Right Here Right Now: Commitment Predictions

With the recent commitments of Minneapolis North’s stud RB [player_tooltip player_id="18033" first="Terrance" last="Kamara"] - the #9 overall recruit in the class of 2021 for PrepRedzoneMN - to the United States Air Force Academy two days ago and Totino Grace’s #7 overall PRzMN recruit [player_tooltip player_id="18031" first="Joe" last="Alt"] to Notre Dame four days ago, I think the commitment bug may be going around. I really cannot blame any rising seniors for wanting to commit before their senior year of high school, and with our containment of COVID-19 still in-question and the 2020 season up in there, some more commitments could possibly be coming soon. With all of this in mind, I think it would be fun to try and predict the commitments of some of PrepRedzoneMN’s Top-25ish prospects - if they had to choose from their offers today. Obviously this is just for fun, and is in no way derived from any information I’ve gathered based on talking to the kids themselves. Thanks for reading! [player_tooltip player_id="18027" first="Jake" last="Ratzlaff"] (Rosemount) DB/LB. PrepRedzoneMN #3 overall ranked recruit. 4star rating by 24/7sports.com. 6’2, 210 lbs. Currently committed to the University of Minnesota for hockey. Holds football offers from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Iowa State. Without a doubt the most intriguing D1 prospect in the 2021 class, Ratzlaff has been eagerly awaiting the coming NHL Draft to see where he will be picked and how that will weigh with his prospects on the gridiron. However, the Draft keeps getting pushed back due to COVID, and even before that I think the chance to play B1G football was starting to become a little too irresistible for the rising senior. From what I’m hearing it is really coming down to Minnesota and Wisconsin as the finalists for Ratzlaff’s college football career, and as hard as it is for me to admit: I think he is going to sign with Wisconsin. With the Badgers already lengthy tradition of plucking some of Minnesota’s best athletes in both football and basketball, as well as Wisconsin’s strong history of producing NFL caliber linebackers, I think it will be too hard to say no. Prediction: Wisconsin Badgers <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/9031837/5de5d5ddff01bd0c9cf3c2bb">Junior Season Highlights</a> [player_tooltip player_id="22927" first="Davon" last="Townley"] (MPLS North) DE/TE. PrepRedzoneMN Top-10 recruit upon 2021 update in coming days. 3star rating on 24/7sports.com. 6’7, 220 lbs. Holds football offers from Oregon, Kentucky, Penn State, Michigan State, Arizona, Arizona State, Nebraska, Boston College, Indiana, Mizzou, Minnesota, Iowa State, Central Michigan. Holds basketball offers from Morgan State, Hampton, Western Illinois. Minnesota’s highest-rising recruit this spring, Minneapolis North’s duel-sport standout had been getting looked at for basketball for quite some time but after receiving a D1 football scholarship offer from Central Michigan on the 22nd of April, Towley’s offer sheet and recruiting interest has completely blown up and he’s received scholarships from every P5 conference in the country. With what’s been circulating through recruiting circles around the state, I really do believe that if Townley had to choose a school today, he would commit to the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Although they weren’t the first to offer, they got on Townley quickly and were his third scholarship offer before some big-time programs like Oregon, Kentucky, and Penn State got in the mix. Not only that, he is cousin’s with former Northside Minneapolis football legend and now Tampa Bay Bucs WR Tyler Johnson, so I think he has a lot of positive support coming from the Gopher camp. Unless an LSU or Alabama comes calling, I think we’ll be very lucky and will get to see Townley in Maroon and Gold soon. Prediction: University of Minnesota <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2DSVgp">Junior Highlights</a> [player_tooltip player_id="18032" first="Dorian" last="Singer"] (Tartan) WR. PrepRedzoneMN #8 overall ranked recruit. 3star rating from 24/7sports.com. 6’0, 175 lbs. Holds offers from Ohio University, Eastern Michigan, Howard, Air Force, Southern Illinois, South Dakota State, North Dakota State, Western Michigan, UNI, Illinois State, South Dakota, Montana State, Iowa State. Singer was set to commit a couple weeks ago - and PRzMN had it on good authority he was going to commit to Western Michigan - but last second something changed and he decided to delay his commitment date until the Fall. 24/7sports.com "Crystal Ball" from former Northstar Football News contributor Ryan Burns has Singer slated to commit to the SDSU Jackrabbits, but I believe if he had to commit right here today he would sign with the North Dakota State Bison. With a ton of Minnesotans on the team and in the receiver room + the Bison’s propensity to dominate the FCS every year, I think it’s too hard to pass up. There is a chance a bigger offer could come, and I’m not sure what’s cooled off about Iowa State, but right here right now I think the future Tartan grad would be a Bison. Prediction: North Dakota State University <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/10482222/5dbdf78c4bb2b50f0006938f">2019 Highlights</a> [player_tooltip player_id="18034" first="Dominic" last="McMillian"] (MPLS North) LB/ATH. PrepRedzoneMN #10 ranked recruit. 6’3, 210 lbs. Offered by Eastern Kentucky, Buffalo, South Alabama, Northern State, Wyoming, Bryant University, University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, North Dakota State, South Dakota, Montana State, South Dakota State, UNI, Illinois State, Central Michigan. This was a really tough one for me to choose, as McMillian is one of the most versatile defenders in the state and I could see him choosing from a couple different schools to play his college ball at. Being that he’s from Atlanta, I thought South Alabama would be a good choice, but for some reason I think he’s going to continue to play up North. Although I think he’d be a great Bison, I really think the two schools it’s going to come down to are Wyoming and UNI. Wyoming is showing a lot of love on Twitter, but I think that UNI - with it’s history of signing athletes from the Northside of MPLS like [player_tooltip player_id="2132" first="Omar" last="Brown"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1577" first="Jevon" last="Brekke"] and it’s great use of hybrid LB/DBs especially from MN (i.e. Keelon Brookins, Elijah Campbell), I think it’d be a great fit and McMillian would be comfortable there. For some reason I also think Buffalo is a dark-horse, so as you can tell I’m not the most confident in this one. Prediction: University of Northern Iowa <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2CAanc">Highlights</a> [player_tooltip player_id="18035" first="Kristoff" last="Kowalkowski"] (Totino-Grace) QB. PRzMN #11 ranked overall recruit. 6’2, 215 lbs. Holds offers from Columbia, Cornell, Central Michigan, Florida Atlantic. Another interesting dilemma here, Totino-Grace’s QB1 has been in the MN spotlight since his eighth grade year when he started for Sartell-St. Stephen. Since then he has moved to the Fridley area and has thrown for over 6,000 yards and 52 TDs in his prep career. With FAU offering when Lane Kiffin was there I think that may be off the table, and although Kowalkowski is a high achieving academic student - I think he wants to play football at the highest level possible. With that being said I think the TG Eagle will commit to play for the Central Michigan Chippewas. Prediction: #FireUpChips <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/9406674/5dc97cf3f56a7a13546867fe">Junior Year</a> [player_tooltip player_id="18037" first="Elijah" last="Green"] (Farmington) WR. PRzMN #13 ranked overall recruit. 6’0, 190 lbs. Holds offers from Northern State, Minnesota State-Mankato, Iowa Western Community College, UNI, South Dakota State. Visited NDSU. An explosive and physical receiver for the Farmington Tigers, Green received his first D1 offer from the Jackrabbits after an injury laden 2019 season, and for that reason I think that Green will eventually commit to SDSU. It also helps that the Jackrabbits have a stud WR currently who is going to get drafted in the NFL Draft next spring. Prediction: South Dakota State Jackrabbits <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2CCEpH">2019 Regular Season</a> [player_tooltip player_id="18039" first="Michael" last="Olowo"] (Rogers) DB. PrepRedzoneMN #15 overall ranked prospect. 6’1, 190 lbs. All-State Track 2018 & ’19. Holds offers from Southwest Minnesota State, South Alabama, Northern State, Army West Point, UMary, Minnesota State-Mankato, UMD. I find it unbelievable that Olowo, a legit 6’1, 190 lb. CB who runs in the 10.8’s in the 100 M Dash does not at LEAST have a Missouri Valley Conference offer. North Dakota, South Dakota, UNI, SDSU, NDSU, what are y’all doing? Nevertheless, Olowo is a legit D1 talent, and I think he would commit to South Alabama - his only D1 offer that isn’t a military academy - if he had to choose today. Army is showing a lot of love and is definitely interested, but the commitment to a Military Academy is something you better be serious about, and it’s hard to put football at the forefront of your interests there. He’s going to make whatever program he commits to VERY happy though, I’ll tell you that. Prediction: South Alabama Jaguars <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/9730892/5dc18fed6e8c030cec92e2c5">Highlights</a> [player_tooltip player_id="18066" first="Zach" last="Yeager"] (MPLS North) QB. PRzMN #2 ranked QB and #41 overall. 6’2, 200 lbs. Offers from Columbia, Colgate, Fordham, North Carolina A&T, Eastern Kentucky, Dartmouth, Tennessee State, South Dakota State, UMD, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Minnesota State-Mankato, Southeast Missouri, Alcorn State, Missouri State, Butler Community College. [player_tooltip player_id="18066" first="Zach" last="Yeager"] has one of the most diverse list of recruiting suitors of anyone in the state with Ivy Leage’s, HBCU’s, Community College’s, DII’s, and FCS competitors all throwing their names in the mix for Yeager’s services. As a very bright kid who embodies being a student-athlete, I would not be surprised to see Polars #7 commit to an Ivy League or an HBCU, I think that Yeager’s best option, and the most intriguing, is the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. Their QB prototype perfectly fits Yeager and his skill-set, he wouldn’t be too far from home, and it’s still a chance to play some big-time college football, and play a lot of it Plus, him and Eli Green would make for a sweet QB/WR combination. Prediction: SDSU Jackrabbits <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/9473406/5de59f39d45eca09e4a87a1a">Junior Season</a> [player_tooltip player_id="18140" first="Tyler" last="Magnuson"] (Wayzata) OT. I messed up and had Magnuson embarrassingly low the initial rankings, so I won’t mention it. He’s Top-10 once we update in a few days. 6’5, 260 lbs. Holds offers from Arizona, Harvard, Eastern Michigan, Wyoming, San Jose State, Montana State, Syracuse, Bowling Green, Army, Liberty, Toledo, Central Michigan, Yale, Bryant, South Dakota State, Buffalo, Winona State, Minnesota State-Mankato, Columbia, Princeton, Northern State, UNI, NDSU, Air Force, UMD, Western Illinois, Concordia-St. Paul, Illinois State. Along with Townley, Magnuson has been one of Minnesota’s hottest recruits and has picked up 20+ offers since Illinois State offered him initially on March 27th. P5’s Arizona and Syracuse have very recently stuck their heads in the mix, and if Magnuson had to choose today I don’t know how he could pass on playing PAC-12 football at Arizona University. It’s a great program and is a fun place to go to college. Magnuson is a smart kid, so I would not be surprised to see him commit to Harvard or Princeton or even Syracuse, but Arizona just hits a little different. Minnesota needs to get their name in the mix here soon. Prediction: #BearDown <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2C9H4X">Junior Year</a> [player_tooltip player_id="22928" first="Aidan" last="Kingsbury"] (Concordia Academy) OT. 6’6, 300 lbs. PRzMN was not on our game and did not have him ranked initially - he’s Top-25 in this upcoming update. Offers from Penn, Augustana, Princeton, Minnesota State-Mankato, Brown, NDSU, Western Illinois, Wayne State, Columbia. A slept-on recruit who was discovered by Ryan Burns post 2019 season, Kingsbury is a giant who also holds a 33 ACT, so it’s no surprise scholarship programs have come calling. Although he’d make a great Ivy League lineman, I think the prospect of playing for NDSU, with their impressive tradition of sending lineman - and particularly MN lineman - to the pros would be too hard to pass up. It’s Offensive Lineman U in Fargo, and which MN kid hasn’t grown up hearing of the Mighty Bison’s success? Prediction: NDSU Bison <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/12731734/5ddf02fa5ef6550ea486046b">Junior Year Highlights</a> [player_tooltip player_id="18051" first="Jordan" last="Titus"] (Hutchinson) DL. Ranked as PRzMN’s #27 overall recruit. 6’1, 280 lbs. Offers from UMary, Augustana, SMSU, St. John’s, Northern State, Bemidji State, UMD, Concordia-St. Paul, Minnesota State-Mankato. Graphics from NDSU, SDSU, UND. Titus is criminally underrated and I am shocked he doesn’y hold a D1 offer yet, but no matter what the program who gets this kid’s skill-set is going to be very happy. Strong, nasty, and playing with an absurdly low center of gravity, I think if the Hutchinson product had to choose today he’d commit to the 2019 DII National Runner-Ups MSU-Mankato Mavericks. With his talent he can play at any DII in the nation, so unless someone else came with a really intriguing recruiting pitch I don’t see how he wouldn’t pick the Mavericks. Prediction: Minnesota State-Mankato <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/10580013/5dd0d1eb4205a70d7cc085ff">Junior Year</a> [player_tooltip player_id="18080" first="Nick" last="Hand"] (Totino-Grace) DB. PRzMN #55 ranked recruit. 6’3, 185 lbs. Holds offers from Augustana, Northern State, SMSU, Minnesota State-Mankato, SDSU, Concordia St. Paul. With Totino-Grace’s track record of successful DBs, I don’t think [player_tooltip player_id="18080" first="Nick" last="Hand"] would be lacking of confidence or overwhelmed to the point where he wouldn’t commit to one of the Missouri Valley’s best - and his only D1 offer - in the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. He’s got the size, speed, and physicality to be a FCS defensive back. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/9946308/5daa3ffc5b47220e34bbc97a">Junior SZN</a> [player_tooltip player_id="18136" first="Cade" last="Ahrenholz"] (Lakeville South) DB/LB. Will be Top-30 upon update. Also a stud hockey players for the Cougars. Offers from NDSU, South Dakota, South Dakota State. A nice little offer sheet for the Lakeville South thumper, it’s just too hard to predict that an MN kid would NOT pick the Bison if given an FCS or below offer sheet. Can’t argue any differently here, the Bison utilize versatile MN defenders too well. Prediction: #RollHerd <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2D3sCe">2019 Junior Highlights</a>