Outstate prospect report: Southeast

I have reached the end of my football trip around Minnesota. This four-part series ends in the southeast corner of the state. Like some of the other regions, I could have made this list longer but tried to keep the list to ten. I also made a few cuts on kids who deserve to be on this list but were players I had covered in the past. [player_tooltip player_id="18422" first="Eli" last="King"] <strong>QB Caledonia</strong> Although he has committed to play basketball at Iowa State, any discussion of football players in the southeast corner of the state – or any corner of the state - should start with King. The number one ranked player in the Class of 22 has not played a meaningful snap at quarterback – he is expected to move to quarterback for his senior year – and yet his athleticism put him atop our rankings. Watching him play wide receiver and kick returner for five minutes is enough to see why he is highly regarded. Hands, quickness, leaping ability, route running, ability to break tackles are just a few of the elite-level skills King has. [player_tooltip player_id="18425" first="Mekhi" last="Collins"] <strong>WR Mankato West</strong> Using quick feet, Collins gets off the line against press coverage well. He makes great adjustments on deep balls. Along with that, at 6’5", his length makes him a nightmare to cover on the outside. Not just a deep ball threat, he runs good routes and can go over the middle – giving his quarterback a big target. He is a willing blocker on the outside. Defensively, he is an effective corner – with his height - especially on deep balls. [player_tooltip player_id="116202" first="Michael" last="Mankaka"] <strong>WR Rochester Mayo</strong> One of the more versatile players in the class, Mankaka plays wide receiver, tight end, and safety. He is an electric player in the open field; his feet make him tough to corral. He makes great adjustments on balls not thrown perfectly. He is a physical blocker in the run game. As a safety, he has excellent range and plays sideline to sideline. [player_tooltip player_id="49836" first="Justin" last="Wohlers"] <strong>QB Lake City</strong> Wohlers throws a great deep ball. His release is smooth, and it doesn’t look like he is putting much effort into his throws, but the ball ends up forty or more yards down the field. If he has to, Wohlers can push the ball deep downfield without stepping into a throw. He is a physical presence and, at 6’6" 205, can take a hit and still deliver an effective ball. Not just a deep-ball passer, he is accurate on his shorter throws as well. He doesn’t look like he wants to run, but he can move around in the pocket and pick up yards with his feet if the situation arises. [player_tooltip player_id="18545" first="Drew" last="Kittelson"] <strong>QB Blooming Prairie</strong> Kittelson is a long, lean athlete who throws a catchable deep ball. When he can step into his throw, he can push the ball deep downfield. He has nice touch on his throws underneath, but some of his more impressive throws are his throws to the boundary, where he is forced to make a long throw on a rope. He runs the read option well and, despite his long frame, is a more physical runner than he appears. His long strides make up ground quickly, and he is faster than he looks like he should be. He has more wiggle in the open field than you would expect from a 6’4" 185-pound athlete. [player_tooltip player_id="49958" first="Gannon" last="Rosenfeld"] <strong>DL Mankato West</strong> Rosenfeld has a quick first step and is explosive off the line of scrimmage. As a defensive end, he uses his speed to get the corner and uses his feet to cut underneath offensive tackles to get into the backfield. He uses his hands well to prevent linemen from getting into his body. He has a nice rip move that helps him get pressure on the quarterback and disrupt the running game. Although he plays aggressively, he stays in position and doesn’t get fooled often. He has some DII interest, including one offer. [player_tooltip player_id="116208" first="Cayden" last="Holcomb"] <strong>ATH Rochester Mayo</strong> Holcomb does a little bit of everything for the Trojans. He runs effective deep routes and has hands to make plays on deep balls and underneath in traffic. Holcomb adjusts well on underthrown balls. He is solid in the open field, both on short throws and in the running game when he is asked to get the corner on an end-around. On defense, he plays the deep ball well and has good closing speed on the outside. Holcomb also returns punts and can long snap. [player_tooltip player_id="116210" first="Grant" last="Achterkirch"] <strong>LB Owatonna</strong> Achterkirch’s lateral movement allows him to scrape down the line of scrimmage without giving offensive linemen a good target to hit. When he puts his foot in the ground to attack the line of scrimmage, he shows off excellent closing speed. Achterkirch also uses that straight-line speed to play from sideline to sideline. He has solid upper body strength, allowing him to bounce off blockers and work to the ball carrier. [player_tooltip player_id="116213" first="Puolrah" last="Gong"] <strong>WR Mankato East</strong> Gong has good body control both when going to get the ball and when near the boundary. His body control helps him make catches off his shoetops when he receives an underthrown ball. He has good speed – so much that he is trusted to get to the corner on end arounds. He works over the middle well and is not afraid to take a hit to make a catch. [player_tooltip player_id="116253" first="Anthony" last="Moe-Tucker"] <strong>ATH Kasson-Mantorville</strong> A two-way player, Moe-Tucker runs with a low center of gravity and doesn’t give defenders much more than shoulder pads and knees to hit in the hole. A power back, he literally can drag defenders forward for more yardage. Moe-Tucker eats arm tacklers for breakfast. He is most effective making one cut and getting upfield. As physical as he is, he has good hands to get involved in the passing game. A big hitter on offense, Moe-Tucker hits just as hard as a middle linebacker.