Nate’s Big Dogs of the Week: Week 6, Part I

<strong>DAKOTAS-- </strong>We started our Big Dogs of the Week a day early this week, which means even more prospects across the Dakotas are getting exposure as we try our best to connect with as many players across both states as we can. We start out with the first nine prospects, that were nominated by their coaches or were seen on film performing at a high level. We found five from North Dakota and four from South Dakota. Who are these young men? You will have to scroll down as we dive into our Week 6 Big Dogs of the Week across the Dakotas! <strong>NORTH DAKOTA:</strong> <strong>Jayden Yankton | Quarterback | Four Winds (ND) | 2022</strong> <strong>Stat Line: </strong>13 of 14, 262 passing yards, four touchdowns. There is not a lot of game tape from Yankton’s big game against Dunseith, but what we could dial-up is just how loaded this young man’s arm strength really is even if we only got one clip out of it in the Indians 54-12 win on Thursday night over Dunseith. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2FvGar">Game Tape</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="151179" first="Max" last="McQuillan"] | Quarterback | Kindred (ND) | 2022</strong> <strong>Stat Line: </strong>Three touchdowns. McQuillan showed excellent accuracy in Kindred’s 41-0 win over Oak Grove Lutheran. I really liked watching his ball placement on his throws as he shows good zip on the football with a light arch. Max also showed to be a force with his legs, as he showed good footwork and could accumulate a fair share of yards after contact with the use of his 6’5 190-pound body. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2Fw74C">Game Tape vs. OGL</a> <strong>Branden Alvarez | Linebacker | Surrey (ND) | 2022</strong> Alvarez is a linebacker prospect that is new to my radar, as I came away intrigued watching his film against Berthold-Our Redeemer’s Christian-North Shore, which is a mouthful to say. This young man’s game tape showed an LB prospect that does solid work attacking at the first level of the field. He also shows a solid base as far as staying active between his defensive line and fills in those gaps nicely to make a play on the football. When he makes contact he shows a solid pad level and strong force that can drive the ball carrier backward. One thing I liked most about his film is how eager he plays when lining up between the defensive line, as he shows a great amount of grit to want to battle to make a play on the ball as early as possible. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2Frtxn">Game Tape vs. BBB</a> <strong>Will Marks | Offensive Line | Bismarck St Mary’s (ND) | 2023</strong> Marks drew up possibly some of the best offensive linemen film I saw in North Dakota in Week 6 against Wahpeton. He showed a fantastic push off the snap that drove his defender where exactly they didn’t want to go which was a five-yard push into the turf. He did that on multiple plays to start his film and then showed a nasty takedown punch. Will also his attack level, as he hit each of his defenders right on the numbers which were why he got such good explosiveness. He also showed quick hips when he maneuvered to the other side of the line with his pull blocking ability. A lot to like about Will Marks as he finishes up his junior season as that tape was fun to watch. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2FvgeZ">Game Tape</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="56468" first="John" last="Gores"] | Wide Receiver | Fargo Shanley (ND) | 2022</strong> <strong>Stat Line: </strong>21 receptions, 238 receiving yards, two touchdowns. Gores yet again cracks our Big Dogs of the Week list from North Dakota, as that stat line above is no typo whatsoever. Gores impressed me most with his craft on his shorter routes, as it was those routes where he was able to turn short yards into long gains due to his ability to slide his feet and anyone that attacked him around the tackles, was not going to get a piece of him for to make a tackle as with his speed he ran right thru it. He also showed what a small window he needs to make a big catch, especially on the second clip from his game tape vs. Jamestown. I really like John’s quick movement on his stop-and-go routes as he cracks our Big Dogs of the Week for the second in a row. That should be an eye-opener to the college programs out there looking for a solid slot wide receiver and effective return man. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2FwsrH">Game Tape</a> <strong>SOUTH DAKOTA:</strong> <strong>Rett Osthus | Athlete | De Smet (SD) | 2022</strong> <strong>Stat Line: </strong>8 receptions, 159 receiving yards, one touchdown. Two punt return touchdowns. Defense: 8 tackles, one interception, and one forced fumble. Osthus was a human stat sheet all over the football field for the De Smet Bulldogs. We did not have his tape as of yet but pulled some of last year’s tape to get a grasp of his playing ability. Rett is a gritty player, as he put the bull in Bulldog with his blocking ability in his game tape against Castlewood. He drew really strong leverage on his blocks and it’s easy to see why he was so effective on defense against Kimball-White Lake in Week 6. I can’t wait to evaluate more of his tape as it comes out this season, as I liked what I saw from 2020 and the Bulldogs are on a roll this season, starting 6-0 in 9A. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2EH4Y5">Game Tape</a> <strong>Christian Jepperson | DE/TE | Brandon Valley (SD) | 2022</strong> <strong>Stat Line: </strong>Five tackles for a loss, forced fumble, three sacks. He was also a key blocker at tight end for the Brandon Valley Lynx. Jepperson is another prospect with the game tape pending, but he was a tone-setter throughout the game on defense for the Lynx. He started with a tackle for a loss to start the game, then a forced fumble in which [player_tooltip player_id="93091" first="Ryan" last="Doll"] returned for a Lynx touchdown. Late in the game with Sioux Falls Washington threatening, he gobbled up the ball carrier for a six-yard loss to close out a late drive by the Warriors. In the end, he was Mr. Clutch, sealing the 17-10 win for Brandon Valley with a big sack to put the icing on the cake for the Lynx. Christian also was key in the blocking department for the Lynx offense as well. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/14671859/Christian-Jepperson">Hudl Profile</a> <strong>Pierce Miller | Defensive End | Spearfish (SD) | 2022</strong> There is a lot to like about Miller’s aggression when getting thru contact as he shows violent hands as he powered thru Custer’s offensive line in Week 6. When he’s in pursuit, he shows great speed without contact in his 6’2 240-pound body. His 2021 tape is really fun to watch as he continuously shows that burst on his attack to the football and just bullies his way to the ball carrier. I think we have found a late-bloomer from the West River that college programs are going to need to watch the tape on as Miller is a recent move from Princeton, IL. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2FwwG5">Sr Tape</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="77458" first="De’Andre" last="Joseph"] | Linebacker | Sioux Falls Roosevelt | 2022</strong> <strong>Stat Line: </strong>13 tackles Joesph was a ball-hawk in the Roughriders close 38-34 loss against undefeated Harrisburg. When I watch De’Andre’s game tape from this game, there is a lot to like about this young man’s awareness. He made several key plays and one particular play, despite getting driven by one of the powerful Tigers offensive linemen he found a way to use his good football instincts to still make a key tackle on that given play. De’Andre has a solid tackling ability with great contact as well and is still on the hunt for that first offer. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2Fq85G">Early Season Tape</a> &nbsp;