Emergent Series: Class of 28' Standouts in Class 4A

Returning to our Emergent Series, we move up to Class 4A Minnesota where we take a look at several players who've already made plenty of noise to warrant notice and have earned their spots toward the top of our rankings leaderboard already for the Class of 2028, including 3 prospects from one school in this conference that rank in the top-15 overall among this group. We take a look today at 8 players from Class 4A MN who look to further cement their status as rising stars in this conference heading into their sophomore years!    [player_tooltip player_id='1654723' first='Jaylen' last='Weatherspoon'] actually plays for DeLaSalle, and he's already proven to be a difference maker for their difference. In his freshman season, Weatherspoon led the team with 91 tackles, 6 TFLs, 2 interceptions, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. A brilliant hybrid LB/Safety, Weatherspoon has great anticipation and understanding of where the ball is going, and both of his interceptions during the year demonstrated his ability to perfectly read the play. Equally effective against the pass and the run, Weatherspoon showed plenty of speed bursting off the line, shooting through the gaps cleanly, showing textbook tackling form, and he has plenty of power at the point of contact. Weatherspoon shows a fine balance of intelligence and aggressiveness that recruiters dream of finding, and he will remain to be a scary factor for the Islanders' defense going forward.     Another shining star from a struggling school in this conference, [player_tooltip player_id='1651469' first='Grant' last='Bruett'] has showcased the makings of a lockdown CB. In just 7 games, Bruett recorded 32 tackles, 7 passes defended, an interception, and a fumble recovery. Bruett plays with a mix of man and zone coverage styles, making great reads and timing his pursuits toward the ball perfectly. Bruett showcased quick closedown speed to limit the receiver's ability to gain yards after the catch while also utilizing great hand fighting and swat ability as well as solid body control and agility to get around receiver's blocks to stop the outside run. Bruett will need to bulk up a bit to not get stood up by bigger receivers, but the future is bright for [player_tooltip player_id='1651469' first='Grant' last='Bruett'], who's already emerged as a leader for Delano's defense.     Hill-Murray has quite a sophomore class to behold, and one of their upcoming sophomores who's due to make a breakout for their offense is [player_tooltip player_id='1643319' first='Grady' last='Buettner']. Buettner contributed with 262 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground, averaging an impressive 7.1 yards per carry, while also adding 14 receptions for 110 yards. Buettner shows blistering speed around the edge and sharp cutback ability, being able to change direction on the fly, and he consistently puts effort in fighting for additional yards on each carry. One notable play from last season showcased his improvisational ability when he turned a dropped handoff into a long carry. Providing value in the backfield with great speed, agility, and pass-catching value, while also taking reps as a LB, Buettner will have a lot on his hands going forward, but he has what it takes to become a very good asset for Hill-Murray over the next few years.     Among Hill-Murray's sophomore group, they boast the No. 1 WR in Minnesota for this class, [player_tooltip player_id='1631877' first='Jacob' last='Dornan']. As a freshman, Dornan finished 2nd on the team with 299 receiving yards on 17 receptions and 3 touchdowns through 6 games. Those numbers may seem modest, but the electric play-making ability was clearly on display, including blazing speed that showed his ability to burn DBs 1-on-1. Dornan also showed a knack of catching passes through contact, including one catch where he caught a pass over the middle through the CB who had him pressed pretty well, but Dornan was still able to get the inside release to get to the pass first. Showing great route-running against all three levels of the secondary along with a blend of speed and physical play, Dornan will become a focal point for Hill-Murray's passing game going forward, and he's shown a lot of great potential that was deserving for his #1 ranking at his position already through 1 year.     Hill-Murray also boasts the No. 1 TE prospect in the class of 2028 already in [player_tooltip player_id='1651178' first='Brady' last='Reeves']. As a pass-catcher, Reeves caught 9 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown. Reeves contributed well as a run-blocker, holding his own well against more experience edge-rushers and showing solid strength and utilization of leverage in his blocking. Reeves runs routes like a WR, showing great value in the passing game with his ability to get open at all three levels of the secondary, which in turn could warrant a lot more targets next season. Reeves already shows impressive athletic ability at his position, having tested with a 4.8 40 yard time, a 27" vertical jump, and a 275 lb squat which is already impressive for his age. As Reeves continues to get stronger over the next few years, expect his ranking to increase with his power.     New Ulm had their fair share of ups and downs last year, but their future is bright as they've got a talented QB under Center in [player_tooltip player_id='1654557' first='Owen' last='Castleman']. Castleman saw extended playing time on the varsity team as a freshman, and he showed quite a lot of impressive traits as a signal caller. An improviser who works well out of the pocket, Castleman is impressively slippery to tackle, doing a great job of maneuvering out of trouble when the pocket collapses and scrambling to make a big play on the ground for New Ulm. Just as effectively, Castleman showed great footwork in the pocket, an impressive arm, and strong zip and power on his release. Castleman has all of the traits of a true Gunslinger, and that could pay huge dividends for New Ulm going forward.     [player_tooltip player_id='1654532' first='Graydon' last='Rostberg'] struggled a bit in his freshman year, throwing for 5 touchdowns to 8 picks while completing less than half of his passes, but there was a lot to like from Rostberg's film. Rostberg showcased some very nice throws across the year that included some beautiful floaters over the secondary, showing a solid amount of depth and power on his throws, stemming from his unique release of the ball that when precise, allowed him to place the ball perfectly to where only the WR could get it. Rostberg got valuable playing time getting his feet wet in the varsity lineup, but 2025 will be a big year for him to step forward, which may be difficult considering the roster turnover the team will have, particularly in the run-game, which may place more emphasis on Rostberg, which will make him a boom-or-bust contender in this class next season.     Another wild-card contender in this conference next season, [player_tooltip player_id='1651480' first='Grant' last='Eslinger'] didn't see any playing time last year, but the athletic potential is immense. With a 4.9 40 yard time, 305 lb max bench, and a 425 lb max squat, his frame and strength at his position borders on D1 potential. With the LB position facing some roster turnover from last year, Eslinger has an opportunity to start seeing reps on the varsity lineup, which will give us an opportunity to see how that athleticism translates onto the field, especially given for a defense that was one of the strongest in Class 4A last season, that potential could be quite valuable for this unit.

Returning to our Emergent Series, we move up to Class 4A Minnesota where we take a look at several players who've already made plenty of noise to warrant notice and have earned their spots toward the top of our rankings leaderboard already for the Class of 2028, including 3 prospects from one school in this conference that rank in the top-15 overall among this group. We take a look today at 8 players from Class 4A MN who look to further cement their status as rising stars in this conference heading into their sophomore years!