PrepRedzoneMN Showcase MVPs: QBs, WR/TEs, DBs

We’re going to wrap things up and finish our PrepRedzoneMN Showcase coverage by highlighting the always electric skill position standouts from the QB, WR/TE, and DB groups from Session II at the Rosemount Irish Dome last Sunday. The gunslingers and speedsters were the only groups featured during the second session of the event, and with over 80 athletes from three states stretching across three upcoming graduating classes, there was a ton of speed, talent, and athleticism on the turf during the 3-hour time frame featuring testing, individual coaching, and 1 on 1 competition. Now that my colleagues have released their standouts and the testing results have been released, let’s waste no more time and get right into things. Below I’ve featured the MVPs from the QBs, WR/TEs, and DBs from our second ever PrepRedzoneMN Showcase, and I hope you enjoy reading about the standout’s individual performances. Defensive Backs [player_tooltip player_id="116257" first="Hudson" last="Artz"] (Fairmont) 2022. 6’, 183 lbs. One of my overall MVPs from Session 2 came out of the 3A heavyweight Fairmont, who are poised for a deep playoff run and a potential state championship in 2021. The very physically impressive, thick, and cut up 6’ 180+ lber. already holds an offer from UMD and showed out in the testing, individual, and 1 on 1 portion of the afternoon for a really solid overall performance. For a bigger DB, he could hang with every wideout at the event, including the smaller, explosive guys, and was rarely out of position during the dozens of reps he ended up taking. His technique was some of the cleanest of the DBs, with excellent eye discipline and a really strong punch that disrupted WRs all throughout their rep, and he was strong enough to consistently win at the point of contact when the ball would hit the WRs hands. He also was very solid at changing direction and had super smooth footwork that never wasted steps, and he did a great job of powering out of his cuts with authority. All in all he’s a really great athlete with a ton of dynamic ability and a high upside as a defensive prospect. [embed]https://twitter.com/OliverJamesWes1/status/1389295392399925248?s=20[/embed] [player_tooltip player_id="116272" first="Aaron" last="Lee"] (Shakopee) 2022. 5’9, 160 lbs. One of the DBs I was most excited about seeing going into the afternoon, Lee was everything I was hoping to see and more, as he backed up his physical style of play on film with a lot of impressive finesse ability in man coverage without the pads on. He’s a well-built and thick 160 lb. CB who was really strong at every phase of coverage and an extremely technically sound CB who was sticky and aggressive every rep he got. With sound patience at the LOS, he was able to almost always effectively get a hand on the wideout to disrupt his release and timing and get them off their marks, and also very good with his hands throughout the route and could hand fight with the best of them. He was also fast enough to stay on top of wideouts and clocked a 4.5 40 as well as a 4.6 short shuttle, and showed clean footwork, and was excellent at getting out of his breaks. He also had some hops and was able to always compete for jump balls, and I came away very impressed and think NSIC schools should start getting this kid on campus ASAP. [embed]https://twitter.com/OliverJamesWes1/status/1389300826301026305?s=20[/embed] Alex Elliott (Hutchinson) 2023. 6’2, 178 lbs. A complete surprise to me as a prospect, I had no idea 2022 Hutch LB [player_tooltip player_id="49825" first="Aaron" last="Elliott"] had a younger brother, and was even more blown away when I saw that this kid could frickin’ BALL! At a long and wiry 6’2, 180ish pounds, his length was the first thing that caught my eye, but after he ran a 4.59 40 I could barely contain my excitement. Alex is still pretty raw, but he was a very talented natural DB who could make up for any technical issue with peer athleticism, and there wasn’t a deep ball that he didn’t get under and make a play on. His long strides helped him cover a ton of ground with each step as well as generate a good amount of burst when he planted his foot in the ground, and he undercut a ton of intermediate routes and was able to break up a bunch of balls with his long arms. There’s a ton of potential here and I was very thankful I got to get an early look at the younger Elliott, who is poised for a huge 2021 fall season. Alex Abens (Dallas Center-Grimes, IA) 2022. 6’2.25, 184 lbs. Came in with excellent size at what I would expect would be a safety at the next level, and clocked a 4.8 40, 4.7 short shuttle, and 9’4 broad jump as well as a very impressive 7.03 L-drill. He also showed some real proficiency in man coverage and was physical with his hands and his body when making plays on the football. [player_tooltip player_id="140142" first="Austin" last="Welsch"] (Madison East, WI) 2022. 5’10.5, 161 lbs. Ran a 4.66 40 and jumped a 9’2 on the broad jump. I had one word written on my clipboard roster from the event next to the Badger State prospect, and that was "tough." He took a ton of reps and competed his butt off each and every time, and was a physical presence at the CB position who was especially tough when the football was in the air. He had a great showing on Sunday. Cosmo Guion (Minnetonka) 2023. 6’1.5, 167 lbs. Showed great size for a DB at his age and did a good job during testing and clocked a 4.69 40, 4.59 short shuttle, and a 9’ broad jump. I didn’t get to see him during 1 on 1s as much as I would have liked, however. [player_tooltip player_id="112168" first="Gulius" last="Jones"] (Delasalle) 2023. 5’8, 169 lbs. A strong DB for his age, Jones ran a 4.78 40, 4.75 short shuttle, and back-to-back 9’9 broad jumps to showcase some good athleticism for his age. He was a grinder during 1 on 1s who showed a ton of competitiveness and didn’t back down from any of the older competition, and I really liked how fast he could cover ground when he would plant and go, particularly downhill when he’d play off man. Big things coming from the Delasalle Islander sophomore. Liban Ali (Rochester John Marshall) 2022. 5’9.5, 150 lbs. Really turned things on during the 1 on 1 period of the event and was sticky in coverage thanks to his quick read and reaction skills at competitiveness when the ball was in the air. He took some lumps but was always quick to flush things and jump right back in line which I always appreciate from the DB position, and also made some really great PBUs throughout the afternoon on shorter, intermediate, and deeper routes. Nathan Drumm (Mankato East) 2022. 6’, 187 lbs. Was a coaching favorite at the DB position and showed some great size for the position, along with a 4.75 40, a 4.6 short shuttle, and a 9’7 broad jump that he put to good use during 1 on 1s. He was another technically sound CB in man coverage who was great with his hands and his eyes, and he had some excellent recovery speed and made some impressive plays on the ball throughout the event. He always made sure to get hip to hip with WRs before getting his head back around, and I liked his patience and aggression at the LOS as well. He could play safety or corner at the next level and is a part of a really talented 2022 Mankato East recruiting class. Quarterbacks [player_tooltip player_id="22947" first="Jacob" last="Eggert"] (Mankato East) 2022. 6’1, 186 lbs. I could watch the Mankato East product throw the football all day long. Eggert is now a PrepRedzoneMN Showcase veteran, as our current #1 ranked QB in the state of 2022 there’s pressure on him to solidify that ranking every time we see him live. He has no problem rising to those standards, however, and with a ton of arm talent and natural accuracy he can make any and every throw asked of him on the gridiron. Jacob has clean footwork that really helps him move and navigate in the pocket and make throws when off-platform as well as step into his throws. His accuracy is probably my favorite part of his game, as he consistently puts the football where only the WR can make a play on the football, and just about every ball he put in the air on Sunday was catchable and on target. Recruiting is really going to start taking off for the Cougars gunslinger soon, and I’ve loved watching him perform at these events. [embed]https://twitter.com/OliverJamesWes1/status/1389299676847820805?s=20[/embed] Joe Russell (Robbinsdale Cooper) 2022. 5’10, 160 lbs. Boy oh boy was it a treat to watch the Cooper Hawks signal-caller sling the rock all over the field on Sunday. As our current #2 ranked QB, Russell made a very strong push and challenge for the #1 spot that we are really going to have to take into consideration when we look at the rankings again this summer. Russell had really clean and crisp footwork and did an awesome job of using his lower body to generate power on his throws, and he also possessed one of the quickest releases at the Showcase and could get the ball out of his hand in a jiffy and then some. He also has great touch on his deep throws and was exceptional and putting the ball right in the breadbasket of a streaking WR, and I was impressed with the zip and accuracy he threw with on shorter and quicker routes in the middle of the field and outside the hashes. His arm and demeanor were very impressive as well, and I left Rosemount very pleased with what I saw from Russell. He currently holds a UNI offer and more scholarships are coming! [embed]https://twitter.com/OliverJamesWes1/status/1388970347857387525?s=20[/embed] [player_tooltip player_id="116503" first="Connor" last="Gerrell"] (White Bear Lake) 2022. 6’3, 170 lbs. The elder Gerrell will definitely see his ranking rise in the 2022 class after his performance from Sunday’s Showcase. With a long, tall frame that helps him have a high release point, Connor gets the ball out with some audible zip and can really sling the rock all over the field. He was able to throw a really accurate ball, especially on deeper routes, and has a strong arm that helped him maintain an effectiveness on deep balls throughout the event. He was just one of those QBs that really looked good throwing the football, and his arm and his timing made every route possible for him to hit with accuracy and velocity. He also clocked a 4.63 on the 40 and a 4.6 on the short shuttle. No wonder he’s getting so much NSIC attention. [embed]https://twitter.com/OliverJamesWes1/status/1389298890663370752?s=20[/embed] [player_tooltip player_id="112192" first="Jamarrius" last="Courtney"] (Benilde-St. Margaret’s) 2023. 6’, 213 lbs. Good lord did Jamarrius knock the socks off of the scouts and coaches in attendance last Sunday. The sophomore QB is a very thick and solid 6’, 213 lbs., and just recently completed his transfer from Robbinsdale Cooper to Benilde-St. Margaret’s, making me very excited for the Red Knights offense next season. This kid has some very obvious and apparent arm talent and had a total rocket attached to his shoulder. As a younger cat, I could tell he enjoyed throwing deep balls and was more motivated to have his WRs run fades throughout 1 on 1s, but I also got a good look at him during the positional portion of the afternoon. There was an actual audible whistle when the ball would leave his hand, and with what seemed like a flick of the wrist Courtney could get the ball deep downfield with accuracy and zip. He may have had the strongest arm at the entire event, and put it to good use, and did show some good really nice throws when towards what would be the far sideline or over the middle of the field. I could not stop watching him throw, and with great size and an incredible amount of natural talent and arm strength, I think we’re going to hear his name called a lot in the Metro going forward. [embed]https://twitter.com/OliverJamesWes1/status/1389033794796244994?s=20[/embed] Bart McAninch (Mankato West) 2024. 6’, 205 lbs. The future is very bright for the young Mankato gunslinger, who burst onto my radar in a huge way after his performance last Sunday. With an impressive build for a freshman, McAninch has an absolute cannon with a ton of natural arm talent who could hit just about every throw asked of him with accuracy and zip. With clean, quick footwork that generated a lot of force off his back foot when stepping into throws, I saw McAninch make some really impressive throws that would be the equivalent of tossing the rock to the opposite hash for deep out routes or comebacks, and he also could sling a heckuva deep ball that had good touch and didn’t float in the air too long. West has a loaded QB room currently but McAninch seems to have the tools to one day compete for the best gunslinger in the state, especially as it’s no secret that the Scarlett have had some prolific passing attacks over the years. [embed]https://twitter.com/OliverJamesWes1/status/1389297281065578498?s=20[/embed] [player_tooltip player_id="105409" first="Cole" last="Gerrell"] (White Bear Lake) 2024. Another freshman with some talent at the QB position comes out of White Bear Lake and [player_tooltip player_id="105409" first="Cole" last="Gerrell"]. He throws a really nice ball for a young cat, with ample velocity on shorter or intermediate routes and some good arm strength on deeper throws. His mechanics are also really solid, and he had some natural accuracy and did a great job of putting the ball where only the WR could get to it. Additionally, Cole answered the call when I asked if he could come early to throw 1 on 1s to the RBs during the first session, so over the course of the day he threw A LOT of footballs between 1 on 1s at Session 1 and the positional and competitive portion of Session 2, and by the end of the day his arm was still looking good and he could throw a strong ball. There’s going to be a lot of varsity completions in the future for the younger Gerrell. [player_tooltip player_id="112137" first="Devin" last="Jordan"] (Eden Prairie) 2023. 6’1.5, 163 lbs. Another talented underclassman, Jordan ran a 4.81 40, a 4.59 short shuttle, and a 9’1 broad to highlight some of the athleticism that he brings to the position. I really liked watching him throw the football, and coming from the powerhouse Eden Prairie program it was no surprise that his mechanics and footwork were really sound, and he also possessed a naturally strong arm and the arm talent to hit deep balls or outside breaking routes with accuracy. We may have the heir apparent to the Eagles offense on our hands! [player_tooltip player_id="49861" first="Evan" last="Coffey"] (Henry Sibley) 2022. 5’9, 160 lbs. A mobile and nimble quarterback prospect, Coffey brings a ton of game time experience and reps to the position and showed good decision making and timing when competing during 1 on 1s. When could get the ball out of his hands quickly when he made a decision to throw the football and showed some good accuracy and zip on shorter and intermediate routes. He was a completion machine throughout the afternoon. [embed]https://twitter.com/OliverJamesWes1/status/1389297863528640515?s=20[/embed] [player_tooltip player_id="137365" first="Gregory" last="Clark"] (Dassel-Cokato) 2022. 6’1.5, 185 lbs. Clocked a 4.72 40, a 4.57 short shuttle, and a 9’3 broad jump to show that his nice size is backed up by some nice measurables. I was most impressed by the Dassel-Cokato’s QBs attitude and ability to make throws inside and outside of the pocket. He had a good arm and was consistent and lethal when throwing shorter or intermediate routes. He’s also very mobile with clean footwork and an ability to hit throws on the run. Lot to like! [player_tooltip player_id="105407" first="Kameron" last="Fox"] (Hopkins) 2024. 5’8.25, 165 lbs. The last of the freshman signal-callers to catch my eye at the Showcase came out of the always dangerous Hopkins Royals program. Fox is still growing, but I really thought he threw a good ball that showed solid zip, accuracy, and timing and he was able to throw some really nice balls to experienced WR/DB matchups and really give the wideouts good shots to get the football. His mechanics and footwork were also solid and I think he’s going to be a very strong varsity QB when the time comes. Owen Wark (Mounds View) 2023. 5’11.5, 155 lbs. A raw but no doubt talented QB, Wark had a really strong arm that could fire off shorter throws with a ton of power as well as hit the deep ball with accuracy and touch. If he keeps grinding I think Mounds View will be very happy with their passing attack in the future. Wide Receivers/Tight Ends [player_tooltip player_id="116267" first="Eli" last="Anderson"] (Fairmont) 2022. 5’11.5, 160 lbs. Man, this kid is a speedster! When you run the Fairmont products film back it’s obvious he has some game-changing burst and speed, but he backed up the film by clocking back-to-back 4.53 40s as well as one of the best L-drill times of the day in a 6.95. This speed also translated to 1 on 1s, where he was untouchable at times and was really strong at taking advantage of any step he got on DBs as he was quick to stack DBs as well as pull away from the coverage when the ball was in the air. Anderson never wasted steps at the LOS and was shifty in his releases, and utilized his long arms to show off a wide catch radius for his size and an awesome ability to track the football when it was in the air. He’s a really good athlete with a ton more room to add weight and some big-time speed that college coaches would really be happy with, and I’m excited to see his recruitment pop off soon. He’s a really natural and dangerous wideout in the 2022 class who will see his ranking shoot up come update time. [player_tooltip player_id="18428" first="Jacob" last="Kelly"] (Bemidji) 2022. 6’3.25, 215 lbs. With some outrageous size at the position, Kelly is a cut-up, really solidly built wideout who ran a 4.63 40, a 4.6 short shuttle, and a 10’1 broad for some exceptional testing numbers at his size. Not only that, he is a really smooth and natural wideout who brings a ton of explosive ability to the position and was a unanimous favorite amongst the coaches and media at the event. With clean movements that never waste any steps, Kelly was dangerous at the LOS as well as throughout the route, where he possessed the speed to pull away from DBs and the size to easily box them out and use his size to find ideal body positioning to make a play on the ball. He could also jump out of the gym and made a ton of nice plays while high-pointing the football out of the air, and was explosive out of his cuts and could change direction with ease. He was very balanced and very physically impressive throughout the course of the afternoon and I am stoked I got to see him live. I think he has Missouri Valley written all over him and I know UND really likes wideouts of his size and athletic ability. Stay tuned! [player_tooltip player_id="116208" first="Cayden" last="Holcomb"] (Rochester Mayo) 2022. 5’10.5, 180 lbs. The eldest Holcomb boy is a really special talent out of the 507 that has been on the varsity scene since he was an eighth-grader and brings a wealth of experience and athletic talent to the table as a prospect. I was itching and scratching for the chance to see him live, as his two-way playmaking ability and instincts really show up film, and man oh man did he live up to the hype. He clocked in the 4.5s and 4.4s in the 40 and a 9’9 in the broad jump, and is a well-built and ripped 180 lbs. at almost 5’11 and still growing. Running with the receivers, he was very shifty and deliberate in his cuts, which made him incredibly elusive at the LOS as well as hard to predict and read where he was cutting too while he was running routes. His body control, top-end speed, and ability to track and adjust to the football was really noteworthy, and he also possessed soft hands and some impressive jumping ability. I think he’s tremendously versatile and a D1 talent at either the CB or SB/WR position. People are sleeping!! [player_tooltip player_id="31327" first="Troy" last="Bounting"] (Hudson, WI) 5’11, 165 lbs. The burner of a wideout clocked a 4.56 40 and a 10’1 broad and put those explosive numbers to good use as he was one of the best deep threats of the entire WR group and was excellent at beating DBs at the LOS, stacking them, and long-striding under the football where the DBs couldn’t even make a play on the ball. He also possessed soft hands and could contort and adjust his body to make some nice plays on the football. [player_tooltip player_id="105365" first="Carter" last="Holcomb"] (Rochester Mayo) 2024. 5’9, 160 lbs. The younger Holcomb solidified his ranking as the #1 2024 prospect in the state after his performance Sunday, where he looked experienced, instinctive, and athletic beyond his age. The first-year high schooler clocked a 4.72 40, a 4.31 short shuttle, and a 9’6 broad for some really nice testing numbers at his age and put them to good use during 1 on 1s where he was explosive out of his cuts and snatched the ankles of a ton of DBs after they would unsuccessfully guess where the freshman Spartan was cutting. With slick hips, soft hands, and some really nice hops, he was dangerous and explosive from his release to the top of the route and through the catch, and put himself in a good position to make the DB miss after the catch if this was a tackling situation. With a strong and filled-out 160 lbs. already I think he’s got a D1 ceiling as well and some really special experience and athleticism for the 507. Big things coming. [player_tooltip player_id="116454" first="Charlie" last="Plum"] (Cretin Derham Hall) 2022. 6’3.5 The WR/TE hybrid out of St. Paul was a dangerous pass-catcher on Sunday and showed some versatility in his route running as he was able to break his routes off quickly, use his body to prevent DBs from making a play on the football, and could jump up and over defenders to make catches while the ball was in the air. He clocked a 4.85 40 and a 4.77 short shuttle and was a big-time matchup problem for DBs all session long last Sunday. [player_tooltip player_id="49828" first="Colin" last="Nagel"] (Hutchinson) 2022. 6’3, 233 lbs. With great size at the TE position, Nagel was basically immovable when running routes for 1 on 1s and DBs could not find an answer on how to get him away from the football, particularly at the catch point. With a strong frame as well as powerful hands, he was clamping on footballs all day long and also showed some nice ability to cut and change direction for a man of his size. He ran a 4.75 40 (!) and a 4.69 short shuttle at 230+ lbs. and displayed the ability to run shorter, intermediate, and deeper routes with real potency. He was fun to watch and just earned his first offer from UMD. [player_tooltip player_id="118826" first="Eric" last="Pfenning-Wendt"] (Mounds View) 2022. 5’8, 160 lbs. A big-time sleeper in the 2022 class out of Mounds View, Eric brings a lot of dynamic ability to the table with his speed and agility as he clocked a 4.59 40, a 4.48 short shuttle, and a 6.89 L-drill. He was slippery and elusive as a route-runner, with some nice nuance in his game who could easily deceive DBs thanks to his loose hips and flexibility in his ankles. He was easily able to gain separation, especially when running deep routes, and could adjust to throws and make plays on poorly thrown footballs well. His outright athleticism also helped him get chosen to play DB at the Best of the Best reps to end the day, and he came through once again and made a play on the ball to break up the pass. NSIC schools should see this kid move in-person, it won’t disappoint. [player_tooltip player_id="22924" first="Jack" last="Behning"] (Lester Prairie) 6'3, 180 lbs. Put some of the impressive route-running I saw on his junior Hudl to good use in Rosemount and was a very impressive physical specimen at the WR position who was a well-built 6'3, 180 lbs. with wide, thick shoulders and long arms to go along with some giant hands. He could change direction really well for his size and was quick and agile in space, helping him gain separation at a step's notice throughout the route as well as use his size and strength to put his body in a better position to make a play on the ball. He's got some nice hops to boot. Keenan Rodriguez (Anoka) 2022. 5'9.5, 165 lbs. A speedy and slippery route-runner who showed a ton of burst out of his stance, Rodriguez was a really technically sound WR who was very slippery at the LOS and showed a good understanding of how to set up and slip by DBs trying to press him. He was great at stacking DBs when given an opening and was a strong finisher who made a lot of great plays on the football throughout the afternoon. I loved what I saw and I think the Anoka product is going to have a big senior season this upcoming Fall. Marcus Lomanga (Bloomington Jefferson) 2024. 6'.5, 193 lbs. A "must know" freshman at the WR position who had a great showing last Sunday, Lomanga is a well-filled-out freshman with wide shoulders and long arms that helped him reel in a ton of footballs throughout the afternoon. He was strong enough to beat press with his body and was hard to move off of his marks for DBs throughout the rep, and he did a great job of boxing out defenders to bring the football at the point of the catch. With good speed and a vertical game in terms of hops, he was a pretty balanced freshman WR who is going to make some noise on the varsity scene next fall. [player_tooltip player_id="18542" first="Peter" last="Ladu"] (Rochester John Marshall) 2022. 6'.25, 177 lbs. A long, lean, but explosive 177 lbs., Ladu was clean and smooth in his route running and catching ability and used his long arms to create a really wide catch radius for his size. He showed good body control and soft hands as well!