PrepRedzoneMN 2025 Rankings Update: RB Breakdown
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Happy Monday, everybody. I’d wish you all a merry post-Super Bowl weekend, but I personally am far from over the Vikings choking and was not invested or even excited to watch the Eagles take on the Chiefs. In all honesty,…
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Continue ReadingHappy Monday, everybody. I’d wish you all a merry post-Super Bowl weekend, but I personally am far from over the Vikings choking and was not invested or even excited to watch the Eagles take on the Chiefs. In all honesty, my mind was more on this recent PRzMN 2025 rankings update, and I hope our readers have been enjoying the two headlining features highlighting the top Stock Risers and New Additions to the 2025 rankings list. There’s a lot to be excited about in this class, and to keep things rolling I am going to switch up the coverage of the ranking to do a deep dive into the positional lists and rankings on every spot on the gridiron. To kick things off, we’re starting with the always-important and always-exciting RB position, which provides the meat of most MN prep football offenses and can take a good team to a state championship-caliber squad, depending on how big of a stud you have toting the rock. To get to know the Top-14, their skillsets, and their experience, all you have to do is scroll down! Thanks for reading, LBs are up next!
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RB1 in the PRzMN 2025 rankings update is a new addition to the rankings as well as the state of Minnesota overall, and should be a name MN high school football fans should know and get excited about. I recently did an in-depth breakdown of Elijah Rumph Elijah Rumph 6’1″ | 200 lbs | RB Eden Prairie | 2025 State MN for our headlining feature so I’ll try not to repeat myself here as we have a lot of other RBs to get to, but Rumph has NFL bloodlines (dad is the DL coach for the Vikes, brother is a Duke grad now playing OLB for the LA Chargers) and showed a balanced and dangerous skillset as a RB on the JV ranks of the Eagles in 2022. His combination of speed and power at 6′, 195 lbs. made him a man amongst boys versus JV competition and allowed him to run by and/or run through tackle attempts. It’s hard to get a full read and eval. on the young man with him still lacking in varsity reps, but as a testament to his athletic skillset and the quality of the JV film the Central Michigan ‘Chips offered a FBS scholarship on February 1st. I hope he finishes out the next two years in MN and am particularly excited to watch him play next season.
The Worthington sophomore has already been on our radar for a while and continues to impress, keeping him firmly in the upper echelon of our rankings and most recently see him as RB2 and #19 overall. Swinea attended at impressed at our December PRzMN Stock-Up Showcase and already passes the eye test at a defined 6’1, 180 lbs. with more room to grow. He was a splash play machine last season, one of the best in the 2025 class overall, and was explosive with the ball in his hand as both a RB and kick returner. Hits the hole and follows his blocks well, shows good acceleration from a dead stop, and has speed at the top end to outrun pursuit angles when he hits daylight. I also like his contact balance and lower body strength, which allows him to break weaker tackle attempts at gain tough yardage when necessary. Swinea didn’t compete in testing during the PRzMN Showcase so I don’t have updated verified numbers, but the size and big play ability is an interesting combination and will help him perform well during the summer camp circuits.
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Compact build and low center of gravity are ideal for the RB position and helped Fairmont’s stud sophomore ball carrier Elijah Johnson create some exciting runs in 2022, ranking him as RB3 and #36 overall in the recent PRzMN 2025 rankings update. Good burst and possessing the speed to turn the corner and take advantage of daylight, Johnson can get to the third level of an opposing defense in a jiffy and also shows off some exciting shake and shiftiness when cutting and changing direction. I also love his combination of contact balance + a mean stiff arm, and he knows how to use it, getting defenders off balance and easier to shuck aside and/or into the turf. He does a good job of remaining upright through contact and can break tackles in a variety of different ways. Fun to watch and hard to tackle makes for another strong finish to the Top-3 of the 2025 RB rankings.
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Coming in at RB4 and #41 overall, Lakeville South’s Connor Cade was a non-varsity contributor in 2022 but the mixture of production, film, and competition still made him a strong addition to the Top-50 and another must-know name from the RB room of the Cougars. In 2022, Cade posted 96 touches for 2,184 total yards and 34 TDs with a 22.75 yard per touch average and 16 plays of over 50 yards. I really like how he can cut and change direction at full speed without losing any momentum, and he generates a ton of force of power when he sticks his cleats in the ground and cuts, allowing him to run through strong tackle attempts as well as blow by opponents and leave them grasping at air. Cade is very shifty, has the top end speed to torch non-varsity defenders and finish big plays, and fights like hell to stay up and score every chance he gets. He was absolutely dominant at the JV level and has been one of the best non-varsity players in the state the past two seasons, regardless of class or position. I’m stoked to see him against varsity defenses next fall.
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Coming out of the Outstate and perennial Class A heavyweight BOLD, sophomore RB Kaden Fischer Kaden Fischer 5’9″ | 190 lbs | RB BOLD | 2025 MN comes in at #53 overall and RB5 in the recent PRzMN 2025 rankings update. Another recent standout of December’s PRzMN Stock-UP Showcase, Fischer also has a naturally low center of gravity that makes him a tough 1-on-1 tackling assignment. He broke a tackle vs. Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg that was frankly ridiculous, where the sophomore was racing down the sideline and then completely enveloped by the pursuing safety. However, he dropped his hips and slipped up and under the well-built DB, finishing it off by throwing him aside with his free hand. I also like his pass catching ability out of the backfield, how smooth he cuts, and his vision. He finds and sees space well and is especially dangerous at at getting the edge and sideline of a defense.
A member of Blooming Prairie’s absolutely loaded sophomore class, 5’11, 190 lb. RB Cole Wangen is holding down the RB6 and #67 overall spot in our recent 2025 MN rankings update. Wangen posted back-to-back 4.4s in the short-shuttle at our recent PRzMN Stock-Up Showcase and reinforced the COD skills with two 7.22 L-drills, starting off his strong individual performance at the Showcase with a good showing during testing. He also reports good numbers in the weight room, including a verified 225 lb. power clean along with a 250 lb. bench and 405 lb. squat. In his midseason sophomore highlights, Wangen showed off some good elusiveness in the open field, particularly in making that last DB miss, and is strong enough to put in hard-charging reps between the tackles, bouncing off defenders and setting up DBs and LBs to run around them. Good-lookin’ RB out of the Outstate that can wear down a defense over the course of four quarters.
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I’ve been eagerly anticipating the next stud Southwest Lakers RB and prospect and 5’11, 190 lb. Connor Klemmensen Connor Klemmensen 5’10” | 190 lbs | ATH Edina | 2025 State MN is making a strong case to take over that throne. In 2022, he posted 71 carries for 678 yards and 5 TDs to go along with 16 receptions for 229 yards and 39 tackles, 4 TFLs, and a forced fumble defensively. Great burst once he sticks his cleat in the ground and works upfield, shows timing and quickness in his cuts and does a good job of not showing opponents where he’s breaking to, and can do damage out on the edge or between the tackles. Also has the hands to play WR and lays the boom as a DB. Strong kid poised for a monster junior season out of the MPLS city competition. Go Lakers! Can’t wait to meet you, Connor. Places as RB7 and the #68 overall prospect in the 2025 class of Minnesota.
A Metro up-and-comer out of the resurgent 6A Eagan Wildcats, RB8 and the #73 overall 2025er Madden Ison Madden Ison 5’9″ | 200 lbs | RB Eagan | 2025 State MN is seeing his hard work in the weight room pay off during the 2022 season. As a young buck playing varsity for Eagan, Ison was an exciting ball carrier thanks to how easily he can go from a dead stop to top speed, showing off great burst that flies by first and second level defenders and leaving defenders legs looking like they were bogged down in quicksand. He also put in work against non-varsity competition, and against both varsity and JV opponents his burst, overall speed, and affinity for contact took a lot of defenders by surprise and allowed him to create high-energy plays that most definitely got his teammates and sidelines fired up. Also a prolific kick returner in 2022. He’s got a great shot of climbing up the RB and overall rankings going forward. Keep grinding, Madden.
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Also a stud wrestler, Northfield Raider sophomore Owen Murphy Owen Murphy 6’0″ | 200 lbs | LB Northfield | 2025 State MN is another standout sophomore on this list with a great shot of significantly moving up the RB and overall rankings and is currently coming in at RB9 and #78 overall. At a strong & solid 6′, 190 lbs., Murphy was a varsity ball carrier in 2022 and was a bruising addition to the Raiders RB room. Great at following his blocks and running through weaker tackle attempts, Murphy was strong in-between the tackles and bounces LBs and DBs off his lower body, even if they get a clean shot on his legs. It usually takes 2-3 defenders to bring him down and was a great short-yardage back on the goal line. Tough, strong, Southern Minnesota kid and one of the least-fun RBs to take on from this list. Go Raiders!
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Rounding out the Top-10 of the 2025 PRzMN rankings update’s RB group, Rochester John Marshall sophomore Ty’Shawn Beane Ty’Shawn Beane 5’9″ | 210 lbs | RB John Marshall | 2025 State MN . A captain for this upcoming 2023 season, Beane had a solid showing on varsity as an underclassman in 2022 and is currently the #79 overall prospect among Minnesota’s 2025s with more room to improve. He put up 67 rushes, 480 all-purpose yards, and 24 tackles this fall and was particularly nimble and quick-footed as a RB around the LOS or out in space. Also shows good hands as a WR and a knack for laying the wood when playing on defense. If he can improve that top-end speed he’s going to be a force in Rochester, Southern MN, and the Land of 10,000 Lakes these next two years.
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Cretin-Derham Hall, now led by their GOAT Steve Walsh as the head football coach, has some exciting young bucks coming up through the squad and has a bright future as a program. One of their 2025s, RB Theto Hatley Theto Hatley 5’8″ | 160 lbs | RB Cretin Durham | 2025 MN , showed off an athletic profile that MN prep football fans should be aware of at our recent PRzMN Stock-Up Showcase, including a 4.59 40, a 4.44 & 4.49 short-shuttle, and a 9’9″ & 9’8″ broad jump to highlight his speed, quickness, and explosiveness as a prospect. Although he’s lacking in film from 2022, Hatley did show that he was comfortable and dangerous in space, was proficient in pass pro, and can create splash plays. He’s a big-time player to watch going into 2023 and has the athleticism to tear up opposing defenses from the RB spot.
The 5’6, 150 lb. St. Louis Park RB is a little jitterbug of a ball carrier and uses his speed, quickness, and low center of gravity to break tackles in a variety of ways. I also love his enthusiasm and physicality as a blocker and Foster provided a nice little jumpstart and burst of energy from the RB spot to the SLP offense in 2022. More coming next season!
At 5’6, 140 lbs., Elk River RB Brecken Keoraj Brecken Keoraj 5’7″ | 155 lbs | ATH Elk River | 2025 State MN had a helluva testing portion of December’s PRzMN Stock-Up Showcase and posted a 4.78 40, a 4.31 short-shuttle, and a 9’8″ and 9’7″ broad jump. It’s a very good sign for the future of the always-loaded Elks RB room, and Keoraj made some waves in 2022 on varsity kickoff coverage and as a JV and occasionally varsity RB. Absolutely lethal burst, slippery and quick through traffic and hard for defenders to track, and physical and fearless at the contact point made for a fun-to-watch sophomore tape. I love kickoff coverage and I appreciate it when kids show that they’re willing and able to help on special teams and Keoraj made some impressive hits on ST last fall. Next season should see more of a full-time RB role if he continues to work hard. I’m pumped to see it.
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Rounding out the Top-100 and RB rankings, Bethlehem Academy sophomore RB and SS Bo Bokman Bo Bokman 5’7″ | 175 lbs | ATH Lakeville South | 2025 State MN had a strong statistical showing last fall and recorded 102 rushes for 673 yards and 6 TDs, 10 catches for 110 yards, 64 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 INTs (one for a pick-six), and 246 return yards and 1 TD. As the current RB14, Bokman is really nifty with his footwork and creates space and freezes opponents’ feet when cutting and dancing in the open field. Possesses the speed to turn the corner and outrun defenders pursuit angles, he’s a homerun ‘back and balanced through contact, especially for his size. Every run on his sophomore highlights features multiple broken tackles and he was a big-play machine in 2022. This dude will see himself climb up the rankings next update. Great tape, Bo!