NDSU Prospect Camp: Nate’s Standouts, Part I

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>FARGO-- We circle back from our Saturday visit to the NDSU Prospect Camp where in attendance, there were over 600+ prospects in attendance to watch show out in Saturday's session. With that big of a number and being my second year in attendance, I had my head on a swivel all day from morning to evening because of the high amount of talent that was everywhere from the Nodak Insurance Football Performance Complex to the FargoDome in the later session. With so many prospects to track, this will be a multiple part series over the coming days of our lists from one of the biggest development prospect camps in the country. Let's get to it!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":890977,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Heston Anderson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2411","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Minneapolis Washburn","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Heston was a linebacker prospect that excelled in my eyes in the pouring rain at the NDSU prospect camp. I liked what I saw out of his vision with his agile ball-tracking ability from the reps I caught in Fargo. He also for a 2026 prospect showed off plenty of instinct when watching his first step with his change of direction in the Indy Reps with the linebacker group. Light on the tape so far, but should be an athlete to watch out of Minneapolis Washburn in the coming years, as Heston also had the attention to detail skillset with watching his game.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["105417"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"This was the first look I have gotten of Zechariah in a live-evaluation setting and I left impressive with what I saw out of him up in Fargo. The length Zechariah brings in the secondary has to be a starting point to attract college coaches at the next level at 6'3 180 pounds however ,when you watch his twitch with his first step and the length of his strides, you see a DB prospect with a plethora of upside for the position. Zechariah showed off some catchy hip rotations in his 1v1 battles last Saturday. At times he over improvised with his long steps, however Zechariah was a prospect I saw a quick learner at NDSU that made quick corrective steps to his footwork and picked up his first NSIC offer up at NDSU as well as a DB prospect that is stock rising up a bit.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":890979,"_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"Brody Melicher","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Grand Forks Central","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Anytime a college coach points out a kid to you mid camp session for a prospect to watch you pay close attention which was the case with Grand Forks Central's Brody Melicher in the 2026 class. Brody even at his age was a man amongst boys with his physicality he showed off on every rep I watched as this young man had an instinctive downhill presence with his athletic mobility. Brody also excelled with his pad-levels on Saturday at the NDSU Prospect Camp as he was consistent on contact from the reps I caught. Although he ran with the LB group, from my first look he certainly projects as a defensive linemen in the coming years due to his frame as one of the most intriguing 2026 prospects overall  I got to watch in the early camp session at NDSU. Can't wait to get tape on this young man upcoming!","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["299580"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_player_featured_image":890981,"_player_evaluations_3_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Connor was by far the most versatile prospect I watched up at NDSU overall coming out of the morning session. Regardless of which side of the ball Connor played on, this kid showed off excellent ball instincts and had the agility to adjust to the ball promptly if it was off the line of his steps. He also showed off some great range for his size as a defensive back that looked like a sideline to sideline defensive back in my eyes at 5'10 180 pounds. He has seen his recruitment pick up swiftly, adding three NSIC offers from NDSU last Saturday and picking up a PWO from South Dakota prior to camp as well. Connor is a big Wisconsin stockriser from my alma mater, Sun Prairie East.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["242446"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_player_featured_image":890983,"_player_evaluations_4_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"If you want a smash-mouth football prospect at the next level, you should have seen Montevideo's [player_tooltip player_id='242446' first='Francis' last='O'Malley'] last Saturday in Fargo. Francis unleashed his huge powers of durability from start to end of Saturday's session at NDSU as a running back prospect that plays absolutely fearless thru contact. He also impressed me with his balance and body control on Saturday thru contact. He also shows plenty of agile change of direction for 6'0 235 pounds. Francis has three NSIC offers and after his showing at NDSU, I expect his recruitment to pick up heavily in the coming month in my eyes.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["210630"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_player_featured_image":890985,"_player_evaluations_5_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"A multiple time Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase alum, Elkton Lake-Benton wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='210630' first='Tanner' last='Stein'] showed off some intriguing growth from our last showcase up at the NDSU prospect camp in Fargo. In my eyes, Tanner has significantly been working on his change of direction as he showed plenty of signs of elusive athleticism when I watched him in 1v1 reps at NDSU as a wide receiver prospect that has also gotten more glued in with his hands and next move agility over the last few months. Tanner also has intriguing route creativity in my eyes, as when you watch the tape you see how much of an improviser he is with his route-running. Tanner certainly looks like a stockriser in the 2025 South Dakota rankings to me.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["800405"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"I got to watch Shawn during the 11B state championship last season which was when I saw his upside at 6'7 220 pounds as just a sophomore. What did Shawn show off at NDSU? He showed off more torque with his athletic mobility than you would expect with the measurables he has especially if the first step and finish this kid showed off last Saturday at NDSU. Shawn is a OL prospect that has a high ceiling for where his skillsets can take him, and with no tape available yet, I hope to see some pop up in the coming months to amply the growth I have seen over the last 6-9 months as Shawn is also a strong basketball prospect as well for the Winner Warriors.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["262065"],"_player_evaluations_7_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_7_player_featured_image":890988,"_player_evaluations_7_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"Grant was one of my favorite 2025 defensive backs from the morning session of NDSU last Saturday. This kid in Indy Drills and 1v1s showed off significant levels of strong contact with his physicality he made on every rep I got to watch on Saturday morning. I also was a big fan of how instinctive Grant was with his lower body with his footwork in drills. He also showed off an well-balanced and great timing with his vertical I saw in those Saturday reps. Based on the tape, Grant shows off a three-level swiss army knife that could add plenty of value no matter where you line him up upcoming on Saturdays. Grant is certainly a ATH prospect I will be tracking from my home state of Wisconsin over his next two seasons for the Neenah Rockets.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":8,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64a1b9e61e6aa"} /-->