PrepRedzoneMN 2027 Rankings Update: Biggest Mysteries/Most Upside

Year after year, cycle after cycle, every recruiting class in Minnesota has its own unique set of high-risk/high-reward (in a scouting sense) prospects who possess a fun combination of mystery and upside, occupying a constant space in my brain reserved only for the potential "next big thing" to come out of the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Generally, you'll find these guys around the 30-50 range, depending on the grade of the graduating class, and consistent of the likes of Giant Outstate Lineman, mismatch nightmares, multi-sport standouts, track stars, or some kind of potential Division 1 prospect who I just don't know quite enough about to fully vet. The 2027 class in Minnesota is no different this year, and you'll learn why below. A general, recopied, and brief rankings explanation of the Minnesota sophomores rounds out our introduction in the last paragraph below.   The offseason = rankings updates, and I was pumped to publish the Minnesota 2027 rankings update on Monday night. It was the culmination of a year's worth of gathering and research and a week's worth of grinding film, adding names, and ranking and reranking Minnesota 2027 prospects, and when the dust settled we had a talented Top 160 with a ton of notable names ready to jump up from the Watchlist. Some quick-hitting thoughts on the update include the fact that this is one of the least defined OL/DL classes I've seen in a while, there's more skill talent that lineman, which is rare, more speed than size, and behind the Top-8, which seems pretty defined, there's a lot of mystery and room for shakeups. Varsity experience was still prioritized, as was athletic data when available, and the QB class is an interesting one, with lots of Outstate signal-callers ready to make serious ranking climbs. If you have any questions on the rankings, of if you have someone we missed, please feel free to email: oliver@prepredzone.com   --    I don't want to get ahead of myself, but [player_tooltip player_id='1626389' first='Brady' last='Kemp'] will be a big-time TE in the state's 2027 class, and maybe even regionally. With no Twitter or sophomore film at the time, PRzMN stumbled upon Kemp live and in-person at the Augsburg University Skills Camp last month, and sporting both a baby face and an eye-catching 6'3-6'4, 215+ lb. frame with noticeable length and room to fill, quite a contrast and is exciting in both the already present size and amount of time left for him to grow, eat, and develop. At the Augsburg Skills Camp, we noted that Kemp: "had a strong showing during indy and 1v1s, showing good speed for his size, a smooth gait and solid body control, and a huge catch radius. Kemp also showed off some high point and contested catch ability in a couple of strong 1v1 wins and receptions, and he has soft hands to go along with his ball skills and athletic ability." His legit size, top-end speed, natural COD ability, and soft hands had me very excited, especially with him coming out of a Lakeville North program that has generated high-end TEs before as well as overall physical prospects. Things are a bit less of a mystery after Kemp uploaded his tape from the 2024 season. With 5 varsity appearances, highlighted by two catches for 21 yards and a TD against Hopkins, Kemp showed he had the strength for 6A run blocking and the finesse to prove himself as an option in the passing game. He's a physical blocker who can go toe-to-toe with LBs and DEs and win at the contact point and drive his feet after contact, and his long arms and balance help win pass pro reps against DEs as well. He's a tall kid with some flexibility, and has a great rep against Hopkins where he gets out into space at the perimeter to set the edge for a WR tunnel screen, and with a full head of steam, Kemp laid the wood in crushing fashion on a DB, sprawling him backward and off his feet like a cannonball hit near his feet in a movie scene. Get used to the Lakeville North 2027 TE, I don't see him leaving the upper echelons of the TE rankings anytime soon, especially if he's got some solid athletic numbers.     Sticking with Lakeville North Panthers for another mysterious/high-upside sophomore who got some serious tick on varsity as an underclassman. I'm always going to be enticed by Lakeville North defenders, especially at the LB position, where the Panthers have a tradition of excellence in producing aggressive, technically sound, and high-octane second-level defenders at a pronounced clip. The fact that Ruff produced so well as an underclassman - totaling 38 tackles, 2 TFLs, a sack, and 2 fumble recoveries on varsity - and received so much action on such a deep roster as LNHS's is also a massive plus on Ruff's athletic resume, but when you dig into his background and his success becomes much less surprising. Wrestling in the Big School upper weights, Ruff is a 2x entrant to the state wrestling tournament and is fresh off a 3rd place at 189AAA in a loaded bracket that was heavy on upperclassmen this winter. I love me some wrestling success in front-seven defensive prospects, and his functional athleticism, physicality, and competitiveness have to be well above his peers in order for him to have so much varsity success so young, and in his limited tape from the Panthers 2024 season you can see that, as a LB, Ruff takes good angles to the football, does a good job of working up and under blockers working to the second level and can also defeat blocks with physicality, and is a strong 1v1 tackler. Wish I had more tape and more measurables and athletic data, but we can hopefully clear up some of the mystery this April at the PrepRedzoneMN Showcase. Stay on the lookout for the Panthers 2027 class going forward!     In contention for the top mystery/upside 2027 at this point in time, Nielsen is another cycle's version of a small school, Outstate jumbo athlete with a size, multi-sport background, and production combination that I simply can't stop thinking about. It also doesn't help that Nielsen only has basketball tape available, leading my imagination to conjure images of outright dominance and electric dynamic ability for the SW MN product out of the Heron Lake area. The basketball tape shows a fluid PF with good body control, strength as a rebounder on the boards, basketball IQ, and a smooth ability to drive to the basket, and he looks like the biggest dude on his team, leading me to want to see some football tape even more. Nielsen had a ridiculously dynamic sophomore season, totaling 107 rushes for 793 yards and 7 TDs, 4 catches for 37 yards, 59 tackles, 12 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, a FF, 100% FG percentage, and 11/20 on PATs, 23 punts for 754 yards, and 4 kick returns for 43 yards, all at a reported 6'2-6'3, 225 lbs., and with no social media, Nielsen becomes even more mysterious. Hope I get to see this dude live soon.     It's almost like Mahtomedi's [player_tooltip player_id='1633472' first='Gavin' last='Kruse'] is purposefully trying to stay under the radar! The 5'10, 165 lber. had one of the best athletic testing performances of any MN 2027 last summer, clocking some pristine numbers like a 4.79 40, 4.31, 4.21, and 4.19 shuttle, and 8'11 broad jump, joining one of the most athletically gifted RB groups I've ever seen come out of Minnesota in this 2027 crop of prospects. Kruse transferred his standout summer camp szn to the gridiron as a sophomore, tallying 67 rushes for 285 and 2 TDs in 2024 against 5A competition for the 3-7 Zephyrs. Sadly, Kruse hasn't updated any film, nor does he have any active social media, so we're far from having a clear evaluation on the young Mahtomedi sophomore for now. Hope to see him on the camp trail this summer!     Verified athleticism? Check. Coming out of one of Minnesota's biggest recruiting hotbeds? Check. Varsity reps as a sophomore? Check. Maybe the fastest 40 in the class? Check.   Hutchinson is stocked full of underclassmen talent right now, and as one of the state's most consistent producers of college-ready talent, I think there's more than enough to get excited about in sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1633473' first='Hanley' last='Neumann']. Your classic traditionally undersized yet ultra-explosive tailback/athlete, Neumann can flat-out fly, posting a dazzling 4.57 40 at the TrainingHAUS Combine (that may be laser), as well as a 4.58 and 4.65 on the summer camp circuit, plus a 4.44 and 4.45 shuttle, 9'6 and 9'9 broad jump for an overwhelmingly positive and impressive athletic portfolio. Additionally, he posted 13 rushes for 91 yards and a TD with the Tigers' varsity in 2024, helping to provide a foundation of experience and success that should serve him well as the sophomore heads into what should be a breakout junior campaign. Sadly, we haven't see Neumann live, he hasn't uploaded any film, and he doesn't have any active social media, so for now he will continue to stay intriguing and in the dark.     You'd have to be nuts to not keep a 6'5, 215 lb. sophomore with a basketball background on your radar, and Northern Freeze's [player_tooltip player_id='1629922' first='Avyn' last='Ryba'] is representing well for Newfolden, Minnesota, a town of around 345 up in the Central Plains. A varsity starter in both football and basketball, Ryba has the trifecta of high-upside/high-mystery Outstaters: 1) no social media, 2) no film, 3) no stats. Hope we run across this dude sometime soon.     Holy Family Catholic High School has been quietly pumping out XL, high-ceiling, experienced varsity football prospects the last few cycles and beyond, and PRzMN is very interested in seeing how now-reported 6'5, 230 lb. sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1533772' first='Casey' last='Pearson'] continues to develop and build on his game, as well as his frame. Pearson can play on either side of the ball and possesses the size to both catch and hold the attention of major college scouts and coaches, but he doesn't have any tape or statistics from the 2024 season, leaving a lot up to the imagination as to how this kid plays. Luckily, it looks like he may be coming to April 13th's PrepRedzoneMN Showcase, where I would be ITCHING to get some eyes on him. Don't be surprised if you hear more about Pearson soon.     A small schooler out the Class A ranks and SE MN border town Wabasha-Kellogg, 6'4, 220 lber. [player_tooltip player_id='1629903' first='Bryar' last='Ender'] has the size to bring some serious football attention to the high school program best known for its prep wrestling. Ender, who also hoops on the varsity basketball team, has no social media, as well as very limited tape and stats from the 2024 season, but still makes himself out to be an imposing and noticeable presence on tape from his DE spot who can change direction and tackle 1v1 and in space, shows a bit of bend, and does a good job of not getting tied up around the LOS and keeps blockers' hands off him when working to the ball. He looks like a big kid who can move a little bit, forcing you to wonder if he could be the next big prospect from Outstate Minnesota. Hope this kid is camping somewhere this offseason.     Any follower of Minnesota prep football recruiting knows that Apple Valley is heating up on the recruiting trail, and the Eagles look like they have a good shot of continuing their momentum from the 2026 class into the 2027s with DL [player_tooltip player_id='1629949' first='Torsten' last='Silvernail']. Possessing can't-miss size at a reported 6'4, 220, Silvernail showed exciting production and experience against 5A competition as an underclassman in the trenches, posting 18 tackles, 3 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, and a 1 FF against high-quality competition en route to Apple Valley's section championship appearance. I don't have a lick of info on him besides the stats, reported size, and film, but the sophomore tape displays a big-bodied athlete in the trenches who can succeed and produce effectively in both run defense and pass-rushing settings. The 5T owns a good get-off, can go speed to power and win with his bull rush as a pass rusher, and has natural and easy start/stop ability. Silvernail does a good job of reading and reacting effectively, can break down and drop his hips in space, and shows impressive acceleration from a dead stop, proving that he can run down and close on QBs scrambling out to the perimeter. I like how fast he plays for a big kid of his age. Big chance for the sophomore to boost his stock and rise up the rankings this offseason.     Tell me if this isn't the prototype of a potential high-profile Minnesota prep football prospect. 6'5+ ball of clay pass rusher who runs with an elite AAU squad in Howard Pulley, 5A varsity experience on both sides of the ball as an underclassman, as well as in hoops, excellent length, and oh yeah, 2024 was his first year playing DE. Talk about raw! Elachi posted 19 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack, and1 FF in 2024, according to MNFootballHub, helping the Spartans to a near upset of Hill-Murray in the section finals and a score away from a state tournament berth. Elachi is a long, overwhelming presence on the edge of the LOS who displays a solid get-off and good pad level, especially for his size, as well as a flexible, bendy frame with quick feet. He shows some strength in his hands and lower body to back down linemen with power rushes, where he can then read and shed at will, and is more than capable of reading the QB and getting his arms up into passing lanes when he knows he won't get home to the quarterback. Elachi is also positionally versatile and can find work as both a 3 and 5Tech, and can string together pass rush moves effectively. I want to see more urgency as a rusher, as well as a bit more of a physical edge, but his 2024 experience proves he can hang in the trenches with the big dogs, and his obvious athleticism in a top-tier frame has the potential to dominate now that he's dipped his toes in the water.     A sophomore dripping with upside and potential on a frame with a literally high ceiling thanks to his legit 6'4-6'5 height as a 15-year-old, Eden Prairie's [player_tooltip player_id='1547329' first='Phillip' last='Moita'] was no doubt one of the top JV players in Minnesota last fall. Owning a massive frame and obvious dynamic athleticism for his size, Moita was dominant vs. non-varsity competition as a sophomore. Additionally, Moita has the football/basketball background that has produced some flat-out exceptional prep football players since the 2000s. With verified size and some promising athletic numbers behind him, including an 8'5 broad jump, it's hard not to be excited about Moita's promise as an upperclassman, especially if you consider him at a position other than QB. With his long strides, contact balance, and stiff arm, he looks good running the rock, and I can't wait to see what Eden Prairie does with him next fall. I've heard a couple of different possible positions are in the cards for the high-upside sophomore standout.     At PrepRedzoneMN, we are always on the lookout for the Next Great Caledonia Prospect. The former holder of the nation's longest high school football winning streak, Caledonia High School produces some off the most dynamic, athletic, and toughest prospects around while possessing an air of humbleness and focus that makes them very easy to root for at the next level. The Warriors always seem to manufacture prospects who find success at the next level too, from the P4 ranks all the way to Division III. With 2025 monster and recent Caledonia great [player_tooltip player_id='1202012' first='Ethan' last='Stendel'] off to Dinkytown to compete with the Gophers this spring, the search is already on for the next standout Warrior, and it's hard not to be bullish about rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='1120525' first='Coby' last='Hammell']. Although he played JV in 2024, Hammell showed up and showed out at December's PrepRedzoneMN Showcase, measuring in at 6'2.75" and 188 pounds while going 4.85 in the 40, 4.71 in the shuttle, and 9' in the broad. Quite the foundation of athleticism to build on, and major players have begun to take notice despite a lack of varsity reps. Minnesota sent a Junior Day invite and St. Thomas and Northwestern sent a camp invite, making him one of the more popular 2027 recruits in MN so far, and his tape shows off some strong traits for the three-phase contributor with verified size and athleticism. Hammell also hoops for Caledonia's high-powered basketball program and runs with the MN Lighting AAU squad. Also plays baseball, and he can high-point the football like you'd hope for from a basketball player of his size and magnitude, with real-deal 50/50 ball and contested catch capability. Hammell also displays some shiftiness, power, and contact balance when he sticks and plants as a ball carrier. Powerful cuts help him work through weaker tackle attempts at his lower body with ease, and he shows good burst out of his cuts and the long legs to help him step and stay upright through said tackle attempts. He also tracks the deep well and is able to take the top off the defense, and is a ballhawk as a safety who can gain ground in his backpedal, read and process, and break on the ball. I cannot wait to see this kid develop this offseason and beyond.     6'4, 220 pounds is always going to catch my eye, especially if that prospect is coming out of a small school stronghold such as Barnesville. The Trojans have produced some tough, no-nonsense, and dynamic athletes the past half decade+, and they have about as mysterious of a high-upside sleeper as possible in DL [player_tooltip player_id='1633886' first='Owen' last='Thorkildson']. No film, no stats, no social media, and nothing but a roster spot on Barnesville's MNFootballHub page. However...the kid is verified athletic, above average in fact. Last summer, still as a freshman, Thorkildson measured in at 6'3, 215, running a 5.13 40, 4.72 and 4.68 shuttle, and 7'1 broad. Talk about a foundation of athleticism to get excited about. I'm really hoping we see him again this summer. We've had players with this little info blow up before, so you never know!     Maybe my favorite JV player in Minnesota of all of last season, I cannot wait to get more info and more eyes on Champlin Park's dynamic 6'3, 200 lber. Miles Felton. Undoubtedly a JV player right on the verge of breaking out, Felton split time between JV and varsity in 2024, totaling 552 passing yards and 454 yards with 7 total TDs in 5 1/2 games of action, and he reports a 4.7 40, a number that would help rocket him up the rankings if true. Felton was a QB in 2024 and looks to take over for 2025 gunslinger [player_tooltip player_id='641143' first='Preston' last='Thielke'] this upcoming season for the varsity, but it's hard not to think about him possibly playing another position in college, especially with his size and versatility. However, his 19 passing attempts and 11 rushes on varsity served as a nice trial by fire period, and he's got the arm and the legs to really prove himself effective against varsity defenses full-time.   The lefty gunslinger throws a good ball on the move and is a natural and effective scrambler who is sudden when navigating the pocket and evading rushers. Felton is a powerful, shifty, and tough 1v1 tackling assignment for defenders in the open field who is able to beat tackle attempts in a variety of ways. Speed, quickness, North-South physicality, he's as liable to run you over as he is run around you or cut right past you. Around 50 seconds into the tape, Felton throws a crushing truck stick on the sideline that knocked the defender off his feet, backward, and onto his butt if you want to test the physicality. He also shows good vision, sees and uses the field well, and a nose for the endzone. The big part of the mystery seems to be what kept him off the varsity field in 2024, but that question shouldn't matter as much as he continues to assert himself amongst the 2027 class. Keep an eye on this kid as a big-time potential stock riser.    --

Year after year, cycle after cycle, every recruiting class in Minnesota has its own unique set of high-risk/high-reward (in a scouting sense) prospects who possess a fun combination of mystery and upside, occupying a constant space in my brain reserved only for the potential "next big thing" to come out of the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Generally, you'll find these guys around the 30-50 range, depending on the grade of the graduating class, and consistent of the likes of Giant Outstate Lineman, mismatch nightmares, multi-sport standouts, track stars, or some kind of potential Division 1 prospect who I just don't know quite enough about to fully vet. The 2027 class in Minnesota is no different this year, and you'll learn why below. A general, recopied, and brief rankings explanation of the Minnesota sophomores rounds out our introduction in the last paragraph below.