Minnesota’s Early Winners from the Summer Camp SZN
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Man, I love the summer camp grind. For recruiting gurus, scouts, and professionals, this is the thick of things, and with the introduction of the Early Signing Day in 2017, timelines have moved up and a significant portion of P5…
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Continue ReadingMan, I love the summer camp grind. For recruiting gurus, scouts, and professionals, this is the thick of things, and with the introduction of the Early Signing Day in 2017, timelines have moved up and a significant portion of P5 prospects choose to close their recruitments down during the summer and commit before their senior year kicks off. For a guy like me, the amount of offers, movement, and significant recruiting waves make my heart flutter to even think about, and even during my honeymoon (which just ended a couple of days ago), I couldn’t help but closely monitor, consume, and thoroughly enjoy the performances and resulting offers from Midwest standouts during the first few weeks of the summer camp szn. Without exception, I kept the closest eye and was most personally invested in Minnesota athletes and their success during the summer, and at university and mega camps such as Wayne State (MI), UW-River Falls, Minnesota, Iowa State, SDSU, and Wisconsin, Minnesotans of all ages have elevated their stock, made significant ripples, and no doubt won the early portion of the Great Summer Camp SZN. Lucky for you, PRzMN has the most comprehensive recap of the winners and standouts. Let’s dig in.
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1) Sam Macy Sam Macy 6'5" | 230 lbs | LB Chanhassen | 2024 State MN (Chanhassen) 2024. EDGE. 6’4, 225 lbs. Committed to the Minnesota Gophers
No doubt the biggest winner from the early camp szn, I broke down Macy and his commitment to the hometown team for a recent PrepRedzone Midwest special feature, but I’m still so fired up about the commitment that I have no problem going over it again. A long-time top-tier recruit in the 2024 class of MN, Macy started as a sophomore for Chanhassen and immediately began to assert himself well above his age bracket, with length and physicality apparent and noticeable in droves. He only got bigger and better since then, and is now going into his senior season as a three-year starter and is still in the midst of an offseason that has seen him gain over 20 pounds of quality weight. According to GopherIllustrated publisher Ryan Burns, the Gophs were telling Macy (I’m paraphrasing) that they liked his game and what he brought off the edge and was a definite contender on their recruiting big board, but that they needed to get a look at him in camp and in-person this summer. Well, after the Gopher’s June 4th prospect camp in Dinkytown, the Minnesota staff loved what he showed them and offered a B1G scholarship which he quickly accepted. According to GopherIllustrated, they wanted to see how he moved/changed direction and if he maintained his athleticism after adding 20+ pounds, and he checked those boxes while showing off the physicality you see in his game tape in the camp setting. It was enough to earn him his first P5 offer, and now he’ll be a Golden Gopher EDGE. Additionally, his junior highlights displays burst/acceleration and closing speed, range, and an efficiency at getting off blocks, as well as that aforementioned physicality. He also read and reacts quickly and diagnoses offensive plays well, and his experience is also a huge plus in his resume as a recruit. Prior to the Gophers offer, Macy held offers from North Dakota, Air Force, Army, Navy, and South Dakota, so the Chanhassen defender was a shoo-in for the #1 spot of the summer camp season’s early winners. Congrats on the huge June, Sam! We can’t wait to watch you on Saturdays in Dinkytown.
2) Zach Vanderpool Zach Vanderpool 6'5" | 230 lbs | DL Byron | 2024 State MN (Byron) 2024. DE. 6’5, 230 lbs.
Coming in at #2 is the now highly-touted Byron DE Zach Vanderpool Zach Vanderpool 6'5" | 230 lbs | DL Byron | 2024 State MN , who came into the summer with three NSIC offers but has quickly and impressively rose his stock and done a fantastic job of performing and balling out during in-person camp sessions, beginning with the Gophers prospect camp on June 4th. His frame, movement skills, and athleticism at 6’5, 230+ helped him leavy Dinkytown with a PWO from the home state Gophers that night, and things took off from there. North Dakota also saw him at the U of M that Sunday and offered him directly after the camp, Air Force offered him after the Minnesconsin camp at UWRF, South Dakota State offered him after he camped and visited Brookings, and Northern Iowa offered he balled out at Iowa State’s camp. Additionally, offers from Augustana and MSU-Mankato have mixed in during this time, and two days ago the North Dakota State Bison offered a heavyweight FCS scholarship as well. It’s been a heckuva run for the stock-riser, and Vanderpool far from done. As a junior, I liked Vanderpool’s length, bend, get-off, and physicality, which came from a number of different alignments from a two or three-point stance from as far as the Wide-9. He was also assertive and physical as an offensive lineman, and a good finisher, and is a stronger kid for only 230 lbs. who looks skinny on tape. He’s got a high-ceiling and has a ton of good football still in front of him. What a summer it’s been so far, I can’t wait to see how his recruitment continues to develop.
3) Kene Anene Kene Anene 6'5" | 265 lbs | OL East Ridge | 2024 State MN (East Ridge) 2024. OL. 6’5, 265 lbs. Committed to Kansas
This is far from our first time discussing East Ridge Raptor OL Kene Anene Kene Anene 6'5" | 265 lbs | OL East Ridge | 2024 State MN , one of the best lineman in Minnesota’s 2024 class and crop of prospects overall. He came into the summer far from unknown on the recruiting trail and with 12 Division offers from the likes of South Dakota State, North Dakota State, Colorado State, Army, and Air Force, but things have picked up in these last two weeks and he’s now a P5 prospect after the Kansas Jayhawks offered a Big12 scholarship almost a week ago. Anene – whose older brother plays DE for the NDSU Bison – showed up and showed out at the Gophers prospect camp on June 4th, which definitely helped boost his stock, and the Jayhawks got a look at him at I believe Iowa State’s prospect camp, which was their second time getting an in-person evaluation on the East Ridge product after checking him out in the spring. Excitedly, during his Official Visit to Lawrence and the Jayhawks program this weekend, Anene just announced his commitment to Kansas and to play P5 football in the Big12. It’s a good move, as the Jayhawks trusted his talent and their eval of him and were his first P5 offer, and although his chances of earning another P5 offer definitely grew, KU believes in his talent and potential the most and spots do not stay open and committable forever. Plus, KU is very much on the up-and-up and have a heckuva coaching staff turning around a program that was bottom of the barrel for a very long time. On tape, the rising senior RT is athletic & balanced, shows some strong leg drive once he’s engaged, is comfortable working at the second level of a defense, and laterally agile. There’s a couple of reps of him in pass pro that look solid technique and strength-wise, and I overall get the sense that he’s still just scratching the surface of his potential. If Anene can keep adding strength, cleaning up the technique in pass pro, and staying consistent, he’s got the chance to be a very productive collegiate tackle, as the athleticism and body control are noticeable and present. PRzMN is very excited to see how his game and recruitment continues to evolve. High ceiling kid forsure.
4) Milos Spasojevic Milos Spasojevic 6'4" | 215 lbs | QB Minnetonka | 2024 State MN (Minnetonka) 2024. QB. 6’5, 220 lbs.
The Minnesota 2024 QB battle has weighed on my mind greatly since the top-4 players were young bucks, but things seem to be working themselves out thanks to the summer camp szn and in-person evaluations and the clear-cut QB1 seems to have emerged and fully solidified himself. Always the biggest and most athletic of the bunch, Minnetonka’s massive 6’5, 220 lb. gunslinger Milos Spasojevic Milos Spasojevic 6'4" | 215 lbs | QB Minnetonka | 2024 State MN has boosted his stock greatly since the beginning of June, starting with the Gophers prospect camp on June 4th. After his performance in front of the Minnesota staff and a boatload of other programs in Dinkytown, Gopher’s co-OC and QB coach Greg Harbaugh Jr. offered Spasojevic a PWO to his home state squad. A few days later, after he impressively slung the rock at the inaugural Minnesconsin mega camp at UW-River Falls, the new staff at the University of Wisconsin offered another B1G PWO from a fellow B1G West competitor. Also excitedly, FCS Western Illinois offered a scholarship to the Skippers‘ signal-caller yesterday. Prior to that run of opportunities, Spasojevic held offers from St. Thomas, Winona State, and Augustana, so he’s now holding a healthy and diverse array of offers from various levels of competition and geographic regions. In addition to his massive frame, which generally translates to a high ceiling in terms of arm strength, something that is still already obvious and present in his junior tape, Spasojevic has a clean throwing motion and quick release, can get through his reads quickly and see the field well, and is shifty around the pocket and can evade pressure and break tackles while keeping his eyes downfield. He’s also capable of throwing on the move, and put up an impressive 67% completion percentage last fall while throwing for 1,307 yards (according to MNFootballHub) and 10 TDs. I do want to see him improve on the INT rate, YPG average, and overall production, so a big senior year could continue to skyrocket his stock and potentially lead to some FBS scholarship offers. Right now though, he’s been killing it this early camp season and seen some exciting opportunities come his way this June. His recruiting journey is far from finished, however.
5) Will Steil Will Steil 6'2" | 190 lbs | DB Rocori | 2024 State MN (Rocori) 2024. DB. 6’2, 195 lbs.
Things have blowing up for Rocori’s Will Steil Will Steil 6'2" | 190 lbs | DB Rocori | 2024 State MN since the spring when he came into our PrepRedzoneMN Spring Showcase and came away as an overall MVP and the undisputed top tester from the event, posting a 4.53 40, 4.3 short-shuttle, and 9’5″ broad jump at a legit 6’2, 190+ pounds. We’ve been covering Steil and his emerging recruitment ever since then, and he’s done nothing but solidify and even raise his stock since then, which has included a 10.98 100M and 22.4 200M time this spring during track season and a standout performance at the Golden Gophers prospect camp on June 4th. The Rocori athlete did come into the camp with some heavyweight FCS offers from North Dakota State and North Dakota, but after his performance in Dinkytown early this June, Steil left with a Minnesota Gophers PWO after a conversation with head coach PJ Fleck, and South Dakota also entered the mix the same day as the Gophs. Ever since then, Northern Iowa and Northern Illinois offered, so Steil now has FCS, FBS, and P5 opportunities, all coming in the last month. There’s a lot going for the rising senior, who fits the mold of a recent recruiting trend of wanting length and size to collegiate DB rooms, and as well as his size and COD skills, Steil is productive (72 tackles, 4 TFLs, 9 PBUs, 2 INTs, 2 FFs, in 2022), physical and comfortable tackling in space, gets out of his breaks well and shows off some ball skills, and was very sticky in coverage as a 6’2 CB at the prep level. There is a TON going for the rising senior from 4A heavyweight Rocori, and with his recruitment still very much ongoing, I think we have more time and more incoming offers before the well-built and athletic DB makes a decision.
6) Khyren Haywood Khyren Haywood 6'2" | 240 lbs | DL MN (Benilde-St. Margaret’s) 2027 (!). DL. 6’2, 260 lbs.
We got a big-time stud in the rising freshman class! I covered Haywood’s recent P5 offer from Arizona State in my recent Midwest Summer Camp SZN’s Biggest Winners so Far feature, but will gladly reiterate my points here today, as this is HUGE news for both the state of Minnesota and the 2027 class nationally. Haywood took a trip down to Austin, TX and performed well at the Longhorns Elite Camp, which helped prompt the Arizona State Sun Devils to offer Benilde-St. Margaret’s rising freshman DL Khyren Haywood Khyren Haywood 6'2" | 240 lbs | DL MN his first collegiate offer. Welcome and well deserved, Khyren! The 2027 DL was also the UA Next 8th Grade All-American Game top performer and brings good size to the table at 6’2, 260, and also in noteworthy fashion, Haywood ran with the Red Knights high school squad as an eighth grader, earning both varsity and non-varsity snaps. Here’s what I mentioned in my early evaluation of Haywood’s 8th grade season with BSM: “showed off pursuit speed, a super quick get-off, strength, and a heckuva motor, all of which looked far above his age and middle school status. I also am impressed with his early bend and arsenal of effective techniques and pass-rushing moves to beat blockers and want to reiterate that his get-off is very impressive for an 8th grader playing against high schoolers. Haywood has a chance to be a monster.” To build on this, he’s got a shot of being one of the most popular Minnesota recruits in recent memory, especially if he’s a varsity contributor in 2023.
7) Howie Johnson Howie Johnson 6'4" | 250 lbs | DL Forest Lake | 2026 State MN (Forest Lake) 2026. DE. 6’3, 235 lbs.
Pumped to see a young buck on the list! Our #2 ranked overall prospect in the 2026 class Howie Johnson Howie Johnson 6'4" | 250 lbs | DL Forest Lake | 2026 State MN is making big-time waves this summer at heavyweight B1G programs this summer, most notably the Wisconsin and Minnesota camps, where his eye-popping performances during both testing and 1-on-1s caught the attention of both B1G programs and third-party recruiting services alike. His size and athleticism at his age is noteworthy and special, as the 15-year-old already squats over 405 lbs., power cleans 275 lbs., and benched 230 lbs. in December, so the strength is more than present already, which helps to explain why he was a varsity starter as a freshman for 6A Forest Lake. Additionally, he clocked a 5.07 40, 4.6 short-shuttle, and 8’4″ broad jump at April’s PRzMN Showcase, times I’m sure he’s improved on since then. In the reps he posted from 1-on-1s at the Gophers and Badgers camps, you can see size, power, and pop, and 247Sport’s Wisconsin insider Evan Flood also stated he saw bend and twitch, so that’s a helluva combination for rising sophomore defensive lineman. Yes, there isn’t an offer yet, but it sounds like he did everything possible to shoot up the recruiting boards of B1G programs lucky enough to see him in person. It’s still early for the 2026s, so no reason to be concerned, and it’s safe to say that when more ’26 offers start going out, Johnson will be one of the first in Minnesota to get one of those exciting calls or in-person convos that change a high school football player’s life. Can’t wait for your future, Howie! Keep up the great work.
8) Hayden Venenga Hayden Venenga 6'6" | 265 lbs | OL Willmar | 2024 State MN (Willmar) 2024. OT. 6’6, 270 lbs.
A bit different of a situation here as Willmar’s hot-rising OT Hayden Venenga Hayden Venenga 6'6" | 265 lbs | OL Willmar | 2024 State MN hasn’t been hitting the camp circuit as hard this summer and most others on this list, but there’s no denying he’s one of the biggest stock risers from this summer. Venenga came into the summer with two DII offers out of the NSIC, but in the last week he’s elevated to a bonafide FCS Missouri Valley OT prospect, with Western Illinois, Indiana State, and defending FCS national champions South Dakota State all offering scholarships in the past six days. I don’t need to explain to our Minnesota readers that this is a big deal, especially that Jackrabbits offer, and it also presents some more major waves in the 2024 MN OL class of recruits. He’s been on our radar for a while now, as well as the radar of college programs that consistently recruit Minnesota, so to see the hard work and long recruitment process come to fruition is always a fulfilling experience for me, which of course doesn’t compare to how the prospect and his family must feel. On tape, the Willmar rising senior is strong, agile and balanced in pass pro, efficient in space and when working up to the second level, and has a heckuva motor on him that doesn’t quit in the run or pass game. I also like his length, and his frame looks capable of adding more good weight in a college S&C program. Definite D1 kid having a fun summer so far!
9) Tobias Williams Tobias Williams 6'0" | 160 lbs | DB Minnetonka | 2024 State MN (Minnetonka) 2024. DB. 6′, 165 lbs.
Without a doubt the newest addition to the 2024 recruiting scene in Minnesota, Minnetonka DB Tobias Williams Tobias Williams 6'0" | 160 lbs | DB Minnetonka | 2024 State MN exploded onto the scene in both football and track after posting a BLAZING 10.47 100M in the Class AAA boys 100M final to take 1st in the state, as well as a 21.29 200M to take 2nd in the Class AAA 200M final. Those are very impressive track numbers, and earlier this spring he also posted a 10.78 100M to solidify that speed. Additionally, Williams performed well at the Minnesota Gophers prospect camp on June 14th to certify his football abilities as well. On June 10th, Montana State was the first school to offer him a football scholarship, and I’m sure they won’t be the last. His junior tape displays a defensive back with good range in both pass coverage and run support, no qualms about putting his body on the line when breaking up a pass or making a tackle, and a natural ability to run the alley and take good angles to a ball carrier. We’re still very much at the genesis of this recruitment so buckle up, folks!
10) Charlie Bern Charlie Bern 6'4" | 220 lbs | ATH East Ridge | 2024 State MN (East Ridge) 2024. EDGE. 6’4, 205 lbs.
Another newcomer to the 2024 D1 ranks of recruits, East Ridge is a hotbed of talent this upcoming cycle and OLB Charlie Bern Charlie Bern 6'4" | 220 lbs | ATH East Ridge | 2024 State MN , who is also a stud hooper, is excitedly athletic and possesses a 40″ vert at 6’4, 205+ pounds. He does fall into the category of not necessarily owing his come-up to the summer camp circuit, but from coming into June with zero offers to now being a D1 recruit, Bern had to be mentioned in this new PRzMN feature. Although it wasn’t due to a camp performance, Bern did take a summer visit to Grand Forks, which resulted in his first offer from FCS North Dakota. His junior tape shows an EDGE who can make plays off the ball or on the edge of the LOS, has noticeable and impressive burst and pursuit speed, has good strength when he locks and extends his arms out when attacking blocks, has the twitch to beat blockers to their inside shoulder, and is capable of laying some massive hits. There’s also bend and change of direction ability in his game, and overall there’s a very exciting and promising skillset to go along with a long, lean frame, which to me spells out more FCS and possibly FBS offers in his future. Awesome new addition to the 2024 D1 recruiting scene in Minnesota.
11) Harrison Brun Harrison Brun 6'1" | 210 lbs | DB Rockford | 2024 State MN (Rockford) 2024. OLB/SS. 6’1, 200 lbs.
Last but not least, Rockford’s OLB/SS hybrid Harrison Brun Harrison Brun 6'1" | 210 lbs | DB Rockford | 2024 State MN showed up and showed out at the early Minnesota Gophers prospect camp on June 4th, becoming one of only four Minnesotans to leave the camp with a PWO from the home state squad. Brun is very athletic, possessing a 315 lb. bench press, 295 lb. reported clean, and 10′ reported broad jump, and was productive in 2022, posting 60 tackles, 5 INTs, 2 pick-sixes, and 6 PBUs in nine games of action. He does a good job of reading a QB’s eyes and coinciding route combinations to play and break on the ball well, takes good angles to the football and can cover ground in run support, and has solid speed and is capable of creating splash plays offensively and on special teams. Honestly, I’m surprised more suitors aren’t involved right now. Despite the Gophers PWI, Brun is still very much under-the-radar as a prospect. Hope that changes soon!
Honorable Mentions:
Meyer Swinney Meyer Swinney 6'4" | 210 lbs | WR Edina | 2025 State MN (Edina) 2025. TE. – Performed well at the Wayne State (MI) prospect camp
Nick Kinsey Nick Kinsey 6'3" | 205 lbs | QB Stillwater | 2026 State MN (Stillwater) 2026. QB. – Performed well at the Wayne State (MI) prospect camp
Mitchell Wind Mitchell Wind 6'7" | 260 lbs | OL Brainerd | 2024 State MN (Brainerd) 2024. OT. – Performed well at the Minnesota Gophers prospect camp on June 14th
Wyatt Bell Wyatt Bell 6'4" | 295 lbs | OL Rogers | 2024 State MN (Rogers) 2024. OG. – Performed well at the Minnesota Gophers prospect camp on June 14th
Hunter Kallstrom Hunter Kallstrom 6'4" | 220 lbs | ATH Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg | 2024 State MN (Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg) 2024. DE/TE. – Performed well at the Minnesota Gophers prospect camp on June 14th and earned a PWO from the Gophs today
Dylan Gross Dylan Gross 6'2" | 220 lbs | LB Brainerd | 2024 State MN (Brainerd) 2024. LB. – Performed well at the Gophers prospect camp on June 14th and has earned offers from Minnesota-Duluth, Northern State, and Bemidji State in June
Savion Hart Savion Hart 6'0" | 190 lbs | RB Saint Thomas Academy | 2024 State MN (St. Thomas Academy) 2024. RB. – Performed well at the Penn State prospect camp and earned a D1 offer from Saint Francis (PA)
Dennis Rahouski Dennis Rahouski 6'6" | 260 lbs | DL Eden Prairie | 2024 State MN (Eden Prairie) 2024. DL. – After multiple strong camp performances (Minnesota, Iowa State, Northwestern), Rahouski has earned offers from Bemidji State, St. Thomas, Southwest MN State, Cornell University, MSU-Mankato