2027 SD Rankings Update: Schools that Dominate the Rankings/WL

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We switch over to South Dakota and take a look at the top schools that dominate our rankings and watchlists in the 2027 class as we rank schools in order of prospects and some of the best names from each school. Just over 50 names alone cracked our list.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Pierre T.F. Riggs (10)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Governors have the biggest list in our 2027 rankings with ten in the class. It starts off early, with consensus #1 overall prospect since the rankings came out in national recruit [player_tooltip player_id='1027999' first='Cooper' last='Terwilliger']. One that I really like the football IQ and work ethic on tape is [player_tooltip player_id='1617830' first='Bryson' last='Wallman']. As we have always known about Pierre T.F. Riggs, it is usually the junior season that we start to see more tape, college interest come about. The Govs have a top number of eight prospects on our watchlist to look forward to entering their junior seasons especially dominated starting in the trenches with: DL [player_tooltip player_id='1320798' first='Devin' last='Binger'], OL [player_tooltip player_id='1320796' first='Mason' last='Brewer'], WR [player_tooltip player_id='1320805' first='Will' last='Danburg'], [player_tooltip player_id='1320797' first='Tug' last='Mikel'] (little brother of Northern commit [player_tooltip player_id='1326738' first='Ty' last='Mikel']) WR [player_tooltip player_id='1320802' first='Carter' last='Schiefelbein'], DL [player_tooltip player_id='1320799' first='Maximus' last='Schmitz'], [player_tooltip player_id='1320803' first='Sutton' last='Sonnenschein'], and athlete [player_tooltip player_id='1320800' first='Hudson' last='Stoeser'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Brandon Valley (10)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There hasn't been an 11AAA powerhouse that lands young men earlier on our rankings than the Brandon Valley Lynx, as that has been continous since we launched Prep Redzone Dakotas back in 2020 as the Lynx coaches do an outstanding job at promoting their sub-varsity programs with plenty of tape out there. Landing in our top 10 that plays two ways for the Lynx, is DE/TE [player_tooltip player_id='1617596' first='Austin' last='Dowd'], who had the most outstanding tape in the Dakotas off the ball with his superb blocking ability. Next, we go back to back at linebacker and wide receiver, with [player_tooltip player_id='1152876' first='Miles' last='Fokken'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1264214' first='Jonah' last='Juhl']. Miles is sound at stopping the run, and Jonah is a great route-runner that shows off great change of direction and sound upside to grow even further up our board. Just outside the top 50 is athlete [player_tooltip player_id='1264215' first='Jack' last='Adler'], who in 7v7 reps has caught my attention on a few ocassions in tournaments across the Midwest. An offensive linemen that might be undersized, but I like the reps he put out on tape is [player_tooltip player_id='1617591' first='Parker' last='Plautz']. The Lynx also feature four prospects on our watchlist including: LB [player_tooltip player_id='1617597' first='Andrew' last='Gray'], QB [player_tooltip player_id='1289268' first='Chayce' last='Hartman'], DL [player_tooltip player_id='1264216' first='Kuper' last='Irey'], LB Braden Tripp, and another QB Will Van Leur.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Sioux Falls Lincoln (9)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of a couple schools that have nine prospects between our 2027 rankings and watchlist comes from the 11AAA state champions of Sioux Falls Lincoln. The Patriots list starts off with our QB1 in the class with [player_tooltip player_id='1263883' first='Brody' last='Schafer'] (4) who had one of the biggest sophomore years in all of the Dakotas, wasting no time leading the Patriots as state champions yet again. Inside the top 30, we have our WR4 in [player_tooltip player_id='1275451' first='Everett' last='Starks'] who is one that we could see rise a bit up our board. Next is DB5 in Aiden Kemnitz who was one of my favorite DB underclassmen in our Prep Redzone Dakotas Combine in Sioux Falls last spring. Just inside the top 75 in South Dakota is DL [player_tooltip player_id='1289275' first='Ali' last='Mire'], who saw a rise up our rankings from last update. We have yet another Byrd brother at defensive back from the Patriots, as [player_tooltip player_id='1617624' first='JaKobe' last='Byrd'] landed inside our top 90.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As far as wait and see prospects on our watchlist from Lincoln, they feature four more that could get on the rankings soon including: [player_tooltip player_id='1617626' first='Isaac' last='Krempges'] (little brother of SDSU commit [player_tooltip player_id='798250' first='Luke' last='Krempges']), TE [player_tooltip player_id='1617627' first='George' last='Niederauer'], DB [player_tooltip player_id='1617625' first='Jack' last='Shockman'], and another intriguing OL prospect at 6'3 290 pounds in [player_tooltip player_id='1617629' first='Brendan' last='Whiting'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Harrisburg (9)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another 11AAA school that comes in with nine prospects within our 2027 rankings and watchlist, is the Harrisburg Tigers. Just like Sioux Falls Lincoln, Harrisburg has their own top ranked prospect positionally, which starts off with OL1 [player_tooltip player_id='1300022' first='Dylan' last='Frederick'] who is one of our biggest risers in the class. Next up for the Tigers in the 2027 class, is our RB3 [player_tooltip player_id='1152875' first='Kale' last='Deery'] who we just featured the other night in our top five ranked running backs in South Dakota. The next one is one that I love the upside he could grow in this class, which is athlete [player_tooltip player_id='1263888' first='Thomas' last='Osman'] who as a newcomer last time around, thought he oozed with athleticism and big play ability at wide receiver during the 7v7 season. Staying inside the top 50, is another athlete who has good college football pedigree in athlete [player_tooltip player_id='1263887' first='Grady' last='Wolbrink'] who at 6'2 185 pounds, has sound size already to grow that potential. Another recent feature we did from Harrisburg was offensive linemen [player_tooltip player_id='1321168' first='Easton' last='Dekkers'], who I already have on my move up list for next update and I am pumped to see live at our Prep Redzone Dakotas Combine.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rounding out the Tigers on the watchlist is: WR [player_tooltip player_id='1263886' first='Gus' last='Buche'], WR [player_tooltip player_id='1263885' first='Boston' last='Fanning'], DB [player_tooltip player_id='1322181' first='Asher' last='Hauert'], and athlete [player_tooltip player_id='1263889' first='Pierce' last='Ostrem'], who is another that I will bet on the upside on as older brother Isaac was a stud for the Tigers at linebacker and had some college offers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Spearfish (6)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The most intriguing 2027 class I have found out of the West River, hails from the Spearfish Spartans who land six prospects in our rankings and watchlist. Athlete [player_tooltip player_id='1289261' first='Kade' last='Vavruska'] starts it off for the Spartans in their top tier, as our ATH1 in the class and after being our WR1 in the last update, the intriguing two way tape this kid put together with great size at 6'3 180 pounds surely looks like a next-level prospect in my eyes. Another one inside the top 20 as our DB2 and rising, is Karson Seyer who showed off great ball trackings and instincts as one of the newcomers in our 2027 rankings. Next from the Spartans comes from their offensive line and a stockriser this update, which is 6'1 250 pound [player_tooltip player_id='1319732' first='Skyler' last='Bryant'] who had a solid outing at our Prep Redzone Dakotas Combine this winter and saw a rise in his ranking from last update because of that live eval. Next up we find the Spartans gunslinger, in [player_tooltip player_id='1300031' first='Thomas' last='Hughes'], who is another one that I have marked as a probable stockriser in this class as he showed great efficency throwing on all three levels. Spartans on the watchlist include: OL [player_tooltip player_id='1289262' first='Easton' last='Walters'] and RB [player_tooltip player_id='1300029' first='Graham' last='Hughes'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Sioux Falls Washington (5)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the more stacked programs in Sioux Falls when it comes down to the rankings alone, comes from Sioux Falls Washington who landed five prospects all on our rankings. It starts off for the Warriors with our top RB1 [player_tooltip player_id='1300016' first='Brayden' last='Jackson'], who was a newcomer that jumped to our top spot with his vision, durability, etc. Right behind him at #27 and DB3 is [player_tooltip player_id='1264213' first='Kaden' last='Carroll'], who although is undersized, man do I love the way this kid plays the cornerback positon and I feel has some sound upside to grow if we look at this class in a couple years. Another Prep Redzone Dakotas Combine alum comes in at linebacker next just outside the top 60 which Graham Fredriksen. Also in the mid 60s, we meet our top kicker in the class which is [player_tooltip player_id='1264212' first='Ryder' last='Dobberpuhl'] and a couple spots behind him is athlete [player_tooltip player_id='1300025' first='Samuel' last='Bowen'] to round out the Warriors 2027 class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Wall (4)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the top 9-man programs when it comes to prospects on our 2027 rankings hails from Lex Heathershaw's Wall Eagles, who have three on the rankings and another on the watchlist. Just inside the top 25, we meet WR [player_tooltip player_id='1625460' first='Teelan' last='Kjerstad'] who was a new prospect on my board this time around that solidified himself as a popular deep threat for the Eagles in 2024. Their quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1320970' first='Tanner' last='Volmer'] lands as our QB4 in the class and is another one that showed off tons of proficency on tape in 2024 and defensively is not one that is afraid to lay the wood. One of the three Wall Eagles in the top 40 next is defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='1293122' first='Carter' last='Sundall'], which is another that between his football IQ and ball tracking could see a rise in upcoming classes. Rounding out the Eagles on our 2027 watchlist comes from their offensive trenches in 6'3 215 pounder [player_tooltip player_id='1320973' first='Ryon' last='Bielmaier'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->