Nate’s Big Dogs of the Game: Minneapolis North
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HOPKINS– We flashback to Friday night and take a look at my Big Dogs of the Game from the Minneapolis North Polars. These seven prospects played with many skillsets that showed not just their total package in their athletic ability…
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Continue ReadingHOPKINS– We flashback to Friday night and take a look at my Big Dogs of the Game from the Minneapolis North Polars. These seven prospects played with many skillsets that showed not just their total package in their athletic ability but their upside when we evaluate them as future college prospects, as a high amount of these prospects from the Polars deserve next-level attention from college coaches for sure. Check out my best of the best from the Polars!
Keishaude Gilmer, QB, Minneapolis North (2023)
- It certainly wasn’t ideal conditions to throw the football on Friday night, but I was impressed with Keishaude’s ability to form a quick release on mostly shorter routes by getting the ball out quickly to set a tone in the screen game for solid success against the Wolfpack.
- Keishaude was very impressed with his ball control, with the conditions I mentioned as he played with a calm demeanor with his throwing ability, and I did not see him look flustered despite the elements on Friday night as he was able to show great balance in his throwing ability on mostly short but showed a significant amount of that calm demeanor on his 68-yard pass to Zashon Rich Zashon Rich 6'2" | 180 lbs | DB MPLS North | 2024 State MN which showed his trust level and the way he finished that throw showed some upside for this senior.
William Smith William Smith 6'2" | 215 lbs | RB MPLS North | 2023 State MN , RB/LB, Minneapolis North (2023)
- William scored the other touchdown to start the night for the Polar’s offense as throughout the drive; he showed a hard-nosed running ability that showed some elusive footwork when he was able to get into the open field for the Polars
- He shows those similar instinctive steps from the outside linebacker spot and is not an OLB you want to leave with an opening towards your backfield, as on numerous occasions on Friday night; he made the Wolfpack offense pay by not recognizing where Will was positioned on the outside, and he had a free pass of physical contact into the SMB ball carriers.
- Based on watching the game tape, I certainly could project William at the outside linebacker spot for the next level, as his 6’2 195 pound frame shows good speed to the ball (and development on it); however, William really sticks out to me with his football IQ with the knack of having a great understanding on where to line up to get the best chance to attack the football as against SMB he really put that understanding to the test and graded well in my eyes with his visionary traits.
Auvon Sager Auvon Sager 6'5" | 240 lbs | DL MPLS North | 2023 State MN , DE, Minneapolis North (2023)
- If there was one defensive prospect from Minneapolis North that I couldn’t keep my eyes off on Friday night, it was the defensive end, Auvon Sager Auvon Sager 6'5" | 240 lbs | DL MPLS North | 2023 State MN . I would name AuVon my overall Big Dog of the Game between both squads.
- AuVon showed so much versatility in specifically the third quarter, where I will say it again thought he played the most “complete quarter of football” I have watched live in my five years of scouting for Prep Redzone. By his presence in the backfield, he showed excellent get-off speed for 6’5 240 pounds, and even without a fully clear path to the ball carrier, AuVon showed noticeable strength in getting thru contact and causing every bit of havoc on every play he could even if he had to use his vertical to create that tension in the backfield.
- I also enjoyed watching the vision he showed off, as even when the ball carrier entered the inside lanes, he could use his long arms and pull the ball carrier in the middle of the path out of contention from the play.
- I said it on Friday night that I was shocked AuVon didn’t have anything above a Division III offer due to the excellent skillsets I witnessed on Friday, but I found out today that a local NSIC program pulled thru with an offer, which I loved to see for AuVon as he would be a great fit there!
Kahlil Brown Kahlil Brown 5'9" | 180 lbs | RB MPLS North | 2024 State MN , LB, Minneapolis North (2024)
- Kahlil was a first-look prospect for me and showed some competitive skillsets in the Polar’s victory versus SMB.
- What did Kahlil do to get on our Big Dogs of the Game list? He impressed me with his agility and strength while stopping the inside run of the Wolfpack, as he showed with his footwork he was able to maneuver swiftly inside small attack areas and put together the strength with his smaller frame to make some key stops for the Polars defensive, especially on first contact. Kahlil also shows a quick pull-off ability with his hands on his sheds.
- When watching a recent tape on Kahlil, you have to enjoy watching his eyes throughout the reps as he plays with developed vision and is also a capable linebacker in pass coverage as he shows off some good ball tracking too within his skillsets.
- No offers yet, but Kahlil’s tape points in the right direction in my eyes to play at the next level in the coming years.
Zashon Rich Zashon Rich 6'2" | 180 lbs | DB MPLS North | 2024 State MN , WR/DB, Minneapolis North (2024)
- Zashon might be more known as a defensive back, but with limited passing on Friday night thrown in his direction, this young man showed off some stellar play from the WR1 spot for the Polars.
- Regardless of the routes, Zashon ran, one thing is for sure he has EXCELLENT hands in the rainy elements of Friday night; he caught every ball that came his way short, intermediate, or long.
- His most impressive catch of the night was the 68-yard touchdown reception he had, as he used his versatile ball-tracking ability he’s grown with on both sides of the ball to create just enough separation between him and the defensive back to make the catch and use his agile footwork and finished speed to end up in the Polars endzone which by far was the play of the game in my eyes that set the tone for a Polars victory.
- No offers yet for Zashon, but I would love to see this kid at the Division I level when his career with the Polars is all said and done, as his 6’2 frame, along with the range he can cover, is going to impress a ton of college coaches at prospect camps this summer. Buy stock now in Zashon!
Azrie Yeager Azrie Yeager 6'2" | 280 lbs | OL MPLS North | 2024 State MN , DL/OL, Minneapolis North (2024)
- Azrie Yeager Azrie Yeager 6'2" | 280 lbs | OL MPLS North | 2024 State MN , one of Minnesota’s top sack leaders, was one of three defensive linemen for the Polars that made our Big Dogs of the Game list. Having three defensive linemen on one list is very impressive in one outing, and that has not happened since I have been doing my Big Dogs of the Game for the last five years.
- One of the biggest things you get with Azrie in the trenches is a very high level of consistency. Starting with his stout stance, he shows a wide base and a high level of concentration in his pad level as you never see him on recent tape feel the need to elevate his hands, he just controls his pad level with great tempo, and that is why he is able to be an asset on both sides of the ball and has been able to get so many sacks already this year.
- He hasn’t popped out his game #4 tape against SMB as of yet, but I love watching the upside Azrie has for his future, as he certainly is another scholarship-level prospect coming out of Minneapolis North as he also is a high academic prospect that should gauge plenty of next-level opportunities over the coming years.
Jeremiah Sims Jeremiah Sims 6'7" | 295 lbs | DL MPLS North | 2023 State MN , DL/OL, Minneapolis North (2023)
- Jeremiah impressed me with his strength, especially in the trenches on the defensive side of the ball.
- He was not a DL prospect you could get out of his strong and long stance on Friday night, as he showed locked-in positioning for the Polars in his 6’7 280-pound frame.
- The tape measures up with what I saw on Friday night, as Jeremiah showed some quick hands on his release of the OL as showed that long-reaching ability to gauge that ball carrier that would be out of reach for most other men in the trenches.
- Jeremiah also does a great job on the offensive line with his strength by advancing and controlling the tempo into the second level of the field.
- One Division III offer, but I see Jeremiah catching more waves from college programs by the end of the season for sure.