Highlights:

Francois opened his senior season with 178 yards and three touchdowns in Minnetonka’s 41-0 win over East Ridge, breaking free for a 70-yard score on the Skippers’ third offensive play. The Iowa State commit, back at running back after a Class 6A Player of the Year season at quarterback, reminded everyone why he’s one of the best running backs in the state. A natural runner, he has great burst through the hole and the ability to cut at full speed. He runs with balance that allows him to slip through arm tackles and finish runs with force and breakaway speed. He shows patience pressing the line of scrimmage before making a decisive cut, and once he hits daylight, he has the open-field acceleration to separate. A year of playing quarterback also sharpened his understanding of defenses and improved his decision-making with the ball in his hands. He is a tough assignment for any defense and a proven playmaker who consistently delivers in big moments.

Football #12/Basketball #200

Francois is a true dual-threat quarterback. One of the more athletic quarterbacks in the state, the junior is just as effective with his arm as his legs. He runs the read option like he has been doing it since he was in pee-wee football. His arm strength and accuracy on the move separate him as a passer. As a basketball player, he is a solid three-point shooter who can stretch the court with his range. The junior averaged nearly ten points a game.

Saw His Ranking Rise 44 Spots from #80 to #36

Caleb Francois Caleb Francois 6'1" | 190 lbs | RB Minnetonka | 2026 State MN is the biggest recruiting enigma I’ve come across in my professional career with PRzMN and NFN, so far.

Not only is he a recruiting enigma, he’s also one of this latest update’s Biggest Stock Risers, shooting himself up 44 spots and into the Top 40. Last year, as a sophomore, Francois was an underclassman getting his first taste of varsity action against some of the state’s heavy hitters, trying to get comfortable and adapt his game to the newfound speed and physicality primarily as a RB in the Skippers crowded backfield. However, his talent was too hard for Tonka’s staff to ignore, and those limited varsity reps paid dividends as Francois EXPLODED onto the varsity scene as a junior, leading the Skippers all the way to the 6A state championship game while playing his absolute tail off. You could argue that Francois was the most impactful and influential player in Minnesota in 2024, but he brings such a unique playstyle to the table that it’s hard to confidently project him to the next level, especially positionally. Francois also didn’t make any appearances on the college camp circuit this summer, or at a PRzMN Showcase, so I have no idea how fast or explosive he really is. However, I do know that his play firmly raised his recruiting stock during the 2024 season, paying off in Iowa State, North Dakota, and NDSU gameday invites while Minnetonka was still playing, as well as major B1G and Big12 programs visiting Tonka and asking around the young dynamo at the QB position.

I’ll say this too: Francois‘ junior tape doesn’t come close to properly capturing his skillset, ability to impact and take over a game over four quarters, toughness, physicality, and dynamic athleticism. I saw the Francois-led Skippers four times in 2024, including the 6A state semifinal and championship, and each time he was the most impactful individual player on the field, besides maybe Chuck Langama of MG in the state title game. The 6’1, 190 lb. Minnetonka junior is a physical athlete at the QB position, and although he proved at U.S. Bank Stadium that he could move the chains and sling the ball with accuracy and zip, he’ll be bound for another position in college, which is where things get a bit muddy. Francois is at his best and most dynamic as a ball carrier, where he’s a patient, powerful, instinctive, physical, and quick rusher who can carry the rock 30+ times over the course of a ball game and wear down a defense without losing any juice himself. Francois can consistently pick you up 4+ yards a carry, moving the chains while setting defenses up for what eventually becomes an explosive run that he can burst up the middle or out to the sideline and far upfield. The junior can also break tackles in a variety of ways, as he’s laterally twitchy and sudden, which takes defenders by surprise and sends them hurdling past him, partly due to the fact that he can easily run you over and beat you down North-South with consistency and effortlessness. It’s dazzling to watch over the course of four quarters, and especially over the course of a season, as Francois does it with surgical-like precision and poise, unreal endurance, and rare physicality and power for a 190 lber. He wants and embraces a big role in an offense, as well as key moments in a ball game when the lights are the brightest, and his importance and individual role in Minnetonka’s 2024 success cannot be overstated. However, I don’t have any measurables on the young man, and I don’t know where he’d best fit at the next level, so for now, Francois is holding down that #36 spot.