Minnesota Mr. Football Watchlist (2020)
During these unprecedented times, I thought it would be a great time to look at the future. Watching the race for Mr. Football (the states top senior) is always one of the most exciting parts of the high school football…
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Continue ReadingDuring these unprecedented times, I thought it would be a great time to look at the future. Watching the race for Mr. Football (the states top senior) is always one of the most exciting parts of the high school football season in Minnesota, so I thought why don’t we look at who can contend for the award next season.
*Last season there were 10 finalist so I decided to make a list of 10. These are not who I believe to be the best overall seniors in Minnesota, rather the players I believe to have the best chance to take home the Mr. Football award
- Terrance Kamara Terrance Kamara 5'9" | RB Minneapolis North | 2021 State MN , RB, Minneapolis North
Entering last season the eventual winner Jalen Suggs Jalen Suggs 6'4" | QB SMB | 2020 State MN was the clear favorite, and I think this season does not have the same “clear-favorite.” If there were to be one it would be Terrance Kamara Terrance Kamara 5'9" | RB Minneapolis North | 2021 State MN . He is PrepRedzone’s ninth ranked player in the class of 2021, and it is well deserved.
Last season as a junior, he ran for 2,369 yards in only 13 games, this ranked third best in the state. He also finished with 33 touchdowns on the ground which placed fourth in the state. His game can evolve even more, as he only had 12 receptions last season. Minneapolis North and Kamara will be arguably be the best show in the state, come Friday nights in the fall.
- Dorian Singer, WR/DB, Tartan
Dorian Singer has his own argument to be the favorite to take home the award. Last season at Tartan he dominated on both sides of the field. He reeled in 24 catches for 539 yards 10 touchdowns as a receiver in 2019. He was a ball hawk on the defensive side as he forced four total turnovers returning one for a touchdown.
The 2021 DB/WR ranked eight on PrepRedzone’s rankings which has led to 13 offers consisting of FCS and FBS schools, led by Iowa State. Singer is in line for a monster senior season.
photo via: 247sports
- Josh Buri Josh Buri 5'11" | RB Stewartville | 2021 MN , RB, Stewartville
Here at PrepRedzone we try to show the small school players some love and Josh Buri Josh Buri 5'11" | RB Stewartville | 2021 MN certainly fits that description. Stewartville has a population just over 6,000 but they have one dang good running back. Buri ran for the second most rushing yards in the state, totaling 2,004 in nine games last season. He averaged an absurd 10.3 yards per carry while totaling 30 touchdowns on the ground.
Buri might not have all of the offers as some of the big school players, but he certainly deserves some buzz for next year’s Mr. Football award.
- Trey Feeney Trey Feeney 6'2" | QB Moorhead | 2021 State MN , QB, Moorehead
Trey Feeney Trey Feeney 6'2" | QB Moorhead | 2021 State MN is the first QB to crack the list and it is for good reason. Last season for the Spuds, Feeney threw for the fifth most passing yards in the state. In 12 total games he finished with 2,968 yards and 29 touchdowns through the air with only six turnovers. He even added 492 yards on the ground with 13 touchdowns. If he can have the same production in 2020 there is no reason for Feeney not to find himself in the Mr. Football conversation.
- Riley Mahlman Riley Mahlman 6'7" | OL Lakeville South | 2021 State MN , OL/DL, Lakeville South
Riley Mahlman Riley Mahlman 6'7" | OL Lakeville South | 2021 State MN has good as an argument as anyone to be the best overall senior in the state of Minnesota. As a lineman he obviously does not have the chance to put up the gawdy numbers as the skill position players, but he certainly can still dominate. Mr. Football is often not awarded to offensive lineman, but PrepRedzone’s number one overall players in the class of 2021 could change that trend.
The Lakeville South product is one of the best offensive lineman to come through the state of Minnesota as he ranks as a 4-star player on most recruiting sites while being in the 150 range overall. Mahlman will be taking his dominant playing style to Madison Wisconsin in 2022, but he might try to take home a few awards before he leaves.
- Bastian Swinney Bastian Swinney 6'6" | 285 lbs | OL Edina | 2021 State MN , OL, Edina
Bastian Swinney Bastian Swinney 6'6" | 285 lbs | OL Edina | 2021 State MN has a very similar argument to Mahlman. PrepRedzone’s number two overall player in the class of 2021 uses his absurd power to manhandle opposing defenders into the ground. Edina’s three star o-lineman will be heading to the Pac-12 in 2022 as he will be taking his talents to California to play for the Golden Bears. Why not leave your high school career on a high note?
- Gavin Wysong Gavin Wysong 5'9" | LB Hills-Beaver Creek | 2021 State MN , QB/LB, Hills-Beaver Creek
Gavin Wysong Gavin Wysong 5'9" | LB Hills-Beaver Creek | 2021 State MN might have Buri beat in the small school department, as Hills-Beaver Creek has 201 total students in grades 6-12. Hill-Beaver Creek plays nine-man football, but that does not mean that Wysong can’t take home Mr. Football. The H-BC QB was dominant as a junior totaling 1,106 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground. He threw for 625 yards and 13 touchdowns through the air with no interceptions. His four interceptions and 50 tackles on the defensive side makes him one of the most versatile players in the state.
- Justice Sullivan Justice Sullivan 6'2" | LB Eden Prairie | 2021 State MN , LB, Eden Prairie
Sullivan is certainly viewed as the best prominently defensive player in Minnesota. The Iowa football commit was all over the field last season for the Eagles. He doesn’t only play as a traditional linebacker, but he can even rush the passer and drop in pass coverage at an elite level. He clearly has some of the best film in the entire country let alone MN.
- Zach Yeager Zach Yeager 6'2" | QB Minneapolis North | 2021 State MN , QB, Minneapolis North
Credit: [player_tooltip player_id="18066" first="Zach" last="Yeager"]Two players from the same team rarely, if ever end up finalists for the award, but Minneapolis North could break the mold. Yeager makes Minneapolis North’s offense deadly, as he passed for the 10th most yards and 14th most TDs in MN last season. He finished with 2,179 yard and 27 touchdowns through the air on the season. He is just as elite on the ground, as he finished with 635 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019. Although Kamara gets a lot of the hub, Yeager deserves to be on this list just as much, as he is one of the best QB’s in the state.
- Benjima Wehyee, WR, Brooklyn Center
Wehyee is a bit of a wildcard on this list, but he still deserves the spot. Wehyee only ranks as the 121st best player in the class of 2021 according to our own rankings. Last season for Brooklyn Center he reeled in the most touchdowns in the state with 15. He also finished with 828 yards on only 44 receptions. If Wehyee is able to build off his monster 2019 campaign he could sneak into the conservation for Mr. Football in 2020.
Missed the cut:
- Bryce Lance Bryce Lance 6'2" | WR Marshall | 2021 State MN , WR, Marshall
- Ben Dahl, RB, Rogers
- Jake Ratzlaff Jake Ratzlaff 6'2" | LB Rosemount | 2021 State MN , LB, Eden Prairie
- Logan Purcell Logan Purcell 6'7" | OL Annandale | 2021 State MN , OL/DL, Annandale