PrepRedzoneMN ’22 & ’23 Rankings Update: Deepest Position Groups
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Before we at PrepRedzoneMN move onto the final rankings update for the heralded class of 2021, I wanted to introduce one more special ranking content piece from the 2022 and 2023 updates: the Deepest Position Groups. With almost 350 ranked athletes in…
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Continue ReadingBefore we at PrepRedzoneMN move onto the final rankings update for the heralded class of 2021, I wanted to introduce one more special ranking content piece from the 2022 and 2023 updates: the Deepest Position Groups. With almost 350 ranked athletes in the c/o 2022 and nearly 200 studs in the class of 2023, the Minnesota rankings are comprised of a diverse array of prospects with a wide variety of size, skills, and talents, and amongst them there are some particularly impressive positional groups on the offensive and defensive sides of the football. If you’re familiar with our rankings, then you already know we rank recruits both in an overall ranking as well as by their primary position, so when things are completed and finalized it’s really interesting to see how the various position groups look and who has ended up where. After scouting out every position in our upcoming two graduating classes in Minnesota, I noted two especially impressive groups between the classes that I wanted to breakdown a little deeper in this feature. Both classes have loaded offensive line groups, but I feel like I have written about a lot of those guys lately, so I’m going to take a look at some spots outside of the trenches. Check out what side of the ball – as well as where – the deepest position groups in the class of 2022 and 2023 lie, and get to know the studs that make them up. Thanks for reading!
Class of 2022
Linebacker: 1) Austin Altepeter (Moorhead) 6’3, 220 lbs. Holds offers from Eastern Michigan, North Dakota, North Dakota State, South Dakota. Receiving recruiting interest from Kansas State and Iowa. The #1 backer in the junior class is an impressive and well-rounded LB prospect who could potentially play inside or outside at the next level. One of my big initial thoughts after checking out his film again is how strong in coverage he is, as he had a particularly impressive game against Alexandria in 2020 and made two exciting interceptions while covering Gopher commit Kristen Hoskins Kristen Hoskins 5'9" | 165 lbs | WR Alexandria | 2022 State MN . His instincts in coverage, as well as how he can start and stop, are really noteworthy, and he also has great burst once he puts his cleat in the turf and can cover ground either in coverage or when he triggers on a QB/ballcarrier. With an excellent frame to continue adding strength and mass, as well as a noteworthy strength at the point of contact, and we no doubt have our surefire #1 LB. More offers are on the way for Austin!
2) Zach Juckel Zach Juckel 6'3" | 200 lbs | LB Lakeville South | 2022 State MN (Lakeville South) 6’3, 205 lbs. Holds an offer from Princeton. Owning the most impressive first play of any LB on the list, Juckel made his presence known to cross-town rival Lakeville North after he destroyed a couple of blocks en route to crushing the QB for a big sack. He had one of the most impressive seasons in the Metro when speaking on production, as he put up 90 tackles, 10 TFLs, 7 sacks and 3 FFs in eight games, and his tape shows off a really slippery LB who can take on and defeat blocks in any way he needs to, as well as a prospect with great body control who can pursue and tackle in space. He’s also very impressive at the point of contact, and his physicality helps him as both a LB and a blocking TE for the Cougars run-first offense. He’s also got a long frame who can add more weight, and for only 205 lbs. he’s got a lot of strength and power in his chest and lower body. There’s a ton to like and he checks a lot of boxes when scouting potential D1 linebackers.
3) Haydn Stay Haydn Stay 6'4" | 220 lbs | ATH Princeton | 2022 State MN (Princeton) 6’4, 225 lbs. Has reported interest from Yale and South Dakota. A PrepRedzoneMN Showcase standout who came to our camp back in January and tested off the charts, as he came in at a legit 6’4, 220+ who also ran a low 4.8 40 and some mid 4s in the short shuttle. Although his junior tape primarily shows off his skills as a TE, I think a lot of his skill-set translates well to the defensive side of the ball, where he also does play for the Princeton Tigers. His long arms, wide shoulders, big chest, and stout lower body help him to pass the eye test with ease, and his speed and overall athleticism help him to play the football well, break weaker tackle attempts, and hurt defenses with his speed and quickness as a tight end. I hope he gets some more LB film as a senior, and although he’s ranked as a ATH in our current rankings, I had to throw him in the mix for the LB rankings here.
4) Aaron Elliott Aaron Elliott 6'3" | 215 lbs | LB Hutchinson | 2022 State MN (Hutchinson) 6’3, 215 lbs. Offered by Northern State. Also receiving interest from St. Thomas. One of many Hutchinson Tiger standouts in the 2022 class, I am very surprised that Elliot isn’t receiving more recruiting interest at this point in time, especially considering the success that now Boise State TE Russell Corrigan Russell Corrigan TE Hutchinson | 2020 State MN saw at the prep level. His junior tape displays a physically impressive OLB prospect who can penetrate into the backfield of opposing offenses and lays the wood when he gets his pads on a ball-carrier, and he does a good job of keeping his feet active and busy when reading a RB to keep himself in a good tackling position. He’s also a really effective blocking TE, and I could watch him hit people all day long. He’s going to be one of the hardest hitters in the state as a senior. Big things happening in Hutch!
5) Toby Anene Toby Anene 6'3" | 230 lbs | LB East Ridge | 2022 State MN (East Ridge) 6’2, 230 lbs. Receiving recruiting interest from St. Thomas, NDSU, Augustana. One of the highest ranking debut athletesto grace the rankings update, Anene is a great sized OLB prospect coming out of a powerful Metro program in the East Ridge Raptors. He’s a monster off the edge who has the athleticism to help out as a RB on the offensive side of the ball, and for a big boy he can really get his legs going and has some surprising elusiveness as a RB as well. He can blitz, cover speedy RBs out of the backfield, and can defeat blocks with speed or power, and it’s also incredibly fun to watch him run over defenders as a massive RB. I’d expect his recruitment to really blow up once someone reaches out with that first offer.
6) Andy Thomsen Andy Thomsen 6'3" | 215 lbs | LB Grand Rapids | 2022 State MN (Grand Rapids) 6’3, 215 lbs. It’s harder to get recruiting looks way up north, but Thomsen’s size and athletic gifts will make him a hot commodity once his name gets around more. He’s one of the hardest hitters on the list, whose big licks knocked quite a few balls loose from ball-carriers in 2020. He’s incredibly aggressive, and annihalates lead-blockers and QBs who get in his path. He’s got some great burst out of his stance, helping him off the edge or when pursing ball-carriers through traffic. I really like how he reads and reacts when playing the run, and he’s smart when choosing to beat blocks with speed or force, and my gosh does he have some power in his pads. He’s got a fun tape to watch and is an athletic and natural LB recruit and I’m excited to see who is going to recruit him the hardest.
7) Tommy Niggeling Tommy Niggeling 5'11" | 190 lbs | LB Lakeville North | 2022 State MN (Lakeville North) 5’11, 195 lbs. Offered by MSU-Mankato. A prospect out of LBU Lakeville North, Niggeling got on PrepRedzoneMN’s radar last summer after earning an offer from DII powerhouse MSU-Mankato at their prospect camp despite playing on JV for the Panthers that season. That’s not to say that his film wasn’t impressive, as he had some excellent JV film, and that transitioned nicely to the varsity level. He’s an explosive LB/nickel hybrid type, whose game is predicated on speed and instincts, and he does a great job of flying around the gridiron and making plays. He showed in his junior tape that he can cover ground and make plays in the passing game as well as on screens, and he can beat blocks, go sideline to sideline, and tackle with authority. I love how he blitzes and triggers on ball-carriers, and he’s overall an athletic and dynamic LB prospect who is still waiting for that second scholarship offer to roll in.
8) Grant Achterkirch Grant Achterkirch 6'2" | 195 lbs | LB Owatonna | 2022 State MN (Owatonna) 6’2, 195 lbs. Has received recruiting graphics from MSU-Moorhead, SMSU, Columbia, Sioux Falls, and the University of St. Thomas. An All-District selection in 2020, the Owatonna Huskies linebacker does a great job of keeping his hat or his hands on the football as he forced multiple fumbles in 2020 and is bound to force some more. He does a good job of finding an open gap when blitzing, and I love his range and how he tracks and explodes through ball-carriers no matter where they are on the field. He’s got some serious speed at the LB position and puts it to good use.
9) Joey Gerlach Joey Gerlach 6'3" | 195 lbs | LB Woodbury | 2022 State MN (Woodbury) 6’3, 190 lbs. A very pleasant surprise from the class of 2022 came out of Woodbury and their long and hard-hitting OLB prospect Gerlach. He’s a versatile OLB capable of causing a lot of damage blitzing off the edge who can also keep shorter passing gains to a minimum and can cover RBs, TEs, and slot WRs if necessary. He had an excellent pick6 against Stillwater, and an even more impressive interception against Tonka that showcased a really nice break on the ball. There’s a lot he can do on the football field, and he does it all really well, and with a long, lean, yet powerful frame I think he has the chance to be a completely dominant defensive player going forward. His best football is definitely in front of him.
10) Michael Hall Michael Hall 6'1" | 220 lbs | LB SMB | 2022 State MN (SMB) 6’1, 220 lbs. Offered by Grand View. Also received recruiting graphics from MSU-Mankato, St. Thomas, NDSU, Wisconsin, South Dakota State, Dartmouth. Doesn’t have a stand alone junior season tape, but in the two games of tape I could find Hall looked like he had put on some weight since his junior season, and he stepped in and played some FB for the Wolfpack. However, the tape is limited and there weren’t any LB reps, so I’m a little confused at what the deal was with his junior year. At this point in time a lot of where he’s ranked is based on his potential, as well as solid sophomore tape.
11) Max Balow Max Balow 6'1" | 225 lbs | LB Lake City | 2022 State MN (Lake City) 6’1, 220 lbs. Balow recently reached out to me on Twitter, and I was pumped to learn a little more about his backstory, and how he’s finally on the road to being 100% healthy for the first time since his freshman season. A three-sport standout for Lake City, Balow possesses nice size for the positon and averaged 11.2 tackles per game in his 2020 junior season and also posted 2 FF, a INT, and 2 blocked two extra points. He flows to the ball nicely, with strong tackling technique who doubles as a vicious run-blocker on teh OL of Lake City. He showed off some great athleticism and hops on a nice interception, and he’s patient when tracking the football and forceful when getting upfield.
12) Fox Knutson Fox Knutson 6'2" | 200 lbs | LB Wayzata | 2022 State MN (Wayzata) 6’2, 200 lbs. Receiving recruiting interest from Macalester, MSU-Moorhead, MSU-Mankato, Valley City State, Amherst, Columbia, and Augustana. I love what I see on film from Knutson but I was even more impressed with what I saw from the Wayzata Trojan in person at our January PrepRedzoneMN Showcase. He clocked a low 4.7 40 and was outstanding in lateral drills where he could show off his quickness. He covers a ton of ground as an edge defender who gets into the backfield a lot of times before the handoff is even complete, and that same speed also aides him in coverage, where he made some nice breaks on passes. The way he gets out of his stance and explodes into ball-carriers is something special, though, The Northern Sun should be all over this kid.
13) Ryan Haley Ryan Haley 6'0" | 205 lbs | LB Mankato-West | 2022 State MN (Mankato West) 6’, 210 lbs. Offered by Grand View. Receiving recruiting interest from South Dakota State, Amherst, MSU-Mankato, Columbia, St. Thomas. In hindsight, I think Haley is ranked a little bit too low, and he’s got some really high upside at the LB position that is earning him some well deserved FCS looks. In six games in 2020 he posted 60 tackles, 17 TFLs, and 3 sacks, and his tape shows a recruit who can go sideline to sideline and moves through traffic and congestion en route to the ball-carrier with impressiveness. He can pursue ball-carriers out to the edge, but I also love how he moves and operates between the tackles, as he’s good at finding open lanes and his powerful lower-body makes it really hard for blockers to move him out of the way of where he wants to go. He’s got a real good chance to move up the rankings upon the next update.
14) Carter Loesch Carter Loesch 6'3" | 220 lbs | LB Sauk Rapids-Rice | 2022 State MN (Sauk Rapids-Rice) 6’3, 220 lbs. Offered by MSU-Mankato. Receiving recruiting interest from St. Thomas, Winona State, NDSU, UMD. Another 2022 standout who earned a scholarship offer from Mankato after balling out at their prospect camp last summer, Loesch possesses some noteworthy length that he uses effectively in his role as a standout pass-rusher from the standup OLB position. He’s got solid bend at the top of the arch, a strong first step, and some great usage of his hands that he uses to disengage from blockers much larger than him. He’s also got good speed to pursue ball-carriers out to the sideline, and can fly around with no qualms about sacrificing his body to make a play. He’s a really slippery and elusive prospect to try and block from the looks of his film, and he’s another stud with an excellent chance of moving up the rankings with our next update.
15) Rieley Mullen Rieley Mullen 6'0" | 205 lbs | LB Big Lake | 2022 State MN (Big Lake) 6’, 205 lbs. Receiving recruiting interest from NDSU, UNI, Montana Tech, Augustana, Winona State, UMD, MSU-Mankato, Bemidji State, SMSU, and Sioux Falls. Visited Augustana. The Big Lake product tallied 69 tackles, 16 TFLs, 2 sacks, and a blocked kick in 2020 and as a RB on offense he posted 105 rushes for 526 yards and 3 TDs. He’s a versatile athlete with great speed at the top end as well as out of his stance, and his strong lower body and quick feet help him as both a slippery RB as well as a tough LB to get hands on and block. The way he triggers on the football is definitely impressive, and he generates so much force that it really crumples ball-carriers and QBs when he gets to them. Even with not a lot of a head start he can produce some big hits, and he’s strong enough to bring down ball-carriers on tackle attempts where he is somewhat out of position. If he can continue to add weight he’s going to be a really highly touted LB recruit at the college level.
Class of 2023
Wide Receiver: 1) Josh Och Josh Och 5'11" | 165 lbs | WR Chanhassen | 2023 State MN (Chanhassen) 5’11, 165 lbs. An electric playmaker who made some big plays as a kick returner in 2020, Och possesses some game-changing speed and nice vision, and he made some really impressive catches last season. He is great at tracking the ball in the air, has excellent concentration to look the ball all the way into his hands, and the toughness to lay out his body out on the line to make the catch. He really eats into the cushion of DBs, even if they’re playing off man, and he made one particular catch around 1:20 into his tape where he caught an underthrown ball while the safety was bearing down on him from his blindside. However, his strength and toughness sent that DB flying, despite Och never seeing him coming. There’s a ton to like out of the sophomore and he’s going to be a force as an upperclassman.
2) Tyson Cooreman Tyson Cooreman 6'4" | 205 lbs | ATH Randolph | 2023 State MN (Randolph) 6’4, 190 lbs. We got ourselves a really versatile, small-school prospect out of Southern Minnesota in the Randolph Rocket’s Tyson Cooreman Tyson Cooreman 6'4" | 205 lbs | ATH Randolph | 2023 State MN . Although he mixes his snaps pretty evenly in his Hudl tape with his OLB position, I think he projects the best at WR/TE at the next level, especially when you take his impressive basketball skills into consideration. At a long, lean 190 lbs., Cooreman has nice quickness in his feet, a long stride to gain ground on defenders without them really realizing it, and obvious yet still impressive vertical and ball skills. He can change direction well, and even though you can tell he’s still growing into his body he’s not awkward in his playing style and has good body control for a kid of his size and age. He’s also got some YAC ability, and shows physicality as a LB which will definitely help him at the next level. All in all there’s a ton to like on film from the young buck, don’t let the small school tag scare you off!
3) Joey Krouse Joey Krouse 5'10" | 185 lbs | WR Prior Lake | 2023 State MN (Prior Lake) 5’10, 170 lbs. Prior Lake is loaded in their 2023 class, and Krouse is a really exciting athlete who can play RB or WR, and play them both well. He explodes out his stance and possesses good vision and clean moves in the open field, and his top-end speed is also really impressive for his age. He made a sweet back-shoulder catch on a skinny post against STMA last season that I really liked, and his balance and body control are noteworthy as well. He made a heckuva KOR TD for Prior Lake as well, making it three separate ways he scored in 2020. All in all he’s a heckuva athlete who has a lot more TDs in his future.
4) Max Shikenjanski Max Shikenjanski 6'2" | 160 lbs | ATH Stillwater | 2023 State MN (Stillwater) 6’2, 160 lbs. I’m a big big fan of the Stillwater Ponies playmaker, who stars on the gridiron as well as the hardcourt, where he’s one of the best PGs in the class of 2023. With good size for the position, he’s able to run by DBs or get up and over them to make contested catches, and is tough and sure-handed enough to make tough snags through contact, and can use his big body to box out DBs and make catches on shorter and intermediate routes with a DB draped all over him. He can also break off his routes well and works back to the football, and also showed that he can find open space in a zone defense to sit and get open. Big things coming out of Max and the Stillwater program in the future.
5) Samuel Musungu Samuel Musungu 6'1" | 180 lbs | WR Andover | 2023 State MN (Andover) 6’1, 170 lbs. In five games the Andover Huskies wideout totaled 17 catches for 239 yards and 5 TDs, and showed that he could be a big-play threat vertically or a possession receiver capable of effectively running screens, hitches, and other shorter breaking routes. I love how he cuts when running routes, loosening and dropping his hips to powerfully break his routes off, and he’s also got an excellent vert and can make tough catches all the way up in the air with a big hit incoming. He’s also very shifty after the catch, and can leave defenders’ feet stuck in cement with quick feet and good vision. He’s also got great skills on the hardcourt and that basketball background definitely adds to his game on the gridiron.
6) Kelly Johnson Kelly Johnson 5'11" | 175 lbs | WR Alexandria | 2023 State MN (Alexandria) 5’10, 160 lbs. Sophomore tape displays a wideout with some burst, quick feet, and a good route-running ability for his age, and a willingness to block on the edge or in the open field. He’s not scared to go over the middle to make catches as well, and he should be seeing a ton of targets as opposing defenses adjust to stopping Gopher commit Kristen Hoskins Kristen Hoskins 5'9" | 165 lbs | WR Alexandria | 2022 State MN for Alex.
7) Thomas Fritz Jr. (Austin) The Austin Packer WR is dangerous as a kick returner, where he made more than a few impressive returns that showcased some great vision and moves in the open field. The quickness he possesses definitely translates to his game as a wideout, as he’s shifty and elusive in the open field and has the speed to take the edge and get the ball into the endzone. He’s a tough competitor and if he can keep working on that speed and quickness he’s going to be more than a handful to deal with as an upperclassman.
8) Ot Omot Ot Omot 6'4" | 165 lbs | WR Park of Cottage Grove | 2023 State MN (Park of Cottage Grove) 6’3, 165 lbs. A really long wideout who is excellent at snagging fades in the endzone, Omot’s basketball prowess shows up in his football tape, and he had a strong sophomore season who surprised DBs with his top end speed and has some good strength in his frame for a younger cat who is as long and skinny as Omot. He split time on varsity and JV last season and is poised for a strong junior season in 2021.
9) Joseph Randle Joseph Randle 6'3" | 210 lbs | WR St. Anthony Village | 2023 State MN (St. Anthony Village) 6’3, 195 lbs. Great size and great versatility at the WR position. He’s a handful to bring down with the ball in his hands and can hurt defenses in the vertical game as well as dink and dunk himself down the field with shorter routes. He does a good job of naturally creating separation as well as using his size to his advantage to keep DBs away from the football, and is a willing blocker who sets up his teammates for big gains and success. He’s almost surely going to move up the rankings come next update.
10) Chuck Gilbert Chuck Gilbert 6'2" | 170 lbs | WR Holy Angels | 2023 State MN (Holy Angels) 6’3, 170 lbs. Another recruit with an excellent chance of moving up the rankings when we next update, Gilbert made the most out of his varsity reps in 2020 and made some really great plays on the ball during his sophomore campaign. He’s got strong, soft hands that uses to pluck the ball out of midair, and he’s a really strong runner with the ball in his hands and runs hard. He’s a natural-looking WR with a high ceiling and some big plays ahead of him. I’m excited to see how he progresses.
11) Eric Knies Jr. (Forest Lake) 6’, 180 lbs. Had a strong JV season on both sides of the football who was a big-time deep threat as a JV wide receiver and made some impressive interceptions and tackles as a DB.
12) Jalatta Shenkor (Park of Cottage Grove) 6’4, 175 lbs.
13) Aidan Boehle Aidan Boehle 6'6" | 210 lbs | DL Minnetonka | 2023 State MN (Minnetonka) 6’5, 190 lbs. Tremendous size who knows how to use it. Despite playing JV last season he made some crazy catches, sometimes with two or three defenders right there on him, and his ability to high-point the football and bring down tough catches are going to be a huge asset for Tonka next season.
14) Isaac Ivy Isaac Ivy 6'0" | 170 lbs | WR Roseville | 2023 State MN (Roseville) Tracks the ball well while it’s in the air, has the speed to pull away from DBs, and has great size for a WR who is poised to make some big waves on varsity next season.
15) Alex Jones Alex Jones ATH Bloomington Jefferson | 2023 MN (Minnetonka)