Minnesota 2027s Making Noise this Fall
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The thing about freshmen is they never get older. In the context of high school football and recruiting specifically, this means that year after year we have a brand new crop of potential superstars, game-changers, and must-know faces of Minnesota…
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Continue ReadingThe thing about freshmen is they never get older. In the context of high school football and recruiting specifically, this means that year after year we have a brand new crop of potential superstars, game-changers, and must-know faces of Minnesota prep football that we can evaluate, project, and get excited about. Unfortunately, who would have been Minnesota’s top 2027 prospect in our future inaugural ranking – former Benilde-St. Margaret’s DL Khyren Haywood Khyren Haywood 6'2" | 240 lbs | DL MN , who was playing high school football as an eighth grader & earned a P5 offer from Arizona State before transferring to Texas and powerhouse Denton Guyer High School outside of the DFW metro – has gone south for high school, which leaves a void at the top of the rankings. However, his absence leaves room for what is looking like a very promising freshman classes top standouts to earn some top recognition, many of which we are naming and breaking down below. PrepRedzoneMN is giving our lovely subscribers an early look at 20+ initial Minnesota-bred 2027s making noise this fall under Land of 10,000 Lakes lights this fall, and all we can say is the future of Minnesota high school football is in good hands. Let’s meet some of the young bucks below!
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Jett Feeney
Jett Feeney
It’s always a big deal to find a potential top-end, high-quality freshman prospect, but given the importance inherently built into the QB position, both in the sport of football and the context of sports in general, finding a freshman gunslinger with a high ceiling is even more consequential. The state of Minnesota has a very exciting freshman quarterback on our hands in the 2027 class in Moorhead’s own Jett Feeney, and there are a lot of good things working for the young buck now and in his future going forward. To begin, he’s the son of former NDSU QB Kevin Feeney, now his head coach at Moorhead, and his older brother Trey is a redshirt freshman QB at North Dakota who has already seen game action in the Mighty Missouri Valley. Jett already carries good size for his age and position at 6’1, 175, and most importantly, he’s starting for the Spuds as a freshman this fall. That isn’t an easy task, much less at a 5A program with a deep history of both talent & success, and Feeney has proven he’s more than up for the task. Throwing at an impressive 67% clip on 127 attempts, Feeney is sitting at 1,183 yards (9.3 YPA, 237 YPG) and 15 TDs. He is also at 7 INTs, but frankly, I’m not too concerned about that as he’s in his first year of high school and these things happen to all QBs as they adjust to a new level of competition, plus, Moorhead is 3-2 and putting up 30 points a game. On tape, Feeney displays a promising foundation of skills. He possesses the arm strength to stretch the field and fit the ball into smaller windows effectively. Can also throw on the run and improvise when needed, as he’s athletic and mobile enough to escape pressure, navigate the pocket, and tuck and run to hurt defenses when called for. He shows off a quick release, as Feeney processes and makes a decision quickly, although I’d like to see him get through his reads more often. He also utilizes pump fakes well. What I enjoy and am impressed by the most is his accuracy and touch to all three levels. There’s nice ball placement on his back shoulder fades and he puts the ball on the money and in stride to streaking receivers to capitalize on as much YAC as possible. It far exceeds that of a typical freshman, and allows the Spuds‘ offense to efficiently move the ball and spread the rock all over the field to stretch defensive backfields. It’s hard to teach accuracy, poise, confidence, and athleticism, and Feeney is showing all of that in spades. Minnesota high school football and recruiting fans should be very excited about his prospective future, both on the gridiron and on the recruiting trail.
Beckham Van Voorst
Beckham Van Voorst
As a product of Minneapolis Public Schools, I’m always tracking and getting excited about 612 standouts, and when a freshman is getting significant varsity minutes and making an impact you can guarantee I’m going to show them love. The Minneapolis South Tigers are home to a notable name out of the 2027 class in Beckham Van Voorst, who plays QB and S and is having a more-than-solid start to his high school football campaign. It’s still early and there’s obviously some growing & developing to go through, but Van Voorst is athletic & versatile and has been a big-time asset for South in 2023. In addition to the limited film he’s updated so far, which shows off a mobile and dynamic QB, Van Voorst has thrown for 7 TDs and recorded 8 tackles plus an interception on defense. There’s some length on his currently lean frame, and the experience he’s gaining as a first-year playing under Friday Night Lights is a huge asset for him going forward. I’m excited to keep following this one!
Carsyn Kleffman
Carsyn Kleffman
There’s a boatload of talent on the Elk River roster peppered amongst the senior, junior, and sophomore classes, so I have to say I’m surprised that a freshman is finding so much success and production in their ultra-loaded roster. It’s definitely a pleasant surprise, however, and I’m very excited to share with our readers the must-know talent that is Carsyn Kleffman. At 5’10, 165 lbs., Kleffman has been repping as both a RB and safety, and has posted 11 carries for 118 yards and a TD + 44 tackles through the first five games of the 2023 season. These numbers have come against some of the top 5A competition in the state such as Andover, Chanhassen, and Brainerd, and Kleffman is getting better and better as the season progresses. With good strength and speed for his age/size, Kleffman shows himself as a natural run supporter who thrives in the physical aspect of football. He takes good angles to the football and runs the alley well, has the strength to come downhill and halt RBs in their tracks in 1-on-1 situations, and possesses good pursuit speed and will thump ya at the contact point. He’s laid some big-time hits over his freshman year, both on defense and on kickoff coverage, and has even gotten reps at fullback in addition to his growing RB duties. As a ball carrier, he demonstrates patience, good vision that sees the cutback well as a RB, and the speed to finish big runs once he finds daylight. Kleffman fits in very well at the varsity level despite his age and is an impressively promising prospect on one of the top teams in the state year-to-year. You’ll be hearing more about him going forward, that’s a guarantee.
Isaiah Asuma
Isaiah Asuma
Minnesota and its Iron Range needs to be on notice: there’s another Asuma coming out of Cherry. Following in the footsteps of his stud brothers Isaac (Gopher basketball commit) and Noah (current sophomore), 2027 three-sport star Isaiah Asuma has the trademark athleticism his family is known for and is an early favorite for Minnesota’s top spot in the 2027 class, more than likely in multiple sports. The youngest Asuma is already a varsity contributor, not just this fall as a freshman but as a young 8th grader in 2022. He was a deadly returner last fall, and still is of course, but is taking on a larger workload on the offensive side of the ball for Cherry. Twitchy and possessing deadly quickness that stems from his basketball prowess, Asuma’s combination of speed, lateral agility, general elusiveness, and overall athleticism is simply on another level compared to his competition and peers, and he’s going to be a helluva college prospect in whatever sport he chooses to pursue, just like his older brothers. Selfishly, I of course hope it’s football. He’ll be competing for the top spot in the 2027 class rankings come their inaugural publishment after the season concludes.
Blake Betton Blake Betton 6'2" | 170 lbs | RB Shakopee | 2027 MN
Blake Betton Blake Betton 6'2" | 170 lbs | RB Shakopee | 2027 MN
Already a very decorated hooper who has earned a ton of recognition from our scouts at Northstar Hoops, including the vaunted Ryan James, Shako’s 6’2 DB Blake Betton Blake Betton 6’2″ | 170 lbs | RB Shakopee | 2027 MN is also a stud on the gridiron and is in his first year of high school at SW Metro Shakopee High, where he plays football under his pops, the accomplished head coach Ray Betton. Although he’s lacking in football highlights from this fall, we’ve seen athletes with the size and multi-sport skillset & athleticism find incredible success on high school gridirons around Minnesota, and Betton’s prowess on the hardwood, not to mention his size, spells out good things when he’s padded up. I cannot wait to get some film on this dude. He’s going to dominate the varsity football scene when his time comes.
Caden Gutzmer Caden Gutzmer 6'1" | 170 lbs | QB Minnetonka | 2027 MN
Caden Gutzmer Caden Gutzmer 6'1" | 170 lbs | QB Minnetonka | 2027 MN
A young Skippers gunslinger, 6′, 160 lb. Caden Gutzmer Caden Gutzmer 6’1″ | 170 lbs | QB Minnetonka | 2027 MN is already well versed on the summer camp circuit and has trained with Donovan Dooley of Quarterback University based in Michigan. In his first year of high school, Gutzmer is running with the freshman team and is showing off a strong arm, mobility, and accuracy while on the run, touch on his deep ball, and the toughness to stand in and finish throws through oncoming big hits. From the limited tape, he looks accurate to multiple levels of the field, but I can’t say that with certainty right now. Either way, it’s always good to have a heads-up on potential stud QBs. Keep up the good work, Caden.
Dajohn Yarborough
Dajohn Yarborough
St. Louis Park-based Benilde-St. Margaret’s is cleaning up in the underclassmen department, as well as in their 2025 class, and did a great job of attracting the class of 2027 to the halls of the Red Knights. Of their current first years, lineman Dajohn Yarborough is definitely the strongest, as he posted a 325 lb. squat this past March and has only built on his power since then. Yarborough has earned varsity reps this fall with BSM and has a tackle to show for his efforts as a young defensive lineman, but the future of the 6’4, 350 lber. is bright on either side of the trenches, especially if he can keep developing his body and adding to that impressive squat max. No film right now, but that will be set to change sooner rather than later, especially compared to his freshmen peers. BSM continues to stack talent at every position on the gridiron.
Brody Rush
Brody Rush
Things are on the up-and-up for the Anoka Tornadoes, as their record and gameplay are improving rapidly, as is the talent in their upcoming graduating classes. A must-know 2027 athlete out of their program, and in the state of MN in general, is 5’9, 175 lber. Brody Rush. Impressively strong for his size and age, Rush came into high school reporting a 385 lb. squat, 205 lb. bench, and 245 lb. power clean, all of which he captured on film during June. At a TrainingHaus combine last May, he also posted a 30.5″ vertical, 4.69 short-shuttle, and 7.32 L-drill, all at 175 pounds. No film from high school yet, but Rush’s testing numbers spell out good things for his future and I hope he’s a hammer at the point of contact like his strength would suggest. Stay tuned for more updates on Rush with PRzMN!
Preston Nelson
Preston Nelson
Coming off a prolific youth football career in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, 6′, 190 lb. RB/LB Preston Nelson has transitioned to high school ball nicely as a Champlin Park Rebel repping the freshman team. He’s continued the physical dominance he showed playing middle school all, in large part due to his strength, as the young buck repped 225 pounds on the bench press twice coming into the summer before his freshman year began. Offensively, Nelson is a productive blend of speed and strength, as he has the speed to take the edge and finish runs and possesses good vision while using angles and every inch of the field well. Where he’s really fun to watch is in the physicality department, as Nelson shows great contact balance, and a vicious stiff arm, and will bring the boom and win collisions as a ball carrier. He fights to stay upright and gets the most yards possible out of each carry. Physical in pass pro as a RB too. Defensively, he closes and tackles well. Right now, RB looks like his best position, but this is all in the context of freshman competition, so we’ll have to see how he continues to progress against JV and eventually varsity defenders. The strength/speed combo, as well as the playstyle, bodes well for his future, however.
Dearis Hubbert Dearis Hubbert 6'0" | 175 lbs | RB Prior Lake | 2027 MN
Dearis Hubbert Dearis Hubbert 6'0" | 175 lbs | RB Prior Lake | 2027 MN
A 5’9, 175 lb. RB/OLB from talent-rich Prior Lake, Dearis Hubbert Dearis Hubbert 6’0″ | 175 lbs | RB Prior Lake | 2027 MN was brought to our attention by his teammates who have been impressed by his play in the non-varsity ranks of the Lakers as a freshman. The owner of some impressive weight room numbers, including a 365 lb. squat, 215 lb. bench, and 220 lb. clean, Hubbert has been putting up some gaudy stat lines on both sides of the ball against top 6A competition. As a RB, Hubbert runs hard and can easily work through arm tackles and weaker tackle attempts at his lower body. He’s also got some juice when moving laterally and can cut powerfully when he sticks his cleat in the ground to avoid awaiting defenders. As a defender, he’s positionally versatile and is a good tackler once he gets his hands on ball carriers. Still a lot of work to be done and development needing to happen but he’s off to a solid start.
We’re heading back to the NW ‘burbs and Anoka High School to check out their impressive 6’2 WR and combo guard Darren Nyanyuki. He’s coming off an impressive youth football and basketball campaign and had a solid showing at the Minnesota Gopher’s prospect camp in early June, and is going to be a force once he’s eventually called up to varsity. With tons of length, Nyanyuki is noticeably confident and effective route runner for his age. He can drop his hips and create separation out of his breaks for a taller & younger wideout and shows good footwork in his releases at the LOS as well. He’s deceptively fast and glides by pursuers in the open field with ease, and possesses juice after the catch,with balance and quickness shining through when he’s in the open field with the pigskin in-hand. Like his height and athleticism from his hoops background would suggest, he can easily win 50/50 balls and will climb the ladder to high point the rock over DBs. There’s a great play 1:45 into his midseason tape where a Coon Rapids DL picks up a loose fumble and Nyanyuki, starting 20 yards behind the DL, runs him down to save a TD in the blink of an eye. He’s been dominant against non-varsity competition, is an impressive and eye-catching athlete, and will be playing varsity football next season. He’s got a shot to be a great one.
Highlights
We’re sticking with big-school MN football and heading back to the always-important QB position. Wayzata’s 6′, 150 lb. signal-caller William Landreth is also a standout baseball player and is in the midst of his of his first year of high school football with the mighty Trojans. Playing against freshman competition, Landreth showed that he can push the ball downfield with accuracy and put zip on his more intermediate throws when necessary. He can run the read option, finds his open receiver (generally the first read), and puts the ball on the money. He’s shown he can play the QB position with mobility, and has solid mechanics and a concise throwing motion. Still a lot of development and reps needed to maximize his game but I like the arm strength and velocity he’s showing off as a young buck.
Highlights
Lee Klunder
Lee Klunder
From the big-school ranks to small town Minnesota, we’re heading to Houston High School (enrollment = 138) to shoutout freshman Lee Klunder. A 5’8, 160 lb. RB/DB, Klunder has been productive on both sides of the ball in 2023 and is among the state’s top freshman in terms of tackling and rushing. The 9man standout played as an 8th grader and is showing that experience as a now-freshman, with burst and some physicality coming as a ball carrier. His best football is still in front of him and I’m pumped to see how his career totals end up finishing out.
Tristan Kowalkowski
Tristan Kowalkowski
Another standout freshman with a familiar last name, 2027 gunslinger Tristan Kowalkowski is the younger brother of Kristoff, a former Totino-Grace standout who recently transferred from St. Thomas to St. John’s University to finish his collegiate career. Younger bro Tristan has been starting for St. Cloud Apollo as a young freshman, and has been playing well for the Eagles in the 320. He’s thrown for nearly 400 yards at a near 60% completion percentage as a first-year QB, and the lefty shows off a quick release, touch on his downfield throws, some skills as a ball carrier, and the ability to hit back shoulder throws in the redzone. Still a lot of work to be done, but he’s shown he’s comfortable and able to compete at the varsity level as a 14-year-old.
Maize Carpenter
Maize Carpenter
The leading receiver out of the freshman class in 2023, Two Rivers High School’s 5’11, 175 lb. pass catcher Maize Carpenter is a standout baseball player in addition to his exploits in the passing game on the gridiron. Solid size, speed, and toughness, he’s done well when called upon and is a good athlete for his age with a bright future ahead of him in both sports. Two Rivers has been developing its players very well as of late, so I’m excited to see how Carpenter continues to progress.
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More Freshmen to Know:
Cameron Forthun (Southland) OL/DL.
Jackson Burroughs (Milaca) ATH. 5’11, 155. @JacksonBurroug
Tyson Reynolds (Lakeville North) WR/DB. 5’10, 140
Alex Barasa (Rockford) WR. 5’10, 160 lbs. @AlexBarasa_
Thor Soukup Thor Soukup 6'1" | 205 lbs | QB Maple Grove | 2027 MN (Maple Grove) 2027. QB. 5’11, 180 lbs. @thor_soukup
Colten Bothun (Dawson-Boyd) ATH. @BothunColten
Mason Bothun (Dawson-Boyd) WR. 6′, 160 lbs.
Bricker Haugrud (Pelican Rapids) RB/LB.
Ethan Isaman (Pelican Rapids) WR/DB.
Yovani Abarca (Pelican Rapids) WR.
Calvin Norton (Pelican Rapids) TE/OLB.
Grady Larson (Pelican Rapids) ATH.
Emery Xiong (Tracy-Milroy-Balaton) WR.
Jaxton Hastad (Dawson-Boyd) WR/DB. 6’1, 160 lbs.
Carson Primus (Upsala/Swanville) RB. 5’10, 140 lbs. @carson_primus
Jack Peterson (Upsala/Swanville) OL/DL. 6’3.
Taytan Nielsen (Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg) LB/RB. 5’8, 160 lbs.
Gabe Bergstrom (BOLD) FB. 5’11, 165 lbs.
Jayden Coenen (Melrose) DB. 3 INTs
Nick Butzke (Mesabi East) OL/DL.
Wyatt Collins (BOLD) WR/DB
Jaxon Krzoska (International Falls) OL/DL.
Seth Lubinski (Lewiston-Altura) ATH. 6′, 150 lbs.
David Londgren (Braham) RB. 6’2, 180 lbs.
Jackson LaRoche Jackson LaRoche 6'3" | 175 lbs | ATH Big Lake | 2027 MN (Big Lake) WR. 6’3, 190 lbs. @JacksonLaRoche0
Maize Carpenter (Two Rivers) WR. 5’11, 175 lbs. @MaizeCarpenter