Regarding the skill position players, the two teams’ talent level was similar. Part of the reason for that was Korti. The senior had little room to operate, but he still showed the athletic ability that has made him one of the better running backs the last two years. On one run, he started right and didn’t have any space, so he cut back to the left for a first down. Then, he found room off the left side for a ten-yard run. Then, he showed good speed to the corner. Later, he showed great footwork and vision with an excellent cut to turn a loss into a short gain.

Korti put up over 1300 yards and scored eleven touchdowns as a junior. The overriding theme of the top returning runners is how elusive they are in the open field. Korti is no exception. What makes him different from others on this list is his speed. It is hard to tell who is faster when watching film, but I observed more than any other back on this list – Korti ran away from guys. Shorter than most of the guys on this list, Korti is not short on athletic ability. He gets in and out of his cuts as fast as anyone. One of his most impressive traits is his ability to make guys miss in the backfield. He often used a quick jump cut when defenses came across the line of scrimmage before Korti got to the hole.

One of the most exciting backs in the entire class, Fridley’s energizer bunny of a rising senior RB in Lex Korti has some very entertaining film and has received recruiting graphics from more than a dozen different college programs representing almost every level of college football. My Oles have reached out, and frankly, I’d be thrilled if he landed in Northfield, but he absolutely has scholarship potential and I’m hoping his offer sheet is long and diverse by this time next year. Last week, he took his first junior day visit to Winona State, and like me I’m sure the Warriors enjoy Korti’s blend of vision, shiftiness, and speed. In 10 games last fall, Korti totaled 1,137 rushing yards at an 8.3 YPC average and also ran in 14 TDs for some solid production as a junior. Armed with a lethal jump cut, Korti makes defenders look silly with last-second misdirection and well-timed cuts, completely freezing the feet of defenders and allowing him to skirt by untouched. He can also slip through small creases and cracks in the defense and has the homerun speed to finish long runs when he finds daylight. I’ve seen RBs with his size (5’7, 160ish) and skillset find a ton of success in the college ranks and give high-quality defenses fits, so I’m confident in his ability to transfer his game to the next level. Now, someone just has to take a chance!

Korti was one of the most explosive runners in the state as a junior. He has excellent speed and is built like a fire hydrant – there is nothing to tackle but knees and shoulder pads. Despite his small stature, he is tough to bring down because of his low center of gravity. Those are great traits for a running back but are not what gives Korti a chance to be the most exciting player in the state next season. He has some of the quickest feet I have seen on film in a while. Good luck getting him down in the open field.