Emergent Series: Class of 28' Standouts from Class 5A

We move up to Class 5A this week in search of our top upcoming sophomores in Minnesota where we take a look at our biggest group of prospects to date. Nearly all of the names on this list have already made an impact to their teams within their first year, or they have the potential to break out as stars for their teams for this upcoming season. We take a look at 9 sophomores in Class 5A MN to watch out for in 2025!    [player_tooltip player_id='1239133' first='Lyman' last='Myers IV'] already has cemented his place as an elite-level shutdown CB at the end of his freshman year to earn the #1 DB ranking for the Class of 2028. Myers recorded 32 tackles, 2 FFs, a fumble recovery, and 9 passes defended in his first year. Lining up 1-on-1 on the outside and as a Safety, Myers stood out for his tight coverage, showing great use of his hands and movement to mirror his receiver's routes without getting misdirected. Excellent in his man-coverage skills, Myers also stood out as a strong contributor against the run, showing sharp pursuit angles, clean tackling ability, and is able to punch the ball out of the ball-carrier's hands to force a turnover. Apple Valley has quite a stud on their secondary with a huge reputation already with 3 years to go.     Right behind Myers on the DB rankings in Minnesota is [player_tooltip player_id='607918' first='Knox' last='Andrus'], one of Cambridge-Isanti's few bright spots on a winless team last season. Andrus played very well in man coverage, opening his hips well, keeping tight distance between his WRs on go-balls, and he shows great ball skills, which allowed him to nab a couple interceptions as a freshman. Andrus also played well against the run, showing great hand-fighting technique to get off his WR's blocks and get around in front of the RB to stop the play. Andrus' athleticism is promising, having posted a 4.7 40 yard time and a 225 lb max bench, showcasing impressive physical development with 3 more years to get stronger and faster. Andrus is a legitimate threat that has quickly become the face for Cambridge-Isanti's defense.     [player_tooltip player_id='1654587' first='Everett' last='Stine']'s stat line as a freshman was modest, with 9 catches for 97 yards and 2 touchdowns on offense along with 5 tackles and an interception on defense. However, Stine showed clear potential as a playmaker in his limited reps. Stine shows solid footwork and quick outside release on deep balls, while also possessing the speed to burn defenders down the field. His skillset as a receivers also translates to covering receivers, being able to keep up with receivers on deep balls, staying in close proximity, and his ball skills show up pretty well going up in the air to make a pick. Stine is another promising star from a weaker program in this conference that should make some noise across the high school landscape in Minnesota going forward.     Staying at the WR position, [player_tooltip player_id='1220010' first='Kaden' last='Konkler'] made the most of his brief playing time during his freshman year at St. Louis Park, and so far this offseason, he's built quite a strong case for his future with the team. At our combine series event in April, Konkler posted solid testing numbers, including a 4.41 shuttle time, a 9' broad jump, and was measured with a 73 inch wingspan. Konkler has speed to win on vertical routes, as well as for racking up big yardage after the catch on short plays. I was impressed with Konkler's physicality, particularly with his run-blocking, as he was able ton consistently drive defenders back until they were on the ground. Konkler could see a much bigger role on Spring Lake Park's offense next season.     [player_tooltip player_id='1236896' first='Paulo' last='Espinosa'] is quickly emerging as a stout, hard-nosed DT for Bloomington Jefferson that could be a problem containing through the interior gaps in 2025. Espisnosa appeared during the team's final game against Hastings, where he put a solid 9.5 tackles, a TFL, and 2 sacks. Espinosa's strength is impressive already for his age, having posted a max bench of 270 lbs and a 410 lb max squat. Espinosa showcases disruptive potential, using his stength to overpower blockers and gain leverage to get into the backfield. Espinosa is able to shed off blockers fairly well, utilizes solid footwork and pad-level, and is able to tackle the ball-carrier effortlessly with just one arm. Espinosa should gain a lot more reps on the varsity lineup for Jefferson next season, potentially putting himself in position for a starting job on their defense.     Staying in Jefferson, the Jaguars have a promising prospect who's in prime contention of taking over as the starting QB in 2025 in [player_tooltip player_id='1542335' first='Joseph' last='Moore']. Seeing a lot of reps on JV last season, Moore worked best on plays where he was scrambling or rolling out, showing solid accuracy on the run. Moore showed intriguing improvisational skills, and a willingness to take shots down the field to make something happen out of a broken play. While it has it's risks, Moore was able to make this work, showing good depth and accuracy under pressure. Moore's skillset could be more refined as he potentially moves into the varsity lineup this year, but the playmaking ability is there, giving him an edge toward Jefferson giving him the opportunity to start next season.     Despite a light workload during his freshman year, [player_tooltip player_id='1649129' first='Mario' last='Thornton'] was able to garner some attention for his explosive plays, which propelled him toward the top of our rankings for the Class of 2028. Thornton was effective on both sides of the ball. As a receiver, Thornton showed the ability to win on deep routes and go-balls, whether being able to beat his man 1-on-1, or catching through traffic and double coverage. In the secondary, Thornton proved to be a tough tackler in the run-game, utilizing his length and wingspan to get off of the receiver's blocks, while also jamming receivers and going up to snatch interceptions out of the air. Thornton could very well find his way into the starting lineup as a senior in both roles, where we will get to see a lot more of his playmaking ability.     A JV standout last season, [player_tooltip player_id='1648613' first='Jacob' last='Hofer'] may very well be ready to jump into the varsity lineup next season to bolster a unit that went winless last season. Hofer showed plenty of disruptive potential, moving around consistently before the snap to a different gap to constantly leave his opponents confused, allowing him to break through pretty easily, and Hofer showed the ability to force turnovers, whether it's him or one of his teammates getting the ball. A LB/Safety hybrid, Hofer has a solid level of athleticism, including a 29" vertical jump, a 375 lb max squat, and a 500 lb max deadlift heading into his sophomore year. Hofer has a very good opportunity to jump up to the starting lineup next season, and he might end 2025 as one of the captains for the team.     [player_tooltip player_id='1581381' first='Luke' last='Ketchum'] doesn't have much film currently, but as one of the biggest linemen for Andover heading into the 2025 season, Ketchum has a good shot of seeing some reps next season in the varsity lineup. Playing predominantly at Center, Ketchum showed plenty of promise, holding his own against bigger defenders, utilizing leverage well, and maintaining low pad level and solid balance in tight space. Ketchum is an intriguing wild-card prospect to keep watch for over the next few years, and as he continues to gain strength, Ketchum could become a big name on the trenches to watch for Andover.

We move up to Class 5A this week in search of our top upcoming sophomores in Minnesota where we take a look at our biggest group of prospects to date. Nearly all of the names on this list have already made an impact to their teams within their first year, or they have the potential to break out as stars for their teams for this upcoming season. We take a look at 9 sophomores in Class 5A MN to watch out for in 2025!