Best Of The Midwest Combine: Young QBs shine, speed on display
WESTFIELD, Ind. – One of the Midwest’s best events of the early off-season over the last decade has been the Best of the Midwest Combine. Traditionally held on President’s Day, the BOTMW moved to the first Sunday after National Signing Day in 2019, but still showcased some of the region’s top prospects. Here is what we learned from Sunday’s event.
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YOUNG GUNS
In the 2020 class D.J. Uiagelelei is the No. 1 ranked prospect overall, but the buzz in the aftermath of the 2019 class signing seems to be more about the group of underclassmen at the position. On Sunday it was a pair of underclassmen who took center stage at the Best of the Midwest Combine.
Christian Veilleux is from Ottawa, Canada, but he played his sophomore season at Canisius High School in Buffalo, N.Y. On Saturday, Indiana joined Michigan, Rutgers and Virginia Tech as Power Five offers for Veilleux (pronounced VAY-yew). Already established as one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2021 class, Veilleux furthered his reputation by winning position MVP honors at Sunday’s event.
From a future potential standpoint, though, class of 2022 quarterback Brady Allen is also on that same level as Veilleux. The Fort Branch (Ind.) Gibson Southern freshman has already landed offers from Indiana, Cincinnati, Purdue and Virginia Tech. Physically, Allen has all the tools, and he carries himself with a poise that belies his youth. He will be a prospect mentioned on the national scene in the coming years.
Joining Veilleux as position MVP was Louisville (Ky.) Trinity junior Seth Jutz. Bloom-Carroll (Ohio) junior Otto Kuhns and Brownsburg, Ind., sophomore Ben Easters also stood out with the way they threw the football. Columbus (Ohio) Bishop Hartley’s Miles Fleming won the overall MVP for Sunday’s Combine for what he did at both quarterback and wide receiver, and he will be discussed later in this article.
MIDWEST SPEED
These are two words that do not get used together very often, but maybe they should. The Midwest gets a rap as only being the land of linemen, but does not get credit for the skill position prospects that come from the region. Sunday there were several prospects who showed they were among the fastest in their class.
The Best of the Midwest Combine is first and foremost a combine, and prospects spent the morning testing in the 40-yard dash, the L-drill and the shuttle. Lexington (Ky.) Frederick Douglass 2021 receiver Dekel Crowdus, who holds early offers from Kentucky and West Virginia, went 4.40 in the 40-yard dash.
Fleming either went 4.37 or 4.46 in the 40-yard dash. Either way, when the afternoon one-on-one session started Fleming’s speed was obvious. He played quarterback as a junior, but also worked out at slot receiver Sunday. Fleming has a couple mid-major offers, and is definitely a prospect to watch this spring.
Among the fastest prospects in attendance was class of 2022 receiver Kaden Saunders, who reported running 4.43 in the 40-yard dash. His speed was evident in the one-on-one session as well. Defensive backs could not keep up with the fleet-footed freshman, and he was among the day’s standout performers.
Other good times were heard included Charlestown, Ind., all-purpose back Marion Lukes (4.46), Louisville (Ky.) Butler athlete Jordan Watkins (4.47) and Louisville (Ky.) Ballard cornerback Josh Minkins Jr. (4.53).
NEW NAMES TO WATCH
A trio of prospects caught my eye at different points throughout the day, but also showed they are still developing. Maybe the most intriguing was Akron (Ohio) St. Vincent St. Mary’s offensive tackle Savion Washington. Listed at 6-foot-9, Washington towered over the rest of the linemen at Sunday’s event. Physically he is proportioned and carries little bad weight, but quickness and technical development will be key this off-season. Someone, and probably several, are going to take a shot at the 2020 prospect just because of that size, though.
Pickerington (Ohio) Central 2021 cornerback Quinn Wills caught our attention during the individual drills portion of the camp with his instincts and ranginess. One concern that arose during one-on-ones was his top-end speed, as he has trouble staying with the fastest receivers at the event, but if that can be developed in the next couple years, Wills would attract a lot of attention with his size and playmaking ability.
Probably the most advanced of the three mentioned here is Fort Wayne (Ind.) Homestead 2021 wide receiver Jared Kistler. Checking in at 6-foot-3 and 202 pounds, Kistler already looks like a collegiate receiver physically and he ran very well in the testing. The one concern is that he builds to top speed as opposed to exploding to top speed. He should be able to stretch the field vertically, but would become very dynamic if he develops the ability to pop in and out of his breaks.