Nate's Big Dogs of the Game: Fargo Shanley Deacons

FARGO-- We dive into our first segment of my Big Dogs of the Game, first taking a look at the Fargo Shanley Deacons, which played tremendously in their 49-0 win over southside rival Fargo South. These were who I thought were the Big Dogs of the Game, and I have to add: there is plenty of prospects in 2023 and 2024 that have tons of potential to play football at the next level in my eyes.   [player_tooltip player_id='205383' first='Michael' last='Rostberg'], QB, Fargo Shanley (2023)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/09/Rostberg-rotated-crop-456x300-1663032349.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-443668" width="295" height="194"/></figure>   <ul><li>Michael showed off a very quick release, especially on-screen passes where you would miss just how fast the ball came out of his hands if you blinked.</li><li>His mechanics certainly showed the willpower I have seen plenty of on tape, as there was a ton of fluidity while watching his progressions and his ability to make the best throw possible.</li><li>One thing I was watching for in a live setting was his arm strength, as I have always been impressed with how well he finishes his throws regardless of what level of the field he is throwing it to. Needless to say, he passed and exceeded my eye test as he did this very consistently against Fargo South.</li><li>It was easy to see why this young man will be playing Division I FCS football next year and showed why he is our top QB prospect in all of North Dakota.</li></ul>   Sam Ovsak, WR/DB, Fargo Shanley (2024)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/09/Sam-Orvak-rotated-crop-456x300-1663032398.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-443670" width="304" height="200"/></figure>   <ul><li>I loved watching how versatile Sam showed off to be in their battle again the Bruins.</li><li>Sam is quite the fluid route-runner. His agility in his footwork coming off his breaks torched the entirety of the Bruins secondary on Friday night during the Deacon's homecoming game.</li><li>Sam also added to that versatility skillset on special teams, return of THREE of the Deacon's punt returns for touchdowns. </li><li>You get a lot of durability coming from Sam in his 6'0 170 pound frame from the wide receiver position, as he has a well-built lower and upper body to really make the defense work to get him tackled. He is certainly a tough one to get down on first contact,</li><li>Sam also has elite vision, as the trigger on his stops is quick and persuasive to gauge the eyes of his QB1, [player_tooltip player_id='205383' first='Michael' last='Rostberg'].</li><li>Sam will catch any ball that comes his way, regardless of whether it is in a high-traffic area.</li><li>He is on my hot list to be added to our upcoming 2024 rankings in late October.</li></ul>   Cam Ahlers, DE, Fargo Shanley (2024)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/09/Cam-Ahlers-rotated-crop-456x300-1663032446.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-443672" width="310" height="204"/></figure>   <ul><li>You won't want to meet Cam Ahlers in the backfield, as on the multiple sacks I watched him get from the sidelines, he showed excellent physicality with his hitting ability, and of course, we know how much I love consistency, especially when it comes to physicality from the defensive end position.</li><li>Cam shows a quick firey first step on getting off the ball, and the feisty hands this kid has set the tone on every rep for him to end up causing havoc when he meets the ball carrier.</li><li>Note to offensive line units going up against Cam; you will pay the price off the edge if you let this kid go unblocked, as he showed it on numerous occasions on Friday night.</li><li>Cam does a great job sealing the edge; even if he gets someone in his face, he has so much speed and momentum built up in those first steps I mentioned he'll outrun a bigger offensive lineman with his competitive motor.</li><li>Cam certainly has a future playing scholarship-level college football in my eyes, with some growth and strength coming, I am sure, in his 6'0 210 pound frame.</li><li>Recorded a 4 sack night on Friday night.</li></ul>   Vuciri Hakim, DB/WR, Fargo Shanley (2023)   <ul><li>Although I was hoping to see more reps from 6'5 Vuciri Hakim on the offensive side of the ball, he impressed me with his vision on the defensive side of the ball from the defensive back spot.</li><li>This young man has a VERY long reach which he showed off right in front of me that he can use that long frame along the edge of the sidelines to contain the ball carrier off balance and use that reach to his full advantage in stride when climbing up to the first level of play.</li><li>His recent tape shows off a WR prospect with a smooth athletic ability with his hands, whether on short or deep routes.</li><li>Being a newer addition to the Deacons on the gridiron, I cannot wait to see how Hakim builds up this season on his football IQ, as there are certainly some skillsets he can develop with more and more reps he'll get. Seen a few clips of Vuciri on the basketball court, and man can this young man get up with his vertical inside, so look for that on the gridiron as well.</li></ul>   Joey Dukart, WR, Fargo Shanley (2023)   <ul><li>Joey showed off solid awareness on his 27-yard receiving touchdown from [player_tooltip player_id='205383' first='Michael' last='Rostberg'], as he used his last-second instincts to use his hands to sway his way in for a Deacons touchdown.</li><li>In that particular play I mentioned above, Joey showed a jacked-up game speed mentality that certainly increases once he gets the ball in his hands.</li><li>Joey has a fearless demeanor to routinely go over the middle of the field and use his north-south burst to gauge the sidelines with his long-striding frame that he showed off a lot in the game I watched this week vs. Fargo South and Bismarck the week before.</li><li>Would love to see Joey improve on his get-off speed as, watching numerous clips, you can tell there is more juice left in his tank in that skillset coming thru week after week.</li></ul>   [player_tooltip player_id='365335' first='Kaden' last='Christmann'], WR/DB, Fargo Shanley (2024)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/09/Kaden-Christmann-rotated-crop-456x300-1663032476.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-443673" width="321" height="211"/></figure>   <ul><li>In my eyes, [player_tooltip player_id='365335' first='Kaden' last='Christmann'] might be the best return man I have seen in North Dakota currently, and I have seen a lot of tape on prospects in that position from all over the Roughrider State.</li><li>Kaden did not just have the speed I loved to see in the return game; he showed the super agile footwork sliding swiftly between the would-be tacklers that tried to chase him down in already a powerful stride he had to create from the start of his run.</li><li>When I watched this young man on his first return of the night, you could just easily read into the instincts Kaden has in the return game, and my gut was right on after that return that this young man would have a plethora of skillsets shown off on future returns, in which he ended his night with nearly 67% of the punt return for the Deacons last Friday night.</li><li>I wish we had a button for prospects like Kaden on our rankings for return men, but regardless you will find him in the athlete category of our upcoming 2024 rankings in late October.</li></ul>   [player_tooltip player_id='441934' first='Will' last='Mehus'], DE, Fargo Shanley (2023)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/09/Will-Nehus-rotated-crop-456x300-1663032541.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-443675" width="329" height="216"/></figure>   <ul><li>Talk about a stock rising senior that exploded with four sacks on the Fargo South Bruins on Friday evening. Will certainly raised the talk that he should be a college football college prospect in the coming season.</li><li>Will showed off some impressive swim moves and a significant concentration level when rolling off his sheds to get into the Bruin's backfield.</li><li>On offense, when I got to watch the tape tonight, Will showed an excellent pad level engaging his defender right in the sweet spot to get the best possible leverage. I love a two-way prospect that plays so competitively, especially at the 11AA level in North Dakota.</li><li>If you are looking for a DE prospect with the strength to be a knockback tackler every time he gets his arms on the ball carrier, look no further than [player_tooltip player_id='441934' first='Will' last='Mehus'] of Fargo Shanley.</li><li>Will shows an instinctive motor and sizeable movement in his footwork when coming off the edge to reel into the inside run and make competitive first contact.</li><li>Division II programs better catch this young man's waves because I feel he is probably one of the most under-recruited defensive ends in North Dakota, and I am quite shocked he doesn't have an offer yet to show for it.</li></ul>   More Deacons of Note from Friday Night at Fargo Shanley:   Fisher Hannesson, DB/WR, Fargo Shanley (2024)   Matthew Berg, Kicker, Fargo Shanley (2024)

FARGO-- We dive into our first segment of my Big Dogs of the Game, first taking a look at the Fargo Shanley Deacons, which played tremendously in their 49-0 win over southside rival Fargo South. These were who I thought were the Big Dogs of the Game, and I have to add: there is plenty of prospects in 2023 and 2024 that have tons of potential to play football at the next level in my eyes.