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

BROOKLYN PARK, MINN-- Part III is here to our Prep Redzone NEXT Minnesota subscribers as we unleash yet another list of standouts from the Sunday's combine in Brooklyn Park. This list consists of one prospect that was on fire all day long, our linebacker and wide receiver MVP, and a young buck that was one of a small number of 2030 prospects that caught my eyes on Sunday and another offensive linemen that has major upside.   [player_tooltip player_id='1075477' first='Edwin' last='Ekah'], RB, Blaine, Minn (2028) <a href="https://twitter.com/edwinekah1">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/29-Edwin-Ekah-crop-4800x3152-1712633173.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1240360" style="width:320px;height:auto" /></figure>   Great minds think alike they always say, as Oliver and I were raving about this young man for the bulk of the Prep Redzone Minnesota NEXT Combine. At 5'10 170, Edwin possessed the natural football instincts that just as an evaluator his game just draws you to consistent keep watching his skillsets shine. He showed off excellent change of direction for his age in testing with his L-Drill and pro agility as Edwin was one of the best at our combine around the corners. He also showed off a heck of a first steps in the later 1v1 reps I watched as a prospect that I love the groove of his football IQ already, as the running back from Blaine is still undecided next year on which HS he is headed to but will be certified stud wherever he ends up.   [player_tooltip player_id='1238940' first='Micah' last='Arueya'], LB, Blaine, Minn (2028) <a href="https://twitter.com/Micah_arueya1">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/Micah-Arueya-crop-3024x1986-1712633215.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1240366" style="width:326px;height:auto" /></figure>   The city of Blaine came to play on Sunday at our Prep Redzone NEXT Minnesota Combine, which includes [player_tooltip player_id='1238940' first='Micah' last='Arueya'] who was our linebacker MVP. For his size, Micah's testing numbers popped out early as he went 8'4 in the broad jump which showed off the explosive traits that are there for the taking in his upcoming development into high school. For a middle school linebacker that is also 190 pounds, I also liked his pro agility top number which was 4.87 which translates with the range I saw Micah travel with his the drills I caught from him on the day especially in Indy. The NW Metro was a hot commodity at our combine, as Micah is another one we will be tracking from that region in the coming years.   [player_tooltip player_id='1238166' first='David' last='Downs'], WR, St. Francis, Minn (2028)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/David-Downs-crop-3024x1986-1712633283.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1240367" style="width:306px;height:auto" /></figure>   Our eventual WR MVP was an early on my radar athlete from yesterday's Prep Redzone NEXT Minnesota Combine in Brookyln Park as the youngster from St. Francis certainly impressed all in attendance yesterday. What popped out to me early with David, was the sound athletic balance I saw early in testing and that translated later to the smooth route-running he showed off later in our combine. Now that I have his testing numbers I have is front of me, it is clear of day how impressive this young man was. 4.62 in his pro agility and 8'9 in the broad jump at his frame (5'6 150) passes this scout's eye test as a far north Metro prospect to track for me in the coming years as he also came in with a bigger frame than he signed up as which is rare for a prospect too.   Ruben Lomell, OL, St. Paul, Minn (2028)   I did not spend much time in the trenches on Sunday, but I did have one name that caught my eyes on a fluid basis at the Prep Redzone NEXT Combine, who was Ruben Lomell. His frame is a work in progress and if he can grow a few inches I like his upside even further. Ruben showed off an athletic bend for his size as that bend translated in my eyes to an OL prospect that showed off some good and developing pad-level with his hands. Ruben is raw at the moment, but has plenty of upside that I will be excited to watch grow over the next several years out of St. Paul.   Earl Carter, WR, Champlin, Minn (2030)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/1-Earl-Carter-e1712529662279-crop-3383x2222-1712633368.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1240369" style="width:328px;height:auto" /></figure>   What I loved about yesterday's group is I rarely saw a prospect look overwhelmed and out of place. Even our smallest prospect as far as measurables go in Champlin's wide receiver Earl Carter showed off that he could hold his own. He was a late bloomer as far as my evaluations go, as Earl showed off sound footwork into 1v1s as he showed off progressive steps with his route-running ability and could turn on a dime with his release. He certainly has a growth spurt coming and is one of only a couple 6th graders that caught my eyes yesterday.

BROOKLYN PARK, MINN-- Part III is here to our Prep Redzone NEXT Minnesota subscribers as we unleash yet another list of standouts from the Sunday's combine in Brooklyn Park. This list consists of one prospect that was on fire all day long, our linebacker and wide receiver MVP, and a young buck that was one of a small number of 2030 prospects that caught my eyes on Sunday and another offensive linemen that has major upside.