2023 Rankings: The Highest Debuts

We spent last week talking about the Dakotas prospects that made noise climbing up our 2023 rankings, and now it’s time to focus on Newcomers to our rankings. These newcomers are very special, and have made substantial gains to their skillsets from when we unleashed our 2023 rankings several months ago. A lot has changed in our top 30 or so prospects, as we saw so many new faces to our list and we will continue to talk about them all this week throughout the Dakotas. To end the night, we give you seven prospects that were our highest debuts to our updated 2023 rankings. Some were missed due to oversight, but most have answered the call and raised their stock to a higher place from our last Class of 2023 update. Without further a do, meet the seven young men that were our "Highest Debuts" to our February 2022 rankings for the 2023 Class. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="223084" first="Karter" last="Menz"] | Defensive End | West Fargo Sheyenne (ND)</strong> The adrenaline rush college coaches get from watching Karter’s film has to elevate their heart rate in the best way possible. His jump off the snap he gets with all that speed is just a liability to whichever poor offensive right tackle has to defend him with his aggressive hands and exceptionally quick shedding ability. Karter shows off so much zest in his contact level, I have would have no argument stating it is one of the strongest ones I have watched in the Dakotas. Not to mention at 6’5, Karter has an outstanding reach that I saw cause a ton of damage not only in the backfield at the 11AA State Championship game, but was eruptive in the passing lanes too. This young man is well on his way to plenty of Division I FCS opportunities as the city of West Fargo strikes yet again with similar caliber talent with [player_tooltip player_id="223084" first="Karter" last="Menz"]. Karter debuts in the #2 spot overall. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GX1U0">Jr Tape</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="205259" first="Abraham" last="Myers"] | Defensive End | Sioux Falls Washington (SD)</strong> Abraham is not quite as long as Karter, but with his own skillset is a viable piece to the Washington defensive line. He shows instinctive moves with his excellent vision to get himself in ample position to stop the run very short from where it started. Abraham shows a great amount of patience and with that patience can maneuver his body into another lane of the inside zone to penetrate into the backfield with his quick hands and strong shedding ability. He has a fantastic understanding of where the ball carrier is with his presence and I know for a fact this young man will open up his book with more Division I opportunities this Spring and then unleashing into summer camps. Abraham cracks our rankings at the #4 spot. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2FrpbY">Jr Tape</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="223088" first="Joel" last="Edland"] | Offensive Line | Bismarck Century (ND)</strong> Joel doesn’t’ fall far from the Andrew Leingang tree of Patriots offensive linemen we saw a couple years ago. He has that same long frame  as Andrew did, with that similar demeanor of finishing his blocks ending on the turf. He has a significant ability to push his talons to the second level and is a driving force in motion when he approaches that portion of the field. Another strong skillset set I love about Joel is his ability to punch from an angle on his defender, as he still possesses an outstanding punch that grabs them off balance and allows him to make a second punch to knock them over. It is quite surprising to me still that Joel does not have a Division I offer yet, as he is certainly due for one very shortly. Joel pops onto our radar at #12. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GKxJM">Jr Tape</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="223092" first="Josh" last="Balstad"] | Linebacker/Fullback | West Fargo (ND)</strong> If you love a smash-mouth linebacker with a fantastic pad-level, look no further than West Fargo’s [player_tooltip player_id="223092" first="Josh" last="Balstad"]. One of the first times I watched Josh in the 2021 season, he lit up his hands on both sides of the ball putting them in nearly perfect position to make excellent contact to lift the Packer’s rushing attack and to set the tone defensively with a quick first-contact tackle. Josh also has a strong bounce in his footwork which can make elusive turns in whichever direction needed to cling to the football. Josh looks very comfortable protecting intermediate pass coverage with that bounce. You can assure Josh is the heaviest hitting linebacker in North Dakota, as when his contact level is spot on he consistently drives the ball carrier back a few yards from all the contact he eats up in those open lanes. Josh is another prospect due for his first offer very soon. Josh cracks the list at #14. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GiHYy">Jr Tape</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="205383" first="Michael" last="Rostberg"] | Quarterback | Fargo Shanley (ND)</strong> The #1 QB in North Dakota, Michael doesn’t just show ideal Division I level measurables, he has so many key skillsets in his arsenal. When watching tape, I love watching Michael’s lengthy field vision as he can position himself on the outside and then quickly float his vision to the other side of the field where he makes a strong finished throw on a intermediate route. Michael also has a herd of poise in his wheelhouse from inside the pocket, but yet can use his legs to make an expansive throw on the run with excellent ball placement with his wide receiver, especially NDSU commit [player_tooltip player_id="56468" first="John" last="Gores"] in the 2021 season. Michael will never be a QB prospect, you will have to worry about his arm strength, as with all the balls I have seen him throw over the last 6 months he has more than enough oomph in his ball to get to all three levels of the field and can squeeze some tight windows with his accuracy. Look for the Division I programs in North Dakota, have a strong fight over this kid over the next several months, as I am sure Michael should have some FBS interest too on his resume. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GgdKH">Jr Tape </a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="223096" first="Jack" last="Merkwan"] | Wide Receiver | Pierre (SD)</strong> I absolutely love the ambition Jack plays with as a pass-catcher on all three levels of the field. Jack’s first two clips on tape show him stretching two catches into touchdowns, that took so much effort to finish those runs and achieve an A grade for his instinct to do everything possible to get the Governors into the end zone. Jack also can squeeze the lemon and make high-level catches in very tight windows that only he can get with his 6’3 size and ample stretch he has with his length. I love his ability to adjust his routes based on what the cornerback is giving him, as he can thread the needle with his speed deep, or break off an intermediate route and get ample separation from corner to make his mark. He has great speed out the jump and if he can add 10-15 pounds going into this offseason of added strength and keep that fine speed, who only knows what kind of numbers he can put up with another year of [player_tooltip player_id="56570" first="Lincoln" last="Kienholz"] throwing him the pigskin shooting for yet 11AA another title in South Dakota’s capitol city. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GUm1u">Jr Tape</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="223087" first="Reis" last="Kirschenman"] | Defensive End | Tea Area (SD)</strong> The biggest thing that stuck out about Reis was how much of the inside and outside zones he could cover while still maintaining a vast motor in his early tape and finishing it with a decisive turnover. Reis carries a athletic bend at the waist and can slip off the left tackle quickly while approaching into the backfield. Reis brings supreme contact whenever he connects with the ball carrier and takes them for a whirlwind on his tackles to the turf. When there is heavy traffic on that inside gap, Reis remains patient and as soon as he sees his opening you certainly can see his instinctive skill set pop out on the play. He also does a excellent job of latching onto the defender and driving him backwards only to punch his way to the ball. With some added strength this offseason and increased zip off the football, Kirschenman (6’4 215) is well on his way to being a strong scholarship level prospect at defensive end that I think is just scratching the surface going into summer camps and his senior season at Tea Area. Reis sets up in the #27 spot overall and is the #3 defensive end in the Dakotas. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GDtbR">Jr Tape</a>