Minneapolis Southwest junior quarterback Kyler Thom Kyler Thom 6'0" | 175 lbs | QB Minneapolis Southwest | 2026 State MN showed why he’s one of the top young arms in the state with a strong Week 1 performance against St. Louis Park. He threw a 10-yard touchdown to Trasean Quarles Trasean Quarles MN , set up by a 35-yard strike down the sideline, and later broke free for a 34-yard rushing touchdown to give the Lakers a halftime lead. Thom has been rising all summer, turning heads on the camp circuit with his smooth release and live arm. He throws with velocity and accuracy and shows excellent timing on comebacks and short routes. His tape shows comfort throwing seams and into one-high looks. At 6’2 with clean mechanics, he looks comfortable operating the offense and consistently puts the ball in spots where his receivers can make plays. He’s more than just a pocket passer. Thom ran for over 300 yards last season and adds a dimension with his legs. When a play breaks down, he has the athleticism to escape pressure and pick up chunk gains, making defenses account for him on the ground as well as through the air. His 34-yard scramble for a touchdown in the opener was a reminder of that versatility. With arm strength, accuracy, and dual-threat ability, Thom has firmly established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the Twin Cities.

Thom is a 2026 QB I haven’t paid enough respect to, and I’m changing that now. A summer rankings riser due to his consistently high-level performances on the camp circuit, Thom cemented himself to me as one of the top QBs in the state. He really impressed me with several excellent seam balls that were both well placed and carried impressive velocity. Thom boasts a smooth release, and I really liked his timing on short and comeback routes. While he didn’t get to show it off during the practice, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention his ability to take over a crumbling play with his legs, as he had 300 rushing yards last season. Expect Thom to be one of the best QBs from the Twin Cities this season.

A name that I felt surprised me in the live eval at SDSU, came from Minneapolis Southwest 2026 quarterback Kyler Thom Kyler Thom 6'0" | 175 lbs | QB Minneapolis Southwest | 2026 State MN , as he had several nice reps I watched especially during individual drills a couple Mondays ago. Kyler possessed fluid throwing mechanics and fit his intermediate throws right in the bucket as far as ball placement and knew how to utilize his touch throwing ability in the reps I watched in Brookings. One that is without his first offer, that should have some offers surely coming in soon in my eyes. Twitter

Saw His Ranking Rise 44 Spots from #170 to #126

Minneapolis Southwest – my alma mater – has a heckuva two-headed monster in their 2026 class. Led by WR/DB Jacob Hartman Jacob Hartman 6'0" | 160 lbs | DB/WR Minneapolis Southwest | 2026 State MN , who is in contention for some scholarship offers a little down the line, has been getting thrown to by his standout, gunslinging teammate Kyler Thom Kyler Thom 6'0" | 175 lbs | QB Minneapolis Southwest | 2026 State MN , a 6′, 175 lber. who has seen his ranking climb 44 spots since the last 2026 PRzMN Rankings Update.

Despite the Lakers‘ struggles in 2024, Thom managed to have quite the junior season, posting an impressive 62% completion percentage (124-199) for 1,847 yards and 18 TDs to only 8 INTs, a very impressive feat given Southwest’s 1-8 record last season. Thom is fresh off a Junior Day visit to St. Thomas in St. Paul, where two former Lakers play LB, and the Tommies have to like Thom’s strong arm that can stretch the field vertically and put some noticeable zip on the ball, accuracy to all three levels of the field, and general safety and security with the football. The 6′ signal-caller climbs the pocket and is a calm, cool, and collected scrambler who keeps his downfield and can throw on the move and off-platform and from untraditional angles. Also is a solid ball carrier who rushed for nearly 300 yards and 2 TDs and can hurt defenses when he tucks and takes off. Thom displays great footwork, both when he scrambles and when resetting his feet before flicking the ball into a receiver’s hands, and he does a great job of improvising and moving the chains when things break down and plays and route concepts need to be extended. The junior visited Augustana in November and has received a few recruiting graphics from the North Dakota State Bison, but he should expect a busy offseason on the recruiting trail in the MN 2026 QB ranks.