Emergent Series: Top Freshman Standouts from Class 3A MN

Continuing our Emergent Series, we move up to Class 3A MN, which holds a lot of standout athletes stemming from this group, including several players who had immediate and profound impacts on their varsity teams from the start of this season. We take a look at 7 names across Class 3A MN part of the class of 2029 to watch out for this upcoming season!    Brooklyn Center is loaded with talent, and they unearthed another potential stud in their lineup in [player_tooltip player_id='2079023' first='Gavin' last='Thomas'] last season. Thomas stood out in the backfield, rushing for 478 yards on just 50 carries (9.6 YPC) and 4 TDs. He also led the defense in tackles with 45 to go with 7 TFLs, 2 sacks, 2 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, and an interception returned for a TD. He also added a 60 yard kick return TD. Don't be fooled by his size: Thomas is a massive playmaker on the field, proving able to outrun defenders whenever the ball is in his hands, and he's also proven to be very slippery and difficult to tackle through contact. The future is very bright for Brooklyn Center with all the young talent they have been generating in the last few seasons.     Another rising prospect from Esko, [player_tooltip player_id='1703844' first='Jaster' last='Johnson'] saw valuable reps in his freshman year starting at Right Tackle for the Eskomos. While his size is smaller compared to other Tackles in the conference, Johnson had the strength and tenacity to back up his role, showing good flexibility and mobility kicking out in pass protection while also driving defenders back in the run-game to open up lanes. With some added weight, Johnson could become another promising recruit from the small-town of Esko that could generate buzz from big-name schools in the future.     A prominent stud among Fairmont's defense, Aaron Becker has already cemented his place as the centerpiece of the Cardinals' defense. Becker holds impressive size and physique for his age already, and he's continuing to build strength, having posted a max bench of 245 lbs and a max squat of 335 lbs in his freshman year. An explosive defender who does a good job digressing the flow of where the play is going and creating commotion in the backfield to stop the play in it's tracks, Becker excelled as a run defender, with game-wrecking speed and power in his hits to jar the ball loose. Becker will be a force to be reckoned with as he continues to get stronger over the next few seasons.     Jack Gallus already has the size and physicality to excel at the Left Tackle position, but his potential remains raw for the Eagles' offense. Gallus had his share of ups and downs, Gallus showed capable performances as a bookend on the O-line, showing low pad level, solid footwork, and flexibility protecting the pass and opening up lanes in the run. Gallus could become a viable component for the Eagles' offense that despite their winless campaign last season has potential with several returning starters for the 2026 season.     [player_tooltip player_id='1715742' first='Vince' last='Kratochvil'] fits as a viable LB prospect who saw solid playing time in his freshman year in the midst of a 9-1 campaign for Pequot Lakes. Kratochvil recorded 20 tackles, 2 TFLs, and a fumble return TD on defense. Kratochvil's role was most prevalent on special teams, where he excelled as a coverage defender, doing a great job in tracking the ball while also proving capable in generating pressure and out leveraging blockers to get around them and stop the outside run. Kratochvil's role should likely become more prevalent as he enters his sophomore year, and it looks that Kratochvil will become a major contributor to the Patriots' defense very soon.     With the upstart PACT Charter team making their debut in 2025, several underclassmen, including freshmen and 8th graders found themselves in the varsity starting lineup and making big impacts immediately. Among the biggest standouts from that group was Grayson Lindahl, who led the team with 456 rushing yards (4.1 YPC) and 5 rushing TDs while also adding 33 tackles and 2 fumble recoveries playing at MLB. A solid back who's able to get outside the box and create big plays on the ground, Lindahl shows good ball-carrier vision and is able to bounce off contact to churn ahead extra yardage despite his smaller size. Lindahl will continue to gain valuable experience as he continues to find a rhythm that could spark a lasting chemistry among the underclassmen' athletes for the team.     Another player who stood out among that PACT Charter group was Tyler Grawey, older brother of starting QB Zac, who despite his size has made a huge impact for the Panthers' secondary, posting an impressive 6 interceptions at Safety this season, one returned for a TD. Grawey shows good footwork and reads the QB's eyes in coverage, seeing where the ball is going, and breaking on the ball to make a pick to set up his offense. Alongside his brother and fellow teammates, Grawey's growth as a player could help shape a strong future for the Panthers' football team as they continue to find their footing among the 3A conference.

Continuing our Emergent Series, we move up to Class 3A MN, which holds a lot of standout athletes stemming from this group, including several players who had immediate and profound impacts on their varsity teams from the start of this season. We take a look at 7 names across Class 3A MN part of the class of 2029 to watch out for this upcoming season!