MIDWEST SHOWCASE COVERAGE | Standouts LBs at Midwest Showcase – We look at some of the linebackers that were stand outs profiles and were standouts at the 6Star Football Showcase in St. Joseph and raised their profiles on December 11th.
MIDWEST SHOWCASE COVERAGE
➡️ Results | Photos A | Photos B | KICKOFF23
327 —Brittain Combs
, 6-1, 210, LB, 2024, Enid (Okla.) 
@CombsBrittain
The defensive terror from Enid looked the part and impressed as one of the best looking junior backers in attendance at the 6Star Football Showcase in St. Joseph. Combs tied for fifth best broad jump among linebackers with an 110 inch mark and had an impressive laser time of 5.06 in the 40 yard dash also. 6-1, 210 Combs is one of the Oklahoma players that is a junior that is a backer on the rise and a power player, a very strong player, tough as they come, Combs reports a 450 pounds squat, a 315 pound bench press and a 275 pound power clean. Also a top notch athlete, reports a 40 yard dash of 4.56 and a 34 inch vertical also. The team tackle leader, a 2022 All District Linebacker, and an All District Tackle Leader as well. Also a standout student, Combs reports a 3.5 GPA.
15 —Teegan Haines
, 6-4, 190, LB, 2024, McPherson (Kan.) @teeganhaines
One of the most impressive looking athletes and backers on the field at the 6Star Football Midwest Showcase was this impressive play making backer from McPherson. A very impressive athlete, one of those guys that goes out and uses his 6-4 length very well in space to be a long strider that can track the ball down in a hurry on the field, a guy that is very hard to outrun on the football field, can cover a lot of ground and is a smart play reader so a guy that knows how to read and react to the play also makes him one of the top tackling machines in Kansas junior class to know. Haines had a big year and earned First Team All League LB honors with a monster junior season of 125 total tackles (76 Solo) and had a pair of sacks, with 6 TFLs, 2 INTS, and 2 PBUs.
312 —Austin Howard
, 6-1, 180, LB, 2025, Mt. Carmel (Kan.) @AustinHoward41
Howard raised his profile and showed that he was among the top stock risers in attendance among backers at the 6Star Football Showcase in St. Joseph with a 40 yard dash time of 4.90, good for a third place tie among backers for fastest time. Its time to get some of the sophomores on the radar among Wichita top defensive players on the rise and Howard is one of those that has etched his name as one of the next big play making backers that Mt. Carmel has become known for producing in the middle of their defense in recent years, Howard is one of the top names to know for speed and being all over the field to make some of the huge stops that the defense relies on. This OLB was named an HM All-City selection and is ready for another huge season in 2023.
243 —Logan Nielsen
, 6-4, 230, LB, 2024, Burke (Neb.) @LoganNielsen33
One of the players that raised his profile as a backer to know, this Omaha product has the size and power to be a good one, looked like one of the top framed backers in attendance and is a player ready to take over as a senior defender. Nielsen is a player that is one of the guys we will really be watching for in 2023, a versatile player that can lineup at MLB or DE and use his play reading to make nice stop against the running game, a very tough and physical 230 pounds and a player that knows how to blow up the running game from the edge or middle, his ability to cover the ground is there too, 6-4 inch frame and a big name to know with talent at Burke in Omaha. Had 31 tackles and 3.5 tackles for losses at Omaha Burke this year and tied for fourth most sacks on the team with two this season.
331 —Aiden Planer
, 5-11, 190, LB, 2023, Lincoln East (Neb.) @AidenPlaner02
Planer really raised his profile in a big time way, the Lincoln East senior had the best broad jump for all players at the 6Star Football Showcase, a mark of 123 inches for this standout senior backer. Also showed some impressive looking speed and tied for fifth best backer time in the 40 yard dash with a time of 4.96 laser timed. One of the players that is getting more and more well deserved college attention is Lincoln East’s impressive play maker Aiden Planer, recent offers have come from Briar Cliff, Graceland, and Nebraska Wesleyan offer also has come in for this impressive standout. Planer had 63 tackles, 31 solo tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles as a major speed threat that could make the big plays happen and was always around the ball and the action as one of the top East tacklers and star on the Spartan defense. Also a standout student, Planer reports a 3.9 GPA.
313 —AJ Ress-Conkey
, 5-10, 170, LB, 2024, Ralston (Neb.) @ajleerc
One of the very impressive Nebraska linebackers in attendance at the 6Star Football Midwest Showcase was AJ Ress-Conkey, a player that really looked impressive and was a athlete that is a name to know in the junior class among backers. Some of the better speed and play making backer skills in Nebraska, Ralston’s Ress-Conkey is a player that can be all over the football field and make some of those big time stops using his speed and play reading skills to be a nice side line to side line play maker. AJ is a hot junior play maker at Bandit and OLB that had a big 2022 season with an average of 4.6 tacklers a game and 2.0 sacks at OLB with 22 solo tackles out of 37 total tackles along with 3.0 tackles for losses.
281 —Julian Turner
, 6-0, 200, LB, 2023, Omaha North (Kan.) @Jules_TW18
Turner was one of the eye catchers for some speed among the backers in attendance and was one of the players that raised his profile and helped his recruitment with a 40 yard dash time of 4.99 laser timed. Was a big factor for the Omaha North defense this season, Turner had a 10 game total of 37 total tackles, 14 solo tackles, and he averaged 3.7 tackles per game, and had one interception, one fumble recovery and was one of the guys that did a little bit of everything to help the defense out. Turner is a very impressive looking athlete and physical power player at 6-0, 200, very strong and physical football player that is tough and makes a lot of key plays against the running game.
50 — Luke Van Dyke
, 6-1, 187, LB, 2025, Skutt (Neb.) @LUKEVANDYKE2
A player that raised his profile at the 6Star Football Midwest Showcase in St. Joseph was this talented riser in the sophomore class and a backer name to know on the rise. One of the top sophomores out there for being a big play maker, a very smart player on the football field that can make a read and get to the ball quickly for some very nice plays on defense. Van Dyke is a player that can shoot the gaps and really make some of those hugs stops you like to see out of a big time athlete on the field, super sophomore on the backer radar to know. Also a standout student, Van Dyke reports a 3.95 GPA and is a three sport athlete at Skutt Catholic.
310 —Nolan Van Slyke
, 5-10, 165, LB, 2024, Bishop Neumann (Neb.) @NolanVanSlyke
One of the Nebraska backers that had a very big season in 2022 and proved he was among the top tacklers in Nebraska’s junior backer class was Van Slyke. A outside linebacker that is a player that raised his profile at the 6Star Football Showcase in St. Joseph and is one of the players that will be looking for a big junior season in 2023 for Bishop Neumann. A very big season in 2022 for Van Slyke who had 2022 season stats to impress of 62 tackles, four sacks, five interceptions and had five punt blocks as a menacing defender to impress and a top backer to know. Also a standout student, Van Slyke reports a 3.9 GPA.
301 —Casten Wirth
, 6-3, 180, LB, 2024, Lyndon (Kan.) @CastenWirth
A player that was one of the linebackers that raised his profile with a nice outing at the 6Star Football Showcase in St. Joseph, Wirth recorded a 40 yard dash time of 5.01 laser timed and was one of the most impressive looking footwork backers there. Helped Lyndon High School to a record of 8-3 and was named a 1st team all-state LB and a defensive player of the year finalist also. Wirth had a very impressive junior season and racked up 130 tackles, six sacks as a pass rushing speed backer that did a great job in getting to the QB, added some impressive pass coverage and had two INTs and had one defensive TD and on offense Casten had 22 receptions for 202 receiving yards and scored six touchdowns. Also a standout student, Wirth reports a 3.6 GPA.
