PrepRedzoneMN Film Room Special: Midseason Hudl Evaluations

Year after year I find myself saying "Dang, the high school season flies by." In seemingly a blink, the 2024 prep football season is halfway done, with sections beginning to loom on the horizon and a season's worth of upsets, success stories, breakout performers, and big-time games already having gone down. PrepRedzoneMN is happy to see that Minnesota prep football players have been diligent and timely in updating both their weekly game film and now, in their midseason compilation. Recruiting timelines have accelerated, and it's important to get your new tape out for consumption and in front of collegiate eyes as soon as possible. Now that we finally have some new tape to devour, PrepRedzoneMN is hitting the film room hard to try and create some quick-hitting evaluations on Minnesota preps from all classes and all positions. Make sure you update your Hudl, high schoolers!   --    Class A competitor Benson has a good uncommitted senior in 6'2, 230 lb. DL Jack Storlien. Through four games, Storlien has posted 20 tackles, including 11 solo, 6 TFLs, and 2 sacks, and shows off solid size and the ability to get off the ball well. He's a physical tackler, shows enough get-up to run down loose ball carriers from behind, and has good reps of him tackling behind the LOS and in space. Storlien possesses a good motor and keeps his hands active.     One of the best uncommitted LBs I saw while scouring tape for the Preseason All-State series, 9man LB Sam Howard brings good size to the table as a 6'3, 215 lb. LB and TE, and he's been laying more wood so far as a senior. Mostly has been playing 9man OT as a senior, where he's been a crushing finisher and has put some serious hits on opponents this fall. He does a good job of catching and corralling second and third-level defenders in space and is consistent in his hand placement and leg drive after contact. Does have some reps of him carrying the ball, where he's a load and a half to bring down, and has been twitchy and disruptive as a defensive lineman as well. Also has played some off-ball ILB and looks like a dog on a steak sniffing out and eliminating RBs in run defense. Someone is going to get a big, versatile, experienced, and productive pickup at the next level.     I saw Hansen in 2023 against SMB, where he impressed in a wet, rainy, windy contest that showed impressive control of the ball and his offense. I've been looking forward to seeing him as a senior, and the week 1-3 highlights look good, displaying a senior signal-caller with great touch, a quick release, and smooth mechanics. The ball looks good coming out of his hand and there isn't wasted movement in his throwing motion, and he sees the field well and makes quick, smart decisions with the football. I can see him getting through his reads and pulling the trigger decisively in his game tape, and he fit the ball into some tight windows so far this season. Hansen leads receivers open, has been accurate on a variety of throws to all levels of the field, and shows some juice as a ball carrier and can move the chains with his legs if needed as well. Only recruiting news is a visit and offer from St .Olaf, and I can''t lie, I'd be stoked if my Oles landed him. Hansen would be a great pickup for a MIAC or NAIA school.     13 tackles, 3 TFLs, and 2 PBUs so far this season for St. Louis Park's team captain and 6'1, 220 lb. DE TJ Brayboy, who holds a DIII roster spot offer from the prestigious Grinnell College down in Iowa. Brayboy can make tackles through contact, shows good burst out of his stance, and attacks blocking with physicality and proper leverage. He's got a good motor and can get slippery through gaps and to beat blocks around the LOS.     One of the top two-way players in the state and the best senior in St. Paul, Central's 6'1, 205 lb. QB/DB [player_tooltip player_id='641139' first='Allan' last='Lankfard'] has pumped out some major production so far in 2024, totaling 344 passing yards and 5 TDs and 60 rushes for 425 yards and 6 TDs on the ground. He's also added 41 tackles, 2 TFLs, 2 FFs, and an interception he returned for six as well. Impressive numbers through four games, and Lankfard looks more filled out and powerful than in 2023. He opens his tape with a 100-yard interception return for a TD on a beautiful read on a goal-line route concept against Johnson High School, and shows sideline-to-sideline range in run defense, takes good angles to the football, and is powerful at the contact point. Lankfard, as a ball carrier, easily runs through tackle attempts and has improved his contact balance yet again, and displays noticeable burst, shifty cuts, and an overall aggressive on-field demeanor. Still uncommitted. NSIC schools need to get on this kid!     A small school Preseason All-State selection on both sides of the ball for Class A Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop, Krumwiede has a great frame and brings a ton of length to the table at 6'6, 210 lbs. Krumwiede has been mostly playing TE in 2024 and uses his length to out-leverage and up-end defenders at the edge of the LOS. He runs his feet post-contact and laid some big hits on opponents last fall. Also had a massive sack against JWP and and has generally been banging pads, moving mass, and throwing his body around in 2024. Could grow into a monster in college. UW-River Falls and St. Scholastica have offered so far.     A PrepRedzoneMN Showcase Top Performer and WR MVP, Gall has been a three-phase contributor in 2024, showing out as a WR, DB, kicker, and punter for the Tech Tigers. Gall's been catching everything that comes his way, showing ball skills and a big catch radius, plus a willingness and fearlessness to go up and high-point the ball. I also like his releases and sharp cuts at the top of the route, and defensively, he shows some loose hips, willingness to play press corner on the corner, and some burst out of his breaks, both in coverage and when coming downhill to support the run. Also kicked a field goal, has been handling kickoff duties, and has been punting in 2024 too. Dynamic football player and still uncommitted. UW-River Falls, UW-Stout, and Southwest MN State have offered.     The rich get richer, and Norwood Young America has yet another long, lean, and athletic pass-rusher in their DL room. 2026 6'4, 215 lb. DE [player_tooltip player_id='1602715' first='Taylor' last='Hackbarth'] has posted 23 tackles, 5 TFLs, and 3 sacks, and has reported a 29" vert and 8'5" broad jump, as well as being a member of the 1,000-pound club.   A 3-4 DE who generally aligns as a 5 or 4i with his hand in the dirt, Hackbarth possesses great length, a quick first step, and can get skinny, and has a good rip when working through blocking attempts. He can win rushes with power, uses his hands well, and is a good tackler who sweeps up and overwhelms ball carriers with his long arms. There's definitely a high pass-rushing ceiling, and some athleticism visible on tape, and the height, length, and frame will easily get college coaches fired up. Can;t wait to get this kid on the 2026 rankings.     Moorhead Spud 6'1, 210 lb. LB and WR [player_tooltip player_id='1207418' first='Reign' last='Battle'] is off to a hot start in 2023, along with his fellow Moorhead peers, and has posted 26 tackles and 5 TFLs, as well as 222 reception yards and 4 TDs, in the Spuds' 4-0 streak to start the 2024 season. Battle has good things going for him on both sides of the ball. Defensively, he does a good job of flowing to the football and wading through traffic to sniff out RBs at the LOS and shows good play speed as a LB who triggers on the ball with pace. The 210 lber. is also a dominant tackler who can eat up a RB 1v1 in the hole and drive them backward for minimal yardage. As a wideout, he can win vertically as a WR and is strong after the catch as a WR, with sudden lateral cuts and contact balance through tackle attempts. Good athlete who will make a college LB room a lot better. UMary, Northern State, and MSU-Moorhead have all offered so far.     A 2026 DB starting for Maple Grove, who I think should be #1 in the state right now, Elmquist is a three-sport athlete for the Crimson who is also a guard on the basketball team and an outfielder and pitcher on the baseball team. Positionally versatile and able to play both safety and corner, Elmquist will stick his head in there and support the run and triggers on the ball well, using his physicality to jar the ball loose on potential receptions. Elmquist can flip his hips quickly, is comfortable covering WRs for extended periods of time, and does a good job of staying in phase while getting his head around to not force the referees to make a call. Good reps in both run and pass defense in his junior midseason tape.     A darkhorse prospect in the always-fun Minnesota P4 OL race, Bloomington Kennedy's 6'6+ OT [player_tooltip player_id='924346' first='Jayveon' last='Kelly'] was a top performer at one of the Minnesota Gophers prospect camps this summer, where linemen go fully padded and really battle it out for high-pressure 1v1 wins. We've been excited to get some new looks at Kelly, and the midseason tape shows an OT with a powerful punch that has really improved since his sophomore season. He looks good in his stance and is flexible for a taller OT prospect, and is a crushing finisher who does a good job of staying engaged once he gets his hands on an opponent. He's laterally agile and was used by the Eagles in their quick game to get out in space when the QB gets mobile, and has a good rep showing some COD ability and awareness in pass pro. Dominant 1v1 blocks, physicality and power, and mobility, there's a lot to be excited about in the Bloomington product.     North Dakota Fighting Hawks TE commit [player_tooltip player_id='490031' first='Nathan' last='Hromadka'] had a productive offseason going into his senior season and the results speak for themselves in his senior midseason tape. Hromadka has been an asset in the passing game, showing an improved ability to separate at the top of the route, sure hands, and balance through contact. The 6'5er is a big-time target in the redzone and won some catches through contested coverage and is also a powerful blocker and has added strength in the offseason and has sent some defenders hard into the turf so far this season. Hromadka is able to work to the second level and handle defenders at all three levels of a defense, whether they come at him with quickness or power. Versatile tool for one of the best teams in the state. North Dakota got a good one!     Field cornerback with premium size for the position who has been a New Brighton version of an island so far in 2024, allowing only 2 receptions and a TD on 8 targets through four games. Harms possesses great length, and quick, patient feet, and he does a good job of staying square when pressing and uses his long arms to disrupt WRs timing. Harms doesn't get held up when shedding blocks and contributing to run defense and is more than willing to come up and support the run. Would be a great pickup for a MIAC squad's 2025 class.     An XL, small school Preseason All-State pick on the OL, 6'4, 300 lber. Shawn Crouch plays OC and DT and has been putting good reps on film on both sides of the ball. Crouch has been bullying people in 2024, and is a crushing run blocker who can find work and smoothly operate laterally for a big boy. As a DT, where I think he may be best suited for in college, the 300 lber. owns heavy hands, can shed blocks and hold a gap through contact in run defense, loves contact and is a good tackler, and can run down ball carriers out to the edge and has a good motor for a big iDL. He's looking to hit someone and make things happen every snap. NAIA powerhouse Morningside University has offered the senior so far.     Now at Cooper High School, 5'11, 210 lb. linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='234913' first='Mannie' last='Allen'] was a noticeable presence at the Robbinsdale Cooper vs. Robbinsdale Armstrong game I attended earlier this year, and his midseason tape opens with a massive hit that nearly decleats a helpless RB on an attempted screen. This kid is a thumper, and loves sticking his face into ball carriers and would-be blockers alike. QBs, RBs, and OL have all felt his presence this year, and he's been effective as a blitzer, showing off burst, closing speed, and of course, aggressiveness at the contact point. Allen has one of the hardest-hitting midseason tapes in Minnesota, and his play speed, recognition and instincts, and physicality will suit him well at the next level.     A 2027 we were very excited to see coming into the season, 6'1, 190 lb. Byron High School linebacker is raising his stock on both sides of the ball thanks to his on-field play and production. 27 carries for 201 yards and 5 TDs, as well as 15 tackles and a sack on defense, Heimer's long legs help him slip through solid tackle attempts with seeming ease, and he's got a smooth, weaving run style that is fun to watch and helps him disguise where he is ultimately cutting to. He shows some burst when he hits the hole and can separate and create space when he sticks his cleat in the ground and cuts laterally. Also made some strong 1v1 tackles on defense and possesses good speed, versatility, and physicality. Lot to like with the 2027 Byron Bear.     A 2026 QB starting to carve a name out for himself in the distinguished 2026 QB rankings, RJM Rocket [player_tooltip player_id='1120576' first='Savy' last='Vath'] is throwing at a 56% clip (38-68) for 592 yards and 10 TDs to 3 INTs, leading John Marshall to a 4-1 record through five games of the 2024 season. 5A-ranked Mankato East is their only loss as well. The 6'2, 175 lber. has also rushed for 193 yards and 2 TDs on the ground. Good arm, hits his receivers in stride, puts some touch on his deep ball and puts his receivers in positions to succeed after the catch. Vath shows some get-up as a ball carrier and can take the edge on a defense and fash you for long gains. I also like his quickness with the ball in hand. He can navigate the pocket and extend plays to beat rushers and needs to be accounted for as a ball carrier, will hang in there and deliver throws through contact, and shows good timing as well. Vath needs to up that completion percentage a bit, but I like the ball placement he's putting on tape and he's obviously a big reason that RJM is finding so much success in 2024.     A highly-anticipated midseason film drop, Norwood Young America's [player_tooltip player_id='1102620' first='Micah' last='Fenney'] has premium length and a ton of athletic upside on the edge of the LOS for a potential college suitor, and he's posted 16 tackles, 6 TFLs, and 2 sacks through the first four games of 2026. Not facing a ton of great OT competition in the small school ranks, so Fenney just looks too big, long, and fast for blockers to even gets hands on him. He envelops ball carriers when he gets ahold of them and has been physically dominant so far is 2024. I want to see that production bump up a bit, especially the sack numbers, but he's made obvious gains since his sophomore season and has a lot of football left with a strong NYA squad.     A big piece in Randolph's recent success, the Rockets have a big-time 2026 class, and Zingler is an integral part, going both ways for the Rockets and posting serious production so far this season. The 6', 200 lber. has tallied 50 rushes for 339 yards and 6 TDs so far, as well as five receptions for 70 yards, and has added 41 tackles, 2 TFLs, a sack, and a forced fumble in four games of 2024. A three-phase contributor who is also dangerous as a returner, Zingler has even threw for a TD in 2024. The 200 lber. is strong through contact and can easily run and power through weaker tackle attempts at his lower body. He shows good vision, can break multiple tackle attempts in a single carry, and fights like heck to stay upright through contact. He also displays sudden cuts and COD ability for a more power-focused runner and can pursue out to edge and hawk down ball carriers far downfield from his LB spot. His dangerousness as a RB has been in the spotlight this season and he's got a lot of fun carries ahead of him the rest of the year.     Very excited to have Benilde-St. Margaret's 6'2, 220 lb LB back on the gridiron in 2024. The senior missed all of 2023 due to an injury but is firmly back contributing to the Red Knights defense, posting 45 tackles and 2 TFls at the midseason point. Strong 1v1 tackler who can physically dominate at the contact point, plugs up the middle of the defense, prevents extra yardage and gains from opposing RBs, and flows to the ball well, and can sniff out screens around the LOS. Strong tackler, has some good bocking reps as a TE on offense and is fun to watch tackle. 2025 uncommitted to know!     A potential P4 name in the still-developing 2026 class, 6'7 OT [player_tooltip player_id='1255125' first='Weston' last='Rowe'] comes out of a loaded Jackson County Central roster, and I'm far from the only person eagerly waiting to consume some updated [player_tooltip player_id='1255125' first='Weston' last='Rowe'] highlights. The first play of his tape is eye-catching, as Rowe looks like a bull let out of his cage when wrapping back across the LOS on a devastating pull that showed off great body control and mobility for his size. Powerful down blocker, can reach and cut off DEs and OLBs to spring his RBs loose out on the edge, and has a great rep of him working up to the second level. Rowe is a legit athlete at 6'7, 270 and is on the short-list of 2026s nearing a P4 offer. Excellent midseason tape from the big-time junior OT.

Year after year I find myself saying "Dang, the high school season flies by." In seemingly a blink, the 2024 prep football season is halfway done, with sections beginning to loom on the horizon and a season's worth of upsets, success stories, breakout performers, and big-time games already having gone down. PrepRedzoneMN is happy to see that Minnesota prep football players have been diligent and timely in updating both their weekly game film and now, in their midseason compilation. Recruiting timelines have accelerated, and it's important to get your new tape out for consumption and in front of collegiate eyes as soon as possible. Now that we finally have some new tape to devour, PrepRedzoneMN is hitting the film room hard to try and create some quick-hitting evaluations on Minnesota preps from all classes and all positions. Make sure you update your Hudl, high schoolers!