2022 Dakotas Rankings: The Newcomers

We dive into the Class of 2022 as we look at 16 of the most notable prospects to our list of newcomers to our Prep Redzone Dakotas rankings. Welcome aboard boys! Gavin Skinner Gavin Skinner 6'0" | 190 lbs | LB Rapid City Stevens | 2022 State , LB/WR, Rapid City Stevens (SD) Ranking: #40 Eval: Skinner does a fantastic job causing trouble in opponent’s backfields. His first step is what stands out to me as that dictates his ability to make a play. He moves well with his feet in coverage, making him the #4 linebacker in the Dakotas. Junior Tape Parker Nelson Parker Nelson 5'11" | 190 lbs | RB West Fargo | 2022 State , RB, West Fargo (ND) Ranking: #74 Eval: Nelson has a burst when he sees daylight between the tackles. Nelson has some elusiveness to his game and can shake off a few tacklers. A prospect that could gain some power up our 2022 rankings focused on getting his speed going faster on the transition before he makes his burst. Tape vs. Bismarck Jackson Strawn Jackson Strawn OL Dakota Valley | 2022 State , OL, Dakota Valley (SD) Ranking: #71 Eval: Strawn was "just missed" in our inaugural rankings, but his film makes a strong case this time around. Strawn loves to use his 310-pound frame to move the defensive linemen around he’s going up against. His punch is also relatively quick. A prospect that I would like to see more as a finisher to improve his stock in our 2022 rankings. Strawn, in my opinion, is still raw but has a lot of potentials. Junior Tape Denver Piechowski Denver Piechowski ATH Fargo Davies | 2022 State , ATH, Fargo Davies (ND) Ranking: #24 Eval: I am a huge fan of how this kid makes a tackle with so much force! It’s astonishing how little this kid gets blocked off the edge for the Eagles. Piechowski is a two-way player who would make many plays at the next level at linebacker or coming off the Edge. I wouldn’t be surprised to see some FCS programs go after this kid being his excellent skill set. Junior Tape Corbin Wirkus Corbin Wirkus 6'5" | 280 lbs | OL Baltic | 2022 State , OL, Baltic (SD) Ranking: #44 Eval: If Wirkus gets a little leverage on his defender, watch out; there might be a pancake coming. Corbin does an excellent job on the move as a pull blocker and needs more opportunities to shine in that department. Wirkus is a Division II prospect currently, but with some development could quickly turn into an FCS prospect with his already stout 6’5 280-pound frame just needs a little bit more footwork speed. Junior Tape Carson Shultis Carson Shultis 6'2" | 180 lbs | WR Fargo North | 2022 State , WR, Fargo North (ND) Ranking: #60 Eval: Shultis seems to be one that always gets lost on the outside by opposing secondaries. Shultis does a excellent job with his brakes on shorter routes but could stop just a smidge cleaner. His route running is very smooth when he turns his body—scholarship level prospect. Junior Tape Nate Ricke Nate Ricke QB Madison | 2022 State , QB, Madison (SD) Ranking: #46 Eval: Ricke was too under the radar to find the first time around, but watching his solid touch on the football made him a top 50 prospect to add our second Bulldogs to our total rankings. Ricke does an excellent job extending plays and throws a solid ball on the run with his precision. Ricke could be one that starts to get some recruiting interest this winter as his arm, mobility, and sound measurables scream next-level material. Junior Tape Kaden Keiser Kaden Keiser DB Winner | 2022 State , DB, Winner (SD) Ranking: #31 Eval: Keiser isn’t the most prominent defensive back I have ever seen on film (5’8), but he’s a kid that can wreak some havoc. You can’t let the size foot you, though, because he plays so much bigger than that based on his tackles’ aggression, the way he throws blocks, etc. His versatile ability is another reason I liked him in the #3 in 2022 for defensive backs—next-level prospect. Junior Tape Talon Trogstad Talon Trogstad 6'3" | 185 lbs | TE Lemmon-McIntosh | 2022 State , TE, Lemmon-McIntosh (SD) Ranking: #65 Eval: Trogstad is a tight end that runs crisp routes like a wide receiver for the Cowboys. If he can fill in his frame to match his height (6’3), he could be a threat at the next level due to his versatility and routes. Trogstad will need to develop better momentum with his hands, as the way he catches some balls could get quickly knocked out of his hands at the next level. It Will be interesting to see Trogstad in an offense without Black Hills State commit , who threw for nearly 50 touchdowns last year and will now take his talents to Spearfish to the Division II level. Junior Tape Collin Huff Collin Huff DB Aberdeen Central | 2022 State , DB, Aberdeen Central (SD) Ranking: #39 Eval: When I first watched Huff’s film, I loved how he flies to the football. He makes very physical hits on the second level despite not having all the size in the world. If he can develop a little better footwork on his backpedal and press a little bit more, he could turn into a pleasant prospect out of Aberdeen Central. Junior Tape Tryce Slykhuis Tryce Slykhuis DB Wosley-Wessington Springs | 2022 State , DB, Wessington Springs (SD) Ranking: #72 Eval: Slykhuis was a monster when it came to interceptions in 2020 for the Blackhawks. Slykhis in the secondary is one that opposing offenses saw come out of nowhere and make a play on the football that they might have thought wouldn’t be in their catch radius. Tryce plays a little quarterback as well, but the film doesn’t lie that DB should be his primary position if we are talking next level. Junior Tape Kelby Azure Kelby Azure 6'4" | 230 lbs | DL Northwood | 2022 State , DL/OL, Northwood (ND) Ranking: #15 Eval: One FCS program has already pulled the offer trigger on this 9-man star who is just up the road from them. Azure plays like a bulldog on his blocks causing so much havoc with his physicality level. Kelby lines up absolutely everywhere on the field, but with his throwdown ability I just mentioned, don’t be surprised to see him at defensive end at the Division I level. Joseph Cotton Joseph Cotton 6'6" | 300 lbs | OL SF Roosevelt | 2022 State , OL, Sioux Falls Roosevelt (SD) Ranking: #18 Eval: First of all, I want to know what they put in the water at Roosevelt High School, because I need some of it. With his massive frame (6’6,300), Cotton is a mauler with a ton of power in his legs to move around some dudes. What I saw on tape out of this kid is how versatile he is as he blocks on both sides of the line and does both at a high level. He does a solid job of finishing his man but could develop more engagement once he’s done putting one player on their rear. Expect him to follow a similar path like 2021 South Dakota commit in the FCS. Junior Tape Payton Eben Payton Eben WR Canton | 2022 State , WR/DB, Canton (SD) Ranking: #75 Eval: Eben has the most limited film on this list, but the film he does have stands out. His quick-twitch on his go routes is something you’ll want to watch in the 2021 season. Also, a productive defensive back that needs more film to show his skill set. Unless Eben brings in more film next season, it will be hard to put him anywhere above a top 75 prospect even though the skill is there! Max Raab Max Raab TE Yankton | 2022 State , TE, Yankton (SD) Ranking: #62 Eval: Raab is a matchup problem wherever the Bucks lined him up. He does a sound job on his go routes running similar to a bursty wide receiver in the open field. If you want a guaranteed gain to get you a first down in the passing game for Yankton next year, Raab is going to be the guy that gets you from 5-12 yards per play. I would love to see him develop more blocking schemes, as what I did see on film was good; I want to see more of it. Game 5-9 Landon Van Holtum Landon Van Holtum LB Dell Rapids | 2022 State , FB/LB, Dell Rapids (SD) Ranking: #55 Eval: A certified ball hawk on defense, in on every play. Van Holtum plays with plenty of grit you want out of your next level linebackers. He does an excellent job of shedding blocks to get to the football. I would undoubtedly put him as a linebacker prospect. I think Von Holtum is a kid with a high ceiling that could see his ranking improve over the next year or so with a little more speed. Junior Tape