PRZ Dakotas Big Dogs of the Week: South Dakota, Week 3
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SOUTH DAKOTA– We dive into Week 3 or Week 2 depending on what team you are talking to in the Mount Rushmore State, as we break down the weekly South Dakota Big Dogs of the Week. This batch of top…
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Continue ReadingSOUTH DAKOTA– We dive into Week 3 or Week 2 depending on what team you are talking to in the Mount Rushmore State, as we break down the weekly South Dakota Big Dogs of the Week. This batch of top performers is probably one of the deepest ones we have seen in South Dakota thus far this year in my eyes, as I am sure there were plenty of top performers that got missed in a week like this with how loaded the performances were. Let us cheers to Week 2/3 and make it a great Week 4 upcoming!
Zoan Robinson
Zoan Robinson
Stat Line: 200 all-purpose yards
Zoan shows off some catchy route-running that shows plenty of agile movement off the top of his routes that popped out in Week 2. He did a great job with his change of direction to create separation in the open field against Lennox last week, as a pass-catcher you can certainly depend on with intermediate routes. Zoan also shows off a sizable catch-radius that even if the ball is slightly off line, he consistently showed that he could make the catch especially on high-traffic routes. He plays with instinct with his vision in the return game, as an athlete that is deserving of more next-level attention with the skillsets he brings in his 6’2 frame. Twitter
Stat Line: N/A
Tate is a middle linebacker for the Rapid City Stevens Raiders that plays with well-versed instincts in run and pass coverage as he showed that off well against Douglas last week. I also love the vision that Tate plays with over the middle of the field as he consistently will get off blocks with steady hands and erupt into the rushing lanes up the A-Gap and show off his physicality that his tackling ability brings. Offensively last week, Tate showed off a tight end that has a developed pad-level that is built to give his running backs plenty of room to run. As a growing 6’3.5 225 pound linebacker this kid is well deserving of more NSIC and FCS opportunities in my eyes with that size and the chippy motor he plays with as a three-sport athlete with a high GPA at 3.5. Twitter
Stat Line: 4 sacks, 9 tackles (6 for a loss)
I always enjoy my phone calls with Deuel assistant coach and Prep Redzone Dakotas scout Jake Evans after games on Friday nights, as the Cardinals got plenty of defensive production from defensive linemen Robert Begalka Robert Begalka 6’0″ | 235 lbs | OL Deuel | 2024 State SD vs. Sisseton last Friday. The most intriguing skillset that Robert has grown over the summer is the aggression of his hands and the fluid shedding ability he showed off to get into the backfield consistently on a four-sack night last Friday. Robert also showed off solid vision closing in with his footwork against the ball carrier as this kid has grown in that skillset as well since I last saw him at camps over the summer. This kid is a workhorse, that certainly has found his spot at defensive end and somehow still doesn’t have his first offer yet which surprises the heck out of me. Twitter
Highlights
Stat Line: TBD
Talk about a prospect that is a weapon of versatility on either side of the ball, as that sentence alone describes Dakota Valley’s Trae Piel Trae Piel 6’3″ | 165 lbs | ATH Dakota Valley | 2024 State SD from his Week 2 outing. The instinctive range Trae plays with from sideline to sideline at defensive back has plenty of electric traits, as Trae’s football IQ and positioning sets the tone for the Panthers defense. Offensively, Trae is an athlete that is a danger to any defense in the open field with his long strides and developing twitch of instinctive footwork. With how fundamentally sound Trae is on both sides of the ball, this is a kid I would expect to attract Division I FCS attention by mid-season as he is way more under-recruited than he should be. Twitter
Highlights
Stat Line: 436 passing yards (new school record) 51 rushing yards= 487 total yards, five touchdowns (3 pass, 2 rush)
It didn’t take long for the #1 overall 2025 prospect in South Dakota in Harrisburg quarterback Sam Knuth Sam Knuth 6’4″ | 200 lbs | QB Harrisburg | 2025 State SD to make a splash at the varsity level as it took him just TWO varsity games to beat his big brother Jacob Knuth’s passing record for the Tigers, even though we at Prep Redzone Dakotas certainly knew the storm was coming from getting an early eval on him within the last year. Sam showed off some elite touch from the reps I got to watch on tape, as his ball placement was spot on with his wide receivers all night against Brandon Valley. He also showed what he has in the tank with his legs, as he added two rushing touchdowns to his already impressive resume as he shows developing mobility that is only going to continue to grow. You can expect Sam will be a Division I prospect when it’s all said and done. Twitter
Stat Line: 6 touches, 131 rushing yards, five touchdowns.
Yes, you read that stat line correctly coming out of Parkston’s Kolter Kramer Kolter Kramer 5’10” | 185 lbs | RB Parkston | 2025 State SD as he only needed to physically touch the football six times and got five touchdowns out of it, including one of those touchdowns being on defense. Watching some of his tape from last season, Kolter not only shows off a ton of fluidity with his running ability and great vision, he also showed off that he doesn’t need much space to operate in between the tackles, which is I am sure why he was electric against Wosley-Wessington last Friday night. Twitter
Cain Wallner
Cain Wallner
Stat Line: 121 total yards, two touchdowns. Defense: Three tackles (1 for a loss), one fumble forced and recovered in one half of work.
The versatility of Canton 2025 athlete Cain Wallner is a force to be reckoned with no matter where this young man is on the field, as one of South Dakota’s top rising 2025 prospects. At linebacker, Cain has such swift instincts around the ball either on and off contact, as against Beresford he had a sneaky fumble that he forced that you might have missed if you blinked at the wrong time. Cain has to be the Dakota’s best swiss army knife, as at 6’3 215 pounds, can do so much with the ball in his hands with measuables that has already gotten the Bison on board with an early 2025 offer. I love how smooth Cain is with the ball in his hands, as likely one of the best prospects in the Dakotas in my eyes. Twitter
More South Dakota Big Dogs to Know from Week 3:
Braxton Mulder, DB, Canton (2024)
Jack Thue Jack Thue 6'2" | 185 lbs | QB Brandon Valley | 2024 State SD , QB, Brandon Valley (2024)