PRZ Dakotas Showcase Preview: One X Factor To Know by Position

<!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"16px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:16px"><strong>ABERDEEN--</strong> We start off our trip to Aberdeen for our bi-yearly Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase by looking at the X-Factors that could stand out tomorrow. We grabbed one player from each position that you should watch for their name tomorrow based on the tape evaluation we did this morning on a bunch of the attendees.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"24px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:24px"><strong>Quarterback:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1241392' first='Gavin' last='Anderson'], QB, Brookings 2026</strong> <a href="https://x.com/g_anderson_4">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The growth that Gavin has made since I got my live eval from him last summer at the Dakota State prospect camp is going to be one I will be tracking tomorrow in Aberdeen. His junior tape shows great balance with his throws especially on intermediate routes and shows off the excellent touch precision constantly with his wide receiving core. He also has grown his poise I feel, and I will be tracking that in my live eval tomorrow in the Aberdeen Dome.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"24px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:24px"><strong>Running Back:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Grayden Juve, RB, Rapid City St. Thomas More 2026</strong> <a href="https://x.com/Graydenjuve">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The vision and change of direction that Grayden shows off on tape stood out right away as it's evidently shown in the backfield and as a pass-catcher out the backfield. The suddenness in his burst at the second level will have me intrigued on how he tests in the 40-yard dash and pro agility tomorrow. He has shown that he is able to flip the field with the skillsets I mentioned so I'll be intrigued to watch Grayden tomorrow as my first live eval of this young man out of Rapid City in the 2026 class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"24px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:24px"><strong>Wide Receiver:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1226858' first='Jake' last='Hayes'], WR, Linton/Hazelton-Moffit-Braddock 2026</strong> <a href="https://x.com/jakemhayes7">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jake's instincts on both sides of the ball has certainly intrigued me this year and I feel he has taken it up a notch with getting seperation on intermediate and deep routes. I will be tracking this young man's route tree due to how versatile he is offensively and I feel that his route-running will show off more fluidly in the live eval we get tomorrow in Aberdeen as he should be one of the better wide receivers in the group I have seen on tape.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Offensive Line:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='929801' first='Asher' last='Peil'], OL, Spearfish 2026</strong> <a href="https://x.com/AsherPeil78">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Asher has surely grown more violence with his hands at the point of attack with the release of his junior tape. His footwork has also taken some great steps forward since I got my live eval over the summer in Madison, as I feel Asher has grown his foot speed and agility and gets even more consistent foot balance at the second level. What I will be watching tomorrow is how fast his fiery hands look in another live-eval as the tape really emphasizes so much speed off the snap.Surely an offensive linemen that I feel will compete for OL MVP consideration tomorrow.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"24px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:24px"><strong>Defensive Line:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1216144' first='Lawson' last='Lodmel'], DL, Tri-Valley 2026</strong> <a href="https://x.com/Lawsonlodmel4">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Taking a look at Lawson's tape, I can quickly gauge the upside there is for this young man as one to watch for tomorrow. The 6'3 210 pounder, has a wirey first step when he is full throttle to the ball with the lengthy strides he has. His pursuit angles to the ball carrier show off the football IQ that he is determined to cause havoc with the persistent length he shows. He is one that I believe we can see the growth as a pass-rusher tomorrow while working with college coaches as we have seen time and time again young men coming out of our showcases and utlizing the skillsets they learn. Lawson looks like one you should be see playing on Saturdays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"24px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:24px"><strong>Linebacker:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Nathan Gaikowski, LB, Wessington Springs 2027</strong> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nathan carries a presence at middle linebacker that intrigues me as a linebacker prospect in the 2027 class. The 6'0 185 pounder, shows off great fluidity with his athletic movement to the ball carrier and shows off efficency in pass coverage too on tape. He provides an authoritive nature when he makes contact and more times than not knocks the ball carrier backwards. He will be an underclassmen that will get some eyes tomorrow from me and the college coaches in attendance for sure. No Twitter that I could find yet.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"24px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:24px"><strong>Defensive Back:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='929957' first='Xander' last='Hanson'], DB, Bismarck Century 2026</strong> <a href="https://x.com/HansonXandergh">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Xander is one the top returners to the Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase amongst the defensive back group. He has taken even more of a step up in his junoir season as he surely has grown his footwork to an even higher level since Spring. Xander's football IQ has also seen a rise since last Spring as shows off a defensive back that always seems to utilize his position angle to win the 1v1 reps with WR, as one that is a "right place right time" type of athlete. I surely expect him to compete for the DB MVP tomorrow in Aberdeen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->