2024 March Update: The Newcomers, The First 10

DAKOTAS-- After reviewing films of 100s of 2024 prospects throughout North Dakota and South Dakota, we start our streak thru the Class of 2024 as we advance into the incoming junior class. We have almost 100 newcomers (93 to be exact) added to the 2024 rankings. This group is in no particular order, and from a geographic perspective really flies all over from East River, West River and Western North Dakota and Eastern North Dakota. Take a look at who are the first 10 newcomers we will evaluate from the 2024 rankings from quarterbacks, to the hog mollies, and much more! [player_tooltip player_id="233647" first="Sam" last="Kooima"] | QB | Deadwood-Lead (SD) Sam checks in as our #5 ranked quarterback in the Dakotas. He certainly does a little bit of everything for the Golddiggers on muliple levels of the football field. He shows off a quick release and strong athleticism to match. He shows to be very durable for his size and can extend plays with some contact to get free on the inside and outside of the football field. His ability to make strong cuts with the football make him such a solid athlete when the ball is in his hands. When he gets opportunities to throw the football I love watching his natural touch he makes and ices it with solid ball placement where only the wide receiver can get it. He shows solid vision in the pocket and can scatter around the pocket and make a strong throw on deep and intermediate routes. Sam is certainly going to the guy the Goldiggers will build their three levels of the field around over the next few seasons. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2G8kka">So Tape</a> [player_tooltip player_id="289682" first="Lawson" last="Lotysz"] | OL | Grand Forks Red River (ND) Lawson starts his time on our 2024 rankings as our #2 offensive linemen in the Dakotas. This young man has a vicious punch and has a low center of gravity to knock his hands on a excellent pad level. He also gets out of his stance really quick and shows what a dominant run-blocker he is out the gates. Lawson also does a fantastic job on his finish, as he has that key skillset to pummel a defensive linemen into the turf and make him stay down there. He shows an effective pull block with great foot speed to cause a ruckus near that second level of the field. I believe with some added size over the next few seasons, this kid could be a fantastic fit at the FCS level especially in the Missouri Valley. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GLcZS">So Tape</a> [player_tooltip player_id="289643" first="Henry" last="Theobald"] | DB | Sioux Falls O’Gorman (SD) Henry moves into the #1 spot for defensive backs in the Dakotas. His vision and ball tracking ability in zone coverage is what stuck out most to me across his film. He shows excellent comeback speed to get back to the ball. Henry shows off excellent footwork in his backpedal and a solid punch in the mouth with his hitting abilty. I love watching his agility on the move as he has a strong aggressive motor from start to finish. Henry is also a solid kickoff returner for the Knights to add yet another asset to his game. Excited to watch this young man over the coming years. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/15606067/61ee28f23deac5079cbab991">So Tape</a> [player_tooltip player_id="289606" first="Jack" last="Thue"] | QB | Brandon Valley (SD) I got a few eyes on this young man at the SDSU prospect camp last summer. Jack has some raw potential, but is an efficient ball-thrower on his intermediate throws. He shows some good mobility to leave the pocket and make some quality throws on the run. Jack has a strong quick release that can excel quickly and get the ball out to his wide receiving core. If there is one thing I know about the Lynx, this kid has only scratched the surface as far as his potential over the coming years and with quality size (6’1 180) I see some great further development coming Jack’s way in the coming years coming out of Brandon. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GKTGH">So Tape</a> [player_tooltip player_id="289598" first="Jett" last="Zabel"] | TE | Pierre (SD) Jett loads the box for the Pierre Governors as the #1 tight end prospect in the Dakotas. This young man has some excellent length and is a player you just got to let him go up and get it with his extended vertical. He also has great extension on getting the ball that might be just out of reach and makes it look easier than most. Jett shows a great burst of speed out the gates for the tight end position. He also shows a lot of muscle as far as his durability as he can bounce off tackles with a full head of steam. Jett also shows a good blocking abilty and can stay the course of providing the Governors additional strength on that already deep offensive front, as he shows a solid pad level on his blocks. Jett is the truest tight end as far as the next-level goes that the Dakotas has to offer in the 2024 class. Certainly has a college football future in my eyes. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GSCS4">So Tape</a> [player_tooltip player_id="205262" first="Elijah" last="Taniah"] | RB | Sioux Falls Washington (SD) Talk about elusive, that is what you get with our new #1 running back in the Dakotas in [player_tooltip player_id="205262" first="Elijah" last="Taniah"] of Sioux Falls Washington. His straight line burst is insanity, and really darn hard to stop anywhere on the field once he hits the open field. Not only is Elijah a strong runner, he has that "it" factor on the receiving end as despite not being the biggest running back you will ever see, he plays with extreme force to get out of contact with ease and freely get up field off the bounce. I would love to see Elijah become more agile and make his cutting ability even more known. Stoked to be able to watch this young man for two more seasons, as he has in my eyes, a college football future based on the skillsets I saw from his sophomore season. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/14659980/618b31198cd5b50b5856ef89">So Tape</a> [player_tooltip player_id="289675" first="Isiah" last="St. Romain"] | WR | Williston (ND) Isiah’s athleticism cannot be missed, as the new #2 overall prospect and #1 wide receiver in the 2024 class showed off a ton of Division I level skills in his first year playing North Dakota football after moving from Texas in 2021. Isiah offers great extension when reaching for the football and his speed as the ability to explode at a high level when he finds an opening is outstanding. He has so much natural skill in his game from start to finish. Isiah has glue hands as he can make the difficult catches look almost textbook when you watch it on tape. He has a sound adjustment ability to finding the football when it becomes slightly out of reach. His speed in the open field really sucks the life out of the secondary and he shows strong balance with his route running ability. Deeper in his film, I saw this kid get smacked around in the end zone by the secondary (not called) but still found every way possible to make the touchdown catch for the Coyotes. Isiah is an under the radar rare Division I talent coming out of Williston and I cannot wait to see his football career play out over the next several years, as he is such a versatile threat all over the Coyotes receiving core. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GGnvR">So Tape</a> [player_tooltip player_id="289599" first="Dashawn" last="Rohlik"] | OL/DL | Sioux Falls Jefferson (SD) Dashawn was a prospect I watched a few short weeks ago and just love the fight of this kid especially on the Cavaliers offensive line. Dashawn packs a mean punch that rounds out really well in pass coverage especially. He shows a great drive in his hips to drive the bus of the defensive linemen that can keep knocking dudes around with his hands into the second level. Dashawn also has some aggressive hands that can throw quick shoves so he can multi engage on the same play. I think his most effective punch comes from the left angle and with some more development on that right angle, this kid certainly has the total I would love to at the next-level. Dashawn is also active in the Cavs weight room and will only get even stronger with two more years to grow his skillsets even more on both sides of the line. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/14869707/6185afa54205bd07fc8e40ee">So Tape</a> [player_tooltip player_id="289677" first="Bo" last="Nelson"] | OL | Jamestown (ND) Bo is yet another offensive linemen on our first 10 newcomers list that gets out of his stance very quick when moving into his pull blocks. Bo still has some growing to do on the Blue Jays offensive line, but he already has that great finisher move. Bo can get to that second level and moves effectively especially as a run blocker. He also really stands out with his athletic bend on the line which is really solid for his age and one of the better bends I have seen out of the prospects on this list. Yet again, we have another prospect that has enough juice in the tank to put off some competitive shoves to pick up on multiple defenders per play. Bo will certainly be a stockriser in the future, as I believe he has a high ceiling and should have some opportunities at the next level when it all said and done! <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GSC03">So Tape</a> [player_tooltip player_id="237982" first="Jack" last="Smith"] | WR | Sioux Falls Lincoln (SD) Talk about the sophomore season for Sioux Falls Lincoln wide receiver who climbed to the #2 wide receiver in the Dakotas 2024 class this week. Jack has strong loose feet that can get plenty of agility while in full force. This young man has a quick trigger as far as his ability to react to the play and make a quick play, especially in the red zone. Jack has tremendous speed off the snap and picks up the reads really quickly to get after the football in pursuit. Jack also has that stamina to stay the course and finish a long run on his routes. Jack is also a grinder when it comes to the heavily contested balls, as #1 ranked QB [player_tooltip player_id="174189" first="Tate" last="Schafer"] can thread the nettle and feed Jack a ball he knows he will catch with his excellent hands. The versatility Jack brings to the Patriots offense, is very strong and the connection with his QB is going to just keep improving and improving with two more years under their belts. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GXAVA">So Tape </a>