Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase: Nate's Top Upperclassmen RBs

BROOKLYN PARK-- Last night we focused on the underclassmen (2028s and 2027s) and with our final look at some of my favorite running backs from Sunday, we look at the upperclassmen (2026s and 2025s) that hit their mark with their skillsets at our Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase at the Park Center Dome. This grouping features two states (WI and MN) and spreads from as east as River Falls, South to Mankato and Bryon, to Inver Grove Heights and Maple Grove, and as far north as Pierz stretching nearly 350 miles across two states. With all six I believe too, that have a good shot at playing college football.   [player_tooltip player_id='743294' first='Stihl' last='Koberoski'], RB, Mankato West 2026 <a href="https://x.com/Stihl_k">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/12/IMG_2239-rotated-crop-481x316-1734668508.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1584883" style="width:318px;height:auto" /></figure>   Apparently the talent across the city of Mankato is alive and well as Mankato West 2026 running back [player_tooltip player_id='743294' first='Stihl' last='Koberoski'] is next up of Mankato athletes that showed off their skillsets in a high regard at our Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase last Sunday. He showed off that he has a ton of speed, recording a 4.68 in the 40-yard dash and that wasn't the only skillsets that popped out from Stihl. When I was watching the route-running from the running backs, I didn't see a running back prospect that finished their rep with more finesse and still maintained the balance in his footwork with that finish as a 5'8 170 pounder that shows off plenty of authority with the ball in his hands. With the production you see on both sides of the ball from Stihl on tape, I love watching the growing football IQ kid this young man has with his senior season up ahead in which I believe he has a sound shot at playing on Saturdays.   [player_tooltip player_id='1104940' first='Carson' last='Heimer'], RB, Bryon 2026 <a href="https://x.com/carson_heimer8">Twitter</a>   The second Heimer brother from Bryon that caught my attention at our Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase is 2026 running back [player_tooltip player_id='1104940' first='Carson' last='Heimer'] who put together himself a great day at the Park Center Dome. At 6'1 182 pounds, he recorded likely one of the fastest 40 yard dashes we at our showcase with a 4.59 and to be honest, all of his testing numbers are outstanding for that size. In the broad jump he jumped 10 feet, pro agility was a 4.21, and his L-Drill was a 7.38 as Carson has to have my highest grade with my SES analytic(size, explosion, speed) from our showcase on Sunday. In the live eval I got from Carson, I saw a running back that appears very slippery with his excellent cutting ability in the reps I got to watch. Carson is certainly another 2026 running back that will make Highway 14 a good travel highway for running on the 2026 recruiting trail this upcoming cycle.   [player_tooltip player_id='1581377' first='Liam' last='Hennessy'], RB, Pierz 2026   Liam was a new running back added to my 2026 radar last Sunday that showed off some flashes of his skillsets at our Prep Redzone Minnnesota Showcase. It was when Liam got into Indy, that I saw his skillsets pop out as I was impressed with this young man leved base with the reps I got to watch and later in those reps I could see his good instincts standout in my eyes especially with the vison this young man showed off. Liam also showed off what looked liked a workmen's like mentality when the ball was in hands as a running back that maybe didn't show off the testing numbers ike some other running backs in the group but you could surely gauge the growing football IQ this kid has at his disposal.   [player_tooltip player_id='402073' first='James' last='Engle'], RB, Maple Grove 2026 <a href="https://x.com/JamesEngleJr">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/12/IMG_2219-rotated-crop-481x316-1734668442.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1584881" style="width:331px;height:auto" /></figure>   Next in the upperclassmen group of running backs, we meet the one that ran the fastest 40-yard dash (4.54) at our Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase in Maple Grove 2026 running back [player_tooltip player_id='402073' first='James' last='Engle']. I could surely tell that James has put in the work with his speed and change of direction from the last live eval I got from him as outside of that excellent speed I mentioned, you could quickly gauge the twitch of this young man's change of direction and the testing numbers show the same, as he went 4.28 in the pro agility and 7.15 in the L-Drill. That wasn't it either for James's skillsets from the Park Center Dome, as he showed in my eyes some of the best hands I saw in 1v1 reps thru contact as a running back prospect that plays WAY above his measurables as I love the high intent and work ethic James shows off on every rep and that been validated for years already scouting him since he was a freshmen with the Crimson. I'll be stoked to see how this young man's summer turns out as I love his shot of playing scholarship football at the next-level. James gets a grade A from me too with his excellent character.   [player_tooltip player_id='1311257' first='Joseph' last='Tarasewicz'], RB, River Falls 2026 <a href="https://x.com/Joe_Tarasewicz">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/12/IMG_2221-rotated-crop-481x316-1734668368.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1584877" style="width:344px;height:auto" /></figure>   Looking back at my notes, man was I impressed with all the River Falls Wildcats that were in attendance at our Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase, including 2026 running back [player_tooltip player_id='1311257' first='Joseph' last='Tarasewicz']. Joseph was on my early eye test shortlist to start the showcase and I felt in his reps he lived up to the hype. The 6'1.5 192 pounder, ran a 4.75 40 yard dash, went 9'9.5 (nearly 10 feet) in the broad jump and still I love the upside to grow his fluidity in his change of direction as there is a high bar to me with his size. He showed off a lot of suddenness in his well-built frame that impressed me with my first live eval of Joseph, and you could gauge pretty early that this kid relishes the durability to run thru contact which checks the box when you watch his tape. A top 20 running back in the great state of Wisconsin should be a stockriser upcoming in my eyes from his outing in Brooklyn Park.   [player_tooltip player_id='348728' first='Jerrod' last='Jones'], RB, Simley, 2025 <a href="https://x.com/JerrodJonesJr">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/12/IMG_2231-rotated-crop-481x316-1734668276.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1584875" style="width:354px;height:auto" /></figure>   Jerrod was a 2025 running back that rep after rep I watched during Indy drills and 1v1s just kept impressing me with his skillsets. He showed off a significant game speed that appeared above his testing numbers and I felt has some of the best hands I saw in the running back group as a running back that was relentless with his attention to detail rep after rep I watched on Sunday at our Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase. He also caught my attention with his hands with his pure route-running as a 2025 running back that might be undersized, but man surely showed off the instincts to be a capable pass-catcher in the backfield. I said it on Sunday and I will say it again, Jerrod is a 2025 running back that if it were me, I would look at playing at the next-level as he logged over 1000 total yards last year too and I loved his character I witnessed from him as well.

BROOKLYN PARK-- Last night we focused on the underclassmen (2028s and 2027s) and with our final look at some of my favorite running backs from Sunday, we look at the upperclassmen (2026s and 2025s) that hit their mark with their skillsets at our Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase at the Park Center Dome. This grouping features two states (WI and MN) and spreads from as east as River Falls, South to Mankato and Bryon, to Inver Grove Heights and Maple Grove, and as far north as Pierz stretching nearly 350 miles across two states. With all six I believe too, that have a good shot at playing college football.