Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase: The Young Gun QB Standouts

<strong>MINNETONKA--</strong> I let our seasoned veteran scout Brian Jerzak take the reigns of watching the most out of the QB position last Sunday at the Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase,  but I did want to get a glimpse out of what I call our "young guns" that I enjoyed watching. Take a look at the "young guns" that were my top gunslingers from the Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase from the Class of 2024 &amp; 2025. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="105409" first="Cole" last="Gerrell"] | Quarterback | White Bear Lake | 2024</strong> <img class="alignnone wp-image-247432" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/12/81-Cole-Gerrell.jpg" alt="" width="285" height="190" /> Cole was a kid I got my eyes on at last spring's Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase, and I became even more intrigued this time around. I was really impressed with his improved speed out the gates from the early drills as he ran a best at the shuttle with a 4.5 even. Rolling the tape on Cole’s sophomore season, there is a lot to like about the touch this young man has on the football. Cole hits on some solid ball placement and dresses the football in the ideal spot to get it over the defender and right on target with his wide receiver. My favorite throw from his film goes over the middle of the field, as he can rocket-fire into some tight windows really well for his age. Threw for nearly 1500 passing yards, 16 touchdowns as a sophomore for the Bears. Much like his big brother Connor, Cole will have a bright future not only on the football field, but the classroom as he has a 4.0 GPA as well. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GABE4">So Tape</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="246006" first="Tim" last="Houghton"] | Quarterback | Rockford Area | 2025</strong> <img class="alignnone wp-image-247434" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/12/83-Tim-Houghton.jpg" alt="" width="285" height="190" /> Houghton was one of the youngest QB prospects I evaluated on Sunday and from my view has a lot of potential for the future for the Rockford Rockets. Tim already stands at 6’3 and although needs to put some frame together, showed some raw potential throwing the football. I liked how he worked his feet under the tutelage of Coach Quinn Frissel as I watched his reps closely and saw improvement not only in those feet but his ball placement too. No film yet, but look for this young man in the coming years along with other solid underclassmen in the Rockets program. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="105379" first="Tanner" last="Zolnosky"] | Quarterback | East Ridge | 2024</strong> <img class="alignnone wp-image-247444" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/12/96-Tanner-Zolnosky.jpg" alt="" width="285" height="190" /> The most polished underclassmen quarterback I really zoomed in on was [player_tooltip player_id="105379" first="Tanner" last="Zolnosky"] of East Ridge. The poise this young man shows in the pocket is just beyond his years, and I’m sure by the time this young man is a senior, he’s going to be a hot commodity amongst Division I schools as I have seen him develop even more from watching him last Spring in 7on7 football in Iowa. The tightness he has in his deep ball with his spiral is must watch material if you are a college coach scouting the east metro. Tanner has excellent mechanics that flourish when he has ample time to throw the football and even when he’s got pressure, he still shows a heck of a lot of confidence making a big throw without being rattled by a big defensive linemen in his wheelhouse. You are going to want to follow Zolnosky’s journey the next two football seasons, trust me. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GLCxL">So Tape</a> <strong>Bart McAninich | Quarterback | Mankato West | 2024</strong> <img class="alignnone wp-image-247437" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/12/86-Bart-McAninch.jpg" alt="" width="285" height="190" /> We got a glimpse of the future at QB1 for the Mankato West Scarlets by watching [player_tooltip player_id="246028" first="Bart" last="McAninch"] last Sunday. In 1on1s, Bart showed solid good arm strength as ball placement that I believe will develop to be even stronger in the coming two seasons. Bart also showed he could extend plays with his legs with good speed that you can use on the outside lanes On his tape, Bart shows good touch &amp; direction-pointing indirectly where his wide receivers should be going when he throws the football. A well put-together young man (6’1 205) that of course can get stronger, but not a kid that needs to live in the weight room at his age but can work thru some reps. The state champion Scarlets, have to be excited for their future with Bart McAninich as their future QB1. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GY8b9">So Tape</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="234785" first="Jack" last="Yerhot"] | Quarterback | Minnetonka | 2025</strong> <img class="alignnone wp-image-247443" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/12/95-Jack-Yerhot.jpg" alt="" width="285" height="190" /> Yerhot put up some solid testing numbers for his age at the Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase last Sunday. In the few minutes I watched Jack in 1on1s I saw yet another young talent with rising potential especially with how quickly he released the football at the showcase playing on his home turf. Yerhot’s tape shows some really solid touch on his deeper passes from his freshmen film. He also was a human stat sheet as a freshmen for the Skippers, logging nearly 2000 passing yards and 19 touchdowns on the Skippers freshmen team. When it was his turn to advance the play with his legs, he showed some elusiveness with his hips when he moved side to side. Yerhot certainly shows a lot of potential as just a freshmen and I think with added size with a growth spurt and always, work in the weight room this young man will be a good one for the Skippers when it’s all said and done. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GCfiy">Fr Tape</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="241908" first="Austin" last="Randall"] | Quarterback | Waconia | 2024</strong> <img class="alignnone wp-image-247439" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/12/90-Austin-Randall.jpg" alt="" width="285" height="190" /> The first thing that stood out from me in individual drills from [player_tooltip player_id="241908" first="Austin" last="Randall"] was just the the mechanics he showed. Waconia has such a solid rushing attack that you would have hardly batted an eyelash at their QB play until I unleashed into Austin’s film last week. Randall shows advance precision and has great ball placement on his throws. I mentioned his mechanics, in which he still can show those off even with some off-balance throws on the run. Austin is a reactive QB, that shows off a quick release and an even quicker QB out of his stance when about to throw. To some it might look rushed, to me it looks like the game speed him and the Wildcats play with. His ability to pop out quick out of his stance has caught the opposing secondary off guard and I’m sure it will only improve, as Austin has two years left of high school football and should be a next-level prospect when it’s all said and done. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GGiab">So Tape</a>