2024 MN Rankings Update: Positional #1s

Hello, wonderful MN subscribers. Long time no talk. Please excuse my lackluster production as of late. However, I am very happy to be back to writing and scouting and hope to build off some long overdue hype for the recently released 2024 Minnesota rankings update. To help create some more buzz around the current sophomore prospects in the Land of 10,000 Lakes I wanted to start off the 2024 post-update content with a banger and highlight the #1 ranked player at each position on the football field. It's looking like a very promising class, with a lot of prospects showing good size for their age and a lot of room to continue growing. There's also a lot of depth, particularly at the OL and DL spots (not surprising), as well as LB, DB, and QB. Additionally, there is some big-time potential at the RB and WR position, specifically at the top end, and overall the c/o 2024 rankings rose from 50 prospects up to almost 180. With all of the new additions and movement from the last update, let's start things off by highlighting some of the big dogs and break down the #1 player at each offensive and defensive position on the football field. I'm excited to be back, let's get to it. QB1: [player_tooltip player_id="105379" first="Tanner" last="Zolnosky"] (East Ridge) 6', 185 lbs. @TannerZolnosky The East Ridge Raptor has been on the radar of PRzMN since he met with Tom Lemming in 2020 during his freshman year in Woodbury, and he's delivered on the potential and strengths he showed as a young buck and has stepped into a starting role for the Raptors in 2021. Also a PrepRedzoneMN Showcase standout, Zolnosky went 92-169 (54%) for 1,625 yards and 12 TDs to only four interceptions, and possesses a good arm that can hit a variety of passes downfield including deep posts, outs, and throws up the seam. He also shows off a quick, smooth release and can extend plays in and outside of the pocket with his legs. I also like the accuracy he shows on his deep balls. Thanks to his varsity experience, arm talent, athleticism, and intangibles he earn himself the #1 quarterback spot and came in at #17 overall in the recent update of the 2024 rankings. I'm excited to see him sling the rock as an upperclassman. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/15118531/6189d283066b9f08aceae08c">Soph Highlights Varsity</a> QB2: [player_tooltip player_id="242401" first="Milos" last="Spasojevic"] (Minnetonka) RB1: [player_tooltip player_id="105374" first="Maxwell" last="Woods"] (Chanhassen) 5'11, 165 lbs. @maxwellwoods0 It was a tight race for the RB1 spot in the class of 2024 as STA's [player_tooltip player_id="105372" first="Savion" last="Hart"] is a very exciting ballcarrier and prospect in his own right, but ultimately the #1 spot went to Chanhassen Storm RB [player_tooltip player_id="105374" first="Maxwell" last="Woods"]. There's talk around the state that this kid may be a special prospect, and during the 2021 he received game day invites from the Minnesota Gophers as well as the Iowa State Cyclones. The tape looks good as well, as he shows positional versatility on offense as both a RB and WR. He displays good burst, as well as elusiveness as both a ballcarrier and in his routes out of the slot. He's got a powerful lower body and some loose hips that helps him explode through holes and out of cuts at the LOS as well as make tacklers miss in a variety of ways, and overall is a standout athlete with a balanced skill set as a RB. There's a lot to like and he's already a natural fit at the varsity level, so Class 5A needs to be on the lookout for Woods these next two years. Also plays basketball for Chan. He came in as the #2 overall ranked recruit in the 2024 class. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/15099157/61817c99d2251304c86e88ee">Sophomore SZN highlights</a> RB2: [player_tooltip player_id="105372" first="Savion" last="Hart"] (St. Thomas Academy) WR1: [player_tooltip player_id="105367" first="Daniel" last="Freitag"] (Bloomington Jefferson) 6'2, 170 lbs. @DanielFreitag_ The #1 ranked prospect in the entire class comes out of Bloomington and the phenomenal two-sport stud [player_tooltip player_id="105367" first="Daniel" last="Freitag"]. The most athletic sophomore in the state of MN, Freitag already holds high-major basketball offers from Wisconsin and Minnesota, but don't get it twisted as he is very much interested in playing college football as is by no means set on only playing basketball in college. Unfortunately, he battled injuries throughout the 2021 season and limited film from the fall, but in the game available you can easily see the size, quickness, and body control of an elite athlete his age, and it shows up all over the field as a WR and DB. He can track and adjust to the ball for tough catches, drop his hips to cut off his routes and get out of breaks, and catch, tackle, and block kicks. I'm a big big fan of this kid and was pumped when he visited Iowa State on an unofficial basketball/football visit this fall, as well as checking out the hometown Gophers on a basketball unofficial. These are far from his last visits. Can't wait to devour more film of this guy. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14511918/612a82471761cc08ec0b6cfb">Preseason Scrimmage 2021</a> WR2: [player_tooltip player_id="105365" first="Carter" last="Holcomb"] (Rochester Mayo) TE1: [player_tooltip player_id="105413" first="Conner" last="Connell"] (Luverne) 6'4, 215 lbs. @connell_conner Unfortunately, when you divide the rankings by position and click TE, there is a small mistake and a Chanhassen LB is listed at TE, but I will make sure to get that fixed. However, 2024's TE1 comes from the outstate and SW Minnesota's Luverne High School.The Cardinals had some very underrated ballers in this 2022 senior group ([player_tooltip player_id="120952" first="Nathaniel" last="Cole-Kraty"], [player_tooltip player_id="120953" first="Zach" last="Kruse"]) and I am very excited to see them grow a possible monster in their upcoming '24 class. As I'm sure many of you know, Minnesota is a hotbed for D1 TE talent, and the 2024 class has a few potential sophomores who show a good chance of continuing that lineage. The best of the bunch right now is 6'4, 215 lb. [player_tooltip player_id="105413" first="Conner" last="Connell"]. Also a standout baseball player, Connell shows off a great frame that will only get bigger, faster, and stronger as he ages as well as the athleticism and toughness to impact both the running and passing game from the TE spot, as well on defense as a LB. He's got good speed at his height/weight and the ability to start and stop with power, and possesses soft hands catching the rock and finishing ability as a blocker. He also can blitz, shoot gaps, and close space and get hip to hip with ball carriers in a hurry, and is going to become even more dominant as an upperclassman. The future is bright for Conner and he came in at #14 overall in the 2024 rankings. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16613765/614f5887e97abd052cf5e75e">2021 Midseason tape</a> TE2: [player_tooltip player_id="105382" first="Jack" last="Simon"] (Wayzata) OL1: [player_tooltip player_id="241907" first="Luke" last="Speedling"] (Minnetonka) 6'4, 250 lbs. @speedling_luke It was a very tight and competitive race for the title of OL1 in the 2024 class of MN prospects. The position group is loaded, with a lot of talent in the Metro as well as some outstate recruits with size and tenacity. There were six offensive lineman in the Top-30, and 15 in the Top-100, but the top spot in the most recent update came out of 'Tonka and their sophomore LT [player_tooltip player_id="241907" first="Luke" last="Speedling"]. With noteworthy size for his age and varsity experience as an underclassman in MN's largest classification of prep football, Speedling absorbs and reciprocates contact well and is a powerful drive blocker who is always looking to finish. He's nimble enough to effectively pull from his OT position and looks very hard to disengage from once he locks onto a defender. He also plays DL's hands well, and if he can clean up his footwork in pass-pro I think he's got the chance to be another big-time OL prospect from the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Minnetonka High School is a must-stop for college programs in the 2024 class, especially in the trenches. Speedling came in at #8 overall in the 2024 rankings, and is being tailed closely by a Prior Lake Laker mauler who came in at #9. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/13621035/618eb394b3c87201448e04c4">Sophomore. Tonka</a> OL2: [player_tooltip player_id="120503" first="Aiden" last="Horel"] (Prior Lake) DL1: [player_tooltip player_id="242397" first="Lucas" last="Caron"] (Bemidji) 6'5, 220 lbs. @Ljamescaron5 With four defensive lineman in the Top-15 of the 2024 update and another ranked 16th, there is a lot of talent at the top-end in one of Minnesota's historically strongest position groups. There's also some noteworthy size at the DL spot, and the prospect who may end up as the biggest and baddest of the bunch comes out of Bemidji Lumberjacks and their tank of a defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id="242397" first="Lucas" last="Caron"]. With long arms, a quick first step, and some lateral agility, as well as strength and power that you'd expect from a prospect of his size. He envelops ball carriers when he gets ahold of them, covers ground quickly when in pursuit, and athletic enough that tackles have to respect his speed upfield in pass protection but also be weary of his ability to cross face and cut inside when given the opportunity. He's already bigger than most of the players he went up against all year, and is strong enough to gain separation from opponents when he attacks block attempts. He can also long-arm tackles backwards and is instinctive enough to throw his hands up into passing lanes when he can't get to the QB. Caron is an XL 5-tech who could grow into a giant iDL or NG, but has the skill and athleticism to play out on the edge as a DE too. There's a lot to like and I'm looking forward to see how he takes advantage of this offseason. He came in at #5 overall in the class of 2024 update. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/15086162/6186bf96b018960750934468">Soph SZN</a> DL2: [player_tooltip player_id="138248" first="Wyatt" last="Gilmore"] (Rogers) LB1: [player_tooltip player_id="105369" first="Sam" last="Macy"] (Chanhassen) 6'4, 185 lbs. @SamMacy13 One of the few young bucks to receive a P5 game day invite in 2021, Macy got to check out a University of Minnesota football game in November and is another high-profile recruit out of the Chanhassen Storm program in 2024. Although he's still wiry and lanky, Macy has an intriguing frame that could hold a ton more weight and fill out into a P5 LB/Edge body by the time it's all said and done. He displays a hard-hitting playing style who is very hard to block and contain from the edge, and he laid some massive hits on the QB in his sophomore year as a menace for opposing OTs. He's got the speed and bend to get around tackles and TEs outside shoulder but also is strong at 185 pounds and can back down, push/pull, and beat blocks with strength if need be. I also like how he covers ground and can get flat down the LOS in run pursuit, and he really makes disrupting the QB and holding the edge look easy in his sophomore tape. When you combine his size, production, and age it's really hard not to be excited about his future. Macy came in at #6 overall in the recent update. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/15109674/61a8e0bd57980d065cdd7a53">2021 highlights</a> LB2: [player_tooltip player_id="242494" first="Dylan" last="Gross"] (Brainerd) DB1: [player_tooltip player_id="105392" first="Zashon" last="Rich"] (MPLS North) 6'2, 180 lbs. @zaeway3 The Minneapolis North Polars are no stranger to P5 talent and we may have found the next great prospect out of the north side in sophomore DB [player_tooltip player_id="105392" first="Zashon" last="Rich"]. With the size and length to play safety and the hips and speed to play corner, he is a very intriguing 6'2 lockdown corner who looks like the second coming of Omar Brown. His long arms and chest strength help him throw WRs off their marks and timing when he gets a hand on them at the LOS, and he's comfortable and natural in pass coverage when the ball is in the air. He makes sure that he's in the receivers pocket before he gets his head around to locate the football and is fast enough to never really worry about getting beat deep downfield. He's also a willing supporter in the run, and I also got to see the young man play live against my Southwest Lakers in his freshman year of 2020, and he easily belongs at the varsity level and doesn't play like an underclassman. I gotta get some more looks at him in-person as we go forward, but I think there's a lot of potential and an intriguing physical makeup and skill set that is too hard to ignore right now. Another great 612 prospect! He came in at #4 overall in the 2024 rankings update. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/15374924/6175d1220661850558fa22ba">Island</a> DB2: [player_tooltip player_id="105393" first="James" last="Mankaka"] (Rochester Mayo) ATH1: [player_tooltip player_id="105380" first="Darius" last="Jordan"] (Rochester John Marshall) 5'10, 150 lbs. @DariusJordan23 There's been buzz about Jordan in the 507 for a couple of years now and he really began to deliver on that hype in 2021. The sophomore plays primarily QB, but also lined up as a WR, carries the rock like a RB, and can tackle in space like a safety. His versatility is really impressive and he's a smooth runner with a knack for making people miss. I also love he tackles from his DB spot and he's overall a fluid athlete with some high potential at multiple positions. It'll be important for him to attack the offseason and put on weight and muscle, but if I had to take a gander at what position he is most likely to play at the next level, I'd put my money on DB as of right now. He looks like he's athletic enough to project to offense, so he'll be a prospect I'll be keeping a close eye on in the coming months and years. Jordan came in at the #23 spot overall in our recent '24 update. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/13141118/6192aae9b534f708e82370ca">Sophomore</a> ATH2: [player_tooltip player_id="241905" first="Tykeilan" last="Moore"] (Fridley)