Minnesota 2028s Balling out this Fall

With the 2024 season beginning to wind down and the pool of available players and programs shrinks game to game, it's about time we begin to look towards the future of Minnesota high school football. In this case, that means the 2028 class of prospects, who have made some serious waves and have been balling out in 2024 despite it being their first year of high school ball. PrepRedzoneMN will always be your premier source of information for the best high school football prospects in the state, especially for the underclassmen up-and-comers, and with the majority of Minnesota's programs done for the year, we're ready to introduce of the Minnesota 2028s Balling out this Fall. The future of MN prep football is below!   --    There are two main names I've been focusing on during the 2024 season in terms of potential high-level recruits, and it has to start with Hopkins star QB [player_tooltip player_id='1651164' first='Tre' last='Moore']. We named Moore our PrepRedzoneMN Freshman of the Year during our Regular Season Superlatives & Award feature from a couple weeks back, and it's been hard to ignore what the first year player has produced in 2024, even though his high school athletic journey began last year. Moore received significant varsity minutes with the Royals vaunted basketball team as an 8th grader and is making similar ripples in his first year of varsity football as a freshman as well. According to MNFootballHub, Moore completed 106 passes on 175 attempts (61%) for 14 TDs to 6 INTs while leading Hopkins to a 3-6 record while snapping their former 29-game losing streak in 2024. He also upended a solidified starter in their QB race, and I am very excited about Moore's natural accuracy and completion percentage, ball security for a freshman, and ability to influence and impact his team to victories, all important traits in a QB prospect. Not a ton of film available, but in what I could gather, Moore is a mobile dual-threat QB who is already exceptional in his ability to scramble, extend plays, and buy time behind the LOS. However, he also displays a good arm that can put some noticeable velocity on the ball in short and intermediate throws, solid touch on his deep balls to put his receivers in a position to make a play on the ball, and he throws a good ball on the move and will finish throws through big hits and upcoming contact. Plus, Moore owns game-breaking speed and is a twitchy and balanced ball carrier when he tucks and runs with the rock. Another elite athlete and multi-sporter playing QB and basketball in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.     The second of the two major 2028 names I want our PRzMN readers to remember in terms of D1/P4 recruiting right now, the Faribault Falcons have themselves a monster DL in their 6'5, 280 lb. beast of a first year in [player_tooltip player_id='898254' first='Bitan' last='Gatwech']. A three-sport standout representing the 507 more than well, Gatwech has put together some seriously impressive freshman tape and is moving, producing, and dominating like an upperclassman as compared to a first-year prep football player. It's hard not to think about him playing P4 football one day - conditional on the in-person size, movement, and athletic ability hold up - but the game tape is about as important of a variable and there is, and Gatwech's is looking great right now. Positionally versatile and can line up on the interior or out as a 5T DE, Gatwech possesses a powerful and sometimes dominant bull rush that can drive OL backward and on their heels into the backfield, where he can shed and make TFLs behind the LOS. He shows a good first step, processes and finds the ball quickly off the snap, can make tackles through contact and is a beast of a presence in run defense , and start/stops well for a kid of his size. Gatwech has a rep of him holding two Austin OL at bay before finding and eliminating the RB, which looked like an older brother holding some rowdy cousins off each other. The 280 lber also demonstrates noticeable, eye-catching, closing speed for a big guy once he gets into the backfield and can also run down RBs from the backside of the LOS. The future is VERY bright for this young man.     Coming out of the talent-rich Minnesota Panthers youth program, which has been putting out some big-time middle prospects the last couple of years, RB Alpha Meaway came with a handful of youth teammates and has been making serious waves for the Brooklyn Center Centaurs as a freshman starting nearly game of the season on varsity for the Class AAA metro competitor. In 7 games of action this fall, Meaway totaled 63 rushes for 524 yards and 7 TDs at an impressive 8.3 YPC average, far and away the leading rusher for Brooklyn Center in 2024. Here's what we wrote about Meaway in a recent midseason highlight tape breakdown: "Showing quick feet and sudden cuts that can make defenders miss in space, Meaway also displays good burst and acceleration and is patient runner who lets things develop and does a good job of seeing the cutback. He has a crazy rep of him spinning out out of a dogpile of attempted St. Cloud Apollo tacklers for an electric gain down his sideline, where he jukes by that last pursuing DB and leaves the kids ankles looking like they're stuck in the mud, and shows game-breaking speed, especially for a freshman. Plus, Meaway owns a good stiff-arm and soft hands out of the backfield that can create explosive plays in the passing game as well. Thousands of yards and tens of TDs await this kid in his prep football future. What a freshman talent for the Centaurs!"   Lot of good football left for the young buck, who I think will hold down a spot near the top of the RB rankings for his whole high school football career.     Not a ton of information available on Waseca's QB/LB [player_tooltip player_id='1653241' first='Kellen' last='Klinger'], but I do know that the freshman came in and made a splash on one of AAA's most consistent contenders. Klinger wrestled with the Bluejay's varsity wrestling squad as an 8th grader last spring, placing 6th at 160 at the NYA invite, and he was named the Waseca football IWealth Player of the Game on September 27th against Jordan, where he posted 489 yards of offense in the Bluejay's 38-21 victory. However, this is the extent of the information I can gather. No tape, no stats. Update your film, young man! There's lots of eyes wanting to check out your game.     Can't overstate enough how impressive it is that a freshman started at QB for 4A perennial contender and one of the top recruiting hotbeds in MN in the Hutchinson Tigers. Rostberg sure took some licks this fall, completing 46 passes for 98 attempts (47%) for 778 yards and 5 TDs to 8 INTs, but that's to be expected from a first-year freshman starter, and more important, Rostberg helped lead Hutch to a 4-6 record after a massive turnover from their senior class last season. Very limited tape from last season so I can't make a proper evaluation on the kid, but starting as a freshman on one of MN's biggest powerhouses is always a good sign. I hope this young man puts out some tape soon!     Representing Class A and the Benson Braves, 5'10, 180 lb. RB/LB [player_tooltip player_id='1654528' first='Adrian' last='Young'] has some big-time athleticism coming from the small school ranks. Primarily a RB, Young hurdled a defender around a minute into his tape, showing off some exciting athleticism that instantly puts a player on must-watch status, even more so for a freshman. Young's sudden cuts and COD ability can get him by defenders in the open field, as can his balance and strength through tackle attempts at his lower body, which he can step and slip through without going down. He displays good speed that can take advantage of holes in the defense and produce splash plays, is a smooth cutter with good vision, and even throws a big-time hit out from his safety spot a couple minutes into his tape. Solid size, tons of varsity experience, and some splash play ability, what a fun small school name balling out and making a name for himself so early.     Belle Plaine's QB [player_tooltip player_id='1543013' first='Reed' last='Creighton'] was on a shortlist of 2028 names I was keeping my eye on early into 2024 season, as the young man had an eye-catching performance at the 612Qs Showcase last spring at Concordia-St. Paul, showing off a heckuva arm and much more mature skillset than I'm used to seeing from 8th graders. A varsity starter as a freshman for the Tigers who took over after Week 1, Creighton really asserted himself on the varsity scene in Week 3 against Worthington, throwing for 196 passing yards and 2 TDs in the 20-14 win. Creighton also threw for 3 TDs and 0 INTs in back-to-back weeks and wins in a 36-0 Week 7 against Tri-City United and 21-14 win over Albert Lea. In his 7 starts of his freshman season, he posted 1,300 yards and 13 TDs while showing some serious arm talent for a freshman in high school, Creighton has some good reps showing off his accuracy and can put noticeable and impressive spin and velocity on the ball on his shorter and more intermediate throws. The 160 lber. demonstrates good timing on his three-step drops, throws a good ball on the move, displays a smooth, tight release and clean mechanics, and great touch on fades down the sideline. Creighton is also a tough kid who will stand in there and deliver accurate balls through contact and big hits from rushers. Strong early QB name to know in the budding 2028 class.     You have to be excited about the group of athletes coming out of Apple Valley right now. Led by 2026s [player_tooltip player_id='1255129' first='Q' last='Barnslater'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1255912' first='Tylan' last='Ward Jr']., the Eagles added another talented and exciting skill position to the mix in 2028 CB [player_tooltip player_id='1239133' first='Lyman' last='Myers IV']. I got to see the young man in the Class 5A, Section 3 championship against St. Thomas Academy before I was aware he was a freshman starter, and the young man certainly stood out as a firey and physical competitor who liked to stick his head into the mix in both run and pass defense. Myers IV started all 11 games for Apple Valley, finishing his introductory year to varsity football with 32 tackles, a TFL, 2 FF, and a team-high 9 PBUs, showing a healthy stat line for a cornerback, especially a freshman.   Myers IV starts his tape with a clip of him playing press man - which I love - and breaking up a slant easily, and his coverage ability really flashes for his age. The Apple Valley product, playing against high-quality 5A offenses and receivers, can already play press and/or off-man on the perimeter or out of the slot. He displays quick feet, does a good job of staying square and not opening the gate, and is comfortable and smooth in press-man, doing a good job of consistently getting a hand on a receiver. Myers IV doesn't waste steps, shows loose hips, and accelerates out of his breaks once he sticks his cleat in the ground and breaks on the ball. He does a good job of staying in the receivers hip pocket on downfield routes and can high-point and fully extend and compete and win 50/50 balls and had a crazy one-handed INT vs. Jefferson to highlight those skills. Plus, the freshman CB can run the alley and tackle out in space, as well as bring down ball carriers in tough 1v1 situations and instinctively rips at the ball and forces fumbles as a tackler. Obviously athletic, with a mature and nuanced coverage skillset - not just for his age - and a ton of varsity experience already, Myers IV has a very high ceiling and is going to see himself ranked very high in the upcoming 2028 PRzMN rankings drop.     Thanks to the PrepRedzoneNEXT Showcase stop in Minnesota last spring, we've had our eyes on now-Centennial Cougars 6', 180 lb. RB/OLB [player_tooltip player_id='1075477' first='Edwin' last='Ekah'] far before the 2024 season kicked off. Representing the defending 6A state champs, Ekah is making some noise behind the scenes while playing 9A and JV ball, catching the eyes of varsity coaches in his program. Ekah, who popped off a 9'3 broad jump at last April's PRzNEXT Showcase, showed that explosiveness and big-play ability against non-varsity opponents in 2024. Possessing game-breaking speed and good contact balance that can bounce tackle attempts off his lower body once as he cuts and changes direction, Ekah had seemingly dozens of TD runs and missed tackles this fall. Ekah sees and uses the field well, has some shake and can make that free defender miss at the third level of the field, and consistently bounces tackle attempts off his lower body. Ekah forces safeties to make business decisions and noticeably hesitate coming into a tackle, and is the epitome of big, strong, fast in his freshman tape. Hope to see this kid on the varsity scene too.     Another PrepRedzoneNEXT alum, Bloomington product and Jefferson Jaguars freshman DT [player_tooltip player_id='1236896' first='Paulo' last='Espinosa'] is a strong, physical 5'11, 260 lber. who reports a 255 lb. bench and 365 lb. squat, and at last April's PRzNEXT Showcase, he looked fluid, controlled, quick, and flexible, so it was no surprise that he was getting varsity reps in 2024. As a freshman, Espinosa posted 9.5 tackles, 2 sacks, and a TFL, and the 2i or 3T did a great job of finding work in the trenches this fall. Espinosa can hold a gap and blow up run plays before they develop, as he does a good job of setting his feet and not allowing OGs to wash him down the LOS and out of the play, and he can make tackles through contact. The 265 lber. is a powerful kid with strong hands, good pad level, and good hand usage, as he can take advantage of OL when they get off-balance and drive them backward or shuck them onto their face. He also displayed a solid arm-over, a little bit of bend, and the ability to execute twists and stunts further into his freshman tape. Great foundational season by the Bloomington-bred defensive lineman.     Coming out of the Class 5A ranks and the Cambridge-Isanti Bluejackets, 5'10, 165 lb. ATH [player_tooltip player_id='607918' first='Knox' last='Andrus'] had a solid season in the varsity ranks in his introduction to high school football. According to MNFootballHub, Andrus posted 20 tackles, 2 TFLs, and a PBU, and his tape showed a couple of INTs as well. The CB displays good ball skills and is especially impressive in contested catch situations, where he has good bounce and times his jumps out well. He displays the speed to stay with receivers going vertical, loose hips, and is sticky once he gets in phase and uses good positioning to compete at the catch point, particularly on 50/50 balls. Plus, Andrus can run the alley and tackle out on the perimeter in run defense. The contested catch ability, strength in coverage, and varsity experience have me excited about the young Bluejacket's future in the 5A ranks. Stay tuned!     Running with AA powerhouse Barnesville, who was recently bounced from the state playoffs after an epic battle with Staples-Motley in the AA quarterfinal, which ended 46-44 in favor of the Cardinals. Despite the disappointing end to the season, things are definitely looking bright for both the Trojans and their freshman phenom Jacob Strand. The 5'9, 150 lb. QB/RB/DB posted 71 carries for 665 yards (9.4 YPC), five catches for 86 yards, and 14 total TDs in his inaugural season of high school football, stuffing the stat line and really highlighting some exciting explosiveness and playmaking ability. Strand opens his tape with a great kick return for six that showed off some impressive burst and top-end speed, finishing the TD run 20+ yards in front of the nearest pursuer. He nearly took a second KO back for six later in the tape as well! Strand has the speed to take the edge, owns quick feet and sudden cuts, which were a dangerous combination and allowed Strand to stay elusive and break tackles in the open field. He sees the field well, including a well-timed cutback, displays good hands, and can make defenders miss after the catch as well. Plus, Strand moved the chains and found the endzone for his offense through the air with some solid throws throughout the season. With 14 varsity TDs already under his belt, Strand could be coming for the record books in the Barnesville Trojans program one day. Can't wait to watch this kid the next few years.     We're always on the lookout for athletic bloodlines at PrepRedzoneMN, and Northfield has a talented pair of brothers on their 2024 roster in the Oakland boys. Led by older brother Kayden, 2028 [player_tooltip player_id='1654624' first='Liam' last='Oakland'] tore up the non-varsity scene for the Raiders this fall as a WR and DB. A deep threat with good ball skills and the speed to carry WRs deep in man coverage, Oakland can high-point the football and pluck the ball right out of a waiting DB's hands. The contested catch ability and body control in the air stands out, as does his concentration when the ball is in the air, and his tackling ability. With his brother holding down the spot of one of the state's top 2026 stock risers, I'm excited to see where Liam's prep football career takes him.     Another talented younger brother catching our eye and getting on our radar this fall, Annandale's freshman standout Josiah Turner did so well on JV/frosh ball that he was bumped up to varsity at the end of the 2024 season, scoring his first TD against Spectrum in Week 9. Turner is strong kid who can get you hard yardage, especially in a goal line situation, against varsity competition, and like his brother, the younger Turner has some explosive ability as well. Against non-varsity competition, Turner can take the top off the defense and pop off kick return TDs, as well as turn routine dink and dunks into long TD runs, using his speed, balance, and consistency in running his feet after contact. I wouldn't be surprised to see Turner on varsity next season with Annandale.     Representing good ol' St. Cloud and the 320, 6'1, 175 lb. LB [player_tooltip player_id='1654632' first='John' last='Hughes'] is a big part of the Crusaders 2024 success, helping them turn a 4-6 2023 record into a 7-4 2024 season that unfortunately ended in the Class AAA, Section 5 championship a couple weeks ago. Hughes had one of the best statistical seasons of any freshman in Minnesota, finishing his year with 63 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, and a PBU as a linebacker after working into the varsity rotation Week 2 and starting Week 3. Hughes is a strong tackler with good technique who halts ball carriers in their tracks and prevents extra yardage post-contact, and he finds and sifts through traffic and attempted blockers smoothly around the LOS. Hughes can beat blockers with quickness and get up and under linemen to get to RBs, and shows good range in run support and can pursue out to the sideline. Lots to like in the frame, production, tackling ability, and how he forced himself into varsity reps. Feels great to keep an eye on a kid out of Cathedral! Keep it up, young man.     Representing Park Center High School, 5'10, 210 lb. DL/OL [player_tooltip player_id='232204' first='Eldrick' last='Tyus-Vang'] was a PrepRedzoneNEXT Minnesota Combine All-Second Team pick and OL/DL Top Performer last April, putting him firmly on our radars going into the 2024 season. A varsity contributor and starter on the Pirates, Tyus-Vang is a strong kid who can finish blocks and rushers into the turf and does a good job of breaking down in space and corralling second and third level defenders when blocking downfield. Tyus-Vang displays body control and start/stop ability, is a smooth and fluid runner who looks good when he shifts into top gear when trying to get out in front of his ball carriers, and is a good puller and has experience in pass protection as well. The physicality and athleticism fit well into the varsity scene; we're looking forward to seeing him grow and develop the next three years.

With the 2024 season beginning to wind down and the pool of available players and programs shrinks game to game, it's about time we begin to look towards the future of Minnesota high school football. In this case, that means the 2028 class of prospects, who have made some serious waves and have been balling out in 2024 despite it being their first year of high school ball. PrepRedzoneMN will always be your premier source of information for the best high school football prospects in the state, especially for the underclassmen up-and-comers, and with the majority of Minnesota's programs done for the year, we're ready to introduce of the Minnesota 2028s Balling out this Fall. The future of MN prep football is below!