8 of this Fall’s Finest Ranked 2023s: Wisconsin

It's a shame that the entire state of Wisconsin couldn't play simultaneously and united this Fall, but no matter what I think that decision goes far above my head and pay grade. However, there are still a lot of promising 2023 prospects who just finished their 2020 season and have asserted themselves as surefire scholarship prospects after their sophomore seasons have concluded. <em>PrepRedzoneWI </em>has included 8 of these studs below after they caught my eye throughout the weeks either from film, stats, local press, or a number of other factors. Check out this breakdown of their game, 2020 season tape, and any other noteworthy facts I could find below. I appreciate everyone's subscriptions and support, and wish you all the happiest of holidays. Thanks for reading! <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Ranked Prospects</span></span> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="31384" first="David" last="Gauderman"]</strong> <em>(Wittenberg-Birnamwood)</em> RB/LB/DL. 6’2, 235 lbs. @Dg2Drippy - Our #1 ranked player in the state of Wisconsin for the class of 2023 showed off his versatility and athleticism this season as he battled injuries and played multiple positions for the <em>Chargers</em><em> </em>including LB, DL, RB, FB, and TE.  He's a massive sophomore prospect who can move really well for his weight and is a thunderous hitter who comes off or through the LOS with a ton of explosion and a knack for rushing the passer. There were multiple hits I saw from him this season that sent ball-carriers entirely off of the screen on Hudl, and his pursuit to the football is relentless and when he gets ahold of you you aren't going anywhere. With Wisconsin's excellent tradition of smaller school prospects excelling on the collegiate level I think <strong>Gauderman </strong>has tremendous potential. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="31415" first="Tak" last="Tateoka"]</strong> (<em>Waukesha South)</em> QB. 6’3, 175 lbs. @TakTateoka - Throws with a ton of zip on the football and can air out a back-shoulder fade impressively. I'm also a big fan of his frame and mobility inside and outside of the pocket, and he's a three-sport standout at <em>Waukesha South </em>who shows off his athleticism at the QB position. He made some impressive throws on his two game sophomore tape. He's currently ranked 32nd in our 2023 rankings. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="31389" first="Chase" last="Spellman"]</strong> <em>(Kettle-Moraine) </em>QB. 6'3, 205 lbs. @chase_spellman - Another big-time 2023 quarterback prospect who will make some waves through Wisco's high school football scene, <strong>Spellman </strong>threw for 1,341 yards and 14 TDs to only 2 INTs in 7 games in 2020, and showed off a beautiful throwing motion with an accurate ball that can hit throws all over the field. He made some nice throws up the seam, on deep outs to the sideline, and into some tight windows over the middle of the middle through traffic. Also sporting a nice frame, he can make an impact with his legs, but seems to be a pocket-passer first and does it extremely well. He has the potential to be a major Midwest quarterback prospect when it's all said and done. He's currently ranked 6th in our 2023 rankings. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="31392" first="Najeh" last="Mitchell"]</strong> <em>(West DePere) </em>RB/WR. 5'9, 165 lbs. @Najeh_Mitchell - Ranked as of right now as our #9 overall prospect in the c/o 2023, <strong>Mitchell </strong>got major tick in 6 games this season and posted 600 all-purpose yards and 8 TDs with an impressive 14 yards per touch. On his sophomore tape he displays a sweet running style where he's simultaneously covering ground yet remaining patient in a shifty sort of lope, and explodes through holes with a crazy amount of burst and explosive ability and also showed off some impressive balance through contact and lower body strength for a kid his age. He can run through tacklers or put them on their heels and snatch their ankles with some shifty cuts. He also possesses breakaway speed, and can play some wideout and catch passes, so there's a ton to like already from <strong>Mitchell. </strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="31387" first="Austin" last="Eklund"]</strong> <em>(Sussex Hamilton)</em> DB/RB. 6’, 160 lbs. @AustinEklund - Sits at #4 overall in our 2023 rankings, and backed the ranking up as he started at CB for the <em>Chargers </em>and was great at getting off blocks, tackling, and staying patient in zone coverage in the defensive backfield. He's a strong tackler for his age with some good footwork and speed out of his breaks, and he has a lot of promise as a potential collegiate DB. My favorite trait of his is definitely is fearlessness in tackling, he took on some big ball-carriers this past season and showed off a nice sophomore tape despite missing a couple games due to contact tracing. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="31425" first="Sam" last="Coufal"]</strong> (<em>Kettle-Moraine)</em> DE/LB. 6’2, 225 lbs. @sam_coufal - Another tremendous <em>Kettle-Moraine </em>prospect who at this moment is sitting at #42 in our 2023 rankings, <strong>Coufal </strong>had a nice 2020 season and earned All-Conference HM nods at OL and DL as only a sophomore. He was a punishing puller on the offensive line and showed off a great motor and an ability to get off blocks from the defensive line position. He uses strong hands to defeat double teams and can stay square with a shoulder free when defending the run as well. I absolutely love to watch him smack kids as a pulling guard though, he excels at it to say the least. If he keeps adding weight he's going to be a beast. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="31388" first="Drew" last="Wilson"]</strong> (<em>Homestead</em>) 6’1, 208 lbs. @DrewADWilson Holds the #5 spot on our 2023 rankings as of right now and showed off some really impressive athletic ability for a kid of his size as he returned kicks with impressive vision and balance and was a force as a OLB as he could punish potential blockers and make a huge impact on the run game of an opposing offense. He's a solid tackler who flies around and sacrifices his body and can beat blockers with speed or strength. Big things coming from him. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="31413" first="Bennett" last="McCormick"]</strong> <em>(Catholic Memorial)</em> WR. 6’3, 170 lbs. @BennettMcCormi6 - Totaled 19 receptions for 236 yards in 2020 and earned All-Conference recognition for his performance. He's got a great frame who moves really well in the open field and can take a simple WR rocket screen to the house like it's nothing. He will make tough catches in traffic and can bounce off weaker tackle attempts, and can also be a deep threat as a wideout and shows off some shiftiness in his route-running ability. He's got exceptional upside and is going to be one of the top WRs in Wisconsin as an upperclassman. We have him at #30 right now but he's going to move up when we update our rankings in December. He's an intriguing one.