Small School Standouts: Week 6

With Week 6 in the books, I wanted to take a minute to shout out some small-school athletes that typically don't get enough love. Here is a collection of studs from small towns who have been balling, not just last week, but throughout 2026 as a whole! Enjoy!    Olson has already earned a spot in our rankings, but the small-town back really impressed 3/4 through his junior season. In a Week 6 26-21 win over Winona Cotter, he took 13 carries for 84 rushing yards and 2 TDs, averaging a solid 6.5 ypc. Olson has done an excellent job of putting out tape this year, and he looks darn good on it. Olson proves to be a very patient back, capable of letting a play develop before he makes any drastic cuts, and at the same time is a slippery runner. He frequently shows off great contact balance and has a nice burst once he explodes through the LOS. Olson is an underrated back who is able to consistently perform at a high level throughout the season.     Boraas has quickly evolved into an out-state prospect that I'm a big fan of. He's been a do-it-all athlete for Zumbrota-Mazeppa, taking on the mantle of a QB1 and maintaining a forceful presence on the defensive side of the ball. He finished Week 6 with an impressive 116 rushing yards on 19 carries with a TD to boot, but also racked up 17 total tackles and an interception on defense. On his plentiful 2026 tape, Boraas proves to be a nasty runner. He's a big and powerful QB, and when he lowers his shoulder, he can send defenders flying. He's fast for his size too, capable of taking small gains into big chunk plays downfield. On defense, he can stonewall backs at the point of contact and does a nice job of flowing downhill. He's got a lot of WIAC eyes on him for a reason.     Holy Family is 5-1, and that is in no small part to Komtangi's efforts as a ball carrier. He had a legacy game in Week 6 against Watertown-Mayer, taking 20 carries for 195 yards and 2 TDs, averaging just shy of 10 ypc in the process. He also caught a pass for 13 yards. His Week 6 tape is electric. Komtangi runs like a bowling ball, just powering through defenders. His legs never stop moving on contact, and he can send defenders flying when he collides with them. An underrated part of his game is his ability to make quick cuts. Multiple times on his tape, he pulls off a nasty stop-and-start maneuver to cause a reckless LB to miss a tackle. Komtangi is a brutal runner between the tackles and deserves some more attention going forward.     Tennin-Gray is a WR/DB who's having a breakout season as a safety for the Holy Family Fire. In Week 6 against Watertown-Mayer, he had 4 total tackles and brought down his 4th interception of the season (and the last two weeks). On his current junior tape, Tennin-Gray does an excellent job of reading the QB's eyes and flowing to the ball. He's got really solid ball skills and does a really nice job of high-pointing passes so that the wideout isn't able to contend for the catch. His open-field speed and body control both impress me. He's very physical when he hits receivers and is good at tackling in the open field, while not being afraid to lay the wood. One of his best traits is how well he uses his long wingspan to bat down passes, all while being able to turn and look for the rock. I'm a big fan of what Tennin-Gray offers.     Johannes is an extremely productive linebacker who has been lighting up the stat sheet all season. Last Friday he tallied 15 total tackles, which included 3 TFLs and a sack. After 6 weeks, he has 59 total tackles, 2 sacks, a fumble recovery, and an interception, stunning numbers out of the junior prospect. His tape from last week is great. Johannes plays with exceptional physicality, lighting up ball carriers at the first level of the defense. He does an excellent job of playing downhill and fills his gap with a ferocity you rarely see. He scrapes well over the top too, and looks to have the speed to contend with ball carriers. He's nasty when blitzing too, flying through the line of scrimmage with his hair on fire. I really like the physicality he brings to the field. I'd love to get eyes on him at a camp before his senior season.     Simpson is a multi-faceted athlete who's been contributing to the Fire quite literally everywhere they play him. Last week he caught 4 balls for 78 yards and a TD, while also taking a handful of carries for 11 rushing yards. He has, however, at times become a primary ball carrier for the Fire, and on multiple occasions this season has rushed for over 100 yards. He's been a dog on the defensive side of the ball this season too, finishing Week 6 with 5 total tackles and a pass breakup. He's got some good senior film out right now. On it, Simpson showcases some really solid speed and ball skills. On offense, he's a natural athlete, and just someone you want to have the ball in your hands, whether it be through rushing or receiving. On defense, he's a lockdown corner. Simpson does a great job of adapting to the needs of the play and sticking to the hip of the receiver in man coverage.     A TE/OLB from Zumbrota-Mazeppa, Dohrn has been an underrated part of his team's success this season. Standing at 5'9", coming in at just over 170 lbs, Dohrn snagged a St. Olaf offer to start the season and has been balling ever since. On his 2026 tape, Dohrn proves to be a reliable safety valve. He's not the biggest TE, but he runs hard and fights tooth and nail to break every tackle. He's not just a possession catch receiver; however, Dohrn can stretch the field deep and even has plays on tape of him reeling in over-the-shoulder catches in double coverage. I'd love to see more defensive tape from this kid, or catch him at a camp this winter/spring.     An explosive RB/DL, I'm surprised more people haven't been tapped into Luckey's game. He had a stellar Week 6, taking 15 carries for 148 yards and a TD, averaging just shy of 10 ypc. He's hit that 100-yard mark in all games but one this season, and even then he ended with 98 yards. He's averaging a rushing TD per game as well. Luckey also tallied 4 tackles in Week 6, bringing his total on the season up to 17. I really liked the midseason senior tape he's put out. Luckey showcases good pop through the LOS and consistently makes the right reads off of his offensive linemen. He doesn't struggle to get the edge against defenders, but also does a good job of getting north/south when he needs to. Luckey is an underrated RB who needs more love throughout the remainder of his senior season.

With Week 6 in the books, I wanted to take a minute to shout out some small-school athletes that typically don't get enough love. Here is a collection of studs from small towns who have been balling, not just last week, but throughout 2026 as a whole! Enjoy!

Tate Olson

HEIGHT 5'9"

WEIGHT 180

POS RB

CLASS 2027

View Player

Tate Olson

State: Minnesota

School: Zumbrota-Mazeppa

Subscribe to read

Is this you, Tate? Unlock your evaluation to everyone by subscribing

Highlights

Hadyn Boraas

LB/ATH

HEIGHT 6'3"

WEIGHT 205

POS LB/ATH

CLASS 2027

View Player

Hadyn Boraas

State: Minnesota

School: Zumbrota-Mazeppa

Subscribe to read

Is this you, Hadyn? Unlock your evaluation to everyone by subscribing

Highlights

Damian Komtangi

MN #420

RB/LB #51

HEIGHT 5'9"

WEIGHT 175

POS RB/LB

CLASS 2027

View Player

Damian Komtangi

State: Minnesota

School: Holy Family Catholic

Holy Family is 5-1, and that is in no small part to Komtangi's efforts as a ball carrier. He had a legacy game in Week 6 against Watertown-Mayer, taking 20 carries for 195 yards and 2 TDs, averaging just shy of 10 ypc in the process. He also caught a pass for 13 yards. His Week 6 tape is electric. Komtangi runs like a bowling ball, just powering through defenders. His legs never stop moving on contact, and he can send defenders flying when he collides with them. An underrated part of his game is his ability to make quick cuts. Multiple times on his tape, he pulls off a nasty stop-and-start maneuver to cause a reckless LB to miss a tackle. Komtangi is a brutal runner between the tackles and deserves some more attention going forward.