PrepRedzoneMN's Most Impressive 2027 Track Times this Spring

Minnesota's 2026 outdoor track & field season has been rockin'! Per usual, PRZMN is seeing multi-sport standouts make a name for themselves sprinting, jumping, and throwing, sometimes at an elite level, and it's worth mentioning that Minnesota is still currently home to one of the best multi-sporters in the nation in Triton's Pierce Peterson. The future Virginia Tech Hokies' TE, while coming in at 6'5, 210, has gone 10.71 in the 100M dash, 2:00.68 in the 800 (broke a school record from 1996), 6'10" in the high jump, and 47.24 in the 400M (#1 in MN, 39th-best in the country this spring), so make sure you bask in the elite athleticism while we have it. However, Minnesota's multi-sport, track & field scene is in good hands with some of these up-and-coming rising senior track athletes. Get to know them below!   --   *in order of 100M times*    We already knew there was some elite athleticism in Moorhead's 2027 class, but the most athletic of the legendary Spuds' foursome of Minnesota Gophers commits may be the most underrated of the bunch. Enter CB commit [player_tooltip player_id='1694135' first='Zak' last='Walker'], who exploded onto the state's recruiting scene around this time last year after a standout performance at the Gophers' prospect camp in early June. Nearly 365 days later, Walker finds himself a B1G commit in his home state, along with three of his 2027 contemporaries, and his 2026 outdoor track and field times spell out big-time potential at the next level. The fourth and final of the Minnesota commits out of Moorhead has been putting up eye-popping PRs such as a 10.56 100M, 21.29 200M, 49.40 400M, and 24'8" long jump, a frankly outstanding combination of athletic numbers in a rising senior that we don't see in Minnesota skill players very often.   A three-phase, splash play, explosive production with Moorhead in their inaugural season up at 6A, Walker is lighting-quick out of his breaks, and from the in-person evaluation points, Walker looks like he has the hips to play CB in college. He displays excellent start/stop ability and short-quickness that allows him to redirect and stay-phase with WRs throughout double-moves and twitchy breaks at the top of the route. Also demonstrates ball skills and toughness, as well as some of the best top end speed of anyone in the state. The film undersells the in-person impact and explosiveness.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/SpudTrack/status/2055637011633958957 </div></figure>       Minnehaha Academy and SMB Wolfpack two-way baller [player_tooltip player_id='1792020' first='Ty' last='Malone'] is possibly the biggest stock riser of the entire offseason in Minnesota, at least in the 2027 class. Malone, at least to our knowledge, didn't camp anywhere during last year's Summer Camp SZN, and his lack of verified measurables was the only thing holding him back from some serious college offers and exposure, as Malone had earned offers from South Dakota State and South Dakota due in large part to his impressive junior film. However, he checked more than enough boxes this outdoor T&F season, going 10.54 in the 100M and 22.05 in the 200M in just his second meet of the season. The 10.54 100M mark was the best time in Minnehaha history, and his 200M PR from this season stands at second in Redhawks' history.   Malone displays rare playmaking ability and can turn routine receptions into long, game-breaking TD reps. Contact balance, strong hands and a consistent presence as a pass catcher, ball skills, 50/50, contested catch ability, and a ton of production and explosiveness from the DB spot. Can break up passes on a variety of routes and is a consistent presence in run support as well. Right now, without an in-person evaluation point on Malone, I could see him playing on either side of the ball in college. Remember this name going into the 2026 Summer Camp SZN.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/TyMalone_/status/2056056423348416719 </div></figure>     The Pierz Pioneers are chock full of sleepers in their 2027 class! Along with 6'4, 220 lb. DE [player_tooltip player_id='2204408' first='Owen' last='Wall'], who just recently got on the radar of PRZMN and local scholarship programs, the Pioneers are home to one of the fastest multi-sport athletes in all of Minnesota. The rising senior RB/CB has posted superb outdoor track & field times this spring, namely his PRs of 10.73 100M, 21.66 200M, and 20'5.5" long jump. That 10.7 100M/20+ foot long jump combination is especially eye-catching. Without an X account, Foust is extremely under-the-radar right now, but that should change soon if the in-person evaluations match the film.   A splash-play machine from his CB and RB spots, Foust sports loose hips and flies out of his breaks with impressive pace. He can play press-man or off-man coverage with instincts, physicality, and production, and he brings the juice on the offensive side of the ball as well. Foust is extremely explosive from the RB position and can go 0-60 in a blink, helping him pump out multiple TD carries from 2025 where he didn't get touched, much less tackled. He flashes sticky hands at the catch point, especially defensively, twitchy footwork, and explosive acceleration. Foust can burst out of his cuts and cut at top speed, and he easily can find and take the edge on a defense, and when working against 3A competition, that means it's game over if he finds the edge. This dude is game over in space. Buy stock now!   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/rgrammond/status/1987102117975232917 </div></figure>     The Byron Bears undoubtedly have one of the best 2027 classes in Minnesota. Despite the loss of some tremendous seniors from last fall's roster, the 507-representing Bears have returning heavyweights in both the trenches and skill positions, and leading the pack in terms of recruitability is DB/WR [player_tooltip player_id='1248616' first='Beau' last='Nicklay']. A rising three-year starter on one of Southern Minnesota's most talented programs the past few recruiting cycles, Nicklay is one of Minnesota's most under-the-radar 2027s, regardless of position or recruiting status. As evidence to that claim, Nicklay has posted an eye-popping combination of track & field times this spring, namely PRs of a 10.82 100M, 22.71 200M, 23'1.75" long jump, and 40'4.75" triple jump, putting some important context into what is nothing short of a dynamic, memorable, and uniquely clutch 2025 junior highlight tape.   Nicklay was the winner of Minnesota's play of the year winner from <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/10/prepredzonemn-2025-regular-season-awards-and-superlatives/">PRZMN's 2025 Regular Season Awards and Superlatives</a>, where his "<a href="https://x.com/PBglimbeck/status/1976841126759088160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1976841126759088160%7Ctwgr%5E7bd6b726a5eee5e9c51a1071376ae83ed60b9220%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fprepredzone.com%2F2025%2F10%2Fprepredzonemn-2025-regular-season-awards-and-superlatives%2F">Walk-off game winner </a>against a heavyweight Stewartville squad making serious noise in their first year up from Class AAA. Was it the best finish in Minnesota since the New London-Spicer's walk-off Hail Mary to win the 2022 Class AAA state championship? Either way, it's a heckuva individual effort given the moment, and it also does a good job of encapsulating the 2027 standout's overall game and skillset. Nicklay possesses burst, contact balance, and electric COD ability and twitch, and his strong hands can win contested catches, as well as his ability to climb the ladder the high-point the football. Nicklay is a ballhawk from the defensive secondary with instincts, range, and ball skills, and he can lock down your WR1 as a man-coverage CB or make plays from sideline-to-sideline as a MOF defender. The 185 lber. attacks blockers with proper leverage, can set the edge, and can lay the boom in run support, and he's an impressive 1v1 tackler in space as well. The Byron product scored in all three phases during the 2025 season and is overall a dynamo with the ball in his hands and is a game-changer no matter where he lines up. Offers from Wayne State (MI), Minnesota-Duluth, and Sioux Falls have already rolled in, but he's positioned himself for a potentially lucrative summer on the camp trail. But first, keep an eye on this kid in the upcoming outdoor track and field state championships!   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/B_Nicklay/status/2047352751550611467 </div></figure>     One of the more under-the-radar tailbacks in Minnesota, Hutchinson's [player_tooltip player_id='1633473' first='Hanley' last='Neumann'] has been making waves this spring on the outdoor track and field circuit. A PrepRedzoneMN winter showcase top performer who put up some impressive athletic times during testing and proved himself to be dynamic and effective in space and as a 1v1 route runner out of the backfield, Neumann has really upped the speed and explosiveness into the spring, PRing with a eye-catching 10.86 100M at the WCC Pent-HLWW meet on April 21st. Neumann has also added sprints of 11.03, 11.30, and 11.32 100Ms during this outdoor season, platforming himself for what could be a breakout season in 2026 with his Tigers. Neumann, in a crowded Hutchinson backfield last season, posted 35 rushes for 272 yards and 4 TDs as a junior, and although he's lacking in tape and film from the fall, you don't have to be an expert to think that the in-person evaluation and impressive athletic times combine and make for what could be a massive senior campaign in Class 4A.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/CoachKoehring/status/2046733861216797130 </div></figure>     There's nothing like a sub-11-meter sprint to build some momentum before the Summer Camp SZN. Cretin-Derham Hall is home to two 2027s who we believe have the chance to bump up into the FBS ranks of offerees thanks to some in-person showings in the coming months. One of these recruits has been fantastic this 2026 outdoor track and field season, as CB [player_tooltip player_id='1581350' first='Cartier' last='Russell'] has been rocketing himself on the track this spring, PRing with times like a 10.88 100M and 22.15 200M while competing with his Raiders.   Russell posted 6 PBUs, 4 blocked PATs/FGs, 2 INTs, as well as 32 tackles from his CB spot, and he reportedly didn't allow a completion in man coverage until Week 11. He works front to back in zone coverage and can easily sneak underneath passing attempts down the seam and further out wide, is overall is quick out of his breaks, and owns solid ball skills. Russell displays good start/stop ability and can get accelerate out of his breaks with noticeable effectiveness. Does a good job of melting into the hip pocket of a WR before getting his eyes around in an attempt to locate the football, and he is a good 1v1 tackler who can set the edge from his CB spot. The 651 product shows that top-end speed in a great rep of defensive pursuit and hustle, chasing down a loose Elk River tailback as the backside CB, hawking him down at the six-yard line, and he's a productive special teams contributor on FG and PAT block, as you can tell by the number of blocks from 2025. South Dakota, UNI, and UMD have already offered, and I'd bet he's going to add more during the summer camp circuit that kicks off in a week. Stay tuned!   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/CartierRussjr1/status/2042213201631236523 </div></figure>     Nothing like some verified speed times to force your way onto the recruiting scene! Prior to the 2026 outdoor track and field season, Coon Rapids' 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='1366542' first='Cyril' last='Lifaka'] was very much under the radar. A seasoned vet on the MN 7v7 circuit who caught the attention of PRZMN this winter on the unpadded offseason circuit, but 7v7 can be hard to put into an overall recruiting context, so it's safe to say PRZMN was pleasantly surprised to see Lifaka start to putting up some eye-catching track & field numbers this spring. Credit to Bemidji State, who evaluated and offered Lifaka early, and before the track & field success really went public, but the Coon Rapids' product has made the BSU offer look very smart, posting PRs of a 7.18 60M indoor, a 10.95 100M, 22.19 200M, 51.08 400M. Lifaka also runs the 4x100 relay, 4x200 relay, and 4x400 relay with the Cardinals.   Lifaka is a splash play producer from the WR position, and while playing against 6A competition in 2025, he displayed game-changing burst and 0-60 acceleration as both a route runner and with the ball in his hand. Lifaka demonstrates good vision and can see the cutback well, nifty footwork in his releases, and he can win contested catches and track and plays the ball well in the air. I really like his powerful cuts and how the 175 lber. can generate noticeable force when he stinks his foot in the ground, plants, and changes direction. Lifaka can make free defenders miss, and miss in exciting fashion, I may add. The vision, twitchy footwork, and impressive contact balance for his size = electric in the open field. This kid will gain some popularity this summer!   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/ImCyrilLifaka/status/2047126235579297834 </div></figure>     A big-time sleeper that PRZMN absolutely missed and overlooked in the latest update, Sauk Rapids-Rice's [player_tooltip player_id='1652806' first='Evan' last='Hardy'] has made us pay this outdoor track and field season. Hardy has PRed with a 10.93 100M, 22.31 200M, and even a 35'7.25" shot put at 170ish pounds for good measure, and he also went 10.99 and 11.28 in the 100M this spring. My St. Olaf Oles smartly offered last month, and Hardy has also visited St. Thomas and St. John's going into the all-important 2026 Summer Camp SZN.   Hardy is absolutely on "breakout watch" going into 2026 and his senior season, especially after posting 25 carries for 171 yards and 1 TD, 5 receptions for 60 yards and 1 TD, 19 tackles and 1 INT defensively last fall. Hardy demonstrates good acceleration, a smooth, fluid gait and running style and seems to easily flow by defenders, and he also flashes an extra gear once he gets into space. The 170 lber. can make that free defender miss in the open field, shows off good ball skills and can win 50/50 balls and contested catch situations, and is/ a three-phase impact player for SRR in 2025. He can break on the ball quickly from his DB spot, displays good production as a pass defender, and is slippery with the ball in-hand. Someone forced themselves off the WL thanks to his 2026 outdoor track and field performance!   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/evanmhardy21/status/2043128974767775887 </div></figure>     University of North Dakota fans: meet your new LB commit! Coming out of Minnesota small school stronghold Caledonia, a program with as steep of a history of success as anyone in the state, [player_tooltip player_id='1120525' first='Coby' last='Hammell'] is by far the largest prospect on this list, coming in at around 210 lbs. and with a ton more room to grow. However, that hasn't stopped him putting up track times akin to a recruit 40-50 pounds lighter, notably an 11.04 100M PR, not to mention an 11.23 on May 1st at the Caledonia invitational, and he added a 23.41 200M for good measure.   To sweeten the multi-sport pot, Hammell also had a strong season with Caledonia's basketball squad in 2025-26. The junior averaged 11.7 PPG and 12.1 RPG, finishing his season #4 in rebounds in Minnesota in 2025-26, with 15 total double-doubles as well. Hammell, as a junior on the gridiron, earned<a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/11/2025-przminnesota-all-section-team-class-aa-offense/"> All-Section Team honors </a>back in November, and he finished his junior campaign on the gridiron with 21 receptions for 415 yards (20 YPC) and 5 TDs, 28 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT, and 1 FF, a dynamic production line that was reflected in <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/19850681/691a5f53750b30681085d8c0">his junior tape.</a> Hammell, a PRZMN Showcase standout and veteran, can easily burn CBs vertically while they're in off-man coverage, and he was a consistent big play threat as a wideout, as you can see in his 20 YPC average from 2026. He also demonstrated exciting and notable closing speed and was a natural turnover machine, and he flashes bend at the top of the arc, twitch, closing speed, effective hand usage, and legit pass-rushing ability as a 5T with his hand in the ground, which he flashes often in his junior tape. He also produced a very memorable INT on an excellent stick & plant break on the ball as an off-man CB on a comeback/deep out. Really exciting read, trigger, and catch - while fully extended and accelerating at top speed - as a 6'3, 200+ lb. CB. Talk about some versatility! Hammell committed to the University of North Dakota on May 23rd, and I think it's safe to say the Fighting Hawks got a steal in their 2027 class!   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/CobyHammell/status/2053272679801553277 </div></figure>     Recently named to PrepRedzoneMN's "Most Explosive" special feature back in March, East Ridge's [player_tooltip player_id='1360530' first='Akeed' last='Ali'] was one of the best WRs in Minnesota last fall. Playing in the top-tiers of Minnesota 6A, Big School football, Ali showed why he was so successful in 2025, finishing his junior season with 55 receptions for 818 yards and 4 TDs. Ali has PRed with 11.01, 11.07, and 11.38 100M, asserting himself as one of the fastest players in MN 6A ball, not to mention one of hte most productive.   Back in March, we noted that Ali, "despite playing in a run-heavy offense led by Gophers basketball commit Cedric Tomes<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/cedric-tomes/"></a> in 2025, showed big-time production as a junior, as well as speed, vision, and playmaking ability. He took a routine jet sweep or hand-off behind the LOS and ripped it for a TD against 6A defenses all around the Metro. Ali owns the top-end speed to burn those last pursuit angles from defenders and finish big runs broken out in space for six, and he can go 0-60 in a blink. The East Ridge junior has a great rep against Maple Grove where he slows and settles down to reel in a slant, then, in a second, he's back up and sprinting into the endzone without a Crimson defender being able to even lay a hand on the wideout. Plus, Ali is positionally versatile and especially dangerous out of the slot, displays some loose hips and is a burner of a vertical threat, and is shifty, powerful, and twitchy at the top of the route.   Ali flashes strong hands that can finish contested catches through tight coverage and aggressive hands looking to knock the ball loose, and he fires and shows noticeable power out of his cuts, which can happen at top speed with fluidity and effortlessness. PRZMN really likes his rep catching a deep post against I believe Stillwater, wherein the East Ridge junior gets decleated by the SAF coming back from the backside. However, as good, tough receivers do, Ali held onto the ball like his life depended on it! Gotta love the reliability and grit in the junior."   This kid will blow up this Summer Camp SZN, you heard it here first!   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/akeedali_1/status/2054046522363240821 </div></figure>     It has been a quiet offseason for Andover's [player_tooltip player_id='1633448' first='Tristen' last='Chenoweth']. Too, quiet, if you ask us! The long, rangy, dynamic, two-way producer was initially an offseason eye-catcher thanks to his work on the 7v7 circuit, but that was a couple years ago, and Chenoweth has done a good job of developing his long, lean frame and transitioning his skillset to varsity, 6A production on both sides of the ball. However, after a move to corner, things have been quiet on the recruiting front for the 2027, so PRZMN was incredibly excited to get some updated and verified, not to mention impressive, track and field times as a junior this spring. Chenoweth has PRed with a 11.20 100M, 22.93 200M, 19'4.5" long jump, good times for a prospect of his size, and it really puts an exciting context and backdrop into the rangy junior's tape.   Chenoweth is a deep threat who can beat and stack DBs at the LOS and in his releases, plus he plays and track the deep ball well. He's also elusive and strong after the catch, but his best work comes on the defensive side of the ball as a CB. The Andover product's length aides him at the catch point, and he can stay sticky and remain in the hip pocket of a WR with ease. He's also a physical presence from the CB spot in run defense and triggers on the ball quickly, closing with both pace and intention. Additionally, he breaks on the ball quickly and effectively and blocked a punt in 2025. I could see some serious scholarship offers getting thrown his way this summer, contingent on some strong in-person showings. Remember the name!   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/tristcheno/status/2044981591307346103 </div></figure>     In a recent PrepRedzone x StribVarsity collaboration, I named "<a href="https://varsity.startribune.com/mn-top-football-recruits-summer-camps/601837860">10 Minnesota high school football recruits poised to rock recruiting camps</a>." Sadly, not everyone can make a list like that, but I still believe it's worth mentioning that Lakeville South's [player_tooltip player_id='2125946' first='Griffen' last='Dean'] came in at #11 for this published feature, and we think he's heavily under-recruited at this current point in time. An undoubted burner on tape, Dean manufactured some much-needed, quite-impressive, verified athletic measurements this spring, and he sure needed them, as colleges seemed to have been having a hard time contextualizing the speed Dean displayed in his junior tape. The Lakeville product has PRed with blazing times such as a 11.13 100M and 23.41 200M, very much solidifying and validating his impressive 6A production, which included 196 rushes for 1,621 yards (8.3 YPC) and 16 TDs while helping the Cougars to a 9-3 record in 2026, losing to Moorhead in the Class 6A state semifinals.   Here's what PRZMN had to say about Dean in our lengthy evaluation of the Lakeville South junior tailback a couple of months ago:   "Dean's long speed to so easily burn 6A DB's pursuit angles - and good ones at that - should not go unappreciated in his junior tape and production. Dean owns good vision, and he's patient when allowing the hole to develop and space to reveal itself and takes what the defense offers. It's impressive how smoothly and effectively he cuts at top speed, and he glides, shifts, and surfs through traffic like it's a walk in the park for you or me. His tape is filled with fluid COD ability, but boy does he have the contact balance to slip, step, and power through weaker tackle attempts as well. He threw out a mean truck stick on a couple 6A DBs to emphasis the power in his game, and has the skillset and consistent choice to either run around or run over any and every defender he meets across Minnesota Big School competition. To add to his dynamic ability, Dean also burned and stacked a Farmington CB before making a beautiful back-shoulder play and catch on the ball." Dynamic, productive, and a verified speedster! That's the combination for some scholarship money this summer.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/GriffenDean3/status/2055290744085057625 </div></figure>    --

Minnesota's 2026 outdoor track & field season has been rockin'! Per usual, PRZMN is seeing multi-sport standouts make a name for themselves sprinting, jumping, and throwing, sometimes at an elite level, and it's worth mentioning that Minnesota is still currently home to one of the best multi-sporters in the nation in Triton's Pierce Peterson. The future Virginia Tech Hokies' TE, while coming in at 6'5, 210, has gone 10.71 in the 100M dash, 2:00.68 in the 800 (broke a school record from 1996), 6'10" in the high jump, and 47.24 in the 400M (#1 in MN, 39th-best in the country this spring), so make sure you bask in the elite athleticism while we have it. However, Minnesota's multi-sport, track & field scene is in good hands with some of these up-and-coming rising senior track athletes. Get to know them below!