2023 Rankings: The StockRisers

Nate Wahl February 2, 2021 @ 02:03 PM

Our list in the Class of 2023 started with 36 names. As we expanded, we knew because our 2023 list was small that there wouldn’t be much movement compared to 2022 and 2023 as we were more focused on adding names. However, five prospects took it up a notch in their sophomore season to get a substantial bump in our January 2021 update for the Class of 2023. These below are the five to take a look at from the 2023 Class. Jack Romfo Jack Romfo LB Langdon Area | 2023 State , LB/RB, Langdon Area (ND) When I look at the ceiling Jack’s older brothers UND commit and NDSU commit I can’t help but get excited that there is another Romfo coming out of Langdon Area. On every bit of film, you see from the younger Romfo; you see how physical Jack looks on both sides of the football, whether that’s blocking with extreme aggression or looking like a man amongst boys when making a tackle. I look at Jack, and I see a kid who you could see in the Missouri Valley in a few years. Jack looks to be possibly stronger as just a 15-16-year-old than possibly his brothers were at that age, stating again why I state the potential is there despite the limited film so far. Offensive Tape Defensive Tape Lincoln Kienholz Lincoln Kienholz 6'3" | 185 lbs | QB Pierre | 2023 State , QB, Pierre (SD) 2100 yards and 20 touchdowns as a sophomore is what you expect out of your seniors, making the easy decision as to why Kienholz deserved to move up 15+ spots in our 2023 rankings. Kienholz’s ability to extend plays is what makes him such a threat, as his arm strength still sticks with what he has inside the pocket. He shows off some substantial deep-ball accuracy. Kienholz moves to the #2 spot because you can’t get any anymore athletic in the Dakotas than at the quarterback position. Kienholz is solid outside the pocket as far as making a play with his legs, but if that’s something he can develop on, we might have a fight on our hands for the #1 spot. Sophomore Tape Maddox May Maddox May LB Aberdeen Roncalli | 2023 State , LB/RB, Aberdeen Roncalli (SD) When I watched May this time around, I saw a prospect that stuck out to me at the next level on both sides of the ball. The physical tackling ability I saw on limited reps struck me slightly more than his running ability. On offense, his downhill running ability and strength of getting yards after contact on inside runs is consistent. His rapid cuts also stand out to me. May moved up just under 20 spots in our last week’s updated 2023 rankings. Sophomore Tape Gabe Gutierrez Gabe Gutierrez 6'2" | 225 lbs | LB Sioux Falls Lincoln | 2023 State , LB, Sioux Falls Lincoln (SD) If Gutierrez gets any leverage on another player, good luck pushing against him because his ability to punch forward is outstanding. Gutierrez’s frame as a sophomore linebacker (6’2, 210) is much bigger than most linebackers his age, which I can’t wait to see how much more development he gets with two more years of football. With more reps in coverage, Gabe could add another asset to his game, as his shedding ability was why I saw him as a top 20 prospect in our Class of 2023. Sophomore Tape Bennett Dannenbring Bennett Dannenbring 6'2" | 195 lbs | QB SF O'Gorman | 2023 State , QB, Sioux Falls O’Gorman (SD) Dannenbring has moved over to Sioux Falls O’Gorman from Roosevelt this offseason, which I think will pay dividends for the Knights and Dannenbring. Dannenbring brings over some massive arm strength with some strong legs that can extend plays easily. On junior varsity, He logged 22 touchdowns to only three interceptions as a sophomore. He shows strong arm strength with throws over the middle of the field (10-15 yards). I think developing a little more balance on his throws outside the pocket will make an even better player as he moves over to city rival O’Gorman. He moved up eight spots to #28. Sophomore Tape