Best I Saw: Minnesconsin Camp Standouts

For the second year in a row Prep Redzone was back at UW- River Falls to cover the Minnesconsin Mega Camp. Things really took a step forward from last summer when 700+ athletes attended the camp. This year we saw 1,000+ make their way to the Showcase to get in front of dozens of college coaching staffs from every level of competition. I did my best to get around to every position group, take a ton of notes on impressive prospects, and soak it all in. Now it is time to go back through those notes and identify the best performances that I was able to watch. This will be a multi-part series, so let's dive in!    While he isn't a high school athlete, I had to include one of the more impressive athletes I've seen while out on any camp circuit. Egunjobi is an OL in the transfer portal from North Dakota. From what he showed us in drill and 1 on 1s, it is clear he has the talent to be on a D1 roster. With two years of eligibility left, he is in a great spot to provide a team with depth and competition, and potentially a starter. The massive prospect blew away the testing portion of the day. I haven't seen a 6'5" 318 lbs man move like this. He posted a 30.7" vertical, 9'4" broad jump, 5.35 40, and a. 4.95 pro agility. That pro agility is where he first turned heads and gathered a crowd. Watching his ability to bend, drop his weight, and explode in a new direction was special. Then he went on to the broad jump where he demonstrated exceptional lower body explosion again with that 9'4" jump. He truly looked like a man among boys in the 1 on 1s too. His hands and anchor strength were so overpowering. We saw him instantly sniffle bull rush attempts and showed easy lateral agility as he mirrored pass rushers. Dolapo had a crowd following him around the field. He earned the attention.     A quickly rising RB prospect in the WI Class of 2025 is Grantsburg's [player_tooltip player_id='1209384' first='Ian' last='Burkman']. He spent the Mega Camp in River Falls checking a lot of boxes for the position. The incoming senior checked in at 6' and a clean 197 lbs. Telling me that he has the frame to be able to handle a three down workload. That workhorse frame also has the athleticism needed to be effective with the ball in his hands. Ian demonstrated how explosive his lower body is with a 34.3" vertical, 9'4" broad jump, he proved his balance and acceleration with a 4.44 pro agility. The 4.62 40 also is sufficient to get the job done when he hits the open field. It was great to get these numbers for a back that has piled up the production running inside and outside the tackles. The tape is there. The production is there. Now we are confident the measurables are there. Don't sleep on this kid.     Another RB who really impressed, and looks to be in line for a big senior season is Onalaska's [player_tooltip player_id='384576' first='Cameron' last='Cornett']. He looked the part of starting RB with his 5'11" frame and with 196 lbs now packed on Cameron is ready for the wear and tear of a season. Even at nearly 200 lbs, Cameron jumped a 34.7" vertical, 9'7" broad jump, ran a very impressive 4.55 40 and a 4.57 pro agility. This athletic profile fits his style of play very well. We saw him attack between the tackles a ton as a junior. He has solid vision, then shows an effective burst through the seam when he finds the alley. His junior tape shows a back who could get to the second level and beyond by beating LBs to and through the gap. Plus he brings the physicality to the trenches. We saw that burst, and speed at the Mega Camp. Can't wait for it to turn heads this fall. Don't be surprised by this kid. Get on him now.     A new athlete to my radar is the LB out of Amery. It was during the combine portion of the day that he grabbed my attention and had me digging through my roster to figure out who he was. Caleb is a 6'3" 201 lbs LB with a muscular frame, but plenty of room to continue filling out into a true three down option at the second level of a defense. Putting up numbers like a 31.8" vertical, 4.65 40, 4.25 pro agility, and a 9'9" broad jump illustrate the type of athlete he is at LB. Caleb has the range to go sideline to sideline in pursuit. The impressive LB is also able to dominate in tight quarters by making OL miss or shooting through gaps with a powerful burst. Caleb has shown he can thrive in space or between the tackles.     A QB who has had a great offseason of catching our attention continued to do just that among nearly 1,000 of his peers. The junior QB already has tape proving his dual threat abilities, and now we got numbers to verify the tape. The 6'2" QB ran a 4.67 40, broad jumped 10' (good enough for a Top 5 finish at the event), a 32.8" vertical, and a 4.53 pro agility. As a passer, Jeffrey isn't afraid to be a gunslinger. I saw it at the camp in the couple reps I watched and it is all over the tape. Ford will push it to the intermediate and deep levels with confidence and accuracy. I'm excited to see him make a name for himself further this fall.     Boden is a WR that far more programs need to know about. Every time I cross paths with him at camps he stands out from the crowd. Doesn't matter if there are 20 WRs in camp or 200+. The 5'9" 175 lbs '25 ran a 4.65 40 and 4.5 pro agility. He also jumped 9'4" and 35.8". Even with those strong numbers, on the field is where Boden truly separates himself. He does that with excellent route running. Boden has excellent balance, allowing him to get into and out of breaks quickly and with minimal steps. The incoming senior is able to burst out of those breaks too, which leads to the consistent separation we see him open up. Boden is one of the top route runners in WI, and also one of the most productive returning receivers in the state. I highly recommend getting eyes on this kid. He is a mismatch with his route running.     An impressive athlete made the trip up from Iowa in Dubuque Senior Mekyael Hall. The 6'1" 180 lbs WR ran a 4.53 40 with a 4.43 pro agility. He also posted a 9'2" broad jump and 32.1" vertical. Mekyael has experience playing varsity RB along with WR. He is the type of athlete you just find a way to get on the field and get the ball in his hands. I went to his junior highlights to learn more about the impressive athlete and it is clear he is most dangerous with the ball in his hands. Situations where he can use speed to get the edge or use his vision to set up blocks and find cut back lanes downfield. Mekyael is also an athlete that plays physical with the ball in his hands. He is a versatile playmaker to watch coming out of Iowa.     I have become a fan of Willem this offseason. His tape showed us an aggressive corner who could play man coverage and create pass breakups or turnovers downfield. At the Mega Camp he caught my eyes as I watched the DBs in drill work. The 6' 168 lbs DB demonstrated a smooth hip flip in drills and quick feet transitioning out of his back pedal. Hoefler also grabbed my attention playing tight coverage in a one on one battle I caught. It is clear that Willem is best in short areas with his quickness, acceleration, and ability to change direction. His 35" vertical and 9'10" broad jump also show the power behind his burst. The All State DB is still looking for that first offer. Get on him!     A 2025 DB that has been hot on the recruiting market is Green Bay Notre Dame's [player_tooltip player_id='1380103' first='Charlie' last='Hornacek']. The 6'1" 175 lbs incoming senior has offers from Duluth, Sioux Falls, Mankato, and Concordia- St. Paul. It is clear to see what has them excited after his mega camp performance. Charlie has exceptional athleticism to go with the long frame. He had a Top 5 vertical at 37.7", ran a 4.66 40, 4.56 pro agility, and 9'11" broad jump. Those numbers won't surprise people who have watched the tape. Charlie is a DB that easily covers ground, plays with strong instincts, and can go up and attack the ball at the high point. I believe he has potential to play CB or safety at the next level.     I had high expectations coming into camp for [player_tooltip player_id='942607' first='Ben' last='Lemirand']. The 6' 170 lbs WR delivered on my expectations and came away with a few more offers to add to his consistently growing list. Speed is the name of the game for Ben out at WR. You will be hard pressed to find a CB that can run downfield with him. Ben posted a 4.49 40 yard dash, 34" vertical and 9'10" broad jump. The incoming senior is explosive as a route runner, coming out of breaks and instantly getting up to speed to create that space that OCs and QBs love to have at their disposal. Ben proved to be one of the best at his position in WI.     Johnny has been on a tear this offseason! He was arguably the best RB at the Prep Redzone WI Showcase this spring. Now he comes out to the Minnesconsin Mega Camp and again manages to catch my attention. The incoming junior is in line for a potentially big season this fall. He has the tools to do it. The 5'10" 161 lbs RB is becoming the type of mismatch you want athletes of his stature to be. Johnny posted a 34.7" vertical, 4.6 40, 4.53 pro agility, and a 10'1" broad jump. A broad jump that was good enough for 2nd best of the entire camp. Furthering the evidence that he is becoming a nightmare matchup for defenses, Johnny dominated in one on ones vs LBs. They simply couldn't run with him. Especially when he went deep. The junior was able to track the ball well, avoid contact with the LB early in the route, and showed some reliable hands. Keep an eye on the junior this fall as he continues to build his game.     One of the top under the radar prospects is Kiel's DL [player_tooltip player_id='1209410' first='Brady' last='Bortz']. The 6'3" 265 lbs DT holds one offer from Duluth, and proved that more should be joining them in pursuit of his talents. Not only does he have the size to be an impact at the next level, he also has the burst and the ability to turn that burst into power. A 30.6" vertical begins to draw a picture of the lower body strength. However, it was in the one on ones that he really shined. Brady showed a strong base and good hand placement to be able to drive his man into the backfield while maintaining separation. We also saw some foot quickness to make the sudden lateral slides to get himself in better position/leverage. Bortz was a menace on the field in 2023. A big senior season is on the way.     Another OL who had a strong following of high level coaches was [player_tooltip player_id='402072' first='Dalton' last='DeBoer']. The 6'6" 330 lbs incoming junior was one of the biggest athletes in attendance, yet he still broad jumped 8', and ran an impressive 4.87 pro agility. I love to use the term dancing bear for OL when I can, and Dalton is the epitome of that image. He is absolutely massive, but he is so swift and light on his feet, allowing him to change direction in those combine drills and also while in his pass set mirroring pass rushers. On top of those light feet are the cement hands to shut down athletes trying to win with power over him. Dalton is a top name to know coming out of MN.     A favorite for me in the Class of 2026 is the versatile, athletic DL, FB, TE coming out of Boyceville, WI. Zach's superior strength and athleticism allows him to shine wherever he plays on the field at the HS level, but DL looks like his future home at the next level. The incoming junior tipped the scales at 6'3" 236 lbs. A big jump in weight from where he was at the end of the season. As it seems all talented DL/OL do, Zach posted an impressive pro agility time of 4.82 seconds and a 8'5" broad jump. On the field Zach seems to play even more explosive, powerful, and agile than those solid numbers would suggest. He can get off the line with a great first step and either get hands on, lock out and make a pass rush move, or he can simply make a lateral cut in his pass rush path to leave the OL blocking air as he slips past free. Zach is developing ways to win with quickness and with power. Look for him to continue to dominate camps over the coming years, and give HS OL nightmares leading into Friday nights.     An incoming senior QB coming out of WI who has been putting in the work this offseason since his first year as the varsity starter ended is [player_tooltip player_id='773284' first='Landon' last='Lopez']. The 6'4" 202 lbs QB is a pocket passer with noteworthy arm talent. Landon is a raw prospect who is making strides in his game. He looks the part with his tall frame and high release point. The zip that the ball comes out of his hand with also looks the part of a college QB. When he needs to, Landon can really step into his passes and put them on a frozen rope 25+ yards downfield. His ability to push the ball downfield while also remaining accurate are the keys to his success. I'm excited to see how he continues to develop leading into his senior season.

For the second year in a row Prep Redzone was back at UW- River Falls to cover the Minnesconsin Mega Camp. Things really took a step forward from last summer when 700+ athletes attended the camp. This year we saw 1,000+ make their way to the Showcase to get in front of dozens of college coaching staffs from every level of competition. I did my best to get around to every position group, take a ton of notes on impressive prospects, and soak it all in. Now it is time to go back through those notes and identify the best performances that I was able to watch. This will be a multi-part series, so let's dive in!