PRZ Oliver's Top-20 Under-Recruited MN/WI Prospects

In an attempt to switch things up and deviate from our in-season coverage I have a fun crossover feature for our awesome PrepRedzoneMN & PrepRedzoneWI subscribers today that gets back to our recruiting roots. Although college recruiting as a whole slows down during the prep football season, a lot of remaining scholarship offers and roster spots are dependent on the seniors updated film and how good they look in pads and 11-on-11. Sometimes, a college staff will have seen the kid at a camp that summer and are waiting to see how he looks in pads. Sometimes, a kid's film can stand out so much that a D1 will offer based on tape alone, and either way it's important to recognize that there is a lot riding on the Hudl highlights you come across every week. Now that we are into the thick of things for this 2021 high school football season and have new film to evaluate, I wanted to do try a fun new article idea and rank my Top-20 under-recruited senior prospects from the great states of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Now, it's important to note that I am not ranking these recruits in order of who is best, but rather which athletes film does not match up with their offer sheet at this point in time. This may mean a prospect has no offers, has DII offers but could play D1, has offers in a different sport, or something else entirely, and if you scroll below you can get the lowdown on who I think are the most under-recruited prospects in 152,441 square miles of Midwest paradise. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy! Top-20 1) [player_tooltip player_id="18433" first="Camden" last="Royal"] (Robbinsdale Cooper) RB. 5'10, 180 lbs. It's been an interesting recruiting ride so far for the Cooper Hawks tailback, as he started off hot as a junior and earned offers from Buffalo, Illinois State, Arizona State, Northern Iowa, Central Michigan, and South Dakota but hasn't reported any other offers since 2021 began and didn't visit any of the schools mentioned above this summer. I don't know where he stands with any of the schools that have already reached out to him, but I'm hoping things turn up for again soon as his senior midseason film is electric and the best I watched from the around 50 selections I started with. Big plays, exciting runs, and dozens of tackle attempts left in his wake compose the tape, and his burst, speed, contact balance for his size are all very impressive. He's also shifty and possesses great vision, and has been a walking highlight reel so far this season. He's only gotten better since he received those FCS, FBS, and P5 nods last year, so I really hope teams see that he's got major potential at the next level. RB scholarship numbers are tight this season, but we got a really good coming out of MN this year and one of the best backs from the past 5 years. Can't wait for the rest of your tape, Camden. Hudl: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11972678/61354ae6a681770624a3d0a7">midseason highlights</a> 2) [player_tooltip player_id="31280" first="Jack" last="Baretz"] (Franklin) LB. 6'4, 215 lbs. Received a flurry of FCS last winter/spring as Columbia, Dartmouth, and Penn offered, followed by Minnesota-Duluth and Concordia-St. Paul. He also grabbed a FCS opportunity from the University of St. Thomas in August, but I'm not sure what I'm missing here as a 6'4, 215 lb. linebacker who runs like a deer and can start and stop (verified 4.29 short-shuttle) like a cornerback usually means more offers than what he's looking at. His midseason tape is impressive, as he goes balls to the wall and can run down RBs, blitz like his hair is on fire, and take on blocks to make plays sideline to sideline. He's fun to watch, possesses a great frame that would make a college S&C coach salivate, and also holds a 30 on the ACT. I think some Missouri Valley schools should check this kid out! Hudl: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/10312303/61466c8a3863ae0b84a95d25">5 game</a> 3) [player_tooltip player_id="31228" first="Angel" last="Toombs"] (Rufus King) TE/OLB. 6'4, 230 lbs. Currently holds no offers!!!! Between the two states featured in this article the city of Milwaukee's football teams were affected the most by the COVID-19 pandemic, and Toombs did not get to play his junior year. This had to have impacted his recruitment, so right now we got a very athletic, explosive, two-way standout with no college prospects at this time! On tape Toombs is flying around and making plays all over the field and in all three phases of the game, and has laid some serious hits on kickoff, as an OLB, or as a blocker on offense. He's usually the biggest kid on the field when he plays but moves like a much lighter athlete, with burst out of his stance and closing speed that stands out on tape. He's also physical and hard-nosed as a blocker, and it's hard to think that I'm looking at a D1 athlete on tape after watching his midseason film. Coaches: please get at him! Hudl: <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2FsVid">midseason</a> 4) [player_tooltip player_id="18458" first="Bryce" last="Buckingham"] (Hopkins) DL. 6'3, 250 lbs. Just received his first offer of any kind from Southwest Minnesota State University. The name [player_tooltip player_id="18458" first="Bryce" last="Buckingham"] has been known around MN since his freshman year finished up a while ago, and I'm really surprised it's taken this long for him to receive an opportunity of some kind. However, his junior film was very limited, so it was hard to know how he was progressing, but boy oh boy, do I like what I see tape so from the Hopkins Royal. At a lean 250 his first step is very sudden and it looks like he's got a little bit of twitch and quickness for a big fella at the DL spot. You can also see on film that he's strong enough to fight through double teams, and he keeps his hands active and is strong at the point of attack. He's poised for a big season and is looking like one of the best defensive lineman in the state through the halfway point of the regular season. Hudl: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/13509655/615364a76e8b0704f08f8392">midseason highlights</a> 5) [player_tooltip player_id="49841" first="TJ" last="Chiabotti"] (North Woods) RB. 5'11, 195 lbs. An absolute stat-monster who recently surpassed the 4,000 yard total for his career and had a single-game performance of 306 rushing yards and 7 TDs this season, Chiabotti is a great athlete ranked highly on PrepRedzoneMN as well as NorthstarHoops - our PrepHoops affiliate in MN. He's also had some absolutely electric runs this season, and looks faster since his junior season but has maintained that contact balance and can still run through tackles without him even losing a step and can keep his balance when defenders try to spin him to the turf. He's also got great vision and quickness, can catch the ball out of the backfield, ballhawk from the secondary and pick off passes every game, and is going to have a helluva highlight tape this season and in his career. When you add up all of this production, film, and athleticism, I can't help but be surprised that he doesn't have a single DII or DIII opportunity from a MN program. Chiabotti currently is without an offer but will play anywhere that is interested in him, so I hope schools don't hesitate to hit him up. Him and his pops just drove 4 1/2 hours to Moorhead to visit MSUM, so please give him a look! Hudl: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11898802/6152001ac124d708f4f5d02d">midseason</a> 6) [player_tooltip player_id="49823" first="Colton" last="Gregersen"] (Burnsville) LB/DL. 6'2, 230 lbs. It was a little late, but Gregersen received three DII offers in summer and recently grabbed a D1 roster spot from Valparaiso. However, I think we may have a FCS scholarship sleeper here as the Burnsville senior has length, strength, and plenty of physicality as he possesses the most violent junior tape I saw out of Minnesota last year and one of the most aggressive out of the Midwest. He absolutely obliterates blocks and can hold the edge better than anyone in the state, as well as blitz and block, and these traits aren't going unnoticed as he's visited the Gophers twice for gameday experiences and is on the short list of potential PWOs for the Golden Gophers. I suppose it depends how you think a P5 PWO translates to a FBS or FCS offer, but I really think the Missouri Valley schools need to check this kid out and he'd be a fricken steal going to the DII level. Hudl: 7) [player_tooltip player_id="118306" first="Michael" last="Stenbroten"] (Lake Mills) SS. 6'2, 205 lbs. Recently earned FCS roster spots from Drake and St. Thomas, and also has been offered by Upper Iowa, Culver-Stockton, and Concordia-St. Paul. Not sure how he doesn't have more of the Northern Sun going after him, as he brings great size to the safety position and looks fast enough to play that position at the next level or put on some weight and join the LB corps. Stenbroten diagnoses plays and triggers on the football so well that's been in the offensive backfield all season and has already posted 9 TFLs and 3 sacks from the edge. He's got a lot of strength packed into his frame, can win 1-on-1 blitzes against OTs, run through weak tackle attempts like it's nothing as a RB, and completely stop a ball carrier in his tracks when he hits them. He's way too dynamic to not have more offers at this point in time. Hudl: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11385288/614697e65ca9b308680d8768">Senior Midseason</a> 8) [player_tooltip player_id="31215" first="Max" last="Grand"] (Ellsworth) RB. 5'10, 195 lbs. The #1 RB in Wisconsin for the class of 2022 has put his hard work from last camp season to good use and has put out some solid film so far that showcases his noteworthy combination of speed and strength and toughness as a RB. He can cut on a dime, possesses a mean spin move, and will run ya over if you don't come at him correct. When you combine that with his 10.88 100 M track time and 4.57 verified 40 time it's hard to believe he only holds UMD and Northern State offers + a PWO from the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Where's everybody at?!? 9) [player_tooltip player_id="31204" first="Cameron" last="Done"] (Rufus King) DL. 6'5, 270 lbs. Similar to teammate Toombs, Mr. Done lost his junior season due to the COVID pandemic and has had to make up for lost time. He received an early offer from Iowa State in 2019 and a Western Michigan offer back in February, but is a surefire Division 1 prospect just due to his athleticism at a solid 6'5, 270 lbs. His senior film needs to be consolidated and cleaned up a little, but from what I saw he's been used a ton as a FB on offense and moves very impressively for a kid of his size. He's laid some massive blocks from the position and can adjust to defenders path and stay in control, and just looks smooth and like he's 225 lbs. instead of 270. I didn't get as much DL highlights as I'd like, but with how little recruiting he has going on I think schools of all kinds should get in contact as soon as possible. I really wish I could see him in person, but if he moves as well as he looks on film in the flesh than he should be playing FBS ball somewhere next year. 10) Quinton Henry (Kenosha Bradford) WR. 6' 175 lbs. Currently holds offers from Northern Iowa and Western Kentucky and recently visited UNI on a gameday visit, however, after what I saw from him at our inaugural PrepRedzoneWI Showcase I think most FCS schools don't realize how good of a WR the Kenosha native really is. At our Showcase he had exceptional body control and could cut his breaks off in the blink of an eye, throwing DBs feet into a blender and getting more open that bar on Friday night. He understands how to gain separation and utilize DBs blind spots and use their technique against them, and for a high schooler his route running was better than just about anyone else I saw throughout our winter camp series. His tape this season is looking impressive as well, as he has pull-away speed at the top end and has torched defenses deep so far this year. He's also been nasty after the catch and has put those quick feet to good use, as he can anticipate and cut to make defenders miss regularly. If someone needs a natural WR in the 2022 class you got one right here! Hudl: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11160099/6133c521967792079873cdf6">Midseason</a> 11) [player_tooltip player_id="118251" first="Noah" last="Feddersen"] (Menomonie) TE. 6'9, 225 lbs. Doesn't have updated film from senior year, but the 6'9 TE has a DII offer from Southwest Minnesota State and is interested in and fielding football opportunities despite the recent surge in basketball scholarship offers that have come his way. His frame and athleticism are just too intriguing for a FCS to not take a flyer out on. He's such a unique weapon on the outside for the Menomonie offense and with one football offer in, I don't know why more shouldn't follow! 12) [player_tooltip player_id="116194" first="Mason" last="Wilson"] (Stillwater) DE. 6'3, 245 lbs. Offers from UMD, Concordia-St. Paul, and St. Thomas and just took an official visit to UST this past weekend. As one of the best pass-rushers in the state who put out some great junior film, I'm just a little bit more surprised that the Stillwater Ponies product doesn't have more opportunities overall, and that the offers came so far between each other. I got to see Wilson at our first PrepRedzoneMN Showcase and he backed up what I saw on film. He looked the part, with a huge lower body and some powerful thighs that he gears up before the snap and launches off of when he sees the ball move. He's thick and powerful as well, and in his senior year game film I really like how quick he looks when crossing the face of the tackle on inside breaking rush moves, as well as his base and how hard he is to get off balance as a blocking assignment for opposing lineman. Overall, he just shows a lot of solid skills and traits on film and is a three-down defensive line prospect, so I hope his list of suitors isn't done growing. 13) [player_tooltip player_id="31207" first="Nathan" last="Skebba"] (Grafton) OL. 6'5, 270 lbs. Doesn't have any updated senior film, so it's hard to tell how he's improved since his junior year. PrepRedzoneWI Lead Scout Mark Johnson did get any eye on him at a preseason scrimmage and said he looked good, so I'm definitely wondering why he only has a single offer from Upper Iowa at this point. He's got size, strength, and the mobility to play scholarship football at the next level, and with stud Wisconsin Badgers freshman [player_tooltip player_id="30724" first="JP" last="Benzschawel"] having just departed from Grafton I don't know how he wasn't on more teams radars knowing the pedigree Grafton has in sending kids to the next level. Especially when you add in how hard the state of Wisconsin is recruited for lineman at all levels of college ball. Either way, there's a lot of season and time left for him to get some more looks, so please update that senior tape soon, Nathan! 14) [player_tooltip player_id="116192" first="Blake" last="Haus"] (Sartell-St. Stephen) OL/DL. 6'5, 265 lbs. With great athleticism for his size and a ton of positional versatility it's really hard for me to fathom how Haus only has one offer from South Dakota despite some impressive suitors contacting him throughout his prep career. Really impressive in persons as our PrepRedzoneMN scout Nate Wahl has seen him a few times over the years. 15) [player_tooltip player_id="116193" first="Dom" last="Dietel"] (Litchfield) OL. 2022. 6'4, 275 lbs. Holds offers from UW-River Falls, UMary, Mount Marty, and Bemidji State. The PrepRedzoneMN Showcase standout put out some hard-hitting junior tape and showed up and showed out in person at our camp. He's got a great base and strong hands who can really do damage at the second level, but as a Top-10 lineman in the state of Minnesota I just think his offer sheet should be longer. 16) [player_tooltip player_id="18424" first="Mario" last="Sanders"] (MPLS North) WR. 5'10, 170 lbs. Doesn't have updated senior film but is one of the best duel-sport athletes in the state who only holds an offer from Northern Iowa. His speed and explosiveness at the WR position are hard to ignore, and he's very elusive with the ball in his hands and in the open field. He's had a very experienced prep career with a ton of varsity snaps, and if you have any respect for MN hoops you have to know that he's athletic who brings all of the positive crossover (no pun intended) from basketball to the gridiron, like lateral quickness and vertical game. I know more teams need a WR and we got a good one right here in Minneapolis! 17) [player_tooltip player_id="18427" first="Emmett" last="Johnson"] (Academy of Holy Angels) RB. 6', 185 lbs. I'll keep this one short, and although it's cheating to include Johnson due to his 10+ D1 offers (1 FBS), I just don't see how he's not a FBS athlete. Besides [player_tooltip player_id="7244" first="Jalen" last="Suggs"], he may be the most explosive football player on both sides of the ball that's come out of MN since 2018. 18) [player_tooltip player_id="116197" first="Zach" last="Juckel"] (Lakeville South) LB. 6'3, 205 lbs. Another cheating pick here as Juckel also has a good list of FCS offers and an Air Force opportunity, but from what I'm hearing that still may be under recruited. He performed so well at the Gophers mega camp this season that he got pulled into PJ Fleck's office afterwards and was told that if this was a normal year and roster numbers weren't limited, he'd have a Gopher offer. It sounds like he looks and moves really well in person, and a couple weeks ago he also broke the Lakeville South tackling record, whose defense has put out some DUDES over the years. With a known P5 caliber LB right in the MN Metro I don't know how word hasn't spread faster about the tackle machine. 19) [player_tooltip player_id="31389" first="Chase" last="Spellman"] (Kettle Moraine) QB. 2023. 6'3, 220 lbs. I wanted to switch things up and end things with some junior prospects, and the best of the juniors from these two states without an offer at this moment is Kettle Moraine QB [player_tooltip player_id="31389" first="Chase" last="Spellman"]. I'm very surprised he made it out of the summer without an offer, as there's been a ton of buzz around the kid and looks and plays like a prototypical P5 QB who can make any throw asked of him and particularly impressed PrepRedzoneWI Lead Scout Mark Johnson in his ability to make throws off-platform. He seems like the complete package at QB and was invited to camp with Georgia, Georgia Tech, Wisconsin, and Texas A&M and met with the coaches at every stop he took. Those are all really good signs, and with how crazy QB recruitments can be I thought someone would pull the trigger. However, it's not a stretch to say that first offer is coming soon, as he'll likely be the first recruit in the state in the class of 2023 to officially earn a scholarship. 20) [player_tooltip player_id="104359" first="Zander" last="Rockow"] (Regis) RB. 2023. 6', 220 lbs. The final player on this under-recruited list is another 2023 baller who I really thought would earn himself an offer on the camp circuit this past summer. I've been tracking Zander since his freshman year and am pumped at how he continues to grow and develop as a collegiate prospect. At a thick, powerful 220 lbs. he's explosive and athletic and is a helluva RB to try and tackle for opposing defenses. He'll be one of the first in line to be offered when the time comes for Wisconsin's 2023s.   *Somewhat noteworthy, Minnesota has four 2023s who currently hold a D1 offer. Wisconsin doesn't have any.