2025 Watch List: The DBs and TEs

<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>DAKOTAS-- </strong></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Because it’s a small group thus far we wanted to evaluate the defensive back and tight end positionS in the Class of 2025 in the Dakotas. It is very likely you will see a handful of the 16 athletes we added to the 2026 Watch List move into the defensive back category based on our next update, but for now, let us take a look at the true defensive backs and tight ends that were added to the 2025 Watch List in the Dakotas.</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Tight Ends</span></strong></span> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="210621" first="Barak" last="Corrigan"] | TE | Rapid City Central (SD)</strong></span> Barak was a preferred TE prospect from one of my contacts out in Rapid City and as one of the few prospects on the varsity roster for the Cobbler’s last season, the Central staff certainly sees the upside on this young man at a young age to put him on the roster at the 11AAA roster so early in his football career. Barak also played varsity basketball as a freshman, which shows the athletic range we love to watch from the tight end position. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="210629" first="Bryon" last="Laue"] | TE | Castlewood (SD)</strong></span> Bryon doesn’t have a lot of reps on tape as of yet, but his 6’6 frame is certainly something to watch in the red zone over the coming years for the Castlewood Warriors. I got to get an in-person evaluation on Bryon last season against De Smet, and in the lone few reps, I got to watch I saw his length and rangeability certainly showed off in that long frame of his. He’s still pretty raw at this point in time but looking forward to scouting this kid’s future over the next several years as he grows into his game. <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16316601/612a4d9aa680960b003acdaa" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="356872" first="Karter" last="Peterson"] | TE | Thompson (ND) </strong></span> Karter is by far the most developed tight-end prospect from this 2025 class we have found so far. Already at 6’4 205 pounds, Karter showed developed athleticism with his hands at a young age. Not just when he’s catching the football either, as Karter also lines up at defensive tackle, and shows off those feisty hands on both ends of the ball that carries a strong punching ability maneuvering his defender into the next level and is a drive blocker with that grit that will finish off what he started at the end of the play and not left his defender to walk off without a physical fight. His strong motor and longevity in his speed at SDSU also spoke volumes of his early game of what is to look for in the future. If we put our rankings together today, I would list Karter as TE1 on my depth chart rankings-wise in 2025. <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15008373/618de0d690efa00bc88f7d66" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Defensive Backs</strong></span></span> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="321191" first="Jamir" last="Byrd"] | DB | Sioux Falls Lincoln (SD) </strong></span> The first word to describe Jamir is instinctive. Again, he doesn’t have a lot of tape available, but the athletic steps he makes in his change of direction and steps to the ball in the secondary is what places him on our early 2025 watch list despite the limited tape. Certainly a DB prospect from the Patriots I look to see plenty of development in the near future. <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16567776/614dc853041df70a103a5779" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="321189" first="Randy" last="Nimely"] | DB | Sioux Falls Lincoln</strong></span> Another Patriots defensive back that shows his reactive ability at an early age on tape. I like Randy’s readability and patience with his footwork, as he can cover a solid zone in the secondary that will take his game a long way when he can put it all together. Another raw prospect on this list, but has good length in his 6’0 165-pound frame to paint a strong picture of the upside of what is to come from this Patriots defensive back in the near future. <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16542447/61318e2da681c00548789007" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="242537" first="Tony" last="Ojullo"] | DB | Sioux Falls Washington | 2025</strong></span> I will say it again, if we had to put our 2025 rankings together today, I would out [player_tooltip player_id="242537" first="Tony" last="Ojullo"] of Sioux Falls Washington in the DB1 spot on my 2025 watch list. Tony shows that quick trigger that can accelerate beyond his level of play and cause chaos in the backfield once he identifies with his vision of where the ball is going. He shows smooth footwork in his backpedal and a sizeable vertical to go up and get that football in the air. That speed to the ball instinct in Tony’s motor shows a lot of consistency at his young age and it is only going to grow strong the older he gets as I love this young man’s agility from start to finish. He’s also efficient getting off blocks especially when he turns on that game-level instinct to get to the ball around the corners. Even though he’s got plenty of development coming, I like this kid’s future to play at the next level. <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16008976/619331fcf31ce60af8860d18" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="356835" first="Cooper" last="Weidner"] | Bismarck Legacy | 2025</strong></span> The tape on Cooper might be quite limited at this early point of time in his high school career, but there is something he puts together in his early tape. His physicality is what I see in the early going of that tape I mentioned, as he shows good length in his arms to make that knockback tackle with good physicality at his age. Certainly could see Cooper at the strong safety position in his football future for Bismarck Legacy. &nbsp; &nbsp;