North Dakota State Championships: Top Gunslingers

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Benjamin Schepp, QB/DB, Velva-Anamooose-Drake-Garrison 2025</strong> <a href="https://x.com/schepp_ben">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1561793,"width":"308px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/07/IMG_8591-rotated-crop-481x316-1732039884.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1561793" style="width:308px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We start off our list with our 11A Championship Game MVP and 11A Player of the Year, Aggies 2025 quarterback Ben Schepp who make us very curious as to why this young man doesn't have an offer yet. Ben intrigued me with the overall poise he showed off in and outside of the pocket and his arm strength and precision showed off plenty of great balance with all of the throws we watched him make on Friday morning at the FargoDome. He showed off his arm strength on all three levels and possessed the football IQ with his legs showing who he is one of the Aggies top athletes on either end of the field. The 6'1 195 pounder, also was key to the Aggies defense against powerhouse Kindred and logged two crucial interceptions and persistently showed off the long sideline to sideline range he could show off at the next-level as a free safety. I wouldn't doubt Ben doesn't have to wait long for that first offer after Friday in my eyes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Easton Simon, QB, New-Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock 2026 </strong><a href="https://x.com/EastonSimon_2">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After seeing the stat line prior to the 9-man championship game with 48 passing touchdowns to three interceptions and being unable to find his junior tape yet, let's just say our eyes were in great depth on New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock 2026 quarterback Easton Simon. I felt of all the quarterbacks we watched on in Fargo, Easton was one of the best with his pocket presence regardless of class. You could also quickly engage the rhythm and chemistry he had with his Rockets receiving core all day long. The 6'0 175 pounder also showed off excellent arm strength throwing from the run as a QB prospect that surely rose as one of my stockriserss from our live evals at the ND State Championships. Excited to see what his junior tape brings out as I like the shot this young man has to play on Saturdays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1320074' first='Mason' last='Warcken'], QB, LaMoure-Litchville-Marion 2027</strong> <a href="https://x.com/MasonWarcken6">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This was a first time live eval for me watching LLM 2027 quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1320074' first='Mason' last='Warcken'] and although there was some struggles, I could see the upside that this there for a sophomore that has plenty of time to develop. Mason's strongest arm talents showed off to me on intermediate routes as a QB prospect that showed off sound arm strength and precision on some of the reps I got to watch last Friday in Fargo. A development that Mason can grow on in the coming years is working on his touch throws on all levels, as no doubt the arm strength is there but developing the football IQ to understand which throw to utilize on routes will only grow this kid's game going forward. The good thing I could though, is from game start to end, I felt that skillset did show bits of improvement which shows Mason has a quick learning curve with his development.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='720291' first='Pearce' last='Parks'], QB, Grand Forks Red River 2025</strong> <a href="https://x.com/PearceParks_">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1561794,"width":"322px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/05/IMG_8015-crop-1170x769-1732039959.jpeg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1561794" style="width:322px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Although it was an up-down day for [player_tooltip player_id='720291' first='Pearce' last='Parks'] and the Roughriders we still surely saw some skillsets that college coaches will surely want to know about. You have to surely like Pearce's field vision as a whole, as his elusiveness out of the pocket I his live-eval demonstrated a even stronger football IQ than what you might see on tape from one of our top 2025 quarterbacks still available in the ND class. That vision increases into Pearce's passing game too as he was quick to realize where the first down sticks were on short and intermediate routes and was especially clutch with 2025 uncommitted TE [player_tooltip player_id='1273571' first='Cameron' last='Klefstad'] from what I watched all game long. It's no small feat getting the Roughriders to their first ever state championship game as Pearce and the Red River offense have to be proud with their accomplishments.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='802390' first='Taylor' last='Stefonowicz'], QB, West Fargo Horace 2025</strong> <a href="https://x.com/stefonowiczt">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6'5 195 pound gunslinger for the 11AA State Champion Horace Hawks was another 2025 athlete that the live eval did some justice. Taylor impressed me in Fargo with his mobility outside of the pocket for his size and showed it off on a handful of reps as something I don't think I have caught much of on tape. I also feel since my last eval, that he has taken his precision up a handful of notches especially on some of the deep routes he was able to attack within his receiving core. I wouldn't doubt that there is a next-level opportunity coming with Taylor as college coaches are going to want that size and high upside in their quarterback room to develop over the coming years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1184865' first='Kaden' last='Olson'], QB, West Fargo Sheyenne 2025</strong> <a href="https://x.com/OlsonKaden10">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1228640,"width":"311px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/02/Kaden-Olson-crop-339x223-1709095653-crop-271x178-1711816645.jpg?w=270" alt="" class="wp-image-1228640" style="width:311px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A third 2025 quarterback on this list waiting for his first offer is West Fargo Sheyenne quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1184865' first='Kaden' last='Olson']. What did Kaden show us in the 11AAA State Championship game? The great amount of precision Kaden has shown on tape lived up to the live-eval we got in the FargoDome as I felt there was even a few throws that had a great shot to full-throttle show off that precision even deeper. The 6'3 180 pounder threw for just under 200 passing yards and one passing touchdown but I felt was also a impact player with his legs. He showed off great short field vision with getting his yards and the bulk of his reps on the runn were key to the Mustangs getting as many first downs as they had. Kaden surely is another 2025 athlete I would offer if I were recruiting North Dakota that is now too a state champion.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->