Orginally, when we first added Cash to our radar after one of our Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase, we like NDSU sees had him rated as a tight end so the surprise that some folks have on this is no secret to us at Prep Redzone. He was just recently my North Dakota nominee for Prep Redzone’s Breakout Player of the Year in which we nominated one player per state in all 50 states for that selection and Cash was the no-brainer selection for me from the 701. The 6’4 225 pounder had some eye-catching testing numbers for that size over the summer as the Bison faithful will get a tight end that is very well-rounded with his skillsets for the position as a pass-catcher and a blocker. I have always been impressed by Cash’s range he has for his size on both sides of the ball, which should enhance success in the future on vertical routes as Cash is extremely fluid and it’s clear the Bison see the upside for him as a route-runner. Great sized catch radius that has grown quite well since he was at our showcase which seems like years ago already and he has shows how much of a problem he is in the open field.. Surely a great home state get for the Bison as it’s been noted, that NDSU is also Cash’s dream school despite being 15 minutes from the Bison’s rivals to the north.

Cash has been one of the most productive two-way players in North Dakota this season, leading the state in tackles while flashing the kind of versatility that makes him a legitimate next-level prospect. He’s a high-IQ football player who rarely takes a false step, diagnosing plays quickly and getting from sideline to sideline with outstanding range and length.

He’s a reliable tackler with excellent closing speed and fluidity, capable of tracking down ball carriers in space or slipping through blocks to make stops behind the line.

He already checks the measurable boxes for a Division I prospect, posting strong testing numbers at college camps over the summer, yet he surprisingly holds just one FCS offer for now. That’s likely to change soon. With his size, speed, and all-around football instincts, Danner is the type of player who can fit multiple roles and make an immediate impact at the next level.

We have Cash ranked as a defensive back, but he’s moved to the linebacker position this fall and saw some reps there as well during camp season. I wasn’t surprised when I saw the names that Cash was the state’s top tackler as he has been on our consesus top 5 prospects in the state for a while now and that surely will not change by our last 2026 rankings update.

Our DB1 in the North Dakota 2026 class surely had a booming summer with now six offers and is one of the most rangey safeties we have still available in the Dakotas as a whole. His football IQ is stacked with a excellent understanding pre-snap of where the ball is headed in pass coverage and brings the juice constantly from sideline to sideline for the Thompson Tommies. Cash brings all the balance you would want in your secondary when it comes to run stopping and pass coverage as you can’t miss the vision he brings to the table. He’s going to be a small town steal to whoever lands him on Saturdays!

The best is always saved for last, as our DB1 and #3 overall ranked prospect in the North Dakota 2026 class, is Thompson safety Cash Danner Cash Danner 6'4" | 205 lbs | TE/ATH Thompson | 2026 State ND . Talk about range, Cash has ALL the range you want and an excellent football IQ to know pre-snap where the ball is headed. The legit 6’4 205 pounder at times looks like a man amongst boys in the secondary for the Tommies as one that will crush the eye test for college coaches at camps this summer before they realize even what position he plays, which should send Cash even higher up their radars. His instincts fly all over his tape as another 2026 defensive back that has me shocked offer #1 hasn’t come in yet as Cash seems to locate the ball from just about anywhere.

The trend you are noticing with the last two out of three prospects in our top 10, is that they all have attended and dominated at a Prep Redzone Dakotas Combine, which of course we do not factor into who attends our combines with any of our rankings, but that should be a great indicator to come see us this winter. Cash Danner Cash Danner 6'4" | 205 lbs | TE/ATH Thompson | 2026 State ND was one of those 2026 prospects that attended our Jamestown combine as although he flashed as a 1st Team tight end from that camp, it was clearly obvious that Cash had a ton of position flexibility and has found his niche position in my eyes as safety. The 6’4 205 pounder from Thompson. Cash has an excellent football IQ and its hard to find another defensive back in the Dakotas all together that has his range with his excellent measureables. Cash is also in my eyes one of the best defensive backs in the Dakotas when it comes to his positioning and just about every time Cash is in a prime positon to go make a play on the ball with his balance in pass/run coverage. I can already predict, it’s going to be a huge summer for this young man on the recruiting trail. Twitter

I have been very impressed with Cash’s growth with his football IQ from 2023 to 2024, as this young man has grown well with his ball tracking instincts thus far this season. We have always thought that Cash played with great range at his 6’4 205 pound frame, but I believe he has even gotten deeper with his range looking so far from this 2024 season. He also has shown thus far in 2024 that his position angles have been excellent as constantly Cash is in the right place at the right time with his ball-tracking ability. He certainly has shown why we believe he will be a Division I prospect at the next-level at safety. Twitter