One of the most exciting and dynamic players in Minnesota undoubtedly goes to St. Paul Harding/Humboldt’s Aijhon Douglas. The 5’9, 150 lb. Energizer Bunny of a WR/DB/returner has put out some electric highlights as a sophomore and junior, and even with his junior film only consisting of half a season’s worth of highlights, there’s more than enough to be dazzled by and have Douglas qualify as “impressive in the open field.”

Super explosive and operating on another plane of athleticism, the 651 product makes big plays look very easy. For example, Douglas has a rep a couple minutes into his tape where he basically improvises a 100-yard TD run where he takes the snap as a punter, sees space and creeps forward, and then spots a gap and takes off like a bat out of hell, cutting at top speed to make two Two Rivers’ defenders miss and burning past a couple more for a TD that few prep prospects could even dream of pulling off. The cojones it takes to make that decision, much less finish it, should give you a sense of just how athletic Douglas is and how explosive he is compared to his competition. His game-breaking speed that makes pursuing opponents look like they’re sprinting in slow motion, and he has reps of him easily out-running NSIC commits, and that speed creates so much space in the open field that it sometimes looks like he’s a 9man ball carrier. He displays a ton of balance, noticeable burst and get-up, body control, twitch, pound-for-pound power, and the ability to cut on a dime. Defensively, where I think he may project best to at the next level, he demonstrates a smooth backpedal and doesn’t waste steps when he’s weaving, mirroring, or adjusting to a route, and he flies out of his breaks his pace. Douglas‘ body control is very apparent when he’s changing direction and covering WRs on the perimeter, and he’s also a big hitter on the perimeter who cranks WRs at the catch point and punches well above his weight class. He’s rocked more than a few balls loose in his career and forces PBUs against big and smaller receivers alike. I could watch this dude play football all day, every day.

As a defensive back, Douglas breaks on the ball quickly and explodes into ball carriers with bad intentions. His speed and vision make him a top kickoff returner. That speed made for one of the best special teams plays of the year. Douglas was punting out of his own end zone on fourth and long. I don’t know if it was by design or if he freelanced it, but he found a gap and housed a 95-yard touchdown run. Obviously, he is a beast in the open field. He would be tough to bring down if they were playing two-hand touch. He is a better-than-adequate blocker. He will even line up as a wing and throw a block to secure the edge. The junior will also play quarterback and not just as a runner. He has a 55-yard touchdown pass on his resume – and the run after catch was only about ten yards.

We’re sticking with fun-to-watch, explosive, twitched-up offensive weapons with our next Top Newcomer in the electric St. Paul Harding/Humboldt WR/DB/returner Aijhon Douglas Aijhon Douglas 5'8" | 150 lbs | ATH St. Paul Harding/Humboldt | 2025 State MN . Douglas’ sophomore tape really impressed our PRZ General Manager and National Scouting Director Jake Lemming, and I’m in complete agreement with his evaluation of his skills and overall explosive ability. Douglas is lightning in a bottle and lethal, natural, and comfortable as a playmaker with the ball in hand, but is equally impressive in all three phases of the game. His COD ability is especially impressive, as Douglas can cut on a dime and has a diverse repertoire of moves in the arsenal to make defenders miss, the vision to see three steps ahead of his pursuers, as well as top-end speed that helps him cruise by defenders effortlessly, especially when he uses that final gear when he hits the open field. Douglas is also instinctive in coverage and closes quickly as a DB in both run support and when breaking on the ball, and can lay some powerful hits as well and has no qualms about playing physically. The 5’9, 150 lber. is one of the most natural and casual playmakers in the entire state with ball in hand and I cannot wait to get some more film of this kid lighting it up on the gridiron. Douglas is absolutely electric, and as our current #43 overall and #6 ranked ATH in Minnesota, he’s got a ton of room to keep climbing significantly up our rankings. Man, I love watching this dude play football.