Football
Recruit Spotlight: Braden Steely, Carroll
For this week’s Summit City recruiting spotlight I had a great conversation with Braden Steely. As we start getting closer to the start of the season Summit City Sports is getting fired up for another great year of high school football. After talking to Steely, how can you not be hyped? Steely comes in at 5’11” and 185 lbs. with a 72” wingspan. He is primarily a safety but can also play wide receiver on the offensive side of the ball.
Braden has a 4.43 40-yard dash, a 9’8” broad jump, a 35” vertical, and a 4.12 second 5-10-5. For his @260jake scouting report, I have Braden Steely as a fundamentally sound prospect. Steely is a vibe. If every youth player developed into this player, my life would be complete. Ferrari speed; 0-60 in the blink of an eye. Extreme closing speed. One of the best open-field tacklers in the area. Not afraid to contribute on special teams. This guy is a walking film room clinic.
The buzz on Steely is increasing with every second of tape he puts out. And prior to this interview, Western Michigan offered Braden as a junior. There will be many more offers to come without a doubt.
When I asked Braden what scouts could see improvements on this year, he said that his football IQ is much deeper. He also mentioned that now that his brother is not in the locker room, we will see more leadership qualities in him, and he is ready to step up for his team. I asked Steely what his greatest football memory was so far. He said hands down was his opening kickoff return for a touchdown in the brand-new stadium. His willingness to go all in on the special teams unit has got college scouts drooling.
Braden has some lofty goals this year and really feels that Carroll could go on to take the regional and feels that they can much better compete with Westfield if the opportunity arises. And I loved to hear that he loves hanging with friends outside of football to unwind. As much time as these players put into the game and into the showcase circuit, I believe it is beneficial to have that time to mentally unwind as well.
Sometimes you see a player that just jumps out on tape or at a showcase. And this player I specifically remember leaning over to my boss Jeff Mahoney and saying, “who the heck is this guy?!” at the Traction AP showcase. Some players just have a certain swagger about them. Steely has that vibe. He is going to really be a player to watch this season in the SAC. We at Summit City wish Braden all the best this year and cannot wait to call his number in the booth this fall!
