SD Players to Watch (2024)

I’ve focused a lot on the Class of 2023 the past few articles. As the season inches closer, I feel like it’s time to focus on some athletes to know about in the Class of 2024. This list will highlight a few athletes on the watch list and a few unranked athletes to know about for the 2022 season. This list is composed of films I was able to find on Hudl. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="56560" first="Jovi" last="Wolf"]</strong> Chester Area WR/DB- Wolf is one of the fastest athletes in the Class, very explosive and can get up to top speed in a hurry, and once he’s there, he’s gone. The Flyers used his speed in many different ways, out wide, in the slot, or giving him jet sweeps, any which way he was going to create a big play. To make things worse for the opponent, he was just as agile as he was fast, made a lot of plays being shifty as well. After losing a lot of his teammates to graduation, he may have a larger role on the Flyer team in 2022. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2HLHea">Sophomore Season</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="174176" first="Austin" last="Johnson"]</strong> Watertown LB- Johnson received some snaps late in the season. I liked his speed from sideline to sideline, he did very well running down plays from behind. He filled his gap well each play when he got his read, took on blocks well, and made the tackle. He was a sure-handed tackler, making sure to wrap up and bring the ballcarrier down. He was good when blitzing, timing up the snap count and jumping the snap. He did very well at breaking down and getting in good position to make tackles even when he was on the run. He will more than likely receive more snaps and a bigger role on the defensive side for his Junior Season. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14466444/617da5b0f31dc909dc440717">Sophomore Season</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="174206" first="Juven" last="Hudson"]</strong> Watertown RB- Hudson stepped into a large role in the rushing attack for the Arrows. I liked his read and react ability out of the backfield. His vision helped him find the gap, then he stuck his foot in the ground and exploded through it. He showed a lot of agility and then was able to hit his top-end speed quickly once he made his cut and gained positive yards. He also displayed a good deal of physicality when he was finishing runs, made himself very difficult to bring down. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2HghLL">Sophomore Season</a> <strong>Austin Erickson</strong> Aberdeen Central FB- Erickson just came out with his film from his sophomore year. He’s definitely an athlete that needs to be on the radar for some schools. He is a very aggressive athlete, running or blocking. He will run through any defender trying to tackle him when he has the ball. He bury any defender that he has to block and won’t stop until the play is over. He’s explosive when he breaks through to the second level and shows really nice top-end speed. He also did a good job in pass protection too. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2HMC3H">Sophomore Season</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="294138" first="Nic" last="Gaspar"] </strong>Dell Rapids St. Mary’s TE/LB- Gaspar made some noise late in the season for the Cardinals State Championship season. He has a good frame to stand out on a 9-man field. He also has good speed to make some big plays running the ball. He runs good routes coming off the line of scrimmage to get open, then he shows a good set of hands, and jumping ability to secure the catch. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14554861/622772adb3c8600a84b8f66f">Potter County Highlights</a> <strong>Dalton Reiff</strong> Chester Area DL/OL- Reiff is going to rise to the occasion in his Junior Season. I watched his sophomore tape and then saw him at camp and the kid just knows how to compete. He has great size for a lineman, then he adds quickness off the ball and tops it off with a great motor. He keeps a good pad level off the ball as well, engages the offensive line with good hand technique and holds his position on the line. He breaks down and makes a good form tackle, then puts some pop in the tackle as well, knocking the ballcarrier back. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/14929192/6179653f4bb2d60b808254e4">Sophomore Highlights</a> <strong>Chance Schoellerman</strong> Viborg-Hurley ATH- I could not designate a single position to Schoellerman on either side of the ball, as he played many positions in his sophomore season. Starting off as a WR/DB, he ran routes well and was very sure handed, knew how to position himself and body the receivers up. Defensively, he stuck with the fastest of receivers and kept them on lockdown. He had some sneaky speed, didn’t realize how fast he was going until he got away from the defenders, and he was a good tackler as well. He also received snaps at QB and RB on offense, both of which he did well at, and defensively slid into the box at LB for a few plays as well. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GC3tk">Sophomore Season</a> <strong>Ryan Wetch</strong> Rapid City Central QB- Wetch got a few snaps in his sophomore season and made some impressive plays. With some raw talent to really work with in this coming season, letting the kid throw the ball around the yard could create a serious confidence boost and get this kid making many more impressive throws. He did a great job placing the ball for his receivers to keep stride and make plays. He threw a good ball with good zip on it to squeeze the ball in tight windows on any type of route. He did a good job getting his drop steps and getting the ball out of his hands quick. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2HH9gE">Sophomore Season</a> <strong>Jessen Wiebenga</strong> Tea Area QB/LB- Wiebenga looks like he will have a high ceiling at QB in the Titan offense. He has a good frame and arm strength to make some good plays under center. He can rifle some passes to his receivers on short routes and deep routes. He played exceptionally well on defense in the middle. He read his keys well and filled his gap quickly and above all, made the tackle. He could lay a big hit when he got the chance, but he was more for ending the play before a big play would break out. He could track down ballcarriers from behind or beat them to the spot. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2HFpPV">Sophomore Season</a> <strong>Tommy Aughenbaugh</strong> De Smet WR/DB- Aughenbaugh looked extremely comfortable on the field on both sides of the ball. Defensively, he sits on his receiver and keeps good position to make plays on the football. He sits in his zone and is completely aware of his surroundings while the play develops and makes the play. He has a good form in his tackling and really brings a crack pop in his pads when he lays a hit on the ballcarrier. He covers a lot of ground in a short amount of time to keep himself a part of the play on each play. He lastly knows down and distance on each play and makes the best play for each play, given the situation, and wraps up very well in the secondary. Sophomore Season