game, motor and intensity.
843 Jaylan Williams Palatine 2025- Despite being just a 2025, Williams is already college ready physically and was one of the top overall performers at this showcase on the defensive line. Williams has great size and strength and again his physical tools and size is highly impressive for a 2025 kid. Williams still has a lot of work to do especially when it comes to improving his pass rush skills and overall fundamentals...yet his overall upside down the line is exciting.
As always with any event I host.....I truly am running around the entire day doing a million things at once and do not get see as many kids as in depth as I would if I was not hosting a camp/showcase. I have always believed that being upfront and honest with you is the only way to go (and I know of one self proclaimed expert/guru who has never worked an entire full camp day yet still seems to find a way to make full evaluations from a camp showing). Don't believe everything you read folks.
I rely on what I see myself along with feedback from each positional coach working the camp. Below is my best effort on who I felt Stood Out on Monday. Look for this to grow into a 2-3 part series and I hope to have this completed by Thursday or Friday at the latest.
So Who Stood Out?
Offensive Linemen
103 Parker Brault Palatine 2025- One of a handful of younger OL who I thought had a good showing here. Brault moves pretty well, has good size and again has a ton of growth and development ahead of him over the next few seasons.
105 Talan Chandler St Charles Lutheran 2024- Was easily one of the top OL at this event. Chandler has good size (6-foot-2, 290 pounds) and will be an interior linemen at the college level. Chandler moves really well, showed great power and punch along with having a very good motor. Chandler also just seemed to take his game to a higher level once one on ones and just attacked everyone in front of him.
108 Spencer Dow Maine South 2023- A decent sized interior OL (6-foot-2 1/2, 258 pounds) who also showed really good mobility, was able to match up pretty well in one on ones and was also very solid fundamentally in positional drill work.
111 Colin Gerger St. Rita 2023- I joked with Collin before the camp about how it seems like St Rita has a machine that just generates linemen who are all 6-foot-4, 270 pounds every year. Gerger really was impressive late in the fall and was able to show pretty well here. Gerger has good size (6-foot-4, 270 pounds) and is a consistently solid blocker rep in and rep out who was able to also show pretty good overall feet and balance.
112 Blaine Halley Olympia 2023- Another name pretty well known on the recruiting trail. Halley (6-5 1/2, 285 pounds) is a big lanky kid who really carries his 285 pounds really well. Halley has a frame that can handle even more addition size and muscle at the next level. Halley is a really impressive athlete here who was strong cutting off the outside pass rush, and showed good hand use and punch. Halley will need to keep focusing and working on his overall pass pro...and Halley's overall physical tools and upside are really impressive.
113 Brandon Hansen Mundelein 2024- Another younger guy with a ton of upside. This was the second straight day seeing Hansen and he was equally as impressive on Monday as he was Sunday at Boom. Hansen has really good size (6-foot-6, 290 pounds) moves well, has very good bend, balance and feet. Hansen will need to improve on his overall fundamentals and pass pro technique....yet I have nop question Hansen has FBS level tools and potential in the 2024 class.
119 Jacob Klink Hononegah 2023- I dug deep into Jacob Klink quite a bit in my Boom Showcase breakdown he overall I felt he was good on Monday as he was on Sunday. Klink just gets after it rep after rep and his overall mindset, approach and attack mentality remains impressive.
120 Michael Kostantonov Loyola 2024- Loved this kid since he came to one of our 2020 fall No COVID camps. Kostantonov has cut some baby fat, has gotten even more stronger since last season and has very good quickness and is another inside mauler who I feel will end up playing OC/OG at the high college level. Kostantonov will need to improve his feet and overall footwork along with getting a bit more flexible, but his overall skills and physical tools and highly impressive.
123 Cannon Leonard Iroquois West 2023- Big, tall and lanky kid who someday will grow into his 6-foot-8 1/2, 240 plus pound frame. Leonard admittedly was a bit rusty here and has been playing basketball since the moment his football season ended. The positive for me was that his early bad reps turned into better and better reps as the camp moved along. His overall physical tools and upside will be hard for many FBS schools to pass up.
126 Michael McDonough Andrew 2025- A younger guy who was really an eye opener in one on ones in particular, McDonough checked in at 6-foot-3, 258 pounds and has the frame and wingspan to add more good weight and muscle over the next few seasons. McDonough has impressive feet and balance, showed to have very good strength and again his one on ones really separated him from the pack.
128 Christian Medlock Homewood Flossmoor 2023- Medlock has made nice overall progress in his game after seeing him in person last season. He checked in at nearly 6-foot-5, 310 pounds and his overall quickness, feet and balance was a positive. Medlock still has work to do in the weight room but he's also started to close that gap this winter. Medlock no question needed work on his overall fundamentals and his pass pro, and he''s made a ton of progress. Look for Medlock to start to draw say some FBS and FCS attention this spring.
134 Gabe Rosen Evanston 2023- Big kid (6-foot-6, 396 pounds) who has a ton to offer including good power and punch, moves well for his size and is a locked down pass blocker who at times was mauling kids in one on ones. Rosen no question will need to cut some weight this off-season while also improving his overall quickness and first few steps. If he remains on the right track he could end up playing at the mid FBS/high FCS level in college
140 Luke Voorhees Homewood-Flossmoor 2023- Was sort of raw here at times but this is a kid with good size (6-foot-5 1/2, 263 pounds) who also has good strength and a frame that will allow him to continue to add more strength. A name to watch this spring and early summer.
Defensive Linemen
200 Ethan Aghakhan Stevenson 2024- Aghakhan was pretty much an unknown name here and he was able to impress me along with the defensive line coaches with his work ethic, was quick to take coaching and has very good overall speed and quickness. No question a name to watch this spring.
204 Chris Boyd Tuscola 2023- Had a very good day here I felt as Boyd, who looks more like a possible OLB/DE at the next level runs well, showed some real quickness and explosion and was very hard to block in one on ones. I also really liked Boyd's overall motor as well.
209 Jake Davies Yorkville 2023- Yorkville has been generating some really solid players over the past handful of years and add Davies to that list. Davies has terrific length and reach (6-foot-5 1/4, 221 pounds) and he will also be able to get bigger and stronger from here on out.
221 Mirko Jaksic Fenwick 2023- Just went hard and is a bigger inside guy (6-foot-1 1/2, 278 pounds) who was able to cuae some havoc in one on ones.
223 Cort Leonard Iroquois West 20250- Is the youngest of the Leonard brothers. Cort checked in at 6-foot-1, 208 pounds but taking one loom at this 2025 name and he will continue to grow and develop over the next few years. I'll be keeping an eye on Leonard over the next few years.
230 Brayden Walker Chicago Hope 2023- I was a little bit familiar with Walker this past season but seeing him work up close was a real positive. Walker was strong in positional drill work and is another name who just went hard all day here.
234 Andrew Zook Yorkville 2023- Zook is also coming off a pretty solid junior season for the Foxes and was also pretty solid here as well. Zook has good strength and power, was able to show off some pass rush moves in one on ones and I just like his overall game, motor and intensity.
843 Jaylan Williams Palatine 2025- Despite being just a 2025, Williams is already college ready physically and was one of the top overall performers at this showcase on the defensive line. Williams has great size and strength and again his physical tools and size is highly impressive for a 2025 kid. Williams still has a lot of work to do especially when it comes to improving his pass rush skills and overall fundamentals...yet his overall upside down the line is exciting.
