Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase: RBs and LB Standouts
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MINNETONKA– We close the deal from the Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase at the Tonka Dome from a few Sundays ago with the running back and linebacker standouts from the showcase. Unfortunately, all the holiday travel got the best of me so…
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Continue ReadingMINNETONKA– We close the deal from the Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase at the Tonka Dome from a few Sundays ago with the running back and linebacker standouts from the showcase. Unfortunately, all the holiday travel got the best of me so this is coming out later than I wanted to, but that does not take away from how absolutely loaded both of these position groups are. These two might be one of the most stacked position groups at the Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase, especially from my notes and when I dived into the film. So college coaches, when you are reading make sure you pin this article because the talent level from this young men is at a very high level for these two position groups. Take a look at the 17 standouts from Minnetonka!
Running Backs
Bryer Prochniak | RB | North Union (IA) | 2023
Bryer is a prospect I found at the Fairmont Football combine earlier this summer. He yet again showed out at our Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase. His hips were extremely loose and showed a lot of explosion. Not just did I notice this in our early drills, but it was very easy to see in 1on1 drills as well. Rolling the tape on this young man, you see so much instinctiveness in his inside runs. He has great speed, but his ability to in a way, skate circles around the defense is what makes his tape so fun to watch from 2021. The way this young man finishes his runs also shows a lot of promise for the next-level. He records 19 touchdowns and over 2000 all-purpose yards as a junior, which I’m sure he has even higher bar as far as goals go in 2022. For sure a scholarship level prospect in my eyes.
Jaden Blanck | RB | Winona | 2025
This was my first time watching Jaden in-person after watching some film, and I can see exactly what my collegue Oliver West saw in Minnesota’s top RB in the Class of 2025. The motor this kid plays with is outstanding for his age and he put that on full display in Minnetonka. He’s not the biggest fish in the see, but that driving motor he plays will get him a long ways on the football field. He showed reactive instincts in 1on1s that are only going to develop stronger over his next several years of high school football. His film shows off his downhill running ability that when it’s running at full speed has a bulldozer type mentality that can drive the defender to the turf. Jaden shows good hip turn when going side to side and will only get more smooth this offseason going into his sophomore season. I would not be surprised to see this young man playing football at the college level when his high school career is done.
Jacari Swinea Jacari Swinea 6'1" | 180 lbs | ATH Worthington | 2025 State MN | RB | Worthington | 2025
The other top-tier freshmen running back that showed up to play at the Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase, was Jacari Swinea Jacari Swinea 6'1" | 180 lbs | ATH Worthington | 2025 State MN of Worthington. Jacari showed some jets with his speed from point A to point B in individual drills. He also showed a great amount of durability when he was taking in some contact in 1on1 drills. Swinea is a nightmare to take especially when he takes it outside on his freshmen tape. He has great straight-line speed that finishes his runs with some great stamina. He also is well put together for his age, as I saw on numerous clips of him taking defenders with him which is a tough thing to do playing at the varsity level as a freshmen. Jacari has to be certainly one of the best young prospects coming out of southwest Minnesota to watch develop over the coming years.
Savion Hart Savion Hart 6'0" | 190 lbs | RB Saint Thomas Academy | 2024 State MN | RB | St. Thomas Academy | 2024
Savion had some of the best testing numbers amongst running backs at the Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase. On both 40’s he ran right at the same number of 4.63 which is usually a sign of a next-level prospect in what my eyes have seen over the years and a prospect that owns his craft. He showed a lot of fluidity from his hips in individual drills too, making turns that were very crisp and fun to watch. Savion is a nightmare to catch in the open field as that speed is just so deadly when there is no contact near him and he can just blast off thru the inside of the field untouched. Even when he does get contact, he has so much downhill speed built up it is very difficult to make a play on this young man. Hart is yet another prospect on this list that has solid skillsets to be a next-level prospect, one that I feel will be at a high level of college football when his time is up for the Cadets.
Bashir Kila | RB | Eau Claire Memorial (WI) | 2023
I enjoyed my front row seat watching Bashir Kila have the fastest shuttle amongst running backs at 4.25 and 4.28 at the Prep Redzone Showcase in Minnetonka. This young man showed what a burner running back he was in that short time I watched, and I was intrigued to get the film study going on this young man after the event. Holy cow, can this young man turn his hips on a dime. Numerous times on tape he put linebackers on skates like they were standing still. He could certainly use some work in the weight room this offseason to get stronger, but I think Kila is a under the radar prospect that the state of Wisconsin does not know much about yet, and should learn his name this offseason as he reaches into his senior year.
Linebackers
Mason Carrier Mason Carrier 6'2" | 225 lbs | LB Detroit Lakes | 2024 State MN | LB | Detroit Lakes | 2024
Back to back weeks turned out really well for Detroit Lakes’ linebacker Mason Carrier Mason Carrier 6'2" | 225 lbs | LB Detroit Lakes | 2024 State MN . He was one of only a couple prospects that jumped over 10 feet in the broad jump testing. He also ran as one of the top prospects in the shuttle in back to back weeks and ran that with a lot bigger frame than some of the other prospects with high testing numbers (6’2 200). Mason carries a big stick when it comes to his contact level at the linebacker position. Not only that, but he has a large coverage area to make his plays around. Mason also has good instincts on where he connects with his contact attacking in some of the best spots to make a big hit. He brings the same juice when he lines up as a blocking fullback, a fearless demeanor that is not afraid to put a defender on their rear end. After the Fargo and Minnetonka showcase, I would say that Mason Carrier Mason Carrier 6'2" | 225 lbs | LB Detroit Lakes | 2024 State MN is now in solid hands when it comes to exposure to Division I programs with two more years to show off his craft throughout the Outstate, where there is a plethora of talent that college coaches need to keep more of an eye on.
Kade Gilbertson Kade Gilbertson 6'1" | 210 lbs | LB Rosemount | 2023 State MN | LB | Rosemount | 2023
Gilbertson was yet another prospect I caught in the early part of the session, but man after watching the film I wish I would watched more of him. Gilbertson showed a lot of poise when it came to the broad jump and running the 40-yard dash. Kade has an excellent shove when making contact with the linemen on the other side of the ball. His leverage is what really sticks out to me, as he has a great drive to shove the defender backwards with getting a solid pad level. Kade shows also an excellent swim move, as he pulls off quickly to get around the defender. Gilbertson has a plethora of Division I and Division II interest and will be a solid linebacker to watch at the next level.
Andrew Molenaar Andrew Molenaar 5'11" | 210 lbs | LB Mounds View High | 2022 MN | LB | Mounds View | 2022
If there is one thing I know best, if you are looking for next-level linebackers in the Twin Cities, Mounds View is a great place to start especially with linebacker Andrew Molenaar Andrew Molenaar 5'11" | 210 lbs | LB Mounds View High | 2022 MN , who played at a high level inside the Tonka Dome. My collogue Oliver West calls him instinctive, and he couldn’t be more spot on as Andrew showed on plenty of occasions in Minnetonka how natural he plays the linebacker position. In the early drills he applied plenty of sound technique while running thru the shuttle and L-drills and in 1on1s rocked the boat in coverage. When I watch Andrew’s film, it’s mind-boggling to me the lack of attention he has gotten from the D3 and D2 levels. He is a big motor kid, that has solid skillsets dropping back in coverage and attacking the backfield at a high level. This young is also no slouch in the weight room at 6’1 and over 210 pounds and the classroom, where he holds over a 3.8 GPA. Hopefully Molenaar can grab more CFB attention soon, as he’s an under the radar talent that is deserving of more looks.
Foster Mulvehill Foster Mulvehill 6'0" | 180 lbs | DB Irondale | 2023 State MN | LB | Irondale | 2023
Foster is a prospect I am no stranger of after covering the 7on7 and camp scene this summer. When watching Foster in 1on1s, I saw a propsect that has excellent reaction time to get to the ball carrier quickly and can turn his hips on a dime to get there. I genuinely believe that this young man is faster on tape than what the 40-yard dash might say (4.75, 4.8) as his film speaks volumes of his instinctive ability. Foster is the definition of the all gas no brakes mentality, as he is a straight up crasher to the football every time it comes in his direction on film. The pounding contact he attacks with is tough as nails and for sure will get looks at the next-level. I genuinely think at the next-level safety would be an excellent fit for him just due to his contact level on hits being off the charts.
Mark Rogalski Mark Rogalski 6'1" | 190 lbs | LB Saint Thomas Academy | 2023 State MN | LB | St. Thomas Academy | 2023
Mark was named to our 1st Team All-Camp Team and for great reason, as his range was terrific at the Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase. He also was speedy as all heck in the L-Drill dropping not once, but two times under 7 seconds at 6.9 and 6.75 which was one of the best times of all positions on the day at the Tonka Dome. Now rolling is his junior tape. Mark shows that aggressive speed very early in his film, as he blasts into the backfield and pulverizes the ball carriers. His get off his what sets the tone, as he gets such a burst once that football is snapped. He runs like a defensive back when dropping back in coverage and can guard a speedy slot wide receiver when you need him to. He does a great job moving to make to make a play in high traffic areas as his elusiveness on those fronts makes his feet excellent to watch. If you like smash-mouth football, Mark Rogalski Mark Rogalski 6'1" | 190 lbs | LB Saint Thomas Academy | 2023 State MN ’s film is a great one to watch. Might I add more, Rogalski has a strong leg at both kicker and punter for the Cadets with good hangtime on both. For sure a prospect to watch in the 2023 class that somehow sits more under the radar than he should in my eyes as far as college football interest goes.
A Few More RB and LB Standouts
Monte Gillman Monte Gillman 5'6" | 165 lbs | RB Dassel-Cokato | 2024 State MN | RB | Dassel-Cokato | 2024
Camden Ludeman Camden Ludeman 5'11" | 200 lbs | ATH Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial | 2022 State MN | RB | Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial | 2022
Ben Holte | RB | Shakopee | 2024
No Tape.
Andrew Phillips Andrew Phillips 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB NRHEG | 2023 State MN | RB | New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva | 2023
Greg Schafer Greg Schafer 5'10" | 155 lbs | RB Lakeview | 2023 State MN | RB | Lakeview | 2023
Emmanuel Ajayi Emmanuel Ajayi 6'1" | 210 lbs | LB North St Paul | 2022 MN | LB | North St. Paul | 2022
Jackson Cercioglu Jackson Cercioglu 6'2" | 210 lbs | LB Saint Thomas Academy | 2023 State MN | LB | St. Thomas Academy | 2023