My word was I excited to write about this one! If you read my recent recap of last week’s Mounds View vs. STMA 6A showdown over MEA break, you’ll know that Mustangs 6’1, 205 lb. LB Evan Hatton put on what was maybe the most individually dynamic, physical, and impressive showing I’ve seen this fall covering high school football for PrepRedzoneMN. He was all over the field, brought the boom each and every hit, was a playmaker on offense, and came up clutch when his team needed it most. It was quite the game for the multi-sport standout, and walked away thinking that Hatton is playing at an All-Metro kind of level and I hope his recruitment will soon reflect that. This fall, Hatton is third in our Great State of MN in sacks with 10.5 and is the only LB and only 6A representative in the Top-5 sackers, and he’s also posted 13 TFLs and four blocked punts in his awesome 2023 season. The third-year varsity starter and returning District Co-Defensive POY is showing off a ton of great things in his defensive play in 2023 and is a nightmare off the edge who plays with a hair-on-fire motor and playstyle and tons of speed in his pursuit and overall game. Hatton shocks and sheds would-be blockers onto their faces with his strong grip and technique, and in general plays opponents’ hands very effectively when blitzing or defeating blocks. He can bend around the edge, keeps his angles tight, and doesn’t waste steps or movement, which has helped him both when getting after the quarterback and when blocking punts on special teams. I also am impressed with how he closes on ball carriers and shoots gaps with a ton of pace, is a hammer at the contact point and absolutely crumples ball carriers when he puts the pads on them and is very comfortable in space. I love watching Hatton play and hope to be able to watch him as a collegiate LB soon too. This dude is absolutely balling out in 2023.

Arguably the most diverse blend of speed and strength on this list, Evan Hatton Evan Hatton 6'1" | 215 lbs | LB Mounds View | 2024 State MN is a lightning quick linebacker who can also shell out some big hits. The rising senior out of Mounds View thrives in a nine technique, where he blitzes opposing offensive tackles and gets to the quarterback in a hurry. If there’s a quick running back waiting to block him, Hatton simply lowers a shoulder and bulls them over. He’s too fast for offensive tackles, and too strong for any running backs to properly square up. Although pass rushing seems to be his forte, Hatton’s game spans far beyond that. He nullifies any sort of outside run by staying home and hawking down the ballcarrier, bringing them down in a hurry. This guy’s game is versatile, and his senior season should be a fun one to keep tabs on.

Another PRzMN Showcase standout from this past December, Mounds View Mustang OLB Evan Hatton had a heckuva personal showing at the Stock-Up event and showed off a muscular 6’1, 205 build, COD skills, and some impressive comfortability in pass coverage. He came in and posted a 4.72 40, 4.44 short-shuttle, 8’11” broad jump, and 7.2 L-drill, and earlier this month the rising senior visited Grand Forks and UND Fighting Hawks for his first college football visit. Hatton also balled out on the gridiron last fall and earned All-Conference and Conference Co-Defensive POY honors while leading the conference in TFLs and sacks (29.5 combined). On tape, he lived in opponents’ backfields and was productive off the edge both unblocked and blocked, and I enjoyed watching him attack blocking attempts with physicality. The TFL and sack numbers were also aided by Hatton’s closing speed and ability to tackle in space and out on the edge, and when he makes contact with opponents he does a good drive of driving ball carriers backward. He’s a part of a loaded crop of 2024 LBs in MN and a good one at that.

The junior Mounds View LB had a breakout junior campaign that resulted in the 6’1, 210 lber. He won District Co-Defensive Player of the Year, All-Conference, and Team DMVP awards and led the district in sacks and TFLs. Hatton comes off the edge like he’s shot out of a cannon and blows through blocking attempts, QBs, and RBs like a cannonball. He’s a strong kid with good pop but I also like how he gets upfield at the snap but still is reading and processing, and if the play is still developing he can work laterally down the LOS or out closer to the sideline to trigger on the play with a good pursuit angle. One of the harder hitters in the 2024 class, my favorite traits of Hatton are probably his closing speed, physicality when taking on blocks and tackling prowess.