Top-46 Unranked Minnesota 2022s

With an official rankings update right around the corner for the 2022, ’23, and ’24 classes of my favorite state of our great nation - plus the first publishing of the 2025 watchlist - I wanted to quickly bring some attention to some noteworthy unranked rising seniors who have came to our attention over the course of the past spring and early summer. Something I love about this job is how overlooked rising seniors will come into your radar going into the fall thanks to growth spurts, camp seasons, and the always useful Twitter machine, and the past couple of months I’ve learned of some really large, long, and athletic offensive and defensive ’22 prospects who we missed on our last PrepRedzoneMN rankings update. Before they do get ranked this summer I wanted to give some of my favorite standouts a deserving evaluation and hopefully some recruiting exposure, so lets cut the chit chat and dive right in. Check out my Top-46 Unranked Minnesota 2022s below! Thanks for reading. [player_tooltip player_id="140175" first="Tommy" last="Hamann"] (Wayzata) DE. 6’3, 225 lbs. Just committed to South Dakota State Possibly the biggest stock riser of the summer in the state of Minnesota comes out of the powerhouse Trojan program and their star edge defender [player_tooltip player_id="140175" first="Tommy" last="Hamann"], A big miss by me for not finding him sooner, Hamann earned himself a PWO from Iowa State after camping with the Cyclones and followed it up with South Dakota State and North Dakota offers after visits to Brookings and Grand Forks, respectively. He also just committed to the Jackrabbits yesterday! On tape, his 2020 highlights show a more traditional 5T who looks very athletic on film and who possesses a ton of burst out of his stance, the ability to execute stunts, and some dangerous closing speed. He’s also strong enough to bump inside, hold gaps, and defeat double teams, and is a strong tackler who finds and destroys ball-carriers. I also like how he uses his hands, and he’s an intriguing blend of speed and strength who I think is going to fit in very well on the Jackrabbits DL. What a summer for Mr. Hamann! He’ll find himself ranked highly once we update in a couple of weeks. [player_tooltip player_id="18540" first="Zach" last="Krause"] (Lakeville North) DE. @ZachKrause01 Ranked #250 but is far too low so I wanted to throw him on here as well. He has earned offers from Bemidji State, Sioux Falls, Winona State, Augustana, Minnesota State-Mankato, UMD since the end of May. Doubles as a nasty blocking TE for the Panthers while continuing a long tradition of college bound defensive lineman for the vaunted Lakeville North defense. What stands out to me the most is his overall strength as well as efficient and aggressive hand usage, which he uses to bench press blockers off him and free himself up to swallow up RBs and QBs. He also opens his tape by completely pancaking smothering four-star crosstown lineman [player_tooltip player_id="18025" first="Riley" last="Mahlman"], so his run blocking ability really pops out on film as well. I hope that offer sheet keeps growing! [player_tooltip player_id="166117" first="Ryan" last="Piepgras"] (Foley) WR. 6’4, 185 lbs. @PiepgrasRyan Is a returning All-District and District MVP selection and also holds a 3.9 GPA. With great size, his junior tape shows a strong possession receiver who has no problem catching passes in traffic or with a DB draped all over him, and his height and ability to high point the football puts DBs in tough positions to try and break up the pass. It also looks like he can break his routes off ok for a kid of his size, and he has some safety tape that shows a recruit willing to pop kids in the mouth, so I like that as well. The way he tracks and can get under the football make me really hopeful for him as a college prospect, and I hope some MIAC and NSIC schools are at least in touch! He’ll be a nice addition to the rankings. [player_tooltip player_id="135500" first="Zaid" last="Dameh"] (Rosemount) LB. 5’11, 205 lbs. @ZAIDDAMEH Junior film show off a disruptive and productive OLB who is a good blitzer who can beat tackles off the edge or with speed off their inside shoulder and who can break down his hips, keep his feet moving, and make tough tackles in space to finish plays on QBs or ’backs. He’s also strong at diagnosing plays and finding the ball, and his athleticism also translates to coverage where he can get under passes to record PBUs. I also love how violently he plays, as he attacks attempted blockers and lowers his shoulder and finishes hits with authority. He’s got a fun tape to watch and oh my gosh does Rosemount have a loaded LB corps in 2021. Probably the best in the state. Dameh is another welcome addition to the 2022 rankings! Blake Gode (Lakeville North) TE. Another Panther athlete having a great summer, Gode has recently earned offers from Winona State, Bemidji State, and UMary and should see some more scholarship offers come his way by the time his senior season finishes up. On tape, Gode is long and speedy and lined up all over the field for the Panthers, playing FB, DE, and TE/HB in his junior film. He plays all of the positions with aggression, fires out of his stance, and is a willing and physical blocker with great foot drive. With his frame and length, I think his best football is still potentially in front of him, and he easily deserves to be ranked in the state. Daniel Walker (Champlin Park) DE. 6’3, 260 lbs. @_danielwalker89 Holds an offer from Morningside and camped with South Dakota, where he posted a 5.1 40, 4.8 short shuttle, 8’ broad and 80" wingspan. Traditional 5T with a lot of pass-rushing potential who never quits on the play and can beat tackles inside or outside and also shows the speed to track down the ball from the backside. He’s poised for a big senior year! Brady Olson (Thief River Falls) DE/OLB. 6’6, 225 lbs. @Bradyd1234 Recently earned his first offer from Hamline University of the MIAC almost a week ago. Also has visited UMD and Bemidji State. With an awesome frame capable of adding a ton more weight at the next level there is a lot to like about Olson as a prospect, and on tape he uses his speed to beat blockers inside as well as bat passes down at the line of scrimmage. He’s also strong enough to eat blocks and not get thrown out of his gap or hit the turf and he’s also a good tackler who can bring guys down in space with force. I also like his motor, and he’s another recruit on this list who I think has his best football in front of him. He needs to have some more recruiting attention as of right now! Sawyer Forsberg (St. Michael-Albertville) TE/DE. 6’3, 225 lbs. @Sawyer45951481 Holds a 3.86 GPA, 29 ACT, and 1250 SAT. Is an aggressive and technically sound blocker who has great size at 6’3, 225 lbs. capable of getting to the second or third level to continue blocking. That doesn’t mean he can’t take on a DE or OLB and finish the block though, as that is very much in his repertoire, and he also looks a somewhat under utilized pass-catcher who can adjust his body to make tough catches if need be. I’m excited for his senior year and he’s a great addition to the rankings. Go Knights! Josh Magin (Shakopee) OLB. 6’6, 230 lbs. @JoshMagin Has received offers from Upper Iowa, the University of St. Thomas, South Dakota School of Mines, and UMary this summer. There are a lot of kids on this list who possess noteworthy length and Magin is potentially the rangiest and is a recruit I’m kicking myself for not getting on my radar sooner. As a standup OLB he can move and navigate in space well and is a strong hitter who tackles and thumps with authority. At 6’6, 210 last season he even played some deep FS and was all over the field in both coverage and run support. There’s a lot to like in terms of his ability to flip his hips and start and stop at his size, and his versatility make him a really promising collegiate prospect who is going to have a really productive senior season. Alec Churness (Two Harbors) LB/RB. 5’10, 200 lbs. @alecchurness A returning Second Team AP All-State LB who we missed out on big time at PRzMN on our last 2022 rankings, Churness tallied 99 tackles to rank 5th in the state last season and will surely blow that total out of the water in 2021. He is a classic thumper who loves slamming ball carriers into the turf as hard as he can and is dangerous at shooting gaps and finishing plays in the backfield of opponents, and he’s also capable of getting sideline to sideline or crossing multiple gaps to pursue the ball. I just love how he hits ya too. Big season coming for Mr. Churness! Tait Kongsjord (Deer River) OL. 6’6, 265 lbs. @TKongsjord Holds offers from Minnesota State-Mankato, Augustana, Bemidji State, and UMD and will be a big addition to a loaded OL position group of MN in the 2022 class. Also was named All-District, and District Lineman MVP. The Deer River product mauler is a tank of an offensive lineman with long arms and a lean 260ish pounds who is used to pulling and blocking in space and looks and plays like a total bully on the field. Once he fully extends his arms it's tough for opponents to stay on their feet and he plays all over the LOS and with all the spots he's at with aggression. On defense it fricken' psyches me up to see him play LB at 6'6, 260 and he plays it with some power, but at his usual DL spot he can eat up double or triple teams like it's no one's business and his overwhelming strength compared to his competitors is obvious and allows him to overpower blockers as well as completely flatten ball carriers when he gets ahold of him. No wonder he's got heavyweight DII offers already! I'd love to see him in person soon and he's a potential D1 sleeper heading into his senior year. Big fan of this kid. Jude Breen (St. Paul Como Park) QB. 6’5, 220 lbs. @breen_jude I can't tell you how excited it makes me to see noteworthy college prospects coming out of the Como Park program now for two years in a row, and their massive QB in Jude Breen is definitely an intriguing overall recruit with a high ceiling and a lot of potential going forward. He looks like by far the biggest player on the field on his tape, and I have to be honest I was pleasantly surprised by the signal callers accuracy, touch, and zip. It looks like he naturally has a pretty strong arm but is aided by his clean footwork and ability to power off his back foot, but where he really shines seems to be in intermediate to shorter throws and getting the ball to the receiver with velocity and accuracy. He puts the ball right in the breadbasket, and at a lean 220 lbs. he's still growing and looks to potentially have the chops to play QB at the next level. If not, the athleticism looks to be there and he could definitely make plays at TE or possibly DE if need be. Either way, there's a lot to like. Go Cougars! Mason Molitor (Totino-Grace) LB/DE. 6’6, 220 lbs. @Mason_Molitor Unfortunately is lacking film. Hudl reports he made a TFL against Forest Lake and a 10-yard sack against Anoka. Another long, lean defensive prospect on this list. Gavin Sweeney (LeRoy-Ostrander) TE/DE. 6’4, 215 lbs. @GavinSweeney24 Earned his first offer in June from the University of Mary. Plays all over the field at OC, TE, standup DE/OLB, and I'm sure more positions, and plays them all with violence. With a very long frame but a ton of pop in his pads he covers a ton of ground with his long gait and made a ton of plays from the backside in pursuit in impressive fashion. He flies around and meets blockers and ball carriers with authority, and with his high motor and physical style of play he had a tape I really enjoyed his film and think he's deserving of some more NSIC offers. I'm very much looking forward to his senior year and I'm pumped to have LeRoy-Ostrander on the '22 rankings! Grady O’Neill (St. Thomas Academy) WR. 5'11, 165 lbs. @gradyoneill7 A track standout who just placed Top-3 in the state in the AA 200 M Dash finals, O'Neill just recently got his recruitment going and earned offers from Bemidji State and Concordia-St. Paul. On the gridiron he looks like lightning in a bottle and can carry out handoffs from the HB position with lethal result, not to mention how quickly he can get behind DBs as a wideout. He also contributes to special teams as a returner and had an exciting return against Coon Rapids, and even runs the offense as a wildcat QB when called upon. His speed is definitely a game changer and is very hard to miss on film, but I also like how shifty and elusive he is with the ball in his hands. He's also fearless and will put his body on the line to make a play, and as one of the fastest football players in the state I'd be very surprised if he doesn't see more scholarship offers come his way both before and after his senior season. Dominic Rohrer (Mahtomedi) FB/DE. 6’, 215 lbs. @DominicRohrer Sadly does not have any football film. However, he is a standout lacrosse player and the size makes him intriguing for a FB. Hope he updates his Hudl soon! Caden Bolte (Bemidji) DB. 6'1, 185 lbs. @BolteCaden Is a three-year starter and holds a 4.0 GPA and a 30 ACT. His sophomore/junior tape shows off a big hitter and a nice sized safety who keeps himself around the football and has the ball skills to break up passes on tough throws at weird angles. He does a good job of patrolling the middle and keeping himself in a good position to make plays, and I also like he runs the alley and supports the run. I also really like how he plays the ball/hands of the receiver when breaking up passes and he's apt to do it on deeper or more intermediate throws. He'll be the rare 4-year starter, is a coaches kid, and has great size for the position, so expect Bemidji State to very much be in play in his recruitment. Go Beavers and Go Lumberjacks! Tyrique Williams (Chanhassen) WR/DB. 6’3, 180 lbs. @Tj23Williams An experienced basketball player who brings an intriguing skill set to the position. Ashton Hoffman (Minnetonka) DB. 6’, 185 lbs. @AshtonHoffman12 Recently earned his first offer from the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs. Continues a strong tradition of Minnetonka Skippers DBs who excels in run support and laid some serious hits in 2020 that definitely left ball carriers sore the next morning. He possesses good speed and has the ability to chase down loose RBs or meet backs at the pylon near the endzone on what is one of the toughest plays in football that defenders have to make. He'll make his case for one of the state's hardest hitters after the conclusion of the 2021 season. Keep it up, Ashton. Cody Grossinger (Buffalo) DL. @CodyGrossinger Recently placed himself in the 1000 pound club at Buffalo after a prolific offseason in the weight room. As a DE he is quick off of the snap and his first step puts OL scrambling to get back in a good position. I also like how he diagnoses plays and finds the ball, and he's quick to get hip-to-hip with whoever has the ball and is a strong finisher once he gets there. Another big plus that stands out on film is how unmovable he is in his gap when opponents are trying to block him, as when facing a single blocker he presents a really tough assignment. He's about to put up some good tape as a senior. Will Dvorak (St. Louis Park) QB. 5'11, 180 lbs. @Willdvorak1 A St. Louis Park legacy, Dvorak recorded 1,076 yards and 10 TDs in six games last fall and looks like a mobile QB prospect very capable of extending plays and improvising when things break down. He's very accurate on the move and can hit throws at all three levels of the field. He's also not scared to throw the rock into tight windows and he does a good job of accurately placing the ball where only his WR can make a play on it. I love watching him throw on the move and his feet and footwork are clean and quick. He's a great addition to the rankings. Brennan Fitzgerald (St. Thomas Academy) OLB. 6’1, 200 lbs. @TheFatherFritz Junior highlights show a standup edge defender capable of blitzing off the edge or taking on blocks to help out in the run game, and is a strong tackler who doesn't shy away from contact. No reported interest or offers as of right now. Colin Jordison (Blooming Prairie) WR. 6’, 175 lbs. @JodisonColin Recently camped at South Dakota State. Junior tape displays a wideout who will sacrifice his body to make a play and is not scared of having the ball in his hands. He ran a bunch of WR screens for the Awesome Blossoms and also showed that he can get up and high point the football if need be. I hope DIII's in Minnesota are in contact. Daniel O’Neill (Centennial) CB/RB. 6', 175 lbs. @DanONeill28 In seven games last season he posted 16 tackles and seven PBUs as a cornerback for the Cougars. His closing speed once the ball is in the air stands out on film and he is especially dangerous at breaking up slants and comebacks and shorter routes closer to the LOS and the sideline. His eye discipline is also noteworthy and is one of the reasons he's so efficient at breaking up passes and keeping himself in a good position, especially on deep routes. I also saw some ability to operate in a zone coverage, which I like. Jens Christianson (Edina) WR. 6’4, 195 lbs. @JChristianson20 Unfortunately is lacking in film. Gavin Giesler (Kasson-Mantorville) DE/OL. 6’2, 195 lbs. Has been contacted by Gustavus Adolphus College and visited Dordt University. As a DE he relies on his speed to make plays and has a hot motor that doesn't quit until he's found and wrapped the ball up. Shows a good ability to beat tackles to their inside shoulder as well. Mason Clemens (Chatfield) DE. 6’, 210 lbs. @MasonClemens4 Scored a 23 on the ACT and can power clean 250 pounds and bench 245 pounds. As an undersized offensive lineman he is very efficient at getting to the second and third level and looking for work, and does a great job of blocking in space and on the run. Once he engages with an opponent he also shows some solid strength and leg drive and he never quits on the play. Eastman Esson (Buffalo) K/P. 5'9, 130 lbs. @EastmanEsson91 2020 was his first year of playing football and the rising senior handled PAT and KO duties for the JV team. Jayce Janke (Buffalo) WR/CB. 5’9, 160 lbs. @JankeJayce Proved himself to be a legit pass-catching threat as a junior capable of beating safeties deep and made some nice catches on inside or outside breaking routes as well. Matthew Barter (Buffalo) Is lacking in film, unfortunately. Keaton Maertens (Marshall) WR/DB. 6’, 170 lbs. @keaton_maertens Is also lacking in film, unfortunately. Andrew Byrnes (Anoka) OL/DL. 5’11, 245 lbs. @byrnesy04 A three-sport athlete at Anoka, Brynes is nimble on his feet, quick, and brings a ton of pop behind his pads to make for a fun-to-watch lineman that had a productive junior season last fall. He's got a good understanding of leverage and uses that knowledge to get opponents onto the ground combined with his strength and hustle. I love his anchor and how he's always looking to finish, and he would make for a really exciting DIII DL prospect who could really excel if he continues to add weight. Zach Braaten (Wheaton/Herman-Norcross) QB/FS. 6'3, 185 lbs. @ZachBraaten02 The Wheaton Area product is a lefty gunslinger who can extend plays with his legs and shows some good touch on his deeper passes. He's confident enough to throw the ball into open windows that have multiple defenders around him, and can also hurt defenses with his legs and is a good athlete at the position. Carson Thompson (Rushford-Peterson) DE/LS. 5’11, 200 lbs. Holds a 4.0 GPA and a 30 on the ACT and has been offered by Macalester College.He also is a returning All-District pick and is ranked first in his class at his high school. I like how he defended the edge with his hand in the dirt or as a standup 5T/OLB, and he's aggressive when taking on blocks and is consistently the low man, which allows him to win 1-on-1 blocks. He also is a good tackler and can finish the play when given the chance. Isaiah Henderson (MPLS Washburn) DL. 6’, 230 lbs. @IsaiahH5818 Attended the Carroll University virtual junior day and visited Augsburg University and earned a roster spot. On film, Henderson is patient when finding and triggering on the football, can make plays in the backfield when unblocked, and shows the quickness to beat tackles inside and occasionally around the edge. He's poised to be one of the better defensive lineman in the 612 next season. Welcome to the rankings, Isaiah! Evan Wahlin (St. Cloud Cathedral) RB/DB. 5’10, 175 lbs. @evanw_22 Shows some game as a running back as he possesses good vision and is a powerful one-cut runner who times his cuts well and sends defenders flying when he sticks that cleat in the ground. Also is a willing blocker and made some nice plays as a DB on the opposite side of the ball. I really like his balance and strength as a runner at his size as well, and I hope some college programs are in contact. Peyton Gremmels (Academy Force) 6’2, 165 lbs. @GremmelsPeyton The 2x All-District selection visited and was offered by Augsburg in April. In his junior season he posted 59 tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions, and caught 24 balls for 350 yards and 4 TDs. He flies around on tape and is all over the field, blocking punts, catching passes, making people miss, and lighting people up on defense, and really generates a lot of force when he plants his foot in the ground and gets going. He's got good body control and looks smooth when playing the game, and can do a lot of different things on the field and do them well. I think he projects as a DB or WR at the next level, and his speed, length, and physicality really helps him set the tone for the Academy Force football team. He should be a hotly recruited MIAC prospect and I hope some more programs get in touch. Max Hatfield (Chaska) LB. 6’, 195 lbs. @MaxHatfield22 As an ILB for one of 5A's best programs Hatfield was really strong at getting his hat on the football, especially in run support. I really enjoyed watching him take on blocks, as he would basically run as hard he could into the opponent and try to put his face through their chest which usually ended up with Hatfield sending the opposing player backwards and out of his way. I also liked how he shuffled his feet while cutting off ball carriers, and he's a strong tackler who does his best work in between the tackles. I'm surprised he hasn't reported more interest as of right now. Josh Painter (Simley) WR/DB. 5’10, 180 lbs. @JoshPainter19 Junior season highlights show a DB/WR hybrid who is great at reading and reacting to WRs routes and when they drop their hips, and I also love how he can predict QBs throws, read their eyes, and work in a zone coverage scheme to make plays on the ball. It looks like he has solid speed, footwork, and strength, and he is a playmaker from the CB position who excels at undercutting routes. He looks very natural in coverage and I'm surprised more NSIC attention hasn't come his way. He's a great addition to the 2022 rankings. Malcolm Humes Jr. (SMB) DB. 5’11, 165 lbs. @MalcolmTakeoff Virtually visited Minnesota State-Moorhead and Dordt University. Visited Augsburg and St. Olaf, and camped with Miami of Ohio. The cornerback looks very fast on film and has the speed to readjust and get back into a spot to make a play if he gets out of position, and I am a huge fan of how he doesn't waste steps, plants his foot in the ground and generates a ton of speed and force out of his break when he triggers on the football. I also love his footwork and his back pedal and I think he's poised for a big 2021 season. Nathan James (Richfield) WR/DB. 6', 180 lbs. @NathanJ26529046 Good tackler who can bring ball carriers down on defense or special teams, James is a good S/OLB hybrid who does his best work in the box and is a technically sound tackler who can bring you down by wrapping up or with a strong cut tackle. He does not shy away from contact. Carter Callahan (Becker) RB/LB. 6', 215 lbs. @CarterCallaha17 With good size coming from a really strong program in the Becker Bulldogs, Callahan played some TB and was an exciting oversized back who had a couple of exciting runs that showed off vision, hustle, lower body strength, and power as he could run through or over strong tackle attempts and keep those legs churning like those defenders were merely bugs in the breeze. He was also a capable pass catcher and has an exciting running style that I could watch all day long. I'll be eagerly keeping my eye on Callahan next season! Kellen Wilke (Kasson-Mantorville) DL. 6’, 210 lbs. @KellenWilke Visited William Pennand recorded a 510 lb. deadlift towards the end of May. Athletic enough to help out on kickoff coverage and strong when holding his gap, he's able to use his hands to get opponents off of him or take them out of the play. I think Wilke projects best to the DL in college. James Nyberg (St. Cloud Apollo) LB. 6’1, 180 lbs. @james_nyberg10 Strong at the point of contact and able to pursue with force thanks to a strong use of angles, Nyberg is a persistent linebacker always looking for the ball. [player_tooltip player_id="137365" first="Gregory" last="Clark"] (Dassel-Cokato) QB. @GregoryClark03 A PrepRedzoneMN Showcase standout and alum, Clark is a well-built and athletic QB who does his best work on the run but can also stand in the pocket and make a variety of throws from the pocket. He could project to multiple positions at the next level! [player_tooltip player_id="138534" first="John" last="Hawkins"] (St. Cloud Cathedral) WR. 6’, 160 lbs. @johnhawkins_4 Slot receiver who is lacking in film but made a couple nice catches this past season.