Prep Redzone NEXT Minnesota Combine: Nate’s Standouts, Part I

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>BROOKLYN PARK, MINN</strong>-- Today at the Park Center Dome, we brought in our inaugural Prep Redzone NEXT Minnesota Combine. We saw nearly 60 young men competing today and on all accounts, [player_tooltip player_id='1257447' first='Oliver' last='West'] and I were highly impressed with the talent pool we saw strike a chord today with our first junior high camp in Minnesota. All week long, I'll be breaking down all the talent I witnessed </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Fredrick Johnson, RB, Brooklyn Park, Minn (2028)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1238466,"width":"318px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/15-Fredrick-Johnson-crop-4800x3152-1712542856.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1238466" style="width:318px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From my first look at Fredrick today who won RB MVP, I was impressed how coachable he was from early in the camp and took that coaching to his advantage throughout the camp, especially into Indy and 1v1s. The Brooklyn Park prospect has great speed and agility with his routes for his age as a prospect that has great upside to grow his size out over the next several years. He played too with ample physicality on every rep I watched despite not being the biggest kid in the group. Fredrick in my eyes impressed me with his football IQ for his age. A NW Metro prospect to watch over the next several years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1654642' first='Ryker' last='Gerlach'], LB, Maple Grove, Minn (2028)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1238467,"width":"325px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/9-Ryker-Gerlach-crop-4800x3152-1712542891.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1238467" style="width:325px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ryker was a 5'10 185 pound linebacker that popped out with the eye test with his athletic frame for his age today in Brooklyn Park. He was a 2028 prospect that packed a well-versed motor for his age as I was impressed with the work ethic and range this young man showed off in Indy drills. He was another prospect today that excelled with coaching as during Indy, I thought his development rose slightly which was great sign to see. Headed to powerhouse Maple Grove next year, so I'll be keeping tabs on his development for the coming years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Joseph Lamey, QB, Stillwater, Minn (2030)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1238469,"width":"343px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/IMG_0434-rotated-crop-481x316-1712542977.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1238469" style="width:343px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The biggest bulk of my coverage today was with the 2028 class, however I did have one athlete I had down as a 2030 standout in my eyes, which was 2030 quarterback Joseph Lamey. From the first look, I was highly intrigued with how great this young man's character was at his age as from that aspect, he is well beyond his years. Certainly not the biggest kid out there, but I was impressed with his athleticism and composure during testing for his age as his 40-yard dash reps showed of good early bases of fluidity for a 6th grader. In 1v1s for his size, I was highly impressed with his arm strength especially on intermediate routes, as the southpaw from Stillwater has great upside that I will be excited to see in next several years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1238917' first='Donovan' last='Wright'], TE/ATH, Champlin, Minn (2028)</strong> <a href="https://twitter.com/donywright">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1238470,"width":"355px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/7-Donovan-Wright-crop-4800x3152-1712543023.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1238470" style="width:355px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There was a small batch of tight ends in attendance, and no one stood out more in my eyes than Champlin's [player_tooltip player_id='1238917' first='Donovan' last='Wright']. Donovan also passed the early eye test for me with his frame and is an athlete that will possess some posistion flexibility that his high school coach will be intrigued to have. Donovan also showed off great athletic traits when I watched him within early testing as an athlete that looked and played the part with his athletic movement. The NW Metro came out to play today which includes [player_tooltip player_id='1238917' first='Donovan' last='Wright'] as another name to track </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Madden Brown, QB, Hopkins, Minn (2028)</strong> <a href="https://twitter.com/BrownMadde9623">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1238472,"width":"349px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/10-Madden-Brown-crop-4800x3152-1712543056.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1238472" style="width:349px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Today's quarterback MVP was 6'0 175 pound Madden Brown, as from the early eye this kid looked more like a high school kid than a middle school one not just by his size, but I found his well-seen poise in the pocket quite intriguing. I have a gut feeling that this young man is going to create some mismatches when he gets outside of the pocket during his HS years as the length of stride Madden possessed from watching him in the early reps was beyond his years. Watching his throws in 1v1s he put together some sound touch on his throws on all three levels and with some development with his footwork, he is only going to get better. Madden shows off to be an early pick for me as one of the top 2028 QBs in the state and is headed to Hopkins next year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1651488' first='Amir' last='Dockery'], LB, Simley, (2028)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1238474,"width":"357px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/5-Amir-Dockery-crop-4800x3152-1712543094.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1238474" style="width:357px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another linebacker that impressed me today was incoming Simley Spartan [player_tooltip player_id='1651488' first='Amir' last='Dockery']. Amir was another one that lined up and tested well from what I watched during his 40-yard dash reps. You can tell by his body type when he runs at the ball, that he is going to a linebacker prospect that is likely going to punch some ball carriers in the mouth as I was impressed with his physicality too later with his Indy reps too. At 5'6 185 pounds, I'll be intrigued how further this kid can grow in the weight room and on the field over the coming years as an SE Metro linebacker to watch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Jakhi Castile, WR, St. Paul, Minn (2028)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1238477,"width":"355px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/IMG_0444-rotated-crop-481x316-1712543209.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1238477" style="width:355px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the first wide receivers onto my list today was Jakhi Castile, who is headed to Cretin-Derham Hall next year. Loved the agility and consistent change of direction Jakhi possesses with what I saw in Brooklyn Park on Sunday afternoon. Our fellow scouts were also impressed with how he utilized his great athletic movement in 1v1s as Jakhi had some impressive routes that got seperation on a few occasions. He was not the biggest WR on the day, but this kid was fearless during 1v1s against more sizable defensive backs. He'll be one I will bank on a growth spurt in the coming year as a future pass-catcher for the Raiders.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->