12 Big-Time 2023 Metro Sleepers and Standouts

PrepRedzoneMN and the rest of the state are rolling in hot to Week 3/4 of the 2022 prep football season, and with so many heavyweight matchups coming this Friday we wanted to take some time to quickly highlight some of the Metro's top sleeper standouts to keep an eye out for this fall. Of the nearly quadruple-digit Minnesota preps I watched when naming the Preseason All-State, these 12 ballers definitely caught my eye and all earned Preseason recognition from PRzMN, and they're also backing up the awards through the first few games of the season with their play and production. It's never a bad time to highlight some Minnesota stud football players! Thanks for reading and I hope y'all enjoy.   --   Rayshaun Brakes (White Bear Lake) WR. 5'9, 160 lbs. @BrakesRay   Brakes earned a big school Preseason All-State on the second time for the WR position, and with White Bear Lake's recent history at the WR position, plus the dynamic playmaking ability is shown on film, there's a lot to like in the 5'9 bundle of explosive ability. Kick return, slotback, RB, and WR are in play for the offensive weapon, who is comfortable and shifty in space and easily able to glide to the edge and pull past pursuers. White Bear Lake makes it a priority to get him the ball in a variety of fashions, and something as simple as an end-around can turn into a big play with multiple defenders falling victim to his cutbacks and hesitation moves. With WBL's recent track record of proving they develop the WR position well, some more college programs should be on this kid than he's reporting.   [player_tooltip player_id='313241' first='Anthony' last='Powell'] (Rogers) RB. 5'10, 190 lbs. @AnthonyPow28   A very pleasant surprise while watching Class 5A tape, Powell possesses a helluva truck stick that stood out even among a deep group of physical RBs in the 2023 class of MN and makes for an incredibly fun tape to watch. A 1600+ yard rusher in 2021, Powell is coming off his first college football offer from the SJU Johnnies four days ago (great move SJU) and visited Winona State and North Dakota in the spring. He can dish and absorb contact with grace, balance, and violence and put some physical runs and broken tackle attempts behind him in big game situations against whoever you put in front of him. He's also got a strong one-cut ability in the open field and solid speed for a more N-S runner. The Rogers senior is overall one of the harder hitters and more fun players to watch in MN. The Preseason All-State First Team RB also posted four sacks, two FFs, and an INT as a junior LB in 2021.   <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/13057527/618464008cdee90368b507aa">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/13057527/618464008cdee90368b507aa</a>   [player_tooltip player_id='313181' first='Dominick' last='Brown'] (Park Center) WR/Returner. 5'6, 155 lbs. @Domobrown2023   Another dynamic and explosive offensive weapon to make this list, Brown was named to the second team of the Preseason All-State Class 5A offensive squad and is also an explosive returner on kickoffs and punts, two of the harder positions on the gridiron, in my opinion. With 36 catches for 401 yards and 5 TDs as a junior in 2021, Brown is sure to best those numbers as a now-senior thanks to his skillset of impressively sudden cuts, top-end speed, and burst. He's also got some solid contact balance for his size and makes things look easy when he's got the ball in his hands. The great staff at Park Center is sure to try and get the rock in his hands more often in 2022. I can't wait to see it! He's visited three NSIC schools and the U of M over the spring.   [player_tooltip player_id='313107' first='Ramsey' last='Morrell'] (Mahtomedi) TE. 6'3, 225 lbs. @MorrellRamsey   The University of Mary commit brings good size and quality, high-pressure game reps thanks to the Zephyrs 5A state championship runner-up 2021 campaign. With a commitment at the end of August, Morrell can fully concentrate on getting Maht back to the state championship game, as well as his personal play, which stands out in both the run and pass games. He can run a variety of routes effectively downfield and out in the flats - including screens - and has some juice after the catch at 6'3, 225. I also am a fan of his technique and strength as a run blocker, where he can seal the edge and dominate in 1-on-1 situations. The UMary Marauders got a good one, and the 5A Preseason All-State second team TE is already making plays in the passing game now in 2022.   Austin Leflay (Hastings) FB. 6', 220 lbs.   Hastings have put out some hard hitters over the past couple of years and I like the game and size of the Preseason All-State second team fullback Austin Leflay. The 6', 220 lber. has a ton of pop as a FB and DL and gets the most out of every contact situation no matter where he's lined up. I also like how he reads and locates the ball on defense and his blocking assignment on offense, and he's got the strength to get off blocks in the trenches and halt ball carriers in their tracks. With no Twitter I can't see how his recruitment is progressing, but DII, DIIIs, and NAIAs should all start sniffing around if they haven't already.   Doreon Ceaser (North St. Paul) DL. 6'6, 250 lbs. @DoreonCeaser05   A second team selection on the DL for Class 5A's Preseason All-State defensive squad, the long North-St. Paul lineman has only reported a junior day from invite from Minnesota State-Moorhead despite his tantalizing size, length, and physical profile. The tape is strong as well, as those long arms help him keep blockers at bay while he pursues with solid angles into the backfield or flat down the LOS. He can also cover a lot of ground in pursuit once he gets a full head of steam, can lay a hard hit, and uses his hands well to free up space and get off blocks from his 3T spot. People are missing out on a heckuva one-two punch on the DL for North-St. Paul. Get to know Ceaser's counterpart below!   Thomas Moore (North St. Paul) DL. 6'1, 225 lbs.   Also a state qualifier as a swimmer, thick & well-built Moore has a great get-off and first step and is more than a handful for OL who can't handle or adjust to speed from the 5T position. He also possesses a great motor and will run down runners on the other side of the LOS and still needs to be accounted for if he's left unblocked in the run game. He will also shuck blockers down onto their face if they lean or get over their toes and overall brings a ton of speed to the position at 6'1, 225 and change. No Twitter so contact the NSP coaches if you're a college coach and/or recruiter.   Robert Htoo (St. Paul Harding) RB/LB. 5'11, 190 lbs. @robh_3   Htoo is part of the successful and impressive turnaround effort happening at St. Paul Harding/Humboldt co-op and is one of a ton of two-way, gritty, and physical athletes that make up their 2022 roster. Heading the charge is stud third-team Preseason All-State LB Robert Htoo, who also brings a ton of juice to the RB position and is fun to watch and the holder of only one college football offer, from my beloved St. Olaf College. His junior tape, where he rushed at a 7.0 YPC average for 578 yards and 3 TDs and added 100 reception yards, 43 tackles, 2 INTs, and a sack defensively, shows off a fluid athlete with contact balance and good speed with rock in hand. Also possessing soft hands and physicality, he's one of the best players in St. Paul this season and should see his recruitment pick up as senior year goes on.   Cole Fee (St. Paul Central) ATH. 5'9, 165 lbs. @ColeFee1   Another Preseason All-State pick (third team DB) who is one of the best athletes in the City of St. Paul this 2022 season, Fee does a little bit of everything for the Minutemen and won a ton of accolades last fall including the District Offensive MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, and All-District as a DB/QB/P combination. Offensively, he's got a solid arm and some slipperiness as a runner, but I really like his game as a DB, where Fee hits well above his weight class and runs the alley very well. He can also go straight downhill in a hurry, and his overall versatility and football smarts will make him very useful as a college prospect. He currently holds offers from UW-River Falls and St. Olaf College.   [player_tooltip player_id='295970' first='Tayvion' last='McCoy'] (Simley) WR/DB. 5'11, 170 lbs. @TayvionMccoy   One of the most productive players in the entire state last season, McCoy picked off 8 passes as a DB and scored 7 TDs on offense as a RB but mostly WR. Despite that, he currently sits with zero reported offers but visited Minnesota, Concordia-St. Paul, North Dakota, and UMD this spring. He made some clutch catches as both a WR and CB last season thanks to his body control, speed, and unteachable knack for being around the football. My favorite thing I see on tape is how he accelerates and smoothly cuts after the catch, where it looks like he's shot out of a cannon and can cut on a dime without losing speed. I can't wait to see how he and his Simley Spartans perform in 2022. They're off to a 2-0 start!   Hunter Collins (Simley) DL. 6'6, 250 lbs.   Simely fans will be stoked to see another senior make the list, especially after the 6'6, 250 lb. Hunter Collins was named Preseason All-State 4A Defense. He can play all over the OL and DL and is long, aggressive, and understands leverage and body position that helps him fling opponents aside and/or drive them into the turf. He could be a bit more physical at the initial point of contact, but his follow up is really strong and he knows how to use his physical tools to his advantage. Simley is looking very intriguing this year!   [player_tooltip player_id='312952' first='Waziri' last='Lawal'] (Breck) WR/DB. 6'2, 170 lbs. @Wazirimlawal   The follow-up to Breck's 2021-22 electric athlete Charlie Ryks (now at St. John's), 2023 WR/DB extraordinaire [player_tooltip player_id='312952' first='Waziri' last='Lawal'] is a standout on either side of the ball and is also a strong hooper for Breck and the Northstar Titans AAU squad. The First Team Preseason All-State Class AAA defensive back is a playmaker as a safety, wide receiver, and quarterback and is especially smooth and elusive with the ball in his hands. He can drop his hips when running routes and changing directions and is fast and athletic enough to jump routes and take advantage of misthrows from opposing QBs. No reported interest or offers in either sport as of right now! Get at him.

PrepRedzoneMN and the rest of the state are rolling in hot to Week 3/4 of the 2022 prep football season, and with so many heavyweight matchups coming this Friday we wanted to take some time to quickly highlight some of the Metro's top sleeper standouts to keep an eye out for this fall. Of the nearly quadruple-digit Minnesota preps I watched when naming the Preseason All-State, these 12 ballers definitely caught my eye and all earned Preseason recognition from PRzMN, and they're also backing up the awards through the first few games of the season with their play and production. It's never a bad time to highlight some Minnesota stud football players! Thanks for reading and I hope y'all enjoy.