North Dakota 2024 Rankings Update: Meet the Small Town Sleepers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NORTH DAKOTA--</strong> Small Town Sleepers, is one of my favorite article series to put out for our Dakotas subscribers. Why? Because in my eyes from scouting the Midwest, I get to see a ton of talent from cities, but as a US geography nut too, I also love to find prospects from cities that make most people go "where is that?" and for fun, when I travel I like to drive my wife nuts pointing out that it feels like almost every given small town that I have at some point scouted a player from there! So let's buckle down and meet some of my favorite Small Town Sleepers from sleepy towns from all over North Dakota.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='675352' first='Blake' last='Mattson'], RB, North Prairie (2024)</strong> <a href="https://twitter.com/Blake_mattson4">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rolla, ND:</strong> Pop: 1223</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Blake's football awareness around the edges, is fun to watch regardless if he's a pass-catcher out of the backfield or off the pitch as Blake impresses with his speed and balance with his best skillsets on display</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>I also like his visioned churned up with his agility in the inside box as his elusive change of direction sets a balanced tone within his rushing attack which shows off some versatile traits offensively. Also shows off better durability than you would expect with his size and length in my eyes.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Blake also is a solid finisher with his stamina and is certainly one that should be a scholarship-level prospect next year out of solid 2024 class from North Prairie, with Division I target [player_tooltip player_id='434788' first='Nate' last='Tastad'] continuing to pave his way for his backfield.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='675424' first='Jace' last='Jochim'], WR, Linton/Hazelton-Moffit-Braddock (2024)</strong> <a href="https://twitter.com/JaceJochim_5">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Linton, ND</strong>: Pop: 1071</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hazelton, ND:</strong> Pop: 223</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Moffit, ND</strong>: Unincorporated</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Braddock, ND</strong>: Pop: 18</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>In Jace's first look on tape, he shows off a solid balance of play-making ability on a difficult vertical route to make a high football IQ catch on tape to start off his tape eval. He also has a quite intriguing stretch for the football with his length.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Jace has the versatility to play as the X or Y wide receiver in any system, and has a solid release off the snap and is a wide receiver prospect you can ask to high top the football with his sizable catch radius. Love watching his consistency catching the over the middle of the field with his vertical and fearless demeanor. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>At 6'1 165, I certainly see this young man playing college football at the next-level as that length goes way over his measurables in my eyes. Also is a strong basketball player as well, which correlates well to the wide receiver spot at the next-level.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='675425' first='Carson' last='Haerer'], ATH, Bottineau (2024)</strong> <a href="https://twitter.com/CarsonHaerer">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bottineau, ND:</strong> Pop: 2194 (just over 10 miles from the Canadian Border)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>I loved watching the instinct Carson plays with the football in his hands and without the ball as well, as you can tell within the first 10-15 seconds of his tape how much of a team leader this young man is no matter where he is lined up on the football field.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Out of the backfield, Carson shows an intriguing width with his radius and has the catch &amp; go with his release which shows off some competitive speed for the duration of the rest of his routes built with good length of stamina.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Carson also shows off competitive balance especially with timing his jump on his intermediate/deep routes. The biggest reason I listed Carson as an athlete, is his positon flexibility at the next-level shows off a prospect that can play on either side of the ball, and one that has a quick trigger to get to where the football is with his excellent instincts. I see Carson as a big time stockriser in the next 3-4 months once we get deeper into camp season.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='503417' first='Grady' last='Wehlander'], OL/DL, Sargent County (2024)</strong><a href="https://twitter.com/grady_wehlander"> Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gwinner, ND:</strong> Pop: 924</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Grady for sure checked a box for me when I first saw his stance on his junior tape, as the athleticism he has built with that stance to pull leverage is why he's so successful on his first few clips on tape. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>He also does a consistent job with his pad level and has some versatile hands to drive block his man into the second level or can just straight bully up a defener to throw them to the turf. He also is a downhill freight train waiting to happen when he gets out of his stance with his pull blocks, as I would love to see Grady get a slightly quicker trigger as we get into summer with his 6'1 245 pound frame.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>I love this young man's strength control he has with his base in 1v1 blocking situations as he also shows off the poised hands with his football IQ on what the proper technique is for the situations he is given. I expect Grady to rise up our recruiting board and hopefully college football recruiters recruiting board as well this summer, so stay tuned where he ends up in 3-4 months. High GPA prospect with a 3.8 GPA.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='675619' first='Levi' last='Kackman'], ATH, Wyndmere-Lidgerwood (2024)</strong> <a href="https://twitter.com/levi_kackman">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wyndmere, ND:</strong> Pop: 454</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lidgerwood, ND: </strong>Pop: 600</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Levi popped out from my first look with his elusive release off the top of his route and that speed with his route-running remained persistent throughout the routes I caught in his clips.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>He also shows off some agile cuts with his footwork which adds to his advantage of getting separation and shows off jabs of durability in his 5'10 160 pound body, a ton more than you would expect when he has the growing momentum advantage on the cornerback. Levi shows off plenty of positional flexibility on both sides of the ball, as I like his instincts as a defensive back in pass coverage, as on consistent occasions on tape he has a big trigger with his open hips to quickly jump the route despite giving the wide receiver a sizable cushion at times-can only imagine what this kid is capable of doing in more pressing coverage in the near future.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Going off on a slight limb here with the last 3 prospects, but Levi has one of the higher ceilings of prospects I believe will rise in the coming months as future stockrisers. Would love to see this young man at a couple Division II or I camps this summer.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='675427' first='Hunter' last='Davis'], ATH, Tioga (2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tioga, ND</strong>: Pop: 2202</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Hunter might be 6'1 165 pounds, but he carries in my eyes a bigger frame when he has the football in his hands, as his downhill running ability looks much more developed as far as his size goes. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Regardless of which field this athlete plays on, I love watching his instinct in full motion, as that instinct plus strong field vision can pave his way quickly into the ball carrier without much warning coming their way due to his athletic ability.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>I would say the two biggest growth brewing for Hunter is his durability off intial contact and his long-field speed as I would love to see him jack up his stamina this offseason as we get into camp season, as this young man could be a true hidden gem from Tioga, ND population just over 2000.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list -->