PrepRedzoneMN Stock-Up Showcase: Session 2 QB/DB/WR/TE Standouts
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The second session of the PrepRedzoneMN Showcase – which just so happens to be the premier high school football showcase in the Land of 10,000 Lakes – is also a whirlwind of flying pigskins, snap counts and cadences, vertical routes,…
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Continue ReadingThe second session of the PrepRedzoneMN Showcase – which just so happens to be the premier high school football showcase in the Land of 10,000 Lakes – is also a whirlwind of flying pigskins, snap counts and cadences, vertical routes, and 1-on-1 competition, and the QBs, WRs, TEs, and DBs came out in force. In a comical and frustratingly consistent trend of these events, there’s always double the amount of receivers as DBs (a lot of you will be moved to D side in college), far from a shortage of QBs (some of you will not play QB in college), and a lack of TEs that really puts that position group in the spotlight, and to no surprise, all positions tested very well during the opening portion of the Showcase. Between the athletic numbers posted and the fierce 1-on-1 session that remained competitive from the first to the last rep of the afternoon, there were some notable names to know, which included stock-risers, darkhorses, breakout performers, Top Dogs, and familiar faces all performing a level about the competition. Nothing better than a live evaluation, let’s get into it. Happy holidays, everybody!
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QBs
PRzOliver’s Top-3 Performers:
MVP:
Bib #67: Nick Kinsey Nick Kinsey 6'3" | 210 lbs | QB Stillwater | 2026 State MN (Stillwater) 2026. 6’3, 205 lbs.
The best QB prospect from the Land of 10,000 Lakes since 2012 when Phillip Nelson and Mitch Leidner were tearing up the fields of Southern MN, Kinsey is one of those talents that can come into an ultra-competitive setting like this with a casual, comfortable, confident demeanor and come away as the Top Performer without having broken a sweat. As we watched Kinsey throw bomb shots and rainbows all the way down the Brooklyn Park Sports Dome, I enjoyed what 612Quarterback founder Quinn Frisell told me regarding Kinsey’s arm while we were discussing the dome’s competitors, “if the ball’s by the roof, it’s Nick throwing.” In a state with a lacking historical legacy of P5 QBs, Kinsey should be an easy-to-root-for talent with ball placement, arm talent, size, and the demeanor to make it big in the recruiting world and beyond. Needs to work on the mobility and pocket elusiveness, but he’s still growing into his already sizeable 6’3 frame and has a lot of time to work on his body and skillset as a now-sophomore. Tore it up, as expected.
2) Bib #64: Reece Dawson Reece Dawson 6'3" | 215 lbs | QB Rogers | 2024 State MN (Rogers) 2024. 6’3.25″, 217 lbs.
Built like a collegiate linebacker with oven mitts for hands and a wide and brawny upper body ready-made for collegiate action, Dawson was also one of the easy-to-see winners from the QB group at Session II of the PRzMN Showcase thanks to his hose of a right arm and an athletic skillset that a college QB coach could really have fun developing. Big arm, smooth mechanics, a quick release and windup, and accuracy to all three levels of the field and while on the move, he had a good day in Brooklyn Park last Sunday.
3) Bib #51: Landen Mickelson Landen Mickelson 6'2" | 210 lbs | QB St. Agnes | 2024 State MN (St. Agnes) 2024. 6’1.75″, 204 lbs. Testing numbers: 40=5.0, short-shuttle=4.81, broad jump=8’6″
A surefire Top Performer out of the QB group, Mickelson sports a large, thick frame that can absorb and dish out contact well, and the St. Agnes unsigned senior was at the top of the position group in both arm strength and accuracy, and you threw a good ball that translated to both positional-specific and 1-on-1 competition. Someone is going to get a steal in Mr. Mickelson.
Other Standouts:
Bib #55: Denero Fellows Denero Fellows 6'2" | 195 lbs | QB Park Center | 2025 MN (Park Center) 2025.
Caught my eye during positional drills of Session II of the PRzMN Showcase, Fellows threw a good ball that had some snap out of his hand, and from what I saw during that particular drill, Fellows could throw well on the run and had some size to him, although we were unable to get some verified measurements on the junior.
Bib #126: Spencer Ackerman Spencer Ackerman 5'11" | 170 lbs | QB Sauk Rapids - Rice | 2026 State MN (Sauk Rapids-Rice) 2026. 5’9.75″, 145 lbs.
Had a breakout season for 5A contender Sauk Rapids-Rice and I was excited to see him perform in an unpadded setting last Sunday in Brooklyn Park. Threw a good ball and was confident above what his age range would suggest. Threw a couple good balls throughout the day from what I saw.
Bib #175: Thor Soukup Thor Soukup 6'1" | 205 lbs | QB Maple Grove | 2027 MN (Maple Grove) 2027. 6′.25, 191.4 lbs.
Larger and more physically along than your typical freshman, Soukup stood out in more ways than one at the PRzMN Showcase and was a definite winner from the 2027 class. Lots of young talent in that Crimson roster and especially in the QB room.
Bib #184: Gavin Stahl Gavin Stahl 6'2" | 225 lbs | QB Osseo | 2025 MN (Champlin Park) 2025. 6’2, 232.4 lbs.
Big-bodied and contact-ready, Stahl has made noticeable strides and improvements since last year’s PRzMN Showcase and is still using and carrying that big arm well effectively. Brother plays at Sioux Falls so is a name-to-know in the NSIC recruiting world already.
Bib #186: Kaden Herman Kaden Herman 6'3" | 195 lbs | QB Waconia | 2025 MN (Waconia) 2025. 6’2.5, 189.6 lbs.
One of my surprise Top Performers from the PRzMN Showcase, there’s a ton of talent and differing skillsets in the Waconia QB room and Herman was long, mechanically smooth, accurate, and consistent during drills and 1v1s throughout the afternoon. Could stretch it to all three levels of the field with a good frame behind him as a current junior. Will definitely be keeping my eyes on him this offseason.
WRs
PRzOliver’s Top-3 Performers:
MVP:
Bib #149: Juriad Hughes Jr. (Irondale) 2024. 6’1.25, 178.6 lbs.
The #1 receiver, Top Performer, and unsigned senior from the event undoubtedly went to Irondale’s Juriad Hughes Jr. A nationally-ranked and competitive track & field athlete who has broke MN records throughout his storied career, Hughes Jr. is very open to playing football at the next level and came into the event with a couple FBS offers as well as a Northern Iowa FCS offer, and he played like one of the top-rated, unsigned Midwest skill players that he is. Quick and sudden as a route runner, Hughes Jr. had that twitch you see from D1-caliber athletes only as well as noticeable body control and functional athleticism that showed up at the LOS through his cool-down steps after the catch and won rep. Hard not to notice him and he made an impression through a deep and talented crowd of WRs at the PRzMN Showcase.
2) Bib #54: Dylan Vokal Dylan Vokal 6'2" | 200 lbs | ATH Maple Grove | 2025 State MN (Maple Grove) 2025. 6’1.1.5″, 198 lbs. Testing Numbers: 40=4.68, short-shuttle=4.31, broad jump=9’4″
Easy choice for a Top Performer, Maple Grove’s Vokal stands out in gridiron, showcase, 7-on-7, in-person visit, and any other type of football-related setting. The nearly 6’2 junior put in a top-notch performance during 1-on-1s in particular, where he showed off smooth COD ability, some routing running success to multiple levels of the field, and highlight-reel-worthy contested catch capability. He Mossed more than his fair share of would-be defenders during the competitive portion of the PRzMN Showcase, and overall embodied my take-home note from the rising seniors performance: “too easy.”
Other Standouts:
Bib #77: Carter Pontius Carter Pontius 6'5" | 200 lbs | WR West Salem | 2025 State WI (West Salem, WI) 2025. 6’5, 189.4 lbs. Testing Numbers: 40=4.75, short-shuttle=4.88, broad jump=9’3″ and 9’1″
A kid you want coming off the bus early and leading the WR group out onto the field for warmups, Wisconsinite Carter Pontius Carter Pontius 6'5" | 200 lbs | WR West Salem | 2025 State WI had a good showing at his border state’s PRZ Stock-Up Showcase and has a great frame that presents obvious matchup problems that can thrive in an unpadded camp setting. Massive catch radius, long arms, a wiry and strong 190ish pounds that can maintain and finish catches through contact, Pontius had some strong reps during 1v1s and is a comfortable route runner for a bigger wideout of his size. Good showing overall.
Bib #92: Aijhon Douglas Aijhon Douglas 5'8" | 150 lbs | ATH St. Paul Harding/Humboldt | 2025 State MN (St. Paul Harding) 2025.
Wish I could have got to see the junior work, but he shows up in a camp setting like he does on tape. Sudden, powerful, quick, twitchy, speed at the top end, Douglas is dangerous at every point of a route and is a nightmare 1-on-1.
Bib #95: Easton Miles Easton Miles 5'8" | ATH White Bear Lake | 2026 MN (White Bear Lake) 2026. Testing Results: 40=4.62, broad jump=9′
Put that speed to good use at the top end and was a deep threat during 1-on-1s.
Bib #104: Dane Olson Dane Olson 5'9" | 155 lbs | DB Alexandria | 2025 State MN (Alexandria) 2025. 5’8.5″, 155 lbs. Testing Results: 40=4.56, 4.59, short-shuttle=4.59, broad jump=10’2″
An outstanding tester and overall athlete from the Alexandria Cardinals, Olson put that fantastic athleticism to go use during 1-on-1s and consistently got open and won reps all afternoon. Great speed at the top end.
Bib #106: Camar Blades (Park Center) 2026. 5’7.75″, 130 lbs.
A complete gamer whose game comes alive during competition, Blades is a wiggly and savvy route runner who is a natural at getting open and is quick and sudden out of his breaks and has good hands as well. Needs to add size but is still dangerous against press-man and embraces the competition aspect of football, at least from what I’ve seen.
Bib #108: Christopher Pepin Christopher Pepin 5'9" | 170 lbs | ATH Sauk Rapids-Rice | 2025 MN (Sauk Rapids-Rice) 2025. 5’8.5″, 168 lbs. Testing Results: 40=4.88. short-shuttle=4.47, 4.5, broad jump=8’10”
I saw Pepin win on his fair share of 1v1 reps during competition, including on a few eye-catching double moves. Did a good job of disguising where he was breaking to and was overall a good route runner from the pass-heavy and offensively-superior SRR 2023 roster.
Bib #140: Isaiah Wright (Fertile-Beltrami) 2025. 5’11,25″, 162.5 lbs. Testing Results: Short-shuttle=4.53, broad jump=9’3, 9’2
Representing the Outstate’s talent lineage of small school athletes, Wright looked smooth & fluid in all three portions of the PRzMN Showcase and has an athletic frame and gait that was backed up by his testing numbers. Dynamic and has a good head on his shoulders and was a fun kid to get to know.
TEs
PRzOliver’s Top-3 Performers:
MVP:
Bib #61: Kaleb Ngwendson Kaleb Ngwendson 6'2" | 225 lbs | DL Eastview | 2025 State MN (Apple Valley) 2025. 6’2, 217.4 lbs. Testing Results: 40=4.88, short-shuttle=4.69, broad jump=10’4″ and 10’3″, L-drill=7.2
The easiest and most impressive passer of the eye test from Session II, Ngwendson was a physical specimen that posted some incredibly explosive broad jumps to the tune of 10’4″ and 10’3″ that should easily excite prospective college coaches. Looking and testing the part, the nearly 220 lber. was especially impressive at the top of the route and could create consistent separation against smaller, quicker DBs during 1v1s. Displayed the ability to drop his hips, power out of his breaks, and reel in receptions with soft hands away from his body and through contact.
2) Bib #181: Caden Johnson Caden Johnson 6'2" | 240 lbs | TE Princeton | 2025 State MN (Princeton) 2025. 6’1.5, 247 lbs. Testing Results: Short-shuttle=4.79, broad jump=8’1
A brickwall of a junior TE with obvious run-blocking capability and potential, along with the frame and game movement ability that fits into that new and developing role of dynamic HB/TE/FB hybrids that are being used successfully in high-level football programs. Johnson has some legit juice as a route runner, soft hands, obvious contested catch prowess, and balance for a 245+ lber. NSIC schools should be all over this kid already.
3) Bib #79: Sawyer Josewski Sawyer Josewski 6'5" | 235 lbs | TE Rogers | 2026 State MN (Rogers) 2026. 6’5, 219.2 lbs. Testing Results: Short-shuttle=4.72, broad jump=9′
Didn’t get to see him much during competition, but Rogers‘ sophomore TE Josewski sure is an eye-catcher at 6’5 and nearly 220 pounds. Needs to get the top-end speed up, but has a ton of length and some lateral quickness that will serve him well as a potential pass catcher.
DBs
MVP:
Bib #139: Owin Gerber Owin Gerber 6'0" | 180 lbs | DB Century | 2026 State MN (Rochester Century) 2026. 5’11, 178 lbs. Testing Results: 40=4.43, 4.44, Short-Shuttle=4.5, 4.53, broad jump=9’2, 9’4, L-drill=6.91
Absolutely dominate performance from the sophomore that is sure to shoot him up the PRzMN 2026 rankings, I was impressed by Gerber in all three phases of the PRzMN Showcase. The 507 product put on one of the top overall testing performances from any athlete at the Showcase regardless of position or class, and his blazing fast 40s and noteworthy short-shuttles easily translated to 1v1 competition later in the afternoon. Silky smooth in and out of his breaks when play man-coverage against WRs, Gerber broke up a ton of passes on the day and was sticky against routes to all levels of the three. Effective at the catch point, great hips and footwork, and the speed to never be challenged deep, he came away as one of my biggest overall winners and I’m pumped he came to compete last Sunday in the 612.
Bib #13: Deagan Gondeck Deagan Gondeck 5'10" | 190 lbs | DB Sauk Rapids-Rice | 2025 MN (Sauk Rapids-Rice) 2025. 5’8.75″, 156.2 lbs. Testing Results: 4.7 40, 4.53 short-shuttle, 8’10 broad
Got some good wins in the 1v1 department and was particularly disruptive and first and second level throws. Quick out of his breaks overall.