PrepRedzoneMN 2024 Rankings Update: Top Newcomers
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PrepRedzoneMN is off and rolling with rankings coverage after the official 2024 update went live a day ago and if you haven’t check it out yet, make sure you take a look at our detailed breakdown of the new Top-10…
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Continue ReadingPrepRedzoneMN is off and rolling with rankings coverage after the official 2024 update went live a day ago and if you haven’t check it out yet, make sure you take a look at our detailed breakdown of the new Top-10 of the 2024 class. If you’ve experienced past rankings updates with us, you know we always make sure to highlight and feature the rankings update’s top newcomers and stock risers to make sure we give our readers the rundown of Minnesota prep football players making waves on the recruiting trail and on the gridiron. This latest update of the 2024s, which added more than 50 new names in our enhanced Top-240, saw some significant talent added to the board, with some especially exciting prospects make their inaugural introduction to the rankings list. As always, PRzMN is here to evaluate and spotlight the must-know names of the 2024 update’s Top Newcomers, and you should already know you won’t find a more detailed source for MN high school football coverage and the upcoming seniors than right here. Congrats to these 15 on their hard work paying off! Let’s dig in.
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The top newcomer of the 2024 class was broken down in detail for yesterday’s PRzMN Top-10 feature, so if you want more info on Esko’s superstar junior Koi Perich make sure you check out the article here. To keep it short, Perich is a fantastic athlete with outstanding production and big play ability on offense, defense, and special teams. Burst, top-end speed, and elusiveness with the ball in his hands made for a fun-to-watch junior tape oozing with P5 potential. According to 247Sports, Wisconsin is the favorite to land his talents as of right now, but with no definitive answer from Perich himself this recruitment is still very much alive. He visited Iowa on the 7th, and Illinois offered on February 28th, joining Vandy, Washington, Kansas, Northwestern, Wisco, Iowa, Nebraska’s old staff, and the home state Gophers. Make sure you check out his film if you haven’t already –> Junior Tape
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The other Top-10 newcomer burst onto the recruiting scene early in the fall, has quickly made up for lost time, and has risen to one of the most popular prospects in the 2024 class. Coon Rapids’ wideout Khijohnn Cummings-Coleman came onto the scene without previously being on a lot of programs’ radars, but that quickly changed after Iowa State made another great and early evaluation of a Minnesota prospect and trusted what they saw/heard and became the first to pull the trigger on an MN talent in mid-September. The Cyclones recruit the state about as well as anyone, and after they got involved Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, NIU, Central Michigan, and Army all joined the mix. For a full breakdown of his rapid rise and recruitment, make sure you check out the Top-10 MN 2024s, but to keep things short and sweet I am a big fan of KCC’s consistency in making tacklers miss, speed, and ball skills. He’s a great athlete and always a splash play threat from the WR position. There are some exciting skill players at the top-end of the 2024 class and KCC fits right in with the best of them. Welcome to the Top-10 and the PRzMN 2024 rankings, young man!
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There were a lot of good takeaways from December’s PrepRedzoneMN Stock-Up Showcase at the Tonka Dome, but one of my favorites from the two sessions of competition came in the form of Bloomington Jefferson 2024 Danny King, who makes a big inaugural introduction to the rankings at #22 overall. He measured in at the Showcase at a legit 6’4, 220+, ran in the high 4.8 in the 40, went 4.65 in the short-shuttle, and jumped 9′ in the broad. Although he’s currently listed as a WR, it’s not hard to not see him play TE at the next level, and he’s got the makings to be a dang good one at that. At the Showcase, I came away most impressed by his COD skills and body control at his size, and the tape backs that up too, as you see King able to easily gain separation in his releases or throughout the route and cut/break off his routes like a much smaller wideout. I also love his huge catch radius, ability to win contested catches, and general ball skills when high-pointing the rock or making receptions through contact. He’s also capable of blocking in space, albeit against smaller DBs, but the pass-catching prowess is impressive and advanced and should not be overlooked by college coaches. I’m excited to see who gets involved.
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I got a little out of order here and am moving back down the rankings for our next Top Newcomer in #17 overall Brycen Lotz. The Braham High School offensive lineman is one of the biggest winners of this still-developing offseason and has burst into the D1 recruiting scene after his successful junior season with the Bombers. After a junior day visit to FCS national champions South Dakota State in mid-February, the Jackrabbits kicked off his recruitment with a big-time FCS offer, and after NIU, Minnesota, and Iowa State reached out with junior day invites, South Dakota and North Dakota State also joined in with scholarship offers. Those are some major first few offers for the Outstate offensive lineman, and at 6’5, 260 lbs. Lotz is far from done on the recruiting trail. On tape, the RT shows noticeable mobility and opens his tape by impressively driving an opponent almost 30 yards downfield, then following it up with a massive hit on a LB when working to the second level of the defense uninhibited. Also able to pull and swipe back across the LOS, his comfortability in space and with a full head of steam is impressive, as is his leg drive when he engages an opponent, and if he can hit the weight room hard this summer and add some strength he’s going to be a nightmare for opposing defenses to deal with next season. The athleticism already is there, and you have to trust an NDSU OL eval from our home state. Keep grinding, Brycen! Big things coming.
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We’re moving back down the rankings before we head up again, and this time we’re rolling all the way down to the Top-15 and our current #12 ranked prospect in Lakeville North EDGE Antonio Menard. The 6’3, 215 lber. has received his fair share of press from us since the season ended, but if you don’t already know, the Panthers standout has a lot of exciting factors built into his recruiting profile. The younger brother of former NDSU All-American and LNHS legend Greg Menard, younger bro Antonio is also a standout wrestler in the upper weights of Class AAA and brings a hard-hitting playstyle to the gridiron that FCS and FBS programs have begun to take notice of. After a bunch of unofficial gameday visits during the fall, Wyoming kicked things off with an FBS offer from the Mountain West, and since then Northern Iowa, North Dakota State, Yale, South Dakota State, and Army have all joined in the recruitment of Menard. On tape, he makes plays from all over the defensive line and can play from a two or three-point stance efficiently, and I really like how he impacts both the run and pass game with a variety of different methods. The first step, closing speed, quickness when beating blockers to their inside shoulder, and strength at the point of attack keep lineman guessing and on their heels, and he gets into the backfield as fast as anyone in the state. Plus, he can make plays in space and 1-on-1 settings and be able to get a lot of practice in 2022 when he was left unblocked a boggling amount. Opponents won’t make that same mistake again this year.
A high-upside offensive weapon with eye-catching measurables makes up our next PRzMN 2024 rankings update Top Newcomer, and 6’7, 215 lb. Totino-Grace TE Adam Molitor makes for a great addition to the Top-25 at #23 overall. A strong junior campaign on the gridiron helped Molitor enter the stratosphere of D1 recruits this offseason, as a mid-February visit to Cedar Falls and the University of Northern Iowa led to him leaving with a FCS scholarship offer, and more are undoubtedly on the way. Also a standout baseball player holding a 3.87 GPA, Molitor’s junior highlights show off a TE who can be a huge asset in the passing game and a high impact weapon with the ball in his hands. The 6’7 length helps step through and slip out of tackle attempts, and Molitor also shows off some noticeable contact balance and shake when making tacklers miss in various ways. I also like how he finds space and sneaks past the second level of a defense to get open, and he’ll fully commit to blocks both at the LOS and out on the perimeter. Molitor also has the frame to blow up and become a monster in a college strength and conditioning program, and the athleticism he’s showing at his size will keep him a popular name for collegiate recruiting boards going forward.
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Another standout Top Newcomer with a familiar last name, East Ridge’s 2024 OL Kene Anene is the younger brother of NDSU redshirt freshman DE Toby Anene and saw his recruitment surge up a level this offseason. Since 2023 rolled around, Anene has earned offers from UNI, Colorado State, South Dakota, NDSU, and Army, allowing him to easily claim a spot in the Top-25 of the PRzMN 2024 rankings update. At 6’5, 265 lbs., the RT is an obviously strong kid, stonewalling and sometimes crumpling opponents at the initial punch in both run and pass blocking scenarios. A simple down-block allows Anene to work defenders into the ground in only a few steps of strong leg drive, and I also like how he can break down and engage smaller opponents in space. Also got a good motor on him and I like his lateral agility and balance as well. Anene is another good athlete at a premium position out of the Land of 10,000 Lakes with a bright future ahead of him. Keep an eye on the Bison for this recruitment, passing up the chance to play with your brother in college is a tough opportunity to pass up for anyone.
Forest Lake is undoubtedly on the up-and-up as a program and something different is in the drinking water of their recruiting classes, as they’ve been putting out some studs as of late and have some even better prospects upcoming. The top dog out of their 2024 class is 6’3, 225 lb. LB/TE Mark Rendl, who comes into our updated rankings as a Top Newcomer at #26 overall. Rendl possesses one of my favorite characteristics of a recruiting profile and is a high-level dual-sporter who excels on the wrestling mat, so much so that he won the Class AAA 220 lb. state championship earlier this month, and now that wrestling is over I’m pumped to see what’s on the agenda for his junior year offseason. NDSU, Iowa State, SDSU, and a host of NSIC programs have reached out with junior day and/or spring game invites, and with his impressive size I have a good feeling he’ll pass the eye test when he meets these coaches in person. In his junior highlights, Rendl sifts and works through traffic smoothly, and I like the angles he takes in pursuit, which helps him make plays in the backfield and down the LOS, and out on the edge of the defense. He’s quick when working under blocks, shows good speed out of his stance, and is a hammer at the tackling point, where he laid some massive, big-boy hits in the fall of 2022. He posted 92 tackles, 5 TFLs, and 2 sacks last fall and is more than poised to best those numbers as a senior. Lots to look forward to from the Forest Lake Ranger.
The Stewartville Tigers possessed outstanding size on their 2022 roster and bring a ton of meat back into 2023. They’ll be led on the defensive side of the ball by the massive 6’4, 220 lb. ILB Caleb Jannsen, who makes his debut as a Top Newcomer in the latest PRzMN rankings update at #44 overall. Still waiting on that elusive first offer, Jannsen has visited Northern Illinois, St. Thomas, and Winona State so far this offseason and has been contacted by the likes of Sioux Falls, SDSU, NDSU, Augustana, SMSU, and MSUM. The junior helped the Tigers to a 10-1 record in 2022 and posted 45 tackles, 6 TFLs, 2 sacks, and 2 fumble recoveries while aiding Stewie to a district championship, section championship, and state quarterfinal appearance. While manning the middle of the defense, Jannsen laid some massive hits on opposing ball carriers while showing off solid instincts and the vision to see and take space around the LOS when working into the backfield. This includes LB stunts, and I also like his range out to the edge of the LOS for a LB of his size. His strong movement skills also came very handy when playing OT, where he could easily cut off opponents and use their momentum and leverage against them using superior footwork and hand usage. He’s a strong kid and knows how to use it. Keep your eyes and ears open for Stewartville prospects these next couple of cycles!
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Another Robbinsdale Armstrong skill player joining the ranks of D1 prospects shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to our readers, and our next Top Newcomer comes in the form of 6’1 WR Seth Newbern, our #48 ranked prospect at this point in time. Newbern burst onto the scene after earning his first offer from FCS Northern Iowa back in February, and has been in contact and taken unofficial visits to NDSU and SDSU during the fall. There’s still a lot to learn about the wideout, hence the ranking, as Newbern only posted 6 receptions for 179 yards and 2 TDs in 2022, but in the limited tape you can see length, deep-threat capability, and ball skills. Newbern is near the top of my list of players I want to see in person this offseason once we move home to Minnesota this summer.
One of my favorite Top Newcomers and new additions to the PRzMN 2024 official rankings, Duluth Denfeld – the home of CJ Ham – is home to the electric 5’11, 180 lber. Dashawn Moore. Now the #54 ranked overall prospect in Minnesota’s 2024 class, the Chicago product was one of the top kick returners in MN last fall and brings a ton of offensive versatility and playmaking ability to the Hunters. In 2022, Moore was fast, and opens his tape with an impressive rundown of a loose Esko ball carrier almost 70 yards downfield as the backside corner on a beautiful pursuit angle that not a lot of players have the speed to pull off. He then shows off the strength a few plays later, using his impressive lower body to carry a dogpile of over half-a-dozen Cloquet defenders for more than 5 yards for an important first down conversion. In-between, Moore shows off fantastic shiftiness, making beautiful cuts that leave defenders grasping at air and cutting on a dime before opponents can react. I also like his contact balance and burst, and if he can convert some of his dazzling 10-20 yard runs into TDs and bigger splash plays then he’s got a great chance of continuing to climb the ’24 rankings. The Duluth area is stacked this season, don’t miss out.
New London-Spicer had a fantastic 2022 campaign and a remarkable finish to the season and their state championship win, which was built on the traps of well-built football prospects like 2024 DE/FB/LB Lucas Swenson. At 6’3, 225 lbs., Swenson comes in as a Top Newcomer while holding down the #57 overall ranking, and he follows in the footsteps of a ton of NLS defenders possessing great size for the prep football ranks. With a nose for contact, a good get-off when manning the DL, positional versatility, and strength when taking on blocks, Swenson made some big plays and laid some big hits as a junior in 2022. Although he needs to do some serious editing of his junior highlights, it’s clear that the rising senior displays an impressive combination of strength, speed, and physicality, and his FB highlights in particular are explosive and violent. He’ll be even better as a senior. Go Wildcats!
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Gotta have some 9man representation on this list! Spring Grove, the 2022 9man runner-ups, are well represented on the newest 2024 rankings update and are led by 6’5 WR Jaxon Strinmoen, our current 64 overall ranked prospect. Strinmoen, also a standout hooper who carries a 3.96 GPA, posted 645 receiving yards in 2022 to go along with his All-District HM nod, shows off a lot of his basketball skills on the gridiron, with length, ball skills, contested catch ability, lateral quickness, and a great vertical game all present and impressive on tape. His speed also torched defenses on simple WR screens, laid some big hits as a safety, and was generally a big play machine on both sides of the ball last fall. At only 170 pounds, the size has to intrigue college programs as well, as Stronmoen has the chance to blow up in a college S&C program. He was dominate against 9man competition and one of the best players in arguably a couple of classifications of MN prep football. Outstate, small-school sleeper, tell me you haven’t heard this one before!
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The Minnetonka LB corps is loaded with talent for this upcoming season, and with the high school’s legacy of dominant linebackers there’s a lot to be excited about for their current LB room as college prospects. Our #66 overall prospect, Top Newcomer Robby House weighs in at 6’1, 215 lbs. and was also a part of the Skippers‘ excellent hockey team this season. I would not want to meet this kid on the gridiron or out on the ice, and in his junior year highlights the ILB shows that he’s one of the hardest hitters in the state, flattening ball carriers right at the LOS and crumpling them backwards for minimal gains on run attempts. He also smashed his fair share of QBs, and House attacks blocking attempts with the same physicality he brings to ball carriers, making him a perfect fit to take on interior OL around the LOS for four quarters at a time. He reads and reacts quickly, closes well, and brings a ton of thump as a tackler. You don’t want this dude to get hands or pads on you.
Yet another well-built 2024 LB in the PRzMN 2024 rankings classes extremely loaded LB positional group, 6’2, 210 lb. Rochester John Marshall’s backer Nolan Radtke makes his introduction as a Top Newcomer at #68 overall. The city of Rochester is overflowing with defensive talent for this 2023 season, and Radtke is one of the best of the bunch. He reports a 510 lb. squat, 4.32 pro-agility, and 35 inch vertical, and has already been named an All-Conference and 2x All-Area selection while also winning his team’s defensive POY honors and the captaincy for 2023. In 9 games of his junior year, Radtke posted 81 tackles (52 solo), with 14 TFLs and 2 sacks while showing off speed, range, and a nonstop motor. I also like how he’s conscious of the ball and will rip and target the rock to try and force fumbles, will take on blocks with physicality, and can tackle in space. Speed is more the name of Radtke’s game, and at 6’2, 210 lb. that presents a big problem for opposing RBs and QBs who have to try and get out of his way throughout a ball game. As I said, Rochester has a ton of talent in 2023 and collegiate DCs and LB/DB coaches should make the city a must-stop for their 2024 recruiting classes.
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