Way Too Early QB Rankings: Rapid City Area

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>RAPID CITY--</strong> We are notorious by now by putting out our QB rankings way too early across the Dakotas months and months before the start of football season. Why? Because it creates early speculation amongst players, coaches, football fans, college coaches who might be the best QB in one particular area of a major city in the Dakotas. Our second stop for our Way Too Early QB rankings checks in Rapid City. We scanned the rosters which stretched up to an hour outside of Rapid City, to create who we feel are the best of the best the Black Hills and West River region has to offer at the quarterback position. Here we go!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Honorable Mention</strong>: [player_tooltip player_id='233647' first='Sam' last='Kooima'], QB, Deadwood-Lead (2025)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#7: Carter Williams, QB, Sturgis Brown (2025) </strong><a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/16241452/636475319a9aff0b5cd86d70">Tape</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Size matters to a lot of people especially at the quarterback position and at 6'3 175 pounds, we introduce you to our #7 QB from the Rapid City Area in Sturgis Brown's <strong>Carter Williams</strong>. Carter was the only QB prospect on this list that played junior varsity last season, but some of the reps we saw on JV showed some upside when we evaluate him over the next two years. The intriguing skillset in my eyes for Carter right now is his touch ball that serve well on a couple different levels of the football field. Carter might have the highest upside level within the first three QB prospects we will talk about as in my eyes his mechanics are the most raw of the bunch but his arm strength and precise accuracy gives me reason to believe that by mid-season this young man will raise up a couple QB spots.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#6: Aiden Russell, QB, Douglas (2025) </strong><a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2J7zv2">Tape</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The tape on Aiden is quite light right now, so it's hard to evaluate where his skillsets lie as far as the quarterback position goes. He shows some upside when it comes to watching his touch ball, but again the lack of tape didn't give us enough reps to see continuously what he can do throwing the football. He does show off a quick release with some good mobility, and I could tell by watching his tape from early in the Patriots season to the end, that there was some improvement in his throwing mechanics. Also showed some good glimpses in his last tape against Spearfish.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#5: [player_tooltip player_id='210632' first='Roland' last='Sedlacek'], QB, Custer (2025) </strong><a href="https://twitter.com/RolandSedlacek">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the #5 QB spot in the Rapid City Area is Custer's <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='210632' first='Roland' last='Sedlacek']</strong>. Roland is certainly a next-level prospect, but I have said in the past he likely is not a next-level quarterback, but I really like him most in the secondary as a free safety. At 6'3 Roland is quite durable for his size and shows off a good amount of length and burst in his quick strides with his mobility out of the pocket. When throwing on his routes, Roland shows off athletic touch when his ball drops into the wide receiver's hands. I also like his nature of persistently stepping up in the pocket when watching his throws in motion. I have scouted Roland's brother and Northern State LB <strong>Daniel Sedlacek</strong>, and if there is one thing I remember about Daniel was just how noticeable his work ethic was on tape, and I am sure the apple doesn't fall far from the tree with Roland, as I think he can make a climb up a spot or two when break this down by the end of the 2023 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#4: Ryan Wetch, QB, Rapid City Central (2024) </strong><a href="https://twitter.com/RyanWetch">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Checking into my #4 spot for quarterbacks in the Rapid City Area is Rapid City Central's<strong> Ryan Wetch</strong>. Wetch is by far the most tenured QB prospect on this list, becoming a starter for the Cobblers since his freshmen season two seasons ago already. Ryan excels most with his consistent touch-ball on all levels of the field on tape. He's grown a bit with his arm strength since his sophomore season as he has also developed a quicker release out his progressions. The developmental part for Ryan is his release, as although he has the persistent touch there are times where his ball could use a smoother release point with his grip which is why in my eyes he sits in the #4 spot for QBs in the Rapid City Area.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#3: Simon Kieffer, QB, Rapid City Christian (2025) </strong><a href="https://twitter.com/SimonKieffer_2">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In my eyes, it is time to meet the biggest stock riser in my eyes since last season in Rapid City Christian QB <strong>Simon Kieffer.</strong> I love watching Simon's ball placement as he picks a spot and hits it right on the money persistently. My favorite rep on tape comes from the 3OT game Rapid City Christian had with Lead-Deadwood where Simon used that elevated ball placement a ton of grit, to put the ball right where it needed to be fitted for his WR to win it. He has a very natural release and a ton of fire in his arm strength that shoots out sizable precision for his WR to catch and go. I don't even recall Simon on our radar last year when we made our Rapid City Area QB rankings list as if that is any indication of how much growth this kid has shown from last year. Simon checks in as QB3 in the Rapid City Area.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#2: [player_tooltip player_id='105526' first='Lee' last='Neugebauer'], QB, Rapid City St. Thomas More (2024) </strong><a href="https://twitter.com/LeeNeggs123">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This one might be the biggest surprise to some on this list but not to us, Rapid City St. Thomas More's <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='105526' first='Lee' last='Neugebauer']</strong> because in my eyes, Lee has the most to prove with his excellent skill level, after an injury wiped away a high portion of his junior season. What pops out on tape with Lee is just how poised this kid is when he's inside the pocket even with pressure in the area. He has one of the most fiery arm strengths amongst southpaw quarterbacks in the state, and quite possibly amongst South Dakota and North Dakota combined at 6'2 200 pounds. I also love the speed of his quick release, as Lee can sling it with his throws on all three levels of the field. I think from a development side, if Lee can create more mobility with his legs, that will grow his game even more in 2023. Lee certainly looks like a college football QB prospect in our QB2 spot in the Rapid City Area.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#1: [player_tooltip player_id='174184' first='Burk' last='Blasius'], QB, Wall (2024) </strong> <a href="https://twitter.com/BurkBlasius11">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Our QB1 for the Rapid City Area comes from about an hour east of Rapid City, and home of the 2022 9AA state champions last season in Wall QB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='174184' first='Burk' last='Blasius']</strong>. Burk has some of the best timed deep route throws in the Black Hills overall, as you can tell the chemistry he has with his wide receivers is extremely high as Burk is also a high academic prospect with a 4.0 GPA. Burk to me is also the grittiest quarterback in the Black Hills, as on countless reps last season on tape he tested the heck out of the secondary with his throws, but his fitting ability proved no match for just about all of them. Burk also is intriguing with his mobility and durability as I got to see in person at the DakotaDome in Vermilion this winter, how little of an area this kid needs to operate to have success throwing the football as he's significantly elusive in his 6'0 size. I also love the controlled vision and agility Burk runs with when he gets downhill to tuck it and run. If there is a QB prospect I am going out of the measurables threeshold for at camps this summer, you bet I am betting on Wall's [player_tooltip player_id='174184' first='Burk' last='Blasius'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->