Success on the gridiron and the court

The second of my series of stories highlighting some of the best multi-sport athletes in the state focuses on some of the best basketball talent from the Class of 2020 who will be found on a football field near you in the fall. There were at least ten more guys I could have put on this list, so many notable two-sport stars didn’t make the list. I am sure I missed some guys who you might think should be here in place of others, but I hope I met the goal of highlighting top multi-talented football players.

Jalen Suggs SMB

Suggs is ranked as the number one prospect on both northstarfootballnews.com and prephoops.com and for good reason. Suggs is just as explosive on the basketball court as he is on the football field. He is nearly impossible to stop in the open floor, can shoot from the outside and is an excellent off and on the ball defender. As a quarterback, he has a strong arm and can make plays with his legs when the play breaks down.

Aidan Bouman Buffalo

Bouman is tough to handle in the low post and on the glass. He uses his body well both when he gets on the glass and in the low post. A stat stuffer, he racked up double-doubles all season. On the football field, he was also a stat stuffer putting up crazy passing numbers while helping lead the Bison football team to a 6-3 record.

Russell Corrigan Hutchinson

Corrigan is a solid defensive rebounder whose passing ability off the defensive glass helps Hutch get into their running game. He is not afraid to start the break on his own, pushing the ball up the court like a point guard. He can create offense both in the low post and from the elbow. As a tight end on the football field, Corrigan is a powerful blocker who can also line up wide and be a threat in the passing game.

Charlie Katona Shakopee

Katona has an excellent mid-range game and can extend his range beyond the three-point line. He is explosive around the basket on both offense and defense. He shows good instinct as an off the ball defender and with quick hands causes problems in passing lanes. On the football field, he is a threat in the passing game at the wide receiver position and makes his mark on special teams as the team’s punter – averaging over 30 yards per kick.

Nick Hendler Holy Family

Hendler is a dependable outside shooter who can also distribute and has the quickness to get into passing lanes. On the football field, he has excellent one cut and go ability as a running back. He can also lay a hit on you from his linebacker position.

Wyatt Schroeder St. Francis

Schroeder has three-point range but can also put the ball on the floor and get to the hoop. He uses his strength well in the paint and around the rim. Watching him on the football field, his basketball skills translate perfectly. He is great using his body to get position to wall off defenders and make plays on 50/50 balls – much like a rebound.

Ethan Prodzinski Winona

Prodzinski started as a sophomore and then again as a junior. With an expanded role, according to prephoops.com he ‘is a big, strong interior presence.’ On the football field his feet – obviously helped by his time in the gym – are one of his most significant assets and make him one of the better pass blockers in the state.

Ryan Samuelson Jordan

Samuelson is a smooth shooter from the outside and has three-point range. He can run the floor and uses his length to get into passing lanes. His uses his length on the football field too. He is a big play threat on every passing play in the Hubmen’s offense and won a lot of the 50/50 balls.

Detavius Frierson Park Center

Frierson can do a little bit of everything on the basketball court. He can score from both inside and outside. He has quick hands on the defensive side of things. As a linebacker, he also is a multi-tool player. He has sideline to sideline speed and is most effective using his quickness to beat blockers and get to ball carriers.

Nick Peterson Benilde-St. Margaret’s

Prephoops.com on Peterson – ‘one of the most respected effort guys in the Metro.’ Peterson is a great defender. Prephoops.com continued to heap praise on the junior after watching him at the Great Plains Alliance. “His energy level is infectious plus he scored a dozen points with five rebounds in the title game loss.” On the football field, Peterson throws a nice deep ball and moves well in the pocket both as a runner and as a guy who can buy time in the pocket.