Nate's Big Dogs of the Week: North Dakota, Week 6

NORTH DAKOTA- Although our list is smaller than we would prefer in North Dakota this week, there sure is a lot of depth from the prospects that were nominated by their coaches in Week 6 and even better college coaches; none of them have offers yet on the table! Take a look at our batch of Big Dogs the Week from North Dakota.   Quarterbacks:   Landon Koenig, QB, Mayport-CG (2023)   Stat Line: 13/17 passing, 212 passing yards, one touchdown. No tape is available yet.   Running Backs:   Mason Mellmer | RB/LB | Beulah | 2023   Stat Line: 15 carries, 112 rushing yards, two touchdowns, one tackle for a loss.   <ul><li>Mason has some solid balance he showed off in between the tackles last week, which shows off good vision and patience with what his offensive line gives him, especially in the redzone.</li><li>His recent tape also shows increased game speed, especially once he gets to the edge as he turns it up a notch when he sees the opening he's looking for with that balance factor I mentioned.</li><li>I recommend checking his junior tape at around the 30-second mark, as Mason shows how much durability he has in his 6'0 205 pound frame and that he can pluck out of contact and rise into showing an explosion with his burst out of it quickly.</li><li>He also shows off solid hands out of the slot, which adds even more versatility to his game from a skillset perspective.</li><li>I think Mason could be a hidden gem out of Beulah, as I will need some more 2022 tape to fully stand on that hill, as there certainly are some skill sets that could be a great small school prospect.</li></ul>   Xyler Carlson, RB/LB, Mayport-CG (2023)   Stat Line: 16 carries, 360 total yards (229 rush, 131 receiving, four total touchdowns. No tape is available yet.   Athletes:   [player_tooltip player_id='223090' first='Raymond' last='Brown'], ATH/WR, Fargo Davies (2023)   Stat Line: One kickoff return for a touchdown and one 40+ yard kickoff return.   <ul><li>On his first kickoff return, Raymond showed an excellent burst and showed a ton of agile moves thru somewhat high-traffic areas to get the ball in for a touchdown for the Eagles.</li><li>I love this kid's elusiveness he brings to the table as he shows a ton of athleticism and great footwork when the football is in his hands at any time. You can tell Raymond plays the game of football with great vision and a high football IQ.</li><li>From his midseason tape, Raymond is a crafty route-runner, and his change of direction shows tons of upside. He also can become a burner on deep routes, which gives one of the top quarterbacks in the 2025 class, [player_tooltip player_id='351546' first='Mason' last='Klabo'] a sizeable target to hit on those deep routes.</li><li>Raymond shows off a fluid, quick release out of his stance on his routes, and I keep asking why this young man does not have a football offer yet because there are so many versatile skillsets Raymond shows off.</li><li>Despite being 5'11, I was impressed on tape with just how long Raymond's length in his reach was when grabbing a pass slightly offline. He's certainly not afraid to go over the middle of the field too!</li></ul>   [player_tooltip player_id='418241' first='Elijah' last='Hayes'], FB/LB, Fargo Davies (2023)   <ul><li>Elijah is a straight-up bruiser in the backfield and plays with fearless abandon with a low center of gravity to get his shoulder right in the chest of the defender.</li><li>I also love the skillset that comes with his lead-blocking ability, as he has instinctive reflexes to use his good speed to get out in front and set the tone for the Fargo Davies running game. His ability to turn the block and create havoc is very bulldog-like.</li><li>His tape from the linebacker spot shows off a significant trigger when it comes to that speed I mentioned as he bounces into the next level of play.</li><li>He also has a quick shedding ability and vision that his strength and rotation can engage with great timing when the ball carrier comes near Elijah.</li><li>In my eyes, Elijah looks like the best fullback North Dakota has to offer in the 2023 class and is top 10 in North Dakota in the shotput.</li><li>Elijah is another prospect from the Eagles that I am shocked as heck does not have his first offer yet as his versatility on both sides of the ball certainly looks like a next-level college prospect.</li></ul>

NORTH DAKOTA- Although our list is smaller than we would prefer in North Dakota this week, there sure is a lot of depth from the prospects that were nominated by their coaches in Week 6 and even better college coaches; none of them have offers yet on the table! Take a look at our batch of Big Dogs the Week from North Dakota.