Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase: WR/DB Standouts
In this article:
BROOKLYN PARK– Last but certainly not least, we move to the wide receivers and defensive backs that stood out last Saturday at the Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase. This group goes together like butter on toast, as we got a strong glimpse…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingBROOKLYN PARK– Last but certainly not least, we move to the wide receivers and defensive backs that stood out last Saturday at the Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase. This group goes together like butter on toast, as we got a strong glimpse of their talents all in one at Park Center. These 11 young men were members of our All-Camp Team, were the first ones I would add to it if continued today, and prospects that might not have the film right now, but have certainly rose their stock as college football prospects in the near future. Check em out!
Wide Receivers:
Cael Gilbert Cael Gilbert 6'1" | 165 lbs | WR Grand Meadow | 2023 MN | Grand Meadow | 2023
Gilbert was a way under the radar WR prospect in my eyes before the Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase, but after winning WR Camp MVP and a viewing of him in 1v1s it was easy to see what all the fuss was about in Brooklyn Park about this young man. What kind of prospect do you get with Cael? Cael showed off a grinder mentality at our Minnesota showcase by his rate of physicality he showed off with his route running. His route efficiency on his multitude of routes really thread the nettle vs. the top defensive backs at the showcase. Cael’s tape displays him most at linebacker, which you can feel the amped up physicality we mentioned above, especially at around the 30 second and on mark. Cael shows sufficient game speed of getting to the ball with a quick trigger just when the RB reaches behind the first level. Based on what is brought with Cael on tape, I could see him lining up at free safety at the college level, due to his enhanced range and physicality he brings on every play.
Danny McGrath | Eastview | 2024
Danny was likely the best route-runner I got to watch for a good duration of time last Sunday, especially on intermediate routes. What showed out on those routes I saw? his ability to twist his hips and get significant separation from the secondary to the outside was what I liked most from Danny. You are not going to find much tape on this young man as of yet, but this under the radar WR prospect has a ton of upside that just hasn’t been tapped into yet with his significant potential.
Jordan Karras | River Falls (WI) | 2023
Jordan goes back to back making our last two Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase All-Camp Teams. The very consistent speed this kid has brought along with maturity with his route-running ability is what I like most about Jordan’s game. He does a great job unlocking his hips when trying to stay loose in 1v1s. He shows off some strong vision on tape, doing a great job of ball-tracking within different levels of the field. If you want Jordan on a deep-route, you will see his burst pop up within 5-7 yards to that around 100% level. I also like watching Jordan’s patience on his routes, as he makes quick adjustments to get the best angle to catch the ball.
Mitchel Rieckhoff | Waconia | 2024
Mitchel is a WR prospect that has really been a stockriser in my eyes this Spring. His film doesn’t even do the justice as of yet, as this Spring via 7v7 and our Minnesota showcase really paint the best picture of his game. What Mitchel continued to show off was the consistency he shows off with his hands as this young man does a solid job with visualizing his angles when the ball is coming his way on a route and finds a way to make the a play. His significant athletic ability on tape does paint an accurate picture of it, despite being limited. With watching him and Waconia 2024 QB Austin Randall Austin Randall 6'1" | 180 lbs | ATH Waconia | 2024 State MN a ton this Spring, I have a great feeling this is going to be a QB/WR duo that college coaches are going to watch this Fall as both have come out this Spring as under the radar, but growing as a football prospect. Stay tuned.
Brock Wyandt Brock Wyandt 6'0" | 180 lbs | WR Farmington | 2025 State MN | Farmington | 2025
Brock was another WR prospect that I thought showed significant improvement from our last MN showcase to this most recent one. He improved significantly in the testing portion since last winter and moved from a 3rd Team to 2nd Team All-Camp Team prospect from our showcase. Why? Brock showed increased focus in 1v1s from the reps I watched and is tuning up on on his stamina throughout the duration of his routes and has more consistent speed on routes than I saw last time. I also like this kid’s durability, as I mentioned last time he made a high-level snatch on a deep route, ran over a defensive line (accidentally) and still kept ample strong possession of the ball last winter.
Defensive Backs:
Antonio Bridges Antonio Bridges 5'8" | 180 lbs | RB Minneapolis Southwest | 2023 MN Jr. | Minneapolis Southwest | 2023
The DB Camp MVP showed a significant football IQ in the reps I got from our Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase. Although the secondary field was loaded from the Minneapolis Southwest Lakers, Antonio showed quickly unlocked hips when it was his turn to shine in 1v1s creating outstanding physicality and an instinctive ball-tracking ability. He is not the biggest DB you will ever see, but this kid has a great work-ethic in the weight room and shows great versatility on tape on where he can be a strong factor. Antonio is for sure another member of the Lakers that in my eyes, has the tools to play ball on Saturdays.
Deshawn Wolf-Stokley | Burnsville | 2023
Deshawn was a prospect that caught my attention in our early testing sessions. It wasn’t how fast he ran, it was his inclination he inserted himself with from watching him from testing drill to testing drill. This young man played with an edge, that you just wanted to keep your eyes on which cannot be said about every prospect that goes thru our showcases. Deshawn runs with locked in footwork with his backpedal on tape and created a sizeable shield which forced QBs not to throw the ball his way hardly at all from the film I watched. That instinctive nature I saw on tape, certainly resonates with what I saw in my live evaluation in Brooklyn Park.
Jacob Anderson Jacob Anderson 6'0" | 175 lbs | ATH Maple Grove | 2023 State MN | Maple Grove | 2023
The fastest 40 yard dash overall at the Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase belonged to Maple Grove All Conference DB Jacob Anderson Jacob Anderson 6'0" | 175 lbs | ATH Maple Grove | 2023 State MN who ran a whopping 4.49 at Park Center. He wasn’t just splendid in testing either, he showed why he is one of the better DB prospects in the Metro with his feel he had in 1v1s I caught. Jacob was one of very few prospects I am kicking myself I didn’t get to watch more reps out of, and that is not something I say too much about our prospects at our Prep Redzone Showcases. How does Jacob get it done in the Crimson secondary? This dude on tape plays with a one-step ahead mentality as when you roll the tape, you see a prospect that is creating his angles BEFORE the ball is even snapped. If I had to add one more prospect to my All-Camp Team for defensive back, Jacob would be the first one I would add, for sure.
Pj Bono Pj Bono 6'1" | 215 lbs | DB Elk River | 2023 State MN | Elk River | 2023
If I had to give out an MVP for the best feet at the Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase for DBs, that MVP would go to Pj Bono Pj Bono 6'1" | 215 lbs | DB Elk River | 2023 State MN of Elk River. In the later drills of our showcase, PJ showed some of the best reactive feet I could see from the secondary position. Even if the prospect going up against him had an slight edge, PJ made sure almost every rep that he had him within arm’s length to make a play early in the rep. PJ is a three-level prospect that also shows a significant twitch as a return man on special teams as his long strides are tough to catch especially when he has the outside corner of the field. He has a great knack for crashing up a level and smacking the ball carrier with his significant physicality level. Certainly a safety I can see playing scholarship-level football on Saturdays.
Ethan Carrier | Detroit Lakes | 2023
Yes Minnesota, another Carrier has entered our defensive list for first-team All-Camp Team, as Ethan yet again was an first teamer. Is there something in the water in Detroit Lakes? Maybe, but we will chop it up as fantastic athleticism from Ethan Carrier which I continued to see last Saturday especially in testing and 1v1 reps. I just cannot get other this hard-nosed physicality this young man plays with, regardless of what side of the ball you line him up on. Ethan really shows off a ton of range and like his brother showed, offers awfully swift hands to get off his blocks and pile on the ball carrier on tape. You will frequently see Ethan as the first-contact to the ball, no matter what significant ground he has to cover. If I was recruiting NW Minnesota for a Division I school, I would for sure be making the one hour drive from Fargo to lock in both Ethan and Mason Carrier Mason Carrier 6'2" | 225 lbs | LB Detroit Lakes | 2024 State MN for the long-haul as the significant athleticism and motor both these boys have is darn right excellent.
Isaac Davis Isaac Davis 5'11" | 190 lbs | DB Park Center | 2024 State MN | Park Center | 2024
Isaac was another prospect that caught my eyes from the same group that Pj Bono Pj Bono 6'1" | 215 lbs | DB Elk River | 2023 State MN was in. Although not quite as rangy as PJ, Isaac showed considerable strides when making his way to the football in the drills I got to watch last Saturday. Isaac shows the giddy-up to the next level of the field when you watch the tape and as just an incoming junior, has room for development by making becoming more reactive to get into that next level of the field. Another development for Isaac is growing on his footwork when he is clinging to the football. When he gets the ball, he shows good physicality and if he can work those angles, I believe this young man has a high ceiling to be yet another DB from this strong list that will be playing on Saturdays.