SP Pop-up Combine sees great turnout

Sharp Performance hosted a free pop-up combine at Kansas Wesleyan on Saturday and nearly 70 athletes from sixth grade all the way up to current juniors were tested in the broad jump, vertical jump, 40-yard dash, and pro agility drill. For many it was their first time to do combine testing and provided the young athletes testing experience and a baseline heading into the summer.

A number of the athletes posted good marks on the day and several showed off a mix of size and athleticism that may just translate to the college football field.

Here’s a rundown of a few standouts from the day:

Brody Litton, 6-6, 246, Defensive End, Beloit, 2026

Litton is a massive young man with a football pedigree - his father is former K-State linebacker Travis Litton - and he’s shown significant growth in overall athleticism and explosion over the last couple of years. From a young uncoordinated incoming freshman to a maturing sophomore heading into his junior year, we’ve watched Litton at events like this, and on the varsity athletic scene, for almost two years now, and it’s clear he’s developing the skillset to provide some college coach a high end weapon at either defensive end or tight end.

Litton displayed surprising athleticism for his size at Saturday’s SP Combine, running a 5.1 40 and a 4.5 pro agility drill, along with outstanding jumping ability that included a 29-inch vertical jump and a near 9-foot standing broad jump.

Already a proven commodity on the football field for the Trojans, Litton earned Sports in Kansas All-State Non-Senior recognition for his play last fall, but he’s looking to take it up a notch come September and his coaches are taking notice.

“Brody has worked really hard on becoming the best football player he can be,” Beloit head coach Brad Gober told Kansas Pregame Sunday morning. “He made tremendous strides last fall as a sophomore on the field and became one of our best players last season. The sky is the limit for him as a football player and his work ethic matches that! He will have a breakout season this fall on the defensive line and as a tight end.”

His all-around athleticism was also on display during the basketball season for a Beloit Trojan team that finished third in Class 3A and lost just two games on the year. Playing behind Sports in Kansas 3A Player of the Year Bryce Beisner and 3A State All-Tournament selection Eli Johnson, Litton was a key role player off the bench who contributed about three points and three rebounds a game for the Trojans and even posted a couple of in-game dunks.

Together with Johnson and junior Brodie Boudreaux, Litton is helping to continue the tradition of standout throwers for the Beloit track team this spring as well. Litton went over 47 feet this season in the shot and his coaches expect to see him eclipse the 50 foot mark very soon. But Litton is not just a bull in the ring, he also holds a PR of 12.3 seconds in the 100 meter dash, an incredible time for a young man that size.

Litton already has interest from in-state schools K-State and KU, and has heard from Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, Texas Tech, Arkansas, Miami of Ohio, and North Dakota State, several of which he plans to camp at this summer.

Jaden Cohens, 5-10, 175, Defensive Back, Goddard, 2025

Cohens looked every bit the part of an elite defensive back prospect at Saturday’s SP Combine running in the low 4.5s in the 40-yard dash and tallying incredible marks in the vertical jump (40.7 inches) and standing broad jump (10 feet, 4.5 inches).

Cohens posted 25 total tackles, seven passes defensed and a forced fumble for the 6-3 Lions a season ago. The junior also has a PR of 11.45 in the 100 meter dash and 20 feet, 9 inches in the long jump and runs a leg of one of the top 400 meter relays in the state. If that’s not enough, he also recently posted a PR in squat of 405 pounds.

Thanks to the graduation of All-State running back Micah Johnson, Goddard coach Tommy Beason may look to Cohens for an expanded role in his offense this fall as well.

He currently has interest from K-State and KU and recently took a trip to visit Manhattan during Wildcat spring practice.

Rashawn Johnson, 5-7, 150, Quarterback, Wichita South, 2026

Johnson was the fastest man on the field at yesterday’s SP Combine and looks ready for a big season at quarterback for the Titans this fall. Primarily a runner out of South coach Russ Wells’ spread scheme, he does display solid arm strength and combines escapism in the pocket with the ability to throw on the run. Also a talented baseball player, Johnson likely projects in the defensive backfield or as a slot receiver/running back at the next level.

Film shows exceptional top speed and lateral quickness, traits that were quantified with a 4.49 40 and 4.33 pro agility drill at Saturday’s combine. He also popped a 34.1 inch vertical and 9-3 standing broad jump.

Wichita public schools sometimes don’t get the press of the rest of the teams in 5A and 6A, so Johnson is a relative unknown, but his day Saturday should help put him on the map.

James MacKinney, 6-4, 225, Defensive End, Salina Central, 2025

MacKinney showed off an impressive mix of size and explosiveness at Saturday’s combine including a 30.9 inch vertical jump, a 4.85 40, a 4.6 second pro agility drill and fell just short of 9 feet in the standing broad jump. The 2023 All-Conference and All-State Honorable Mention selection posted 51 total tackles with three sacks and 10 TFLs last season to finish second on the team and tackles and leading the Mustangs in sacks and TFLs.

MacKinney looked impressive and right now holds primarily DII and FCS interest with a visit planned for South Dakota State in mid-May.

Daxton Minton, 5-11, 175, Quarterback/Free Safety, Great Bend, 2026

Minton is part of a loaded Class of 2026 for Great Bend that could have the Panthers making serious noise in the Western Athletic Conference and beyond the next two seasons. Minton showed off the athleticism that helped him earn second team All-WAC honors at QB with only WAC Offensive MVP J. Brooks Kappelman, a senior at Liberal, ahead of him on the All-League list. The undersized, but powerfully built Minton posted a 4.6 40, a 9-3 broad jump, and a 34-inch vertical. Minton posted incredible stats on the football field last season passing for 1,493 yards and 17 TDs with a 60% completion rate and just six interceptions in 198 attempts. He added 663 rushing yards on 70 attempts with seven more scores. He also serves as a key piece of both the Great Bend basketball and baseball teams. If football is his sport of choice beyond high school his height could prevent him from continuing at the QB spot, but his all-around athleticism leaves him options as a slotback, tailback, or in a number of spots in the defensive backfield.

A number of underclassmen posted great marks at Saturday’s combine and look to have a bright future on the football field.

Zayne Maupin, 5-8, 165, Running Back/Defensive Back, Sylvan-Lucas Unified, 2027

Maupin came on strong over the course of last season and finished as one of the more impressive freshmen in all of 8-Man football. He recorded 66 yards rushing with three touchdowns and caught four passes with another score in Sylvan’s playoff win over St. Francis. He led the Mustangs in a tough second round playoff loss to Minneola (28-6) with 66 yards rushing on 10 carries and the team’s only touchdown. At Saturday’s combine the powerfully built Maupin showed off a good mix of speed and explosiveness with a 40 in the 4.9 range, a vertical at about 28 inches and fell just short of nine feet in the standing broad jump, all very good numbers for the compact freshman. He’s also a standout on the track for the Mustangs where he currently holds PRs of 18 feet, 7.5 inches in the long jump and an 11.96 second 100 meter dash. He puts up quality numbers in the weight room as well where the 165-pounder is a 220-pound cleaner and 300-pound squatter. All those numbers are sure to improve this summer and while his height may be a challenge for college recruiters to overlook, his reputation as a physical and explosive player on the football field will have everyone on notice as he heads into his sophomore season and the Mustangs make the move up to Division I of the 8-Man class.

Staying in Lincoln County, coach Colby Hamel has a trio of fantastic freshmen who will be counted on to help Lincoln improve on last year’s 5-4 record that nearly included an upset of Rawlins County - a team that finished 9-2 with a quarterfinal playoff loss to Wichita County - in their Week 9 playoff game. That trio - twins Jeremiah and Xavier Miller, and Ben Bell - will be players to watch in 8-Man football this fall entering just their sophomore season.

Jeremiah and Xavier Miller, 6-1, 190, Quarterback-Receiver/Defensive Back, Lincoln, 2027

The first thing you notice about identical twins, Jeremiah and Xavier Miller, is their size for a pair of freshmen. At 6-1 and around 190 pounds the duo stands out. The second thing that will catch your eye is their overall athleticism. While the duo didn’t post staggering numbers in the combine tests - to be expected in their first time competing in a combine format - they are already proven commodities on the field, court, and track.

Splitting time with senior Logan Meier at QB last fall for the Leopards, Jeremiah threw for nearly 500 yards with seven touchdowns to just two interceptions and rushed for 526 yards with 10 more scores, while Xavier caught 27 passes for 671 yards and six scores from his wide receiver position in the eight games Lincoln posted stats for on MaxPreps. Jeremiah finished third on the team behind a pair of seniors with 70 total tackles, including eight for loss, and added an interception in those eight games, and Xavier added 34 tackles with one for loss and two interceptions. The twins also played a key role on an improved Leopard basketball team, but it’s the track team where their explosiveness can be measured in the form of sprints and jumps. Jeremiah is already running in the 16s in the 110 hurdles and low 40s in the 300s, but triple jump is where he really shines, already consistently in the 40s and likely to be a factor in the 2A triple jump competition in the postseason, while Xavier is headed for the low 24s in the 200 meter dash and has jumped nearly 19 feet in the long jump and is sure to eclipse that mark before season’s end. The Millers also showed off jumping ability at the combine with the pair both right at the 30-inch mark in the vertical jump. With more testing experience the Millers are sure to add quality combine measurables to their already impressive résumé.

Ben Bell, 6-0, 175, Wide Receiver/Defensive Back, Lincoln, 2027

Like the Miller twins, the first thing you notice about Bell is he doesn’t look like a typical freshman. Standing about 6-foot, and already carrying 175 pounds on his freshman frame, Bell presents a mix of power and athleticism that saw him make 25 catches for 270 yards with a pair of touchdowns in just his first season of high school football and add 41 tackles with two for loss and a team-leading four interceptions as a defensive back in the Leopards eight games on MaxPreps. Also a contributor to the basketball team and a up-and-coming track athlete, Bell runs in a pair of relays and recently topped 10-feet in the pole vault with more PRs in the event soon to come.

Even some of the junior high athletes showed out at the SP Pop-up Combine, and another set of identical twins at that, in Smith Center eighth graders Cole and Carson McKelvey.

Cole and Carson McKelvey, 6-0, 160, Running Back/Defensive Back, Smith Center, 2028

The McKelvey twins come from a family of athletes. Older brother Teven plays safety at the University of South Dakota, mom Amber (Roadhouse) is a former State Champion basketball player at Osborne and aunt April was a key contributor to a women's National Basketball Championship at Washburn University in 2005. Cole and Carson carry good size and height on their eighth grade frames, but it's their speed that has Smith Center high school coaches licking their chops. After leading Smith Center's junior high to an unbeaten football season last fall the dynamic duo is off to a hot start in their eighth grade track season. At last week's Phillipsburg Junior High Invitational Carson won the 100 meter dash in a time of 12.08, .32 hundreths of a second faster than runner-up Maxson Smiley from Colby, while Cole won the 200 in 25.31 seconds, .19 hundreths faster than Smiley. Cole also won the 400 meter dash in 56.61 seconds, more than a second faster than second place Archer Amrein of Hill City, and was third in the 800 in a time of 2:26.85, just .02 hundredths out of second place. Carson dominated in the 100 meter hurdles in a time of 15.05 seconds, 2.65 seconds faster than second place, and edged out Amrein in the 200 meter hurdles in a time of 27.2 seconds. The duo are also standouts in the jumps, with Cole nearing 40 feet in the triple and Carson with a PR of 18-3 in the long jump. At Saturday's Pop-up Combine the twins struggled a bit in their first time running combine style 40-yard dashes, but still showed off great top-end speed and explosive jumping ability. Both posted near 4.9 second 40s and near 30 inch vertical jumps while both also broke the eight-foot mark in the standing broad jump. The McKelveys are sure to make noise the rest of this track season and into high school.