Norwood Young America Raiders: Nate’s Big Dogs of the Game

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NORWOOD YOUNG AMERICA- MINN--</strong> We take a look at the several Big Dogs of the Game from the Norwood Young America Raiders, who had several top performers in their 21-6 Week 1 victory over St. Clair/Loyola. Not only did they have several top performers, but they certainly showed just how many prospects that have next-level talent as in my eyes, the Raiders look like one of the 2A hotbeds for that as they have so much athleticism and size across the board in their 2024, 2025, and 2026 classes. Lets meet the Raiders that popped out on Friday night!</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":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Austin Dent","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2410","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Norwood Young America","_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":"Austin was by far one of my favorite wide receivers overall from both squads, as he showed off how clutch he was certainly in the redzone all night long. I liked watching how instinctive Austin with his route-running as he used his 6'2 170 pound frame to his advantage against the smaller secondary the Spartans brought to the table. The best skillset Austin showed off was in the air with his vertical, as his pass-catching over the top of the Spartans defense showed off consistently all game long on Friday night. I also like his vision he shows off after the catch, as a WR that I certainly believe can play on Saturdays.u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/AustinDent6u0022u003e Twitteru003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":980789,"_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"Grant Erickson","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"2405","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Norwood Young America","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Grant was one of the first prospects I had circled prior to Friday night's game as a 6'4 295 pound offensive lineman I knew I needed to watch. I loved seeing his vocal leadership with the Raiders offense, as you can certainly tell this kid is a team leader thru and thru for the Raiders. I liked watching the consistency of his pad-level I saw in the trenches on Friday and he also showed great footwork with his angle blocking as a offensive linemen that is built to finish his blocks productively. He also was productive off his first step, as an offensive linemen that has a couple of offers at the Division II and NAIA levels. u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/GrantErickson72u0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003e","_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":980791,"_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"Josiah Schnabel","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Norwood Young America","_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":"Talk about a bulldog of a running back that caused all sorts of trouble for the Spartans defense with his 5'11 220 pound frame on Friday night. Josiah was the most fearless running back overall in Week 1, as he fluidly ran thru contact dragging several Spartans with him especially with his inside runs as I would love to see the stats for what he for yards after contact on Friday night. Josiah also showed off a running back that works his tail off for every yard and I like his game even more with his productive track background. It's no question this Raiders roster, is loaded with next-level talent as Josiah is another I expect to be prospect you will see playing on Saturdays. u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/JosiahSchnabelu0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":980792,"_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='979977' first='Jack' last='Strickfaden']","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"2409","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Norwood Young America","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Jack really impressed me with how much instinct he played with in and outside of the pocket with his legs, and just had a steady knack of knowing what to do with the football with his excellent football IQ. He also showed off consistent precison on the reps I watched out of him on Friday night especially on intermediate and short routes, as you could tell even early in the game, he has strong chemistry with his receiving core. His attacking skillsets he showed off certainly showed off what looks like another Strickfaden brother we could see playing on Saturdays, with plenty of room to grow with two varsity seasons left under his belt. u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/StrickfadenJacku0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"Bradyn Daugs","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Norwood Young America","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Bradyn was a first look prospect for me coming from the Raiders as another defensive back that showed off some catchy skillsets in their Week 1 win over St. Clair/Loyola. Bradyn was a name you heard called all night for his tackling ability as this kid I felt was in the mesh of several plays from a tackle standpoint. He also had an eye-opening pass breakup which showed off good perception in both halves on Friday night.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1102620' first='Micah' last='Fenney']","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"6'5u0022","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"Norwood Young America","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_5_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"The most intriguing 2026 prospect on either roster on Friday night was 6'5 205 pound defensive end [player_tooltip player_id='1102620' first='Micah' last='Fenney'] by far. He showed off plenty of length to cause all sorts of problems for the Spartans offensive line as he was consistently getting into the backfield on Friday night. Micah has plenty of upside as just a sophomore, with his technique and growing a more agile first step, but the reach he showed off was damaging when he was able to get a hold of the ball carriers from the Spartans as he also had several pressures clogging up the passing lanes a bunch. He was also a prospect that from game start to game end, showed catchy productivity with the aggressive hands he showed which shows to me that this young man shows off as a quick learner with coaching. I can't wait to get this kid's tape from his sophomore season, as I have already heard from a few recruiting sources that they like what they see out of Micah even as just a sophomore. u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/micahf2808u0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["973742"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_player_featured_image":980797,"_player_evaluations_6_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"It was very easy to see why we had [player_tooltip player_id='973742' first='Zach' last='Wickenhauser'] (2025) on our first team 2A Preseason All-State Team at defensive back for his Week 1 performance against St. Clair/Loyola. Zach was key top performer in the Raiders secondary all Friday night long, as he was stuck like glue to the Spartans wide receivers causing plenty of problems in their passing game due to his efforts in the secondary. After getting to watch him last season, I loved how much this kid's instinct has developed even since the end of last season, as Zach had one of the best defensive plays of the game, when he recovered a fumble from the Spartans deep in their own territory and found the end zone. He also was productive on the offensive side of the ball as well, with his route-running and durability to get yards after contact as a hard-nosed 6'1 185 pounder. Although it probably sounds repetitive throughout this article, Zach is another Raider that looks like a college football prospect in these eyes as they are likely one of the most stacked next-level rosters at the 2A level. u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/ZachWick17u0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":7,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64f505298c5d7"} /-->