North Dakota 2024 Players to Watch (11AA)
With the 2024 rankings coming out yesterday, that switched up this article a little bit. The kids on the rankings are all solid, but a big part of our job is finding the kids off the radar as well. I…
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With the 2024 rankings coming out yesterday, that switched up this article a little bit. The kids on the rankings are all solid, but a big part of our job is finding the kids off the radar as well. I was able to sweep through the teams in 11AA and find a good handful of athletes to watch. This group of players each play their positions well. They might not be the biggest or fastest, but they still play at a high level. Check out these 11AA Players to Watch in Class 2024.
Alex Vyska (TE/LB)- Bismarck Legacy, HighlightsVyska has a frame to fear in the defensive box. He does a good job stepping up and filling on run support. Once he has his read, he fills his gap, sheds the block and finds his way to the tackle. When he blitzes, he does an excellent job shooting gaps and getting pressure on the QB. I like his form and how he wraps up around the legs on his tackles. His lateral movement works well when he drops into a middle pass zone, but also when he’s squaring up to make tackles as well. Offensively, his blocking is something to watch. His physicality and footwork make him a really good guy to run behind in the run game.
Ruebben Diehyee (DB)- West Fargo Sheyenne, Highlights
Diehyee is a good perimeter tackler. Any time the ball gets out to his side of the field, he is flying up and making the stop, delivering a good hit when he can. His speed also works well for him when he’s running with a speedy receiver step-for-step. He has really ball sense when it comes to getting a hand in on the pass without drawing a flag. The motor he shows is impressive when he is chasing the ballcarrier from the other side of the field. The big thing I liked on tape was his tackling, he put a good hit into the ballcarrier when making the tackle, then wrapping up and not letting go.Quin Hafner (QB)- Bismarck, Highlights
Hafner will be a defensive problem next season. From his arm strength to his accuracy, he can make the throws. Another game changer for him is his mobility in the pocket. I like the way he scrambles and extends plays and gives his receivers time to get open. Whether he is on the run or planted, he will deliver a good ball from any range. He has good accuracy on his short, medium and long passes. One underrated quality he has is he sits in the pocket under pressure and will still throw a good ball while getting drilled.Adam Leininger (RB/LB)- Fargo Shanley, Offense, Defense
Leininger may be a big ‘under the radar’ athlete next season. His motor when running the football is something to watch on tape. Once he takes the handoff, he does a great job accelerating pass the line of scrimmage and running through contact. Even after contact, he keeps his wheels spinning and keeps driving to earn every extra yard. He has excellent vision when looking for space to run through, he makes very good cuts to get to the open space as well. Defensively, he does an excellent job disrupting the offensive run game. He reads quick and shoots through the open gap and makes a good tackle in the backfield.Nicholas Hasbargen (WR/DB)- Fargo Davies, Highlights
Hasbargen is a very reliable target for the Davies offense. He runs his routes extremely crisp, and finds the sticks to keep the offense on the field. When the ball is in the air going towards him, he is going up to get it and will be the one to come down with it. He also has the speed to be a deep threat as well. His blocking on the perimeter can help spark the run game. On the defensive side, he roamed around the scheme at both Safety and LB. He played both positions perfectly when it came to assignment football. Executing his roles in passing downs and on short yardage situations with good pass coverage and tackling.Rustin Medenwald (DB)- Mandan, Highlights
Medenwald didn’t have a lot of tape, but the tape he has up shows what he does well. He wasn’t a flashy, standout player, but he did his job perfectly on each play. His pass drops got him enough depth to cover the deep passes, but still in position to play the short passes as well. The awareness he showed to stay in a good position to jump routes in his zone and make plays on the ball was very impressive. I liked his tackling for a guy his size, making sure he wrapped the guy up and hung on until the whistle blew.
Leyton Hofland (RB/DB)- West Fargo, Highlights
Hofland is a very physical RB to get good chunks of yards for the offense. When he takes the handoff he accelerate through the gap and will run through any defender that gets in his way. In traffic, he keeps good pad level and keeps his wheels turning through contact and will add another 3-4 yards to each carry. While doing all that he keeps very good ball security while in the pile and keeps a good grip even when going to the ground. Defensively, he really shows his speed, running with defenders and taking away deep passes. He also shows good ball sense, knowing when to make plays on the receiver and the football.Austin Smith (OL)- Bismarck Century, Highlights
Smith plays an excellent game in the trenches. I like watching his footwork after the snap and how he positions himself to make blocks. His snap is real quick and gets to the QB in a hurry, but he still keeps perfect form in his blocking technique. Keeping good pad level and having a really good base after the snap, his gaps are extremely difficult to get through. Once his hands engage the defender, he shows his strength and drive, leading to a big pancake of the guy across from him. When the offense runs the football, he does a great job clearing the gap for the RB to run through.
Hank Barry (LB)- Bismarck St. Mary’s, Highlights
Barry has the attributes that make him a good stand up DE/OLB type athlete. His frame is what makes him a great fit for the position. Adding his speed off the edge and he takes away a lot of perimeter run plays, as well as chasing the plays down from behind. What makes him a really good LB is his tackling ability. Even at full speed he can still square up the ballcarrier for a good form tackle. I like his positioning when he strikes the ballcarrier and how he finishes the tackle with a wrap up. Lastly he can defend the flats really well in the pass or also on the perimeter runs when he’s not on the line of scrimmage.Colter Azbell Colter Azbell ATH Williston | 2024 ND (WR/DB)- Williston, Highlights
Azbell is a receiver I wouldn’t sleep on. He shows some playmaking ability on the offensive side on his tape. There is a good amount of speed there to burn the defense if they aren’t in the right position. On screens, he gets North-and-South and hits the jets to gash a big play out of the defense if they don’t keep contain on him. He can run the deep routes and get some space on them. In traffic is when makes a play, elevating above the defender to high-point the ball and come down with the catch.