Small school studs - Part II

We continue to focus on athletes who have big roles in smaller schools in Minnesota. The defending Class A champions are again well represented, with two more guys to keep an eye on during the 2024 season. Check out part one <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2024/07/small-school-studs-part-i/">here</a>.    Illies has a good catch range. He has good length and extension on high balls but is athletic enough to get down in the grass to pick balls down below his knees. He has good body control, which allows him to make contested catches and make plays on the sidelines. That ability to make contested catches highlights Illies great hands. His route running is solid. He sets up his cuts well and uses his body well to keep himself between the ball and the defender.     Meagher is an excellent one-cut-and-go runner. He is the type of back who doesn't have anything that stands out, but he does everything well. The soon-to-be senior has good vision and makes sharp cuts off that vision. Minneota's single-back scheme is a great offense for him – he lines up deep in the backfield. That depth allows him to pick his spot and make that quick cut. I wouldn't consider him a power back, but if defenders get him squared up, Meagher will blow through arm tackles. Once in the open field, very few defenders run him down from behind. He isn't asked to do it much, but he can also catch the ball out of the backfield.     I didn't have to wait long watching Asuma's highlights to find out what he is all about. The first run on his sophomore highlights shows the soon-to-be junior as a complete runner. He had to make a quick cut on one carry before getting out of the backfield. Then, he exploded through the hole, and once to the second level, he ran through a tackle attempt – barely slowing down. He cut to the outside, broke through an arm tackle, and used his speed to separate down the sidelines to complete a 65-yard touchdown run. In addition, he catches the ball out of the backfield and has good vision in the open field.     Rybinski typically plays in a tight end/wing-back position. The offense often puts him in motion across the formation. When he is on the move, he is a devastating blocker. When he hits a defender, the defender goes backward. The Vikings' athlete is not just a blocker but an effective runner when coming across the formation on end-a-rounds. He is quick enough to get the corner, but like with his blocking, his physical play is his strength.

We continue to focus on athletes who have big roles in smaller schools in Minnesota. The defending Class A champions are again well represented, with two more guys to keep an eye on during the 2024 season. Check out part one here.