5: Jalen Reagor
I love Jalen Reagor. When creating my NFL Draft WR rankings, I had him #4 on my board, which is conveniently where he ended up being taken at pick 21. He ran a 4.47, but he also ran an unofficial 4.22 and 4.28 at his virtual pro day, but most impressively, it shows on film.
It’s so easy to disregard Reagor as ‘just a speed guy’ or someone whose stats don’t marry up to the potential, but with such harmful QB play at TCU, it’s also easy to envision just how high the ceiling will be with Carson Wentz throwing him bombs.
Reagor has unbelievable body control and a lightning-fast release which help him change direction and sell routes with ease before zipping the other way. He’s a lot more complete than people realize. There aren’t many 5’11” receivers that play the ball so well in the air and he plays well above his height, opening up avenues that would otherwise be closed.
Reagor has the advantage of a QB who can truly elevate his game in Carson Wentz and we could well be seeing a star in the making this season.
4: Morgan Frost
In 20 games played in for the Flyers this season, Frost has been anything other than what his name would suggest. 2 goals, 5 assists and a -3 rating just don’t do the 2017 first round pick justice. With the Phantoms, Frost had 20 points in 30 games before he was called back up for a second NHL stint.
The Flyers had struggled with secondary scoring and this allowed the center to show what he could do at a young age. He didn’t set the world on fire, but he certainly didn’t disappoint.
As far as Flyers prospects go, there’s a lot of reason to believe that Frost is one of the finest. Derek Grant and Nate Thompson will have to keep their eye on what the youngster is doing, with Frost’s 13:41 of Ice time per game with the Flyers showing flashes of a future top-line center.
3: Miles Sanders
Where do you even start with this man? Sanders exploded as a rookie, finally giving the Eagles a running back they can hang their hat on once again. It took a while to get going, but when Jordan Howard went down and missed half the year with a ‘stinger’, it was the Penn State product who stepped up.
From Week 7 and beyond, Sanders was one of just eight running backs to average 5+ yards per carry. Additionally, he and Aaron Jones were the only two to do so while also compiling 250+ receiving yards. By season’s end, Sanders was one of just six players to record 500+ rushing and receiving yards- Dalvin Cook, Alvin Kamara, Christian McCaffrey, Leonard Fournette, and Austin Ekeler being the others.
In fact, between the Seattle game and week 17 against the Giants, Sanders averaged 4.8 yards per rush on 92 carries and was even more lethal in the passing game: 29 receptions, 6.8 yards pr reception. All of that with 4 touchdowns.
The ceiling is incredibly high for Sanders, who may be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the coaching staff revamp this offseason and an abundance of new offensive weaponry, drawing eyes away from the box where he can burst into and make special plays become the new norm.
2: Brenden Aaronson
Everyone’s favorite Union wonderkid, Aaronson, bagged his first goal in the team’s last league game against LAFC in scintillating fashion. With that new attacking role established, Aaronson burst into the ‘MLS is Back’ tournament, spearheading attacking moves and running relentlessly at the opposition. He was rewarded by assisting a vital Przybylko goal to send the team to the knockout stages of the tournament.
Aaronson, like McKenzie, also garnered attention from the USMNT and has risen through the ranks of the Union’s academy. A hometown hero, Aaronson is a joy to watch on the field and his development week-on-week is stunning.
Aaronson has stardom written all over him. You can see it every time he touches the ball and how quickly he’s able to anticipate runs and thread the needle to support his teammates. The ultimate ‘one to watch’ Aaronson’s potential is sky-high and if you’re looking for a reason to root for Soccer, Aaronson is that guy.
1: Carter Hart
At just 21-years-old, Carter Hart the youngest goalie to have played in more than 20 games this year, his second season in the NHL. Not only that, but he’s played exceptionally well – ranking 10th overall in wins, while his sensational 20-3-2 record at home helped drive the Flyers into the postseason with a real sense of assertion.
Hart was a different beast at the Wells Fargo Center this year, going 20-3-2, allowing 1.63 goals per game and amassing a .945 save percentage.
The Flyers goalie-carousel had been spinning for years with no sign of stopping until the drafting of the definition of a wonderkid. Miraculous save after miraculous save, Hart’s road to glory is only just beginning and we may even be on the verge of calling him a Stanley Cup finalist or beyond.
Philly can hang their hat on a goalie once more and for him to be so damn good at such a young age, we may well be talking about Harts as one of the greats in years to come.
