PrepRedzoneMN Class of 2027 Rankings Update: Top Newcomers

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.   For now, check out the Minnesota 2027 Rankings Update's Top Newcomers to the 160-strong Big Board. Get to know some of the brightest talents the state's 2027 class to offer, who just so happen to be making their rankings debut this week. It's a great time to be subscribed to PrepRedzoneMN!   --    The #1 Top Newcomer besides [player_tooltip player_id='1368410' first='Eli' last='Diane'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1629849' first='David' last='Mack'], who we've both written about at length, Waconia's [player_tooltip player_id='1452200' first='Nehemiah' last='Ombati'] has a lot going for him at this point in time and is a player whose projection to the upper ranks of college football we feel good about right now. Originally from Chaska, Ombati has been nothing short of a force with 5A Waconia, both on the gridiron and the wrestling mat as the Wildcat's heavyweight. With verified size at 6'2, 265+, Ombati posted 49 tackles, 2 TFLs, and 2 sacks against some high-quality competition as an underclassman in the trenches of 5A football, and this past wrestling season he finished third at Section 6AAA 285 lb. pound weight class. Besides the size, varsity experience as a sophomore, and wrestling background, Ombati's game film and in-person evaluations also have us excited. A live showing at a LineofScrimmage workout and December's PrepRedzoneMN Stock-Up Showcase had us bullish on the Waconia sophomore, particularly during 1v1 competition, where his size, length, lateral agility, and power were too much to handle for opponents more often than not.   The tape pops, and it shows a true nose and 3T with true pass rushing threat from the interior. Ombati is twitchy, can go speed to power, and is a strong kid who can easily absorb and dish out contact and is able to extend his arms and hold iOL at bay while he reads and reacts. His great use of hands to easily shed blocks get opponents off-balance, and the 270ish pounder is instinctive, showing a good rep of him locking out his arms to create separation from an OC or OG, reading screen, shedding, and triggering on the RB for a near INT and pick-six, if only he caught it. Ombati is a bendy kid who can sink his hips and has an explosive get-off, although I'd like to see him work on keeping that pad level down consistently, and shows a good base that can hold a gap through traffic and contact, including from doubles. He also has a good rep of him running down a scrambling QB from the hash to the far sideline in a nice display of effort, top-end speed, and pursuit angles and generally looks controlled, mechanical, and fluid as an XL athlete working around the LOS. Love how he reads, sheds, and tackles at full speed and effective intention. I also saw him embrace, absorb, and apply techniques at the LOS Holiday Camp, and is a motivated kid with a good head on his shoulders from what I've gathered. Ombati is a must-know name in the 2027 class in addition to a Top Newcomer on the 2027 PRzMN Big Board.   <a href="https://twitter.com/Nehemiah_Ombati/status/1849883401899376913">https://twitter.com/Nehemiah_Ombati/status/1849883401899376913</a>     Starting on varsity as a sophomore is always a big deal and in the minds of some college coaches and scouts, a prerequisite to being legit. Starting on varsity as an underclassman lineman is even more impressive, and things get ramped up even more if you're a sophomore lineman starting in the trenches of your state's highest classification of football. Stillwater's [player_tooltip player_id='1629870' first='Andrew' last='Olson'] did just that, and as a reported 6'3, 280 lbs., he posted 27 tackles, 2 TFls, a sack, and two fumble recoveries for touchdowns along the interior of the 6A Ponies in 2024. Not only that, Olson has been the varsity heavyweight wrestler for Stillwater Area High School's top-tier Big School wrestling team since he was an 8th grader, most recently qualifying for state in both the individual and team tournaments, where Stillwater placed 2nd in the team duels. If you have any respect for Minnesota prep wrestling, you gotta be excited about this combination, as wrestlers and linemen are like peanut butter and jelly, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.   The NG/3T looks and plays like a boulder in the middle of the Stillwater defense on tape. Olson is a gap-clogging, run-stuffing interior DL who can really disrupt an opponent's rushing attack. He displays good balance and is able to read and tackle through contact and down blocks along the LOS, and shows a great base that maintains his balance and positioning through multiple blockers when holding his gap in the middle of the LOS. You can see the force in his hands when he locks out and extends his arms through a blocker, and Olson displays good pop at the contact point and solid get-off and pad level for a larger sophomore. Olson can beat and avoid pullers thanks to his first step and quickness, and he gets upfield in a hurry and is controlled and agile enough to make 1v1 tackles in the backfield when presented the opportunity. The 280 lber. is also a strong kid who overwhelms and flattens ball carriers when he gets his weight on them. Big-bodied interior DL are hard to find and one of the premier positions on the recruiting trail, so I wouldn't be surprised to see this kid get some high-level looks and offers sooner rather than later.   <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewOlson079/status/1897085963748426012">https://twitter.com/AndrewOlson079/status/1897085963748426012</a>     One of a plethora of 2027 Minnesota-born-and-bred running backs who are already showing D1-worthy speed and playmaking ability, Hastings Raider 2027 tailback [player_tooltip player_id='1633432' first='Zack' last='Shatek'] was electric in 2024. Boasting a swift and impressive 11.30 100M PR as a freshman in the spring of 2024, as well as 11.42 and 11.45 in May, not to mention 23.50 in the 200M, Shatek's real-deal speed forced himself into the spotlight in 2024, as he posted 188 carries for 1,026 (5.5 YPC) and 8 TDs to average a little over 100 YPG on the ground against 5A competition. The tape pops as well, and that explosive speed translates onto the field just like you'd hope for.   The first thing that pops is his twitchy and powerful plant & stick lateral agility, and of course, top-end speed. Shatek owns noticeable sudden power out of his cuts, he explodes off that plant foot and gains noticeable distance out of his cuts as well. The cutting ability helps him see, create, and exploit space with the ball in hand, and the lethal jump cut and top-end speed once he hits the sideline makes him hard for defenders to touch, much less tackle. Shatek runs like he was shot out of a cannon and was still scoring long TDs 2-3 minutes into his sophomore highlights. He has the ability to take the ball to the house on any given play, as well as a nose for the endzone, and is hungry for six once he sees and hits daylight. Shatek does a great job of out-running and stepping through those final pursuit angles down the sideline, a position he finds himself in often. The Hastings product owns impressive contact balance for his size and can eat, absorb, and work through tackle attempts at his lower body like nothing happened. He also freezes defender's feet in space and accelerates out of his cuts, and when you combine it with the contact balance, you have a ball carrier who you need to square up and wrap up to have a chance at bringing down. he can beat tackle attempts in a variety of ways and is a nightmare of a 1v1 tackling assignment for defenders.   Speed is the great unifier and is an objective data point of explosiveness that doesn't fall into geographic or any other kind of bias, and Shatek has a chance to run sub-11-seconds in the 100M this upcoming outdoor season, which is a data point too hard to ignore for big-time coaches. I can't wait to watch this kid run the rock the next two years.     I gotta credit my fellow scout and PRzDAK Director of Scouting [player_tooltip player_id='1292716' first='Nate' last='Wahl'] for this next find, and I'm pumped to report that we have another must-watch prospect out of the SW MN talent factory that is Marshall High School. Meister is the unicorn 6'6 DB I have always dreamt about, and even if he's a couple inches off that reported measurement, you still have a DB in the top-tier, mouth-watering, eye-popping size department that scouts and college coaches fall head over heels over. Meister had a good showing in the Class 4A state semifinal game between Marshall and eventual champion Becker, catching the eye of PRzMN and igniting some serious search for more info on the potential big-time DB prospect.   Meister is also a good hooper for the Tigers, and the same thing that makes him so intriguing is also his biggest flaw right now, and that is that no one has any verified information on the Marshall product. However, his physical traits and ability are staring at you right in the face on tape, and it's not hard to figure out that his athleticism and upside look up there with any other 2027 in the state. Meister displays decent bend for a taller CB who can gain depth in his backpedal, swivel and unlock his hips, and high-point the ball out of the air and right on top of a WR's outstretched arms. He shows his top-end speed with a nice chase down of a loose Fairmont ball carrier as the last pursuer from his backside CB position, and is overall a lanky, eye-catchingly tall, long, and overwhelming 6'6ish corner. A ballhawk with a big catch radius - the second play of his sophomore tape sees him pluck a one-handed INT right out of the air like he had glue on his gloves. He demonstrates the speed to carry WRs deep, can track and play the deep ball while staying in a receiver's hip pocket, and doesn't waste steps in his backpedal and footwork. Meister can also attack and beat blocking attempts with proper leverage and is a good tackler out on the perimeter, and he does a good job of dropping and working under corner and deep routes as a zone defender and nabbed himself a couple INTs due to that capability. I am itching to see this Top Newcomer live and in person ASAP.     A recent discovery fresh onto PrepRedzoneMN's radar, Providence Academy DT [player_tooltip player_id='1629872' first='Jon' last='Wiseman'] is making quite the debut as a Top Newcomer on the 2027 Ranking's Big Board. It looks like Providence Academy is trying their darndest to go nearly back-to-back recruiting cycles with a big-time DT prospect, and as I mentioned with the aforementioned Olson, big-bodied iDL prospects are as sought-after as they are rare on the recruiting trail, meaning Wiseman has all the tools to potentially gain the same kind of recruiting momentum as Minnesota Gophers-bound [player_tooltip player_id='552396' first='Abu' last='Tarawallie']. PRzMN was lucky enough to get some eyes on Wiseman at the recent LineofScrimmage x BRUTE OL/DL/LB/TE Free Camp at the TrainingHAUS, where he passed the eye test at his reported size while displaying wiggle, power, and technical ability as a beast of a rusher during his multiple 1v1 wins. He's a good athlete with standout size as a sophomore, and the tape is also worth getting excited about, as Wiseman - working primarily as a 3T - displays a great get-off, can bend his hips, and fires off the ball with low pad level, and can get skinny through blocking attempts around the LOS. He does a good job of engaging, finding proper high placement, and then working a move to shed a block and get into the backfield tight off the iOL's hip, and his great base and balance can withstand and absorb contact while holding his gap to disrupt an opponent's run game, even against double teams. He displays strong hands, and a good motor pursues flat down the LOS, and flashes an effective chop/rip can force himself into the backfield through contact. Plus, he does a good job of keeping his feet active, finding and pursuing the rock, and eliminating the RB in the backfield. I'm hoping we can get this dude to the PRzMN Showcase in April.   <a href="https://twitter.com/JonWise12010039/status/1890912070310273106">https://twitter.com/JonWise12010039/status/1890912070310273106</a>     Overall, size is lacking in the 2027 PrepRedzoneMN Rankings, but not in the case of St. Louis Park's [player_tooltip player_id='1540406' first='Everett' last='Arnold']. A 6'4, 220+ lber. with impressive and hard-to-find athleticism at his size, Arnold looks like he has the makings of a D1 athlete, the only questions being when? And what position will he play? Arnold tore up a PrepRedzoneMN Showcase recently, measuring in at 6'5, 219 with massive hands while popping off a 4.87 40, a 5.1 shuttle, and an 8'5 broad jump to highlight both impressive raw ability and room to grow and develop. Arnold led St. Louis Park to a 4-6 record in 2024 while throwing for 1,127 yards and 8 TDs at a 50% completion clip, and he added 84 rushes for 316 yards and 3 TDs for good measure. Although Arnold is a solid prep quarterback right now, I do think he has a much higher ceiling somewhere else on the gridiron. Statistics show that a large number of collegiate standouts and high-level performers played QB in high school, suggesting that it is indeed a good thing to put your most athletic player at the sport's most important position.   Arnold possesses game-breaking ability with his legs, as well the top-end speed to finish runs for six once he gets to the third level, and is an excellent scrambler with a cannon of an arm that can put serious zip on the rock while floating backward and off his back foot. As mentioned, he's a good prep QB, with noticeable arm talent and footwork, but watching him move, break tackles, improvise with the ball in his hand, and make plays at 6'5, 220 is just too intriguing to not think about him as an athlete. He has a rep vs. Cretin-Derham Hall where he scrambles left, pivoting and flipping his hips effortlessly, before out-running a pursuer, bounces another of his thighs, steps through another would-be tackler, and throws a dart to a waiting WR, over a LB's hands and into a tight prep coverage window impressively. The 220 lber. displays great contact balance that can shake and step himself out of tackle attempts like a throwback Big Ben in the pocket, as well as throw with accuracy and velocity on the move. The lack of size in the class is going to help get Arnold even more of those initial looks, and his dynamic athleticism at his size will make programs stay. Big fan of this kid going into the summer.     Cretin-Derham Hall's 2027 class has the chance to be special, and the Raiders are one of the most represented programs on both the 2027 Ranking's Board and Watchlist. Their sophomore with the highest ceiling is 6'6, 215 lber. [player_tooltip player_id='1633384' first='De'Mandre' last='Frierson-Hollie'], a young buck already possessing both D1-worthy size and length as well as a basketball background that should always be coveted in Minnesota prospects. Not only is it a basketball background, Frierson-Hollie plays with the nationally-ranked Raiders basketball team, so this kind of high-level functional athleticism should not be underestimated.   Fierson-Hollie generally operates as a standup EDGE aligning outside the OT and his frame just oozes and shines with potential. Tall, long, and wiry, Frierson-Hollie's length is utilized effectively in his pass-rushing game and he displays a ridiculous amount of room to fill in. He can shed blocks and make tackles around the LOS in run defense, has some good reps displaying an explosive get-off and a bit of bend, and can change direction and tackle in space. He instinctively will get his arms up and into passing lanes to disrupt an opponent's quick game, can win as a speed rusher and can get upfield quickly, and does a good job of defending the read-option, which is helped by his effective closing speed. The 651 product also shows some pop in his initial punch that can knock blockers backward and win reps with power, but a year in the weight room and with another four seasons of natural development under his belt will help a ton, as will the number of varsity 5A reps he received as an underclassman, so his stock is only set to climb and climb. I'm looking for Fierson-Hollie to blow up in 2025, and it may have already begun, as the CDH sophomore earned a personal camp offer from the hometown Gophers for a PJ Fleck RTB Prospect Camp this summer.     Our final Top 25 Top Newcomer of the PRzMN 2027 Ranking's Update, Litchfield's sophomore sensation [player_tooltip player_id='1633392' first='Anthony' last='Taylor'] is also one of the MVPs and biggest stock risers from the 2024 prep football season. Week after week, PRzMN was publishing eye-catching stat lines from the Dragons' stud sophomore RB, so it's easy to imagine that I came into Taylor's evaluation ready to watch some broken tackles and big runs. Well, I did see some good reps as a RB, but I was more blown away by Taylor's defensive film. Lining up a yard or two behind the MLB as a hybrid ILB/SS, the 6'2, 200 lber. is absolutely one of the rangiest defensive prospects I've watched in the past few years. It looks like his job is to "see ball, get ball", and boy is he good at it.   Taylor's play speed and range, along with his motor, combine for a true sideline-to-sideline defender who takes great angles to the football and can close on and tackle 1v1 and in space with lethal effectiveness. He triggers on ball carriers like he was shot out of a cannon and gets vertical and closes with serious pace, meeting RBs and QBs at or behind the LOS. He instinctively works and slips into passing lanes around the hook/curl and returned an interception for six in 2024, nearly returned a kick for six last season, and is a good tackler who sticks RBs with good technique and halts their momentum to negate extra gains. He takes great angles to the football, cutting off RBs at the LOS from a high safety position, and the 0-60 acceleration and amount of ground he can cover in a blink makes him a TFL machine in run support. I love how he can drop his hips and mirror a ball carriers movements when tracking and closing on a RB's hips. Taylor gives me big Hutchinson grad and current Minnesota Golden Gophers LB Alex Elliott vibes, and I'd be pumped if his recruiting arc is similar. Litchfield is going to make some noise next year, just like Taylor could make some noise on the recruiting trail.     2027 in Minnesota is the year of the running back, and Champlin Park has a stud on their roster in sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1633474' first='Preston' last='Nelson']. Yet another tailback with verified speed and explosiveness built on their foundation, Nelson had a great showing this past camp circuit, running in the 4.7s this past summer before his sophomore year began and adding a 4.38 and 8'7.5" broad jump. That's some exciting athleticism for a then-freshman, and Nelson's sophomore tape is also thrilling, as he can pop off big TD runs, truck sticks on explosive kick returns, cut-on-a-dime footwork, and a utility asset in the screen game out of the backfield. Nelson is a patient tailback who follows his blockers but can also create electricity when a play breaks down and he needs to improvise, showing excellent vision that shows up in a variety of ways in his sophomore tape. Nelson posted 73 rushes for 398 yards and 4 TDs against 6A Metro competition, and his big-time burst slingshots Nelson to the third level of a defense, where his top-end speed can burn past Big School pursuers to finish big runs for six. His sudden, twitchy, lethal stick & plant ability as a ball carrier owns footwork that helps change direction in a blink, find and exploit space laterally, and get would-be tacklers on their heels and poor position to make a tackle. The cuts and COD ability is electric to say the least, and Nelson is also effective in the screen game and has good hands out of the backfield. I like watching this kid run the rock, and if he's attacking the offseason like he should be, 2025 should be a monster year for [player_tooltip player_id='1633474' first='Preston' last='Nelson'].     I was fortunate enough to stumble upon Monticello's gem of a sophomore RB [player_tooltip player_id='1633387' first='Cale' last='Holthaus'] live and in person this past prep football season when the Magic visited the Spring Lake Park Panthers for a high-powered Class 5A showdown. Holthaus was built like a brick, with noticeable muscle definition and a thick, powerful 6', 200 lb. build that was explosive and violent as a North-South power runner. He had a great game against the Panthers, both as a ball carrier and as a lead blocker, and I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that Holthaus was a sophomore enforcing his will against 5A defenses. The Monticello product is also a legit baseball prospect, so make sure you keep an eye out for a PRzMN multi-sport feature on the 2027 class sometime in the future. Holthaus posted 187 rushes for 1,181 yards and 14 TDs, and he now reports to be around 210 pounds, something that should frankly frighten Monticello's opponents this upcoming season.   Holthaus is a bowling ball off contact who can stiff-arm, run through, and bounce off tackle attempts at his upper and lower body like it was JV players trying to bring him down. Opens his tape with a rumblin', bumblin' TD run against Park Center that saw him break nearly a half-dozen tackles en route to an explosive TD carry at TCO Stadium in Eagan. The 200+lber. is a powerful one-cut ball carrier who can carry dogpiles and defenders on his back for extra yardage and generally requires more than one tackler to get him to the turf. He easily bounces tacklers off his lower body or steps through tackle attempts like it's drill work. His excellent contact balance combined with sudden cuts and footwork combine to make an explosive and thrilling ball carrier who breaks tackles like it's his job, and he loves and excels through contact, has a nose and a will for the endzone, and is a beast of an underclassman tailback who enforces his will on a defense through four quarters of a ball game. Plus, Holthaus put a couple kids straight on their butts as a lead-blocking fullback and is easily one of the harder-hitting 2027s in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. I'd love to get some verified data on the kid this offseason, but it's easy to see that he's a must-know name in the class, not just amongst the RBs, and a beast of a ball carrier coming out of the 5A ranks.     The 2027 version of [player_tooltip player_id='1522534' first='Colten' last='Gunderson'], a big-bodied, 6A, mismatch nightmare of a WR possessing equal parts upside and mystery, 6'4, 205 lb. Stillwater sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1633442' first='Carter' last='Zollar'] had a breakout year in 2024. Catching passes from FBS offeree [player_tooltip player_id='224134' first='Nick' last='Kinsey'], underclassman Zollar quickly developed into the Ponies WR1, leading Stilly in receptions (30) and yards (383) while finishing the year with 2 TDs in 9 starts with the 4-5 Ponies. Since these rankings have gone live, Zollar has received personal camp invites from the Badgers, Gophers, and Northwestern, and with his physical traits, varsity experience, and mismatch potential, don't be surprised if you see Zollar's stock continue to climb after his magnificent debut on the PRzMN 2027 Big Board.   Zollar's huge frame immediately stands out on film. The sophomore 6'4, 205 lber. is big, long, and a can't-miss presence on the perimeter, physically overwhelming CBs at the LOS, especially when they're pressing and at the catch point, particularly in the air. He owns a huge catch radius and 50/50 contested catch ability that helped him pull off some thrilling snags right on top of the head's of helpless DBs in 2024. Zollar can line up at multiple receiver positions and create mismatches out of the slot, will sacrifice his body and lay out to reel in receptions, and is willing to go over the middle and make catches in traffic with the threat of a big hit looming large. Zollar tracks the deep ball well and shows noticeable body control when twisting, turning, and playing the ball in the air and in back-shoulder situations, and he displays a bit of shake at the top of the route and can pull away from DBs when the ball is in the air. His strong hands pluck the ball out of the air fully extended and away from his body and he does a good job of working back to the football on comebacks and other routes around the field and cuts his routes off smoothly for a big guy. Zollar is also an asset in the screen game who has some juice in the open field, making for an all-around promising and exciting TE prospect projecting to the college level. PRzMN would love to see this dude at the Combine Series Showcase in April.     I first got my eyes on Andover's [player_tooltip player_id='1633448' first='Tristen' last='Chenoweth'] at the somewhat recent E7United 7v7 Tryout, where the sophomore popped off the play of the day in an eye-catching display of athleticism in which he perfectly timed a fade ball, lept what looked like 3+ feet in the air, and brought down a high-pointed snag in ridiculous fashion. The E7United coaches had nothing but high praise for Chenoweth as well, sharing anecdotes of their college coaching friends seeing Chenoweth and leaving in awe, and after seeing the sophomore both padded and unpadded, I'm in the same camp. Chenoweth is a legit 6'2 with long arms and a frame with significant room to fill in, and he was a varsity starter at CB for 5A heavyweight Andover in 2024. This dude's film pops, and it's not only because Chenoweth has eye-catching size and length for the CB position.   The long-strider opens his tape with another beautiful display of body control and bounce in a high-pointed INT on a wheel route against SLP, after which he lands on his feet and looks to score from deep in his side of the field, and he forced a fumble on kickoff coverage with a well-placed punch for even more turnover capability. Chenoweth had a great display of top-end speed in a beautiful chase down of a loose Mankato West RB as the backside CB. You can see him shift up in gears to close on the RB, and if he was running at full speed from the jump he'd have saved even more yardage. He doesn't waste steps and does a good job of cleanly getting out of his breaks in pass defense, closes with pace and is physical at the catch point, and is an explosive cut tackler who goes all-out into contact effectively and impressively. The sophomore tape is seeping through with athleticism at every possible crack. Can't wait to see this dude on the camp circuit.    --

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.