Under the Radar Week 2 Southern MN Studs

Week 2 is in the books, and once again a variety of players from across the state lit up the stat sheet and the film room. I've gathered several prospects from across Southern Minnesota and am pleased to present some of week 2's under-the-radar prospects!   WR: [player_tooltip player_id='1120567' first='Nolan' last='Ginskey'] 6' 175 lbs Owatonna 2025   Ginskey lit up the field against the defending 5A state champs the Chanhassen Storm, bringing down 8 catches for 109 yards and 1 TD. This ups his season receiving yards total to over 200, but his success isn't limited to one side of the ball. On defense, Ginskey tallied 7 solo tackles which over doubled his total from Week 1. Many floated Ginskey's name around when discussing the top wideouts in the state last year, and it looks like he's right back in that conversation.   WR: [player_tooltip player_id='348818' first='Luke' last='Webber'] 6' 185 lbs Owatonna 2025   Recent Minnesota-Duluth commit Webber is primarily known as a DB, but he popped off as a wideout during Week 2. Bringing down 83 yards on 4 receptions it's becoming clear that he's a legitimate threat on both sides of the ball. With Webber flashing like this on offense it's looking like the Huskies tout one of the most dangerous receiver cores in all of AAAAA.   LB: [player_tooltip player_id='1581595' first='Blake' last='Fitcher'] 6'2" 215 lbs Owatonna 2025   Fitcher is a brick house of a linebacker who put together what is by all accounts an incredibly complete stat line in Week 2. Tallying 7 total tackles, a sack, a fumble recovery for a TD, and a pass breakup, he made plays all over the field which contributed to the team's dominant win over Chanhassen. Fitcher was a dominant MLB last season, and it looks like he's only taken a step forward during his senior year. He would be a great signing for MIAC teams.   LB: Blake Davidson 6' 183 lbs Owatonna 2025   The current leader in tackles for one of the best teams in Southern Minnesota, Davidson brought down 9 solo tackles and 1 assist in his dominant showing against Chanhassen. His speed and ability to flow seamlessly to the ball allow him to stack up tackles and blow up plays quickly near the line of scrimmage. Davidson was just shy of the 100 tackle mark last season, but it's a very real possibility he will surpass that milestone during his senior season.   QB: [player_tooltip player_id='1120576' first='Savy' last='Vath'] 6'2" 175 lbs Rochester John Marshall 2026   Vath burst onto the scene last season lighting up the gridiron during the 9 games he was able to play. He picked up right where he left off with a solid Week 2 performance that saw him go 13/23 for 139 yards and 4 total touchdowns. Three passing, and one on the ground. RJM is 2-0 to start their 2024 season and Vath's performance during those games is a huge part of why. He's made giant strides and has continued to garner recruiting attention.   RB: [player_tooltip player_id='245152' first='Ty'Shawn' last='Beane'] 5'10" 200 lbs Rochester John Marshall 2025   Speaking of dominant outings, Beane was a bellcow who torched the North St. Paul defense on the ground last week. On only 14 carries he racked up 135 yards and a TD putting his season total at 230 yards. Beane is a high-level returning starter whose Week 2 performance no doubt skyrockets his stock and puts him in the conversation among the top RBs in his class.   WR/DB: [player_tooltip player_id='236010' first='Eli' last='Ladu'] 6' 165 lbs Rochester John Marshall 2025   Ladu appeared to be always open throughout Week 2, where he was able to bring down 6 receptions for 66 yards, 1 TD, and 1 2-point conversion. His impact also extended to the defensive side of the ball where he recorded a tackle and a pass-breakup, all in one half. Ladu can lose defenders easily, and he does an excellent job of going up and getting balls that aren't perfectly thrown. He breaks during his routes quickly and one on one creates solid separation. I hope we get to see him light up the field more during his senior year.   LB/RB: [player_tooltip player_id='603454' first='Owen' last='Murphy'] 6' 205 lbs Northfield 2025   A 3x All-State wrestler who was named to the All-District team last season, Murphy's film from Week 2 was extremely impressive against an extraordinarily run-heavy Faribault squad. Against a tricky wing-T offense, Murphy managed to consistently find himself blowing up plays and was a key part of Northfield's defense holding them to only 12 points. Offensively, he's an athlete who is capable of breaking off chunk plays, but he's particularly adept at making "team plays". Whether that be laying out defenders or pushing the pile that extra yard, he does the dirty work that counts.   WR/OLB: [player_tooltip player_id='400478' first='Kayden' last='Oakland'] 6'5" 210 lbs Northfield 2026   Everyone loves an edge rusher with a great frame, and that's where two-way standout Oakland lies right now. Leaving him unblocked off of the edge is a borderline crime because the second that he gets a free release he's lighting up your quarterback. Offensively he's a giant mismatch on nearly every DB he plays against. Oakland can reel in out-of-control balls but also is a surprisingly shifty route runner given his tremendous frame. Oakland is on track for a breakout season and I hope he continues to put out great tape.   WR/LB: Julian Vasquez 5'10" 180 lbs Northfield 2026   A remarkably quick and shifty receiver, Vasquez put together some tough tape of his Week 2 performance that saw him highlight his ability to burn defenses over the top and bring in contested catches. Equally impressive, however, was the number of tackles Vasquez managed to break. You need to break down to tackle him otherwise you're sliding off like butter on a pancake. Through the first quarter of the season, Vasquez looks like a breakout athlete and I look forward to the rest of his 2024 campaign.

Week 2 is in the books, and once again a variety of players from across the state lit up the stat sheet and the film room. I've gathered several prospects from across Southern Minnesota and am pleased to present some of week 2's under-the-radar prospects!