A familiar name in the 2025 recruiting class by now, Waseca’s 2025 stud DB Damarius Russell did a great job of validating the play speed you see on film this spring. In the season opener of the 2024 outdoor season, Russell cranked out a 10.97 100M time, breaking that all-important sub-11-second mark with a ton of track meets still on the schedule in the ever-important junior year off-season. Russell has always churned out good game tape, showing a smooth & fluid DB with instincts in coverage and a ton of pace out of his breaks, and he added a game-changing offensive role to his skillset in 2023, breaking the game open after the catch and showing explosiveness on both sides of the ball. He brings noticeable range and speed to run support as well, so it’s a big deal to have his on-field speed verified by a legit track time. Russell was a solidified D1 prospect before the track season started, reeling in three Missouri Valley Football Conference offers from UNI, South Dakota State, and North Dakota State, but the certified track speed is a notable benchmark to keep his recruiting momentum going, and possibly into the FBS space. A 10.8 time would be significant as well. Keep your ears out for Russell both on the recruiting trail and hopefully the state track & field championships!

Russell is the most decorated guy in this and my next track and field story. He found the top of the podium as a member of the Bluejays’ first-place 4X100 and 4X200 meter relays. The junior also took second in the long jump, and although he didn’t place, he qualified for State in the open 200. On the football field, he is a threat on both sides of the ball. He has excellent instincts and closing speed as a deep safety. As a receiver, his straight-line speed and length are too much for many defensive backs to handle. He has good ball skills as a receiver, which translates into great ball skills as a defensive back.

Ranked 71st by prephoops.comrnRussell is a big, physical athlete whose best physical trait might be his breakaway speed. On offense, the way he separates from defensive backs and outruns angles defenders think they have on him makes him stand out. His closing speed from safety might be even more impressive. That closing speed gives him range usually not seen at this level. His overall athletic ability and hands give him a large catch radius – not just because of his length but also because he gets up in the air and makes grabs most receivers cannot make. On the basketball court, Russell averages 27 points a game to lead the 11-7 Bluejays.

I’ve given stud Waseca sophomore DB Damarius Russell Damarius Russell 5'11" | 170 lbs | DB Waseca | 2025 State MN a good amount of individual attention in recent Top Newcomer and Biggest Offseason Storylines articles on PRzMN, so I’ll try to keep this one shorter so I don’t repeat myself too much. However, I love talking about this kid, and as a former DB I love watching him as well. He’s putting a ton of good things on film and is showing off the skillset of a top-tier DB recruit, with standout speed, quickness out of his breaks, ball skills, and dynamic athleticism that shows up on special teams and offensively. I’m not the only one with him at the top of the charts of Minnesota’s 2025 class either.