South Dakota 2027 Rankings Preview

SOUTH DAKOTA– The South Dakota rankings have now been posted to the site, click this <a href="https://prepredzone.com/dakotas/rankings/south-dakota-rankings/2027-rankings/">link</a> to check them out! After days, hours, etc. diving into everything we could find on this 2027 South Dakota class, we welcome and introduce you to the 2027 prospects that were added to our recruiting board. With over 50+ prospects ranked, and over 100 prospects on our watchlist and 156 prospects in total we take a deep breathe and unleash our preview including: Our first top 5, stockrisers in my eyes by next update, and what's next in the coming weeks with content now that the dust has settled.   Meet Our Top 5:   #5: [player_tooltip player_id='852873' first='Cooper' last='Nielsen'], ATH, Tri-Valley <a href="https://x.com/CNielsen316">Twitter</a>   #4: [player_tooltip player_id='763887' first='Andersen' last='Semchenko'], OL, Sioux Falls Christian <a href="https://x.com/andesemchenko">Twitter</a>   #3: [player_tooltip player_id='1264230' first='Austin' last='Conway'], OL, Yankton <a href="https://x.com/AustinC20839721">Twitter</a>   #2: [player_tooltip player_id='1152874' first='Rocky' last='Clark'], DL, Mitchell <a href="https://x.com/rockyclark123">Twitter</a>   #1: [player_tooltip player_id='1027999' first='Cooper' last='Terwilliger'], TE, Pierre T.F. Riggs <a href="https://x.com/CooperTerwilli1">Twitter</a>   My Key Points with the South Dakota 2027 Rankings Update   Trench and 11AA Domination with New Places Too   Although to our new subscribers to Prep Redzone Dakotas it might be new, our top five features 3/5 of our prospects coming from both sides of the trenches. A familiar last name appears at #4 with [player_tooltip player_id='763887' first='Andersen' last='Semchenko'], the little brother of SDSU commit [player_tooltip player_id='321168' first='Lincoln' last='Semchenko'] who just wrapped up his freshmen year but already has a excellent 6'5 290 pound frame that myself and our Prep Redzone NEXT scouts have yet another D1 grade on early. When I speak of new places, I am talking to those Yankton Bucks and those Mitchell Kernels, who for the first time in the Prep Redzone Dakotas era each have a prospect in the top five with [player_tooltip player_id='1264230' first='Austin' last='Conway'] of Yankton and [player_tooltip player_id='1152874' first='Rocky' last='Clark'] of Mitchell leading the charge. I will say again, 3/5s of the first five prospects ranked in our South Dakota rankings hail from 11AA which has to be yet another first in our Dakotas era of prospect rankings.   A Bigger Watchlist than Usual for a New Class   In both of the Dakotas, this is by far the biggest watchlists we have ever put out. Speciially in South Dakota we had over 100 prospects on our watchlist. When I define our watchlists in these first classes, these are prospects that I have a “wait and see” grade attached to them. Because of our time we have spent at camps, games, etc. in the Dakotas we recognize plenty of last names of prospects that are floating around heavily on Division I to Division III rosters throughout the Midwest. Their play will obviously speak for themselves over the coming years, but the easier access we have gotten to measurables, testing numbers, etc. from some of the top prospects in the Dakotas from college coaches and programs has given us an added metric to create bigger watchlists, rankings, etc. with incoming classes to come. We can't think the college programs in our network enough for their appreciation.   Stockrisers I Could See by the Next 2027 SD Update   If I were to select some names right now who jump out at me right away for next update, I am going with this list of names.   [player_tooltip player_id='1263883' first='Brody' last='Schafer'], QB, Sioux Falls Lincoln <a href="https://x.com/Brody4Schafer">Twitter</a>   The little brother of Sioux Falls commit Tate Schafer, who was one of one the biggest steals in my eyes from that 2024 class in the NSIC has already put together some skillsets that intrigue me especially this Spring. Brody has great poise for his age and already shows off QB that is efficent on all three-levels of the field even as just an incoming sophomore. It certainly looks like there might be another Schafer brother with a good chance of playing at the next level for sure as Brody comes as QB2 in this first 2027 SD class.   [player_tooltip player_id='1275174' first='Jean' last='Anthony-Thomas'], LB, Aberdeen Roncalli <a href="https://x.com/JeanThom8s">Twitter</a>   Seldomly do you see a 1st team All-Camp Team nod as a freshmen at our Prep Redzone Dakotas Combines, yet Jean came out of nowhere and got it done in Sioux Falls. He certainly has some growth coming in the next few years, but the instinct this youngster showed off in Sioux Falls was by far one of the first prospects I added to our 2027 rankings that has a heck of a football IQ that is just getting started.   [player_tooltip player_id='1264214' first='Jonah' last='Juhl'], WR, Brandon Valley <a href="https://x.com/jonahjuhl">Twitter</a>   It felt like every 7v7 tournament I was in attendance at this Spring in Iowa and South Dakota I had Jonah listed as a standout, as another quick add to our 2027 rankings hailing from the powerhouse of development in 11AAA that is Brandon Valley. Jonah has excellent hands for his age and very intriguing athleticism he is going to grow in the coming years as a WR prospect that plays way bigger than his measurables may show you at the moment.   [player_tooltip player_id='1263888' first='Thomas' last='Osman'], ATH, Harrisburg <a href="https://x.com/Thomas5Osman">Twitter</a>   Another prospect that has a great college football bloodine (brother Rizg is at Northwestern, Iowa) that flashed this was Harrisburg's [player_tooltip player_id='1263888' first='Thomas' last='Osman']. I put Thomas as an athlete as his freakish length and vertical could go up and get the football wherever it might have been during the 7v7 circuit, especially at the tournament I witnessed in Sioux Falls. My gut tells me too that this kid might not be done growing yet which also drives the bus with how much upside he has.   [player_tooltip player_id='1320993' first='Grayson' last='Ratzlaff'], RB, Avon   One of the top prospects in this 2027 class in 9B is Avon's [player_tooltip player_id='1320993' first='Grayson' last='Ratzlaff']. His durable frame at 5'9 180 pounds certainly is intriguing for his age as Grayson on tape shows off a solid mix of a power and fluidity and showed off he can be more dangerous around the edges than you might think.   [player_tooltip player_id='1289261' first='Kade' last='Vavruska'], Spearfish <a href="https://x.com/KVavruska83460">Twitter</a>   Our WR2 in the new 2027 South Dakota class is [player_tooltip player_id='1289261' first='Kade' last='Vavruska'] of Spearfish, who certainly shows off already he can be a problem in the secondary as a deep threat. Where Kade pops out on tape to me is his balance he shows from his route-running, timing, and his hands. He also showed off solid success in high traffic areas which especially shows why the 6'2 170 pounder should be a West River 2027 on the rise by next update.   A Few Watchlist Names to Know   No question about it that tape can be hard to find for the Dakotas' youngest class, but the college football bloodlines of a few of these 2027 SD prospects will have me checking weekly to see when the first post it.   [player_tooltip player_id='1321001' first='Alexander' last='Lindeman'], DL/OL, Dell Rapids St. Mary   <ul> <li>Little brother of Northern State's Nathan Lindeman</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id='1321000' first='Gavin' last='Pica'], OL, Dell Rapids St. Mary   <ul> <li>Little brother of DWU's John Pica</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id='1320995' first='Carter' last='Wilkinson'], OL/DL, De Smet   <ul> <li>Little brother of SDSU hooper Damon Wilkinson and [player_tooltip player_id='849018' first='Grant' last='Wilkinson'], who looks like a D1 football target in our 2026 class</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id='1289262' first='Easton' last='Walters'], OL, Spearfish   <ul> <li>Little brother of D2 target in 2025, [player_tooltip player_id='351519' first='Hunter' last='Walters']</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id='1320886' first='Parker' last='Randall'], LB, McCook Central-Montrose   <ul> <li>Little brother of Mount Marty linebacker commit Carter Randall</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id='1263887' first='Grady' last='Wolbrink'], ATH, Harrisburg   <ul> <li>Little brother of Sioux Falls commit Jaxson Wolbrink</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id='1320908' first='Isaiah' last='Crownover'], ATH, Bon Homme   <ul> <li>Little brother of Mount Marty's Isaac Crownover</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id='1320996' first='Jacob' last='Flemmer'], ATH, Dell Rapids St. Mary   <ul> <li>Little brother of SDSU track commit Lucas Flemmer</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id='1293178' first='Berkley' last='Hemmen'], ATH, Elkton-Lake Benton   <ul> <li>Little brother of Dakota State's Jack Hemmen</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id='1293161' first='Ayden' last='Jarding'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1293158' first='Radek' last='Jarding'], ATH, Hanson   <ul> <li>Little brothers of DWU football and baseball player, Jackson Jarding</li> </ul>   Sully Keiffer, ATH, Rapid City Christian   <ul> <li>Little brother of 2025 QB D2 target [player_tooltip player_id='800373' first='Simon' last='Kieffer']</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id='1263889' first='Pierce' last='Ostrem'], ATH, Harrisburg   <ul> <li>Little brother of D2 LB target [player_tooltip player_id='782755' first='Isaac' last='Ostrem']</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id='1320994' first='Coy' last='Van Regenmorter'], ATH, De Smet   <ul> <li>Little brother of Dakota State's Blake Van Regenmorter</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id='1320967' first='Gage' last='Schoellerman'], ATH, Viborg-Hurley   <ul> <li>Little brother Sioux Falls commit Chance Schoellerman</li> </ul>   What's On Tap with Content?   Newcomers (Multi-Part Series)   -Who was added to our prospect database of 2027 prospects and what do they bring to the table as far as their skillsets?   Positional Breakdowns (Multiple Positions)   -We will stack up some of our position groups and evaluate why x prospect was ranked over x prospect due to what their tape shows, live evaluation shows, etc.   Small Town Sleepers   One of my favorite article series every ranking update. Which prospects from sleepy small town America made waves on our rankings whether newcomers or stockrisers? We always love to talk the population too showing off these prospects from small town North Dakota.

SOUTH DAKOTA– The South Dakota rankings have now been posted to the site, click this link to check them out! After days, hours, etc. diving into everything we could find on this 2027 South Dakota class, we welcome and introduce you to the 2027 prospects that were added to our recruiting board. With over 50+ prospects ranked, and over 100 prospects on our watchlist and 156 prospects in total we take a deep breathe and unleash our preview including: Our first top 5, stockrisers in my eyes by next update, and what's next in the coming weeks with content now that the dust has settled.