2023 Dakotas Rankings Update: The Preview

DAKOTAS-- Effective this early afternoon, we have unleashed the January update of our <a href="https://prepredzone.com/dakotas/rankings/2023-rankings/">2023 rankings </a>here at Prep Redzone Dakotas. With this preview article, we will break down on what was done since the last rankings update, look at the NEW top five, the NEW QB2, and much more!   Breaking Down the Rankings   -We increased the ranked prospects from 250 to 275.   -We also added to our 75+ 2023 Watchlist of highly under-the-radar prospects.   -19 prospects from this 2023 class and growing have committed to play football at the Division I level through North Dakota and South Dakota.   -We also have tracked that 29 prospects from this list will play at the Division II level to our count thus far.   -We also have tracked that 26 prospects from this list will be playing at the NAIA or Division III levels thus far.   A New Top Five   Our top five didn't change all that much, but we moved some prospects around that were in between FCS but now have that FBS ceiling.   1) [player_tooltip player_id='56570' first='Lincoln' last='Kienholz'], QB, Pierre TF Riggs   -Ohio State commit. #1 overall prospect in SD and between both states.   2) [player_tooltip player_id='223084' first='Karter' last='Menz'], DE, West Fargo Sheyenne   -Minnesota commit. #1 overall prospect in ND, moved from #1 to #2 overall.   3) [player_tooltip player_id='101165' first='Jason' last='Maciejczak'], OL/DL, Pierre TF Riggs   -Nebraska commit. A stockriser we will talk about more in-depth this week. Moved from the #8 spot overall to #3.   4) [player_tooltip player_id='56548' first='Richard' last='Benenge'], LB, Harrisburg   -Uncommitted but has a bunch of Group of Five offers on his plate.   5) [player_tooltip player_id='205259' first='Abraham' last='Myers'], DE, Sioux Falls Washington   -North Dakota State commit. #4 overall prospect in South Dakota.   A New QB2   [player_tooltip player_id='205383' first='Michael' last='Rostberg'], QB, Fargo Shanley (2023)   After winning the North Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year, Fargo Shanley QB [player_tooltip player_id='205383' first='Michael' last='Rostberg'] took over as our #2 ranked QB in the Dakotas as the St. Thomas (Minn) commit not only led his team to a state championship but showed off excellently developed poise, arm strength, and most definitely improved his throwing ability from the run in his massive senior season for the Deacons. The Tommies got an absolute steal in this young man, who has fantastic character as well and had an FBS ceiling in my eyes. Michael moves into the #12 overall spot and #1 amongst all QBs in North Dakota.   Biggest Sleeper in the Top 50?   We mentioned Harrisburg LB Rich Benenge, who ended up in the #4 overall spot in our last update of the 2023 rankings, but the biggest sleeper inside of the remaining uncommitted top 50 in my eyes is Wall RB/LB [player_tooltip player_id='77462' first='Cedar' last='Amiotte'], who jumped up to #40 overall in our 2023 rankings. This young man has a quick trigger you don't often see in 9-man football when it comes to his pass coverage as a linebacker; we also love the motor this young man shows off from start to finish and can close out tackles with his high level of physicality. Offensively, Cedar is a bulldog to tackle, as really feds well with getting several yards after contact as he plays way bigger than the 6'1 190 pound frame he shows off.   Who are prospects in the Top 100 I Would Offer Right Now?   If I was a college recruiting coordinator at the Division I or II level, looking to make a splash before National Signing Day in the next two weeks, this is who I would target ASAP in this order:   [player_tooltip player_id='56578' first='Gabe' last='Gutierrez'], LB/RB, Sioux Falls Lincoln   [player_tooltip player_id='160934' first='Aguer' last='VanSickle'], LB, Bridgewater-Emery-Ethan   [player_tooltip player_id='475820' first='Vuciri' last='Hakim'], WR, Fargo Shanley   [player_tooltip player_id='223088' first='Joel' last='Edland'], OL, Bismarck Century   [player_tooltip player_id='287085' first='Dylan' last='Elrod'], QB, Harrisburg   [player_tooltip player_id='242532' first='Payton' last='McGregor'], WR, West Fargo   [player_tooltip player_id='418250' first='Vegas' last='George'], DE, Bismarck Legacy   [player_tooltip player_id='403510' first='Deegan' last='Houska'], DB, Pierre TF Riggs   [player_tooltip player_id='273642' first='Tim' last='Bishop'], DB, Harrisburg   [player_tooltip player_id='56567' first='Nelson' last='Wright'], RB, Sioux Falls Jefferson   [player_tooltip player_id='223090' first='Raymond' last='Brown'], ATH, Fargo Davies   What's Next for Content for the Last 2023 rankings?   Our biggest goal is to get these 2023 seniors to the next level, so as usual, we will focus on the following, but we are adding one more content series to raise the bar of what the Dakotas has to offer so far as playing at the next level.   Stockrisers- Who moved up the rankings from their previous spot?   New Additions- Who were some of the new prospects added to our list that can play at the next level?   Uncommitted Series- With this list, which prospects do we feel need more attention from those college recruiting coordinators and departments, and why is that? We will put a BIG focus on this group in the coming week or so.

DAKOTAS-- Effective this early afternoon, we have unleashed the January update of our 2023 rankings here at Prep Redzone Dakotas. With this preview article, we will break down on what was done since the last rankings update, look at the NEW top five, the NEW QB2, and much more!