One of the more versatile 2027s in Minnesota, Mankato East’s Blake Kamphoff should absolutely be ranked, earning a guaranteed nod to enter to 2027 Big Board in an upcoming micro-update to get some must-have New Additions on the rankings around the time 2028 goes live. Kamphoff, thanks to his 11.60 100M, 23.36 200M, and 52.01 400M PRs, was incredibly dynamic as a junior, finishing 2025 with 120 rushes for 804 yards and 8 TDs to lead the Cougars in rushing in 2025. He added 13 catches for 138 yards and 2 TDs, 4 tackles on defense, and was 4-5 passing for 54 yards and 1 TD for East, taking wildcat snaps out of the backfield as a junior, both running and passing assignments.

Kamphoff opens his tape with an explosive 89-yard TD run against Owatonna, showcasing some excellent vision, burst, and ability to cut at top speed. Plus, he eats and stays upright through an ankle tap, getting back up to speed quickly enough to still evade the Huskies pursuers, who did not have to slow down in their efforts to catch him. He displays the top end speed to finish impressive runs for six against quality pursuit angles, and I love how impressively and noticeably he can accelerate, shift gears, and get-up to top speed at the optimal time. Plus, Kamphoff owns good contact balance and lower body strength and is dynamic in space and as an offensive threat. Shifty footwork and hips create tough angles for defenders and he’s able to break multiple tackle attempts in a single rep with ease.

Kamphoff is a little bit of a mystery. There is no question in my mind that he’ll play a sizeable role for the Cougars; the question is where. Last season, he saw time as a QB, RB, and DB. I’ve been able to evaluate his throwing in person at a few camps, and he very well could transition to a full-time Q, but as good as he is with his arm, he’s better with his legs. Last year, Kamphoff had 193 rushing yards on only 18 attempts with 6 TDs for an astounding 10.7 YPC. On his tape, he’s extremely slippery with the ball in his hands, and Kamphoff never stops pumping his legs. I don’t know where Kamphoff will play next season, but I do know he will make an impact wherever he’s put.

Kamphoff is an athlete that Mankato East coaches are pretty high on going into the 2025 season, and I see why. The lefty has a solid arm and was able to hit every window on the field throughout the day. Kamphoff boasts a smooth release and does an excellent job of placing deep balls where wideouts can go get them, but where DBs likely can’t. Kamphoff also boasts a bunch of positional versatility. He saw a lot of playing time as a varsity RB last season, finishing with just shy of 200 yards with 6 rushing TDs. He could see a big leap in production and technique in his junior year.