9-Man Prospects on the Rise in 2026

Continuing my coverage of 9-Man prospects on the rise ahead of next season, I've found 6 more standouts from Southern MN, some of whom are already highly touted prospects! Some are athletes with imposing frames, and others have explosive tape that demands a look at. Enjoy!    Thomson is one of the most impressive sophomore prospects in the state, regardless of class. This kid is a unit, with a frame that is rare both among 9-Man prospects and sophomores in general. The All-District defensive lineman produced some great tape last fall. On it, he proves to be a massive problem for offenses. He's frequently the biggest athlete on the field and moves well for his size. His first step off the line is explosive and gains a ton of ground, and he has shown that he can work through a tackle and blocker in the backfield in rapid succession and still make a play on the QB. He is a massive threat every time the QB drops back to pass, and he's got a ton of utility in the run game as well. It takes multiple blockers to move him off the LOS, and even then, Thomson is constantly working toward the rock. There are a lot of things to like about Thomson in 2026.     Scholten has been a massive riser in the class of 2027, and it's no surprise if you delve into what he offers. The 9-Man QB possesses an elite frame and even better traits on tape. As you might expect, Scholten has a big arm and excels at dropping passes into wideouts' breadbaskets deep downfield. He's patient in the pocket and, when given enough time, can uncork a massive ball. He's plenty mobile as well. Able to make plays on the ground with his legs and take designed QB runs for big gains. He possesses the arm strength to make difficult throws off platform, and his ball placement on intermediate and deep routes impressed me. Scholten is a high-ceiling QB to watch during his senior campaign next fall.     Another Edgerton standout, Arp is a ball carrier for the Dutchmen who saw a lot of success during his junior season. In his film, Arp proves to be a very hard runner who sees a lot of success pounding the rock between the tackles. He's a tackle-breaking machine with the ball in his hands. Arp never stops churning his legs and bounces off defenders like a pinball before breaking through to pick up some much-needed extra yardage. He's quick, too, and not just a power back. If the opportunity presents itself, Arp can make a quick cut to find green. He also has some utility in the pass game as a receiver, where he proves to be very dangerous once given any open field. Arp looks like a very underrated prospect to watch next season.     The final Edgerton athlete to find their way onto this list today, Hendriks, is someone who made plays all over the field during their junior campaign. With tape as both a wideout and running back, Hendriks is a verified offensive swiss-army knife for the Flying Dutchmen. Some of his greatest assets are easily his speed and quickness. Hendriks is quick to secure the edge before cutting upfield for big gains. As a ball carrier, Hendriks is a lethal one-cut back who highlights some great vision at the LOS. He hits a hole hard, and I love his burst as he crosses through the first level. Edgerton looks to be building something special ahead of 2026.     Jostad saw a lot of success last season during his sophomore year, and I expect him to continue to make waves on varsity during his junior season. Primarily a defensive end, Jostad made his presence felt in a variety of ways last fall. He gets a great jump off the ball and provides a real pass-rushing threat to the QB. He looks far faster than the offensive linemen he lines up against, and possesses a solid rip move that allows Jostad to work through blockers quite quickly. He does a great job of capitalizing on offensive mistakes, whether that be jumping on a loose ball in the backfield or exploiting miscues up front. I'm eager to see more of his tape in 2026.     Millette is a three-sport athlete (Football/Basketball/Track) who made his impact felt on the defensive line last season for Hancock. The soon-to-be senior DT posted a TON of film from last season, and it stood out to me. This kid is a grinder. I love the aggression that he plays with; he's super physical off the ball, and that continues once he collides with the ball carrier. He punishes big offensive linemen who play too far forward and does a great job of hand-fighting and not letting a blocker lock onto his pads. He is a nuisance to deal with, too quick for big bodies, and too aggressive and physical to be left alone with a small guard. That physicality carries over to offense, too, where he can be seen racking up pancakes on his tape. Millette is very underrated, and he could be a great pickup for a variety of colleges.

Continuing my coverage of 9-Man prospects on the rise ahead of next season, I've found 6 more standouts from Southern MN, some of whom are already highly touted prospects! Some are athletes with imposing frames, and others have explosive tape that demands a look at. Enjoy!