Class 6A Standouts to Watch in Week 3

Class 6A football in Minnesota is loaded with next-level prospects who can change a game on any snap. The state's largest class is stacked with athletes who already look the part. Early-season film shows big-time production and versatility.   Quarterbacks are stretching the field with pace and precision, power runners are wearing defenses down, and defensive playmakers are shooting gaps and flipping possessions. Here are 10 prospects to watch in Week 3.    Through two games, [player_tooltip player_id='592225' first='Ryder' last='Skanson'] has 21 tackles, including 10 in a 28-14 win over Eden Prairie. He continues to show the instincts and physical edge that make him an elite linebacker prospect. At 6'2, 215 pounds, Skanson is long, rangy, and plays at full speed. He reads keys with precision, attacks A and B gaps without hesitation, and brings fast, violent hands to disengage and finish. Skanson is sound in coverage. His quick drops and feel for passing lanes produce splash plays. On Friday nights he carries that same fluidity, timing snaps to shoot gaps, pursuing sideline to sideline, and closing with authority. Skanson is a complete inside linebacker. He already owns an Air Force offer.     Champlin Park junior Isaac Axness delivered in the biggest moments of a 31-24 win over Andover. The 6'3, 220-pound tight end caught four passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner — a 19-yard strike from [player_tooltip player_id='1633909' first='Miles' last='Felton'] with 59 seconds left. He also hauled in a 30-yard score earlier, slipping behind the defense on play action and finishing the catch in stride. Axness is a tall, sturdy target who impacts the game in multiple ways. He's physical and assignment-sound in the run game, which helps set up his routes over the middle. He sells vertical releases with purpose, creates separation behind linebackers, and finishes plays upright to steal extra yards. His ability to stay hidden in the scheme, then leak into space for chunk gains, makes him a natural fit for an offense built on misdirection and play action.     Champlin Park junior [player_tooltip player_id='1633909' first='Miles' last='Felton'] found a way to win, engineering a late drive and firing a 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Isaac Axness with under a minute to play to seal a 31-24 win over Andover. The 6'3, 200-pound dual-threat went 8-for-16 for 139 yards and two scores and added 12 carries for 62 yards, showing poise in a tight game. Felton is a plus-one runner with the frame and power to stress a defense. He's physical on designed QB runs and scrambles, lowering his pads like a short-yardage back. His passing game is built on quick reads and RPO concepts, where he delivers accurate throws inside 10 yards and keeps the offense on schedule. Downfield passing is still developing, but his size, athleticism, and willingness to work give him big upside as he gains reps. A former linebacker and safety, Felton brings toughness and a defender's mentality to the quarterback position. With more time in the film room and a growing comfort in the pocket, he has the traits to become a scholarship-level prospect and a dangerous dual-threat quarterback.     Shakopee junior [player_tooltip player_id='212480' first='Blake' last='Betton'] showed why he's one of Minnesota's most coveted 2027 defenders in a come-from-behind win. The 6'3, 200-pound safety-linebacker hybrid racked up 14 tackles and, when called on offense, made a 29-yard catch late in the third quarter that sparked the Sabers' rally. Betton is the kind of defender offenses must locate before every snap. He can line up deep, roll into the box, or slide over a slot and erase a matchup. Playing five yards off the ball, he triggers downhill with speed, sheds blocks, and closes with force. His size and range let him cover tight ends and running backs while still providing linebacker-level physicality against the run. The Sabers also trust Betton as a playmaker on offense. Splitting out wide, he delivered a contested 29-yard reception that changed the game's momentum — a reminder that his athleticism translates anywhere on the field. With double-digit Power 4 offers already, Betton's versatility, football IQ, and big-game production give Shakopee a centerpiece on both sides of the ball and make him one of the most complete juniors in the state.     Moorhead junior [player_tooltip player_id='1629849' first='David' last='Mack'] showed why he's one of Minnesota's premier receiver prospects in a 48-10 win over Rogers. Even after quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1194605' first='[player_tooltip player_id='1194604' first='Jett' last='']' last='Feeney'] left with a first-quarter shoulder injury, Mack hauled in four catches for 95 yards and a touchdown, including a 50-yard corner route where he beat the zone-matching safety to the sideline, stayed in bounds, and sprinted 25 yards untouched to the end zone. At 6'0, 170 pounds, Mack combines elite quickness with smooth route running and body control. He separates with sudden cuts, maintains speed through breaks, and consistently creates space against man or zone. With the ball in his hands, he's even more dangerous, using vision and balance to turn routine throws into explosive gains. Every target feels like it can become a big play. College programs agree. He has offers from Minnesota, Sacramento State and South Dakota State. Mack plays with the polish of a college-ready wideout — crisp releases, natural hands, and an understanding of how to set up defenders.     Centennial senior Calvin Coppersmith has wasted no time proving he belongs in the Cougars' backfield. In Week 1 he powered a 21-14 win over Rosemount, scoring the game-winner on a 4-yard run late in the fourth quarter after a spinning fourth-and-1 conversion kept the drive alive. A week later he ripped off 98 yards and two touchdowns on just five first-half carries. His speed flashed on a 52-yard score that started as a sideline jam and ended with a cross-field sprint to the right pylon. At 5'11, 190 pounds, Coppersmith is an impressive athlete with quick-twitch movement and natural wiggle. He runs compact and confident with sound ball control and forces defenses to cover every inch of the field. His vision and lateral burst let him slip through creases, while his breakaway speed turns small openings into long touchdowns. He reads blocks patiently, accelerates decisively, and makes tacklers miss in space, giving Centennial a proven closer in tight games and a home-run threat from anywhere on the field. With his production already climbing and his name now out, he's a senior runner trending toward a huge season.     Maple Grove senior [player_tooltip player_id='489731' first='Kaden' last='Harney'] keeps proving why he's the top quarterback in Minnesota this fall. The South Dakota State commit iced a 28-14 win over Eden Prairie with a 50-yard touchdown run, bursting through the A-gap, breaking a linebacker's arm tackle, and outrunning the secondary. At 6'2, 205 pounds, Harney plays with a calm, confident style that's earned him Joe Burrow playing style comparisons. He's sharp in the quick game, decisive on RPOs, and accurate to all levels. While Maple Grove's pro-style, run-heavy scheme doesn't always lean on his arm, he's fully capable of sitting in empty sets and dissecting defenses. Coaches rave about his curiosity and football IQ — he studies film, asks the why behind every concept, and constantly challenges himself to improve. Harney is more than a steady leader. He's a poised, competitive quarterback with the tools and mentality to succeed in college and the ability to take over games when needed.     Shakopee junior [player_tooltip player_id='1452200' first='Nehemiah' last='Ombati'] wasted no time backing up his first Power 4 offer from Iowa State. In the Sabers' opener, he flashed violent hands and first-step quickness, with a tackle that looked straight out of a wrestling highlight. At 6'4, 275 pounds, Ombati is long, wide, and already built like a college lineman, yet still has room to add more strength. Ombati wins with both power and technique. He's explosive off the snap but patient enough to stay square, reading plays before shedding blocks. His heavy, fast hands and polished swim move create instant separation, while his lower-body drive lets him collapse pockets and set a firm edge against the run. When he strikes, he finishes — delivering violent tackles that stall drives and swing momentum. He's one of Minnesota's premier defensive line prospects.     In Week 2, Moorhead junior [player_tooltip player_id='1288313' first='Taye' last='Reich'] carried 19 times for 124 yards and two touchdowns and added a 50-yard score on a swing pass in a win over Woodbury. On the receiving TD he showed patience, letting his blocker set up the screen, then turned on the jets up the right sideline. Reich is a natural gap runner who gets downhill in a hurry. He's a true one-cut-and-go back, hitting the crease with purpose and seeking yards after contact. At the same time, he's twitchy in space and has the breakaway speed to score. His vision and ability to read blocks make him a constant big-play threat, whether the call is inside zone, power, or a designed screen. Reich holds offers from Minnesota and North Dakota State. At 5'11, 195 pounds, he pairs college-ready size with burst and acceleration.     Senior running back [player_tooltip player_id='923832' first='Carson' last='Turner'] had another complete game, carrying 16 times for 107 yards. He ran with authority between the tackles, handing out stiff arms and lowering his pads to drag defenders for extra yards. Turner is a classic downhill back built for a midline, inside-run attack. He presses the hole, keeps his feet churning, and finishes every carry with violence. Defenders rarely get a clean shot. He's constantly falling forward and carrying multiple tacklers. When he bounces outside, he shows enough burst to turn the corner and punish over-pursuing defenses. Turner sets a physical tone. His willingness to take contact and keep driving energizes his offense and wears out a defense over four quarters. Coming off major injury and immediately producing, he's proving not only his toughness but also that he's still a difference-maker who can power an offense.

Class 6A football in Minnesota is loaded with next-level prospects who can change a game on any snap. The state's largest class is stacked with athletes who already look the part. Early-season film shows big-time production and versatility.