2021 Minnesota Team Preview: Minneapolis North Polars

MINNEAPOLIS-- I kicked off my own version of "two a days" on Wednesday evening by visiting multiple practices at two rival schools that will see each other on the schedule again this year. We started the evening with the Minneapolis North Polars, who lost a ton of talent to graduation in QB , RB , OL/DL , DB , and plenty of others. Despite that, they still return stud WR and have plenty of other pieces that from what I watched, will develop nicely this season and beyond. The Prospect List We will go over some of the notes we got from practice on Wednesday on some of the key returning prospects for the Polars and take a look at their film. Deshaun Hill | QB| 2024 Hill checks in as the new QB1 of the Minneapolis North Polars. With the reps I saw him take on Wednesday, I came away impressed with his arm strength for his age. He certainly has some rawness in his game and has some smaller measurables, but look for this young man to improve steadily throughout the season with the number of reps he will be getting as the new starter. Hill is new to Hudl, so I look forward to getting the further film on him this season. Hudl Profile | Twitter Jaylon Washington | RB | 2022 Washington made the move to the Northside over from Tartan and he provided a solid spark at practice on Wednesday. Washington puts together a really solid burst that has effective downhill speed and is a slippery running back to get your hands on as he runs well in smaller spaces. He also showed a flexible hip turning ability in the early drills I witnessed. The Polars add Washington who rushed for over 6 yards per carry last season and over 600 yards as a junior with the Titans. Jr Tape | Twitter Mario Sanders Mario Sanders 5'10" | 180 lbs | WR Minneapolis North | 2022 State MN | WR/DB | 2022

The biggest returner to this Polars team is by far WR who had an electric junior season, with 12 touchdowns, nearly 25 yards per catch is just six games in the shortened season. Sanders’s film has a lot to like especially early as he shows off his excellent lower body strength to stretch the field for a Polars touchdown. He’s thrown the ball in mostly screen-type plays, but man his vision and playmaking abilities are a sound reason why he’s a D1 prospect. He also has excellent footwork when he goes on a longer route to give him solid separation from the secondary. #1 is a must-watch prospect if you are attending a Polars game this Fall. Jr Tape | Twitter De’Mieko Anderson | WR/DB | 2022 Anderson was making a strong number of plays during the practice I attended at North and really impressed me with his catch radius to go get the football. Anderson is a prospect that has burner-type speed that can run a streak route and just blow by the secondary. He also shows solid skills going over the middle of the field in short-yardage situations. No offers yet for Anderson but I see that changing as we go into his senior season. Jr Tape | Twitter Azrie Yeager Azrie Yeager 6'2" | 280 lbs | OL MPLS North | 2024 State MN | OL/DL | 2024 The younger brother of North Carolina A&T signee showed to be a well-put-together Center prospect at 6’2 260 pounds that showed a really strong contact level in drills. He also showed some solid leverage with that strong contact which is always want you want out of your Center. Really impressive prospect for his age that will see some solid reps this season for the Polars. He also is an outstanding student with a 4.0 GPA. Hudl Profile | Twitter Chester Watley Chester Watley 6'4" | 300 lbs | OL Minneapolis North | 2022 State MN | OL/DL | 2022 Watley on tape defines the term mauler as his first minute was nothing short of a stack of pancakes. I also love his game defensively, how well he closes the gap and gobbles up the ball carrier as a nose guard. When I watch this young man make a tackle, you can just see the high energy he plays with and it’s no wonder that he already has one Big Ten offer in his back pocket going into his junior season as the Nittany Lions stay active recruiting Minneapolis North after signing last season. Jr Tape | Twitter

Gani Stevens | DL/TE | 2022 Stevens by far was one of my favorite "first look" prospects I got my eyes on at Minneapolis North on Wednesday afternoon. Stevens is a 6’6 250-pound prospect that made the move this season from St. Anthony Village and was really impressive in drills by showing off really active fast hands with achieving a high level of contact as well. Based on what I could find, looks to be a strong basketball prospect recently from what I found from our guys at Prep Hoops and doesn’t have much recent football tape out there. I certainly believe the Stevens could be a sleeper football prospect for the Polars this season as there’s a lot to like with this young man at the defensive line but has a tight end with some extremely strong measurables. Hudl Profile | Twitter Jeremiah Sims Jeremiah Sims 6'7" | 295 lbs | DL Minneapolis North | 2023 State MN | DL | 2023 I was really impressed with Sim’s measurables when I watched him on Wednesday. Standing at around 6’5 225 pounds he showed off some potential with a well put together frame from top to bottom and I thought was a strong closer inside when a strong attack in his punch to the football. He has solid flexibility in his body to adjust to where the football is going and will be a prospect to watch from the Polars out of the 2023 Class. So Tape | Twitter Jaheim Abdullah Jaheim Abdullah DB Minneapolis North | 2022 State MN | ATH | 2022 I came away really impressed with Abdullah’s straight-line speed when I watch practice on Wednesday. There is a lot of skillsets to like about this young man as he shows on tape a high vertical when he goes up for the football. He shows really good ball instincts and a quick reaction time. When I watch his film, I really like his attack level and where he aims to hit his tackles. Abdullah currently holds one D3 offer at the moment and should see more recruiting action come his way this Fall. Jr Tape | Twitter Sebastian Amorrortu Sebastian Amorrortu 5'8" | 170 lbs | K Minneapolis North | 2022 State MN | K/P | 2022 I did not get to watch a ton of kicking/punting reps on Wednesday, but the ones I did take in I could tell Sebastian has certainly improved since I watched him at the NKR Specialist Camp in St. Cloud last winter especially with his hangtime. Amorrortu currently holds one D2 and D3 offer at the moment and should get more chase this fall which will bring more opportunities. Jr Tape | Twitter More Prospects to Watch Jayvon Purifoy | ATH | 2023 Zashon Rich Zashon Rich 6'2" | 180 lbs | DB Minneapolis North | 2024 State MN | DB | 2024 Quiyon Jordan Quiyon Jordan 6'1" | 280 lbs | DL Minneapolis North | 2022 State MN | OL/DL | 2022 Willie Wilson | WR | 2022 Tae-Zhan Gilchrist | OL | 2022 Au’Von Sager | DL | 2023 2021 Football Schedule Fri, September 3rd: Away @ St. Paul Johnson Fri, September 10th: Home vs. Fridley Fri, September 17th: Away @ North St. Paul Fri, September 24th: Home vs. SMB Fri, October 1st: Home vs. Minneapolis DeLaSalle Fri, October 8th: Away @ Minneapolis Southwest Thurs, October 14th: Home vs. Minneapolis Washburn Wed, October 20th: Away @ St. Paul Central