12 PRZ Minnesota Midseason Breakout Stars

Although it feels like the blink of an eye, we are around the halfway point of this magnificent 2021 high school football season in the great state of Minnesota. It has been an awesome fall thus far, with upsets, surprise state title contenders, star players solidifying themselves as the best in the state, and the 2023 class asserting itself in the national recruiting scene, among many other interesting side plots. One of my favorite parts of each prep season is paying attention to the new names breaking out and finding success on the varsity fields of the Land of 10,000 Lakes, and in 2021 there are some really talented players in the midst of noteworthy, breakout seasons that our subscribers and college programs alike need to be aware of. The reasons these players are being labeled as PrepRedzone’s "Breakout Stars" for different reasons, as some of these athletes weren’t on varsity last season, some found a new wave of productivity in 2021, and some weren’t even playing football last fall! No matter what brought them to this point, the studs listed below are putting some really good things on tape and are high-level prospects that have the potential to be really successful college players in the future, including a ton of P5 talent. You’ll definitely want to have these names on your radar, and luckily PrepRedzoneMN has your back with this inside, first look at 12 of this 2021 season's breakout stars and standouts! *stats provided by MNFootballHub Minnesota's 2021 Breakout Stars [player_tooltip player_id="105372" first="Savion" last="Lopez"] (St. Thomas Academy) RB. 2024. 5'10, 185 lbs. @SavionLo Lopez is having a heckuva introduction to the varsity football scene as he's coming off no tape as a freshman at CDH with no tape to having some sweet Hudl film through 4-5 games of 2021. The Cretin-Derham Hall transfer is making waves in his first year as a St. Thomas Academy Cadet despite their loaded offensive backfield and is already flashing signs of being one of the best football players in the class of 2024. At a well-built 185 lbs. his lower body is strong and he's capable of running over defenders and running through weaker tackle attempts on his legs but also possesses home run speed in the open field. He's particularly fun to watch in his footwork, as his feet stay very active when he's cutting, seeing the field, and setting up defenders, and once he decides where to go and plants his foot in the ground he can generate some power and cut quickly and effectively. Overall, he already looks like a pretty complete 'back who has speed, strength, quickness, and vision, and he runs with much more authority than your typical sophomore. His game tape is looking quite promising already and in four games he's rushed 65 times 413 yards and 9 TDs in his sophomore campaign. College coaches need to know this kid's name! Jadon Hellerud (Shakopee) RB. 2023. 5'10, 200 lbs. @HellerudJadon Hellerud does game tape from 2019 but has really asserted himself as a RB to know in the class of 2023 this season and has broken onto the recruiting circuit with SDSU and NDSU reaching out this season. I got an early look at the junior three-sport athlete in a preseason scrimmage at Park High School this summer and came away both impressed and incredibly excited about the physical RB who also wrestles for Shako's nationally ranked wrestling team. At 5'10, 200 lbs. he packs a wallop from the RB position and has had some electric runs this season with truck sticks, stiff-arms, and TDs galore. He's an intriguing blend of speed and power that thrives in the Sabers triple-option offense as he has good burst through the first and second level of a defense and also shows good balance and footwork. He also plays with a ton of energy and a physical edge that can bring a lot of life to an offense. At midseason he's recorded 101 carries for 631 yards and 7 TDs and is averaging 158 yards per game! More coming. Garrison Monroe (Shakopee) DB. 2023. 6', 180 lbs. @GarrisonMonroe1 Another Saber who I got an early look at this summer, Monroe did start on varsity as a sophomore CB but has made huge strides since becoming an upperclassman and has broken out onto the recruiting scene with multiple recruiting graphics from the Minnesota Gophers as well as North Dakota State and South Dakota State reaching out. On tape, his midseason highlights show off a FS with instincts and closing speed who play man coverage and is comfortable when the ball is in the air. I also love how he supports the run, as he flies downhill and gets hip to hip with ball carriers before they can make a move and lays the wood when he gets there. Through the midseason point he's posted 18 tackles, 5 PBUs, and 2 INTs and has looked good doing it. If he keeps it up there are going to be a lot more colleges interested in the defensive back before his senior season begins. Dylan Wheeler (Mounds View) WR. 2022. 6'3, 195 lbs. @dwheels23 The Mounds View Mustang is a breakout star in 2021 for the exciting reason that this is his first season playing football in high school! The standout basketball player holds a scholarship offer to hoop at Bemidji State and Augustana and has taken his talents to the gridiron this fall in his final year of high school. He brought his basketball skillset to the football field and has put together a sweet midseason highlight tape that particularly impressed me in his run after the catch ability and elusiveness in the open field. He's really shifty, and can effectively cut and juke out of tackles and multiple defenders in tight spaces. He also uses his footwork to cut off his routes well and avoid CBs getting a hand on him when he's releasing at the LOS, and will make catches in traffic and over the middle. Watching him it's hard to imagine that this is his first year of high school ball, and since he's not committed to hoop yet I hope some college staffs give him a look as a potential scholarship WR. Keep it up, Dylan! [player_tooltip player_id="105394" first="George" last="Bjellos"] (Woodbury) QB. 2024. 6'2, 190 lbs. @george_bjellos The sophomore signal-caller has broken out onto the varsity scene in his first year at the helm of the Woodbury Royals offense. With good size for an underclassman QB he's thrown for 812 yards and 11 TDs through the midseason point and throws a great ball with a smooth release that he can deliver right on the money on a variety of different throws. He's got touch and accuracy and can make throws into tighter windows for the prep level and only where his receiver can make a play on the ball. There's a ton to like on tape and he's looking like an early QB1 for the class of 2024 in Minnesota. [player_tooltip player_id="19020" first="Elinneus" last="Davis"] (Moorhead) DL. 2023. 6'3, 295 lbs. @ElinneusDavis Has officially broken out onto the national recruiting scene as a visit to Ames, Iowa last weekend resulted in his first D1 scholarship offer in the form of a P5 Iowa State offer. We also have our next star Moorhead Spud recruit solidified and the DT has the potential to be the best in the past 10 years as he's a heckuva athlete at 6'3, 290+ and shows some solid twitch for his size as well, along with obvious strength that allows him to dominate 1-on-1 matchups. He uses his hands well and is a force in the run game who is also capable of laying a big hit at the point of contact. I cannot wait for the rest of his game tape to come out and there's sure to be more suitors after the Cyclones. [player_tooltip player_id="112069" first="Jerome" last="Williams"] (Osseo) OL. 2023. 6'5, 285 lbs. @nolimitjerome Another 2023er to break out onto the national recruiting scene as his visit to Iowa State also payed off in his first offer. The junior also has visited Minnesota and is receiving a ton of interest from the Gophers, which is well deserved as the 6'5, 280+ lber. can dunk a basketball flat footed and is having a heckuva junior season and putting out some impressive game tape that really showcases how well the big boy can move in the open field and how good of an athlete he is at that size. He explodes out of his stance and into defenders before they can react and can also get upfield in a jiffy when he's working to the second or third level of a defense. You can see the strength he has in his chest when he extends his arms when blocking, and he possesses a ton of natural pop when he gets a clean shot at ya. His frame is also very intriguing and he has the potential to add a ton more weight and muscle in his future. I also like to see that he plays with a bit of a nasty streak and will bully guys when given the chance. All in all he's a P5 OL prospect with his best football in front of him. Go Orioles! Jack Spanier (Rocori) QB. 2023. 6', 165 lbs. @SpanierJack The junior Spartan QB is having a breakout season on the leaderboards in his introduction to varsity football as an upperclassman. The standout baseball player has taken over the reigns of the Rocori offense and has made himself known throughout the state as he is #4 in the state in completions with 90, #7 in the state in yards with 1,115, and has also thrown 10 TDs. Sadly, he doesn't have any updated game clips, so I hope he's planning on making a highlight tape soon! Keep it up, Jack! Jude Sundquist (Chisholm) WR. 2022. 6’5, 210 lbs. With a great frame and awesome size for the position the small-school stud is having a monster senior year and is tied for third in the state in receptions with 35, second in the state in yards with 654, and tied for first in the state for TDs with 8! He does indeed have some game film as well, and on it you can see him use his size to his advantage and snag the ball over smaller defenders and snag catches over the middle. He also displays some deceptive speed and a little bit of wiggle in his hips, and he's also got some impressive RB reps that showcase his overall athleticism. He's generally the biggest, strongest, athlete on the field and it shows on tape. He should definitely be playing college football somewhere next season. Cam Holter (Minneapolis Southwest) WR. 2022. 6'3, 180 lbs. @CamdenHolter Similar to the aforementioned Dylan Wheeler, Southwest Laker wideout Cam Holter is giving football a try as a senior for the first time and is going off the tune of 29 receptions for 491 yards and 7 TDs, for some of the best production in the state. The basketball standout is looking like a natural on the football field and is a deep threat at his size who can run past you and go up and over you to get his hands on the ball. He does a good job of tracking the football when it's in the air and putting his body in a position to make a play on it, and also showed some YAC ability thanks to his long strides and strong legs. I think he's just scratching the surface of his football potential and I hope a DII program gives him a real look this fall. This kid can ball. [player_tooltip player_id="105366" first="Auvon" last="Sager"] (Minneapolis North) DL. 2023. 6'4, 210 lbs. The junior has broken out on the state defensive leaders with an impressive 8 sacks through 5 games as well as 29 tackles and 7 TFLs. His 8 sacks ranks him as tied for 2nd in the state and looks like the next monster on the Polars defensive line. He's got some natural bend off the edge and the quickness to cross face of the tackle and he's also athletic enough to help out on offense as a TE. I'm excited to see how his season totals come out and he's got a big chance to solidify his name on the recruiting trail if North can make another deep run at the 2A state title. Logan Jans (St. Michael-Albertville) DB/WR. 2023. 6’4, 180 lbs. @jans_logan Is up on the state leaderboards with 3 interceptions and 14 tackles from the Knights defensive secondary and brings intriguing size to the position, especially as a junior. This is all in addition to how consistent St. Michael-Albertville is at pumping out college ready prospects at all three divisions of college football. However, Jans doesn't have updated football film yet so I hope the two-sport athlete knows he could be a serious football prospect if he wants to be.