21 Minnesota Unranked 2021s Ballin’ Out in 2020
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Somehow, someway, the 2020 high school football season in Minnesota has already come and gone. Although it was exciting and filled with rousing individual and team efforts from around the state, it still was too quick and I can’t find…
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Continue ReadingSomehow, someway, the 2020 high school football season in Minnesota has already come and gone. Although it was exciting and filled with rousing individual and team efforts from around the state, it still was too quick and I can’t find a real reason why state playoffs and the Prep Bowl could not be played. Right or wrong, my opinion matters very little to the forces controlling those decisions, so we must turn our attention to the more pressing matter at hand: the 2021 recruiting class. I think it is inarguable that the seniors in the 2020 school were dealt the least lucky hand for high schoolers since World World II (were they playing high school football then?), as the global pandemic took away a lot of the best parts of Friday Night Lights and obviously upset the exposure and recruitment processes of the graduates of the 2021 class. We at PrepRedzoneMN will continue to keep that in mind as we shoutout seniors from Minnesota to try and give their name some press and hopefully college recruiting attention so they can play the best game on Earth at the next level. As kids are releasing their 2020 season Hudl tapes and the MNFootballHub statistics become finalized I’ve identified 21 unranked or under-ranked 2021 seniors who have had a killer final high school season and deserve some more recognition for their efforts. Check out the ballers below, as well as their stats and a breakdown of their film if it’s available. Thanks for reading!
Will Geary (Lakeville South) WR. 6’, 185 lbs. @WillGeary3 – Was a dynamic offensive weapon for the Cougars and recorded 18 rushes for 235 yards and 5 TDs and 5 catches for 78 yards and 3 TDs. Also added 8 tackles and a TFL on defense. He’s the younger brother of Minnesota Golden Gophers walk-on turned scholarship WR Clay Geary and has a ton of game in his own right. Hasn’t reported any college interest or offers. Senior Hudl film shows a well-built back with great vision and strong jump-cut and elusiveness that helps makes guys miss near the LOS and in the open field. Also returned a punt for a TD against Burnsville which displays his top-end and game-changing speed. He could play RB, WR, LB, DB, and help with special teams and could do it at the scholarship level.
Elisha Jackson Jr. (MPLS North) RB/DB. 5’10, 180 lbs. I got to watch Jackson Jr. live against MPLS Southwest this past season and he was all over the field all four quarters for the Polars offense and defense. He was a shifty and aggressive ball-carrier who could catch the ball out of the backfield and was hard to bring down in the open field. He’s a naturally strong kid who was a good tackler on defense and was a pro at locating the ball and getting himself into the action. He’s underrecruited on an ultra-talented North team and should get a good look from DII, DIII, NAIA, and JUCO coaches for next season. He recorded 4 catches for 140 yards, 21 rushes for 203 yards, 26 tackles, 2 FFs, and an interception in 2020.
Ryan Miles (Richfield) QB. 6’4, 200 lbs. @Rymiles1 – This is my second time mentioning Miles in an article, but who cares? He deserves all of the recognition and then some. The senior gunslinger completed 124 of his 229 passes for 1706 yards and 13 TDs and added 150 rushing yards and 3 TDs on the ground. His tape backs up the numbers, as the 6’4 signal-caller is an elusive scrambler who can make a big gain out of a broken down play and has a rocket arm that can throw the deep ball with accuracy and shorter throws with velocity. He’s a great athlete for his size who can hurt you in a variety of ways and always needs to be accounted for as a runner and thrower for an opposing defense. He’ll throw a shoulder too. There’s a lot to like and his recruitment should hopefully take off as the post-season awards start rolling in.
Mason Gilbertson Mason Gilbertson 6'6" | ATH Edgerton/Ellsworth | 2021 State MN (Edgerton/Ellsworth) 6’6, 250 lbs. @Gilbertson72 – The first of three ranked players to make this list, the Dutchmen giant holds Southwest Minnesota State, Northern State, and Concordia-St. Paul offers from this past Spring and is receiving some looks from South Dakota State. His senior tape exhibits a dominant and overwhelmingly strong athlete who lined up all over the field on offense and defense and overcame double and triple teams playing as a standup OLB/DE and inside as a DT. He moves great for 250 lbs. and can get downfield to make blocks at the OL and loves contact and putting someone into the dirt. His DL highlights are almost scary, as he looks virtually unblockable and is a relentless attacker who makes sure to hurt ball-carriers as much as possible when he gets his hands on them. He also played some TE and made some impressive catches while displaying some surprising quickness and cutting ability for a kid of his size. He’s a prototypical dynamic small-school MN prospect who I think would be a great fit at North Dakota, and I hope the Fighting Hawks give him a good look. He’s just too big and athletic to be playing DII ball.
Reid Bowman (Prior Lake) TE. 6’5, 210 lbs. @ReidBowman52 – Great size for a college TE prospect and has some shiftiness and flexibility in his hips for a big guy which help him as a route-runner in the passing game. He’s also a devastating run-blocker who cranks people when he’s pulling or swiping across formations. He really looks like the total package for a high school TE prospect who can break tackles after the catch as well as run and pass block. Northern Sun and MIAC coaches need to be in contact.
Josh Schlangen (Blaine) RB. 6′, 200 lbs. @schlangenj25 – As the feature of the Blaine Bengals offense the utility player rushed 169 times for 1,177 yards and 12 TDs and added 20 catches for 276 yards and 5 TDs. Powerful North-South runner with strong legs and no aversion to contact. He can slip through weaker tackle attempts, catch the ball out of the backfield, and cut on a dime if he needs to. At 200 lbs. there’s a ton to love about the way he runs, and he could play RB or LB at the next level with no difficulty. He’s fun to watch run.
Jake Klancher (Crosby-Ironton) LB. 6’2, 190 lbs. In 8 games he tallied 114 tackles, 7 TFLs. Hard-nosed, well-built LB who can make strong tackles up high or lower on ball-carriers and packs a really strong punch. He gets ball-carriers to go backwards, naturally works to rip the ball out, and can go sideline to sideline with great hustle and pursuit angels. He can tackle in space as well, and has a great frame that can add a lot of weight and retain his speed. DII scholarship programs should be checking this out kid out.
Ben North (East Ridge) DB. 6’1, 205 lbs. Recently named to Randy Shaver’s Kare11 All-Metro team as a safety after posting 25 tackles and 8 TFLs in only three games. I have it on good authority that the coaches at East Ridge think incredibly highly of their standout defensive playmaker and believe him to be one of the best football players to ever don the Raptors jersey. Unfortunately he does not have his 2020 film updated, but I’ll be anxiously refreshing his Hudl page until he uploads his senior season.
Kollin Weikel (Andover) LB. 6’1, 200 lbs. @kollinweikel Also named to the 2020 Randy Shaver Kare11 All-Metro team as a LB after totaling 80 tackles, 12 TFLs. Andover was one of my pleasant surprises from the 2020 season and would have made a strong push for the 5A Prep Bowl if this was a normal prep football season. Has great range and can elude and disengage blocks efficiently and consistently and delivers a good punch upon contact. I like his anticipation a lot as well, and he can show that he can cover a little bit as well in his senior game tape. He’ll make a college program very happy and is receiving some hand-written mail from the University of Mary in North Dakota.
Camdyn Bauer (Rocori) QB/DB. Thrown 71-121 for 1,110 yards and 9 TDs. Also 57 rushes for 262 yards and 5 TDs. Does a little bit of everything for the 4A contender and defending champs Rocori and as a QB he showed off a smooth and natural release with some good touch and accuracy as a passer. He can make a variety of throws at every level of the field and look good while doing it. He’s also very elusive in the pocket and is a nightmare to corral in the open field and can throw on the run or in the pocket. He’s another talent in a long line of super athletic Rocori athletes to play football and can do a variety of things now and potentially in college as a QB, WR, or DB. He has a really high upside as a recruit.
Kadin Johnson (Springfield) RB/LB. 5’11, 180 lbs. Rushed 111 times for 1073 yards and 8 TDs in 2020. Went beastmode more than a few times as an upperclass and especially as a senior in 2020, popping off some Marshawn Lynch-esque runs that involved every defender on the field trying and missing a tackle on the Springfield RB. He’s a thick 180 lber. who has tremendous contact balance and can cut on a dime to create explosive big-time runs out of seemingly nothing. He’s a powerful combination of strength and speed and is a massively overlooked MN runningback prospect.
Matt Madsen (Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda) RB. 5’11, 208 lbs. Rushed 112 times for 818 yards and 10 TDs. Added 176 receiving yards and 2 TDs through the air + 34 tackles, 8 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, 2 FF. In his first two game highlight from 2020 I got to see a playmaker with great burst and impressive vision and patience when running the football. He lets his blockers set things up, can hit the hole hard, or bounce things outside and take off with the slightest available daylight the defense gives him. He’s a big-time playmaker and a tough RB that needs to be gameplanned for. He’s got great size and can play college football at a high level and should be getting looks from Northern Sun and MIAC coaches.
Micah Olson (Dawson-Boyd) QB/ATH. Threw 49 for 103 (47.57%) for 419 yards and one 87 yards TD and rushed 103 times for 923 yards and 11 TDs. Unfortunately he does not have his 2020 film updated, but I hope he gets on that soon.
Johnny Hartle (Eden Prairie) RB. @JohnnyHartle – Touched the ball 111 times for 1000 yards and 11 TDs. A two-year starter at RB for the Eagles who can slip through weaker tackles and can take off in the open field, Hartle is a durable ball-carrier who can get tough yards and finally break out for a big-time explosive run. He can also catch the ball out of the backfield, and has great speed and is a well-rounded RB prospect who had to work his butt off to earn the starting role for EP and would be a great addition to a college RB room.
Tyson Michels (Litchfield) WR/DB. 6’2, 180 lbs. Caught 43 passes for 796 yards and 10 TDs and added 26 tackles and 5 interceptions. Amongst a star-studded Litchfield Dragons roster the senior WR/DB made his presence felt and earned a lot of the shine and accomplishments in his senior season in 2020. HE was all over the field on both sides of the football and is a long and slippery wideout with deep-play ability and the feet and hips to break his route off and create separation on curls and comebacks. His ability to play the ball in the air and look the ball into his hands is exceptional, and he also possesses a great backpedal as a DB and can pluck the ball out of the air with ease. He made a ton of big plays on offense and defense every game during this 2020 season.
Jonny Woodford Jonny Woodford WR Benilde-St. Margaret's | 2021 State MN (Benilde-St. Margaret’s) WR. 6’1, 195 lbs. Caught 28 balls for 550 yards and 7 TDs and 14 tackles. Willing downfield blocker who will help his teammates succeed even when his number isn’t called, and also put in some work and made some nice tackles on kickoff for BSM’s special teams. I like how much ground he covers when he runs and how he can work to find space and get open when QB is scrambling.
Cameron Anderson (Blue Earth Area) WR/ATH. 6’2, 170 lbs. @cameron0218 – Posted 6 rushes for 120 yards and 2 TDs, 18 catches for 442 yards and a TD. Can impact the game from the passing, return, and defensive level and is a natural and athletic wideout who can burn defenses deep and make people miss after the catch. He’s long and efficient runner with the ball in his hands and has great vision running the rock as well. Blue Earth has a strong tradition of successful DII and DIII prospects and Anderson will no doubt continue the streak.
Ethan Bachmann Ethan Bachmann 6'4" | WR Chaska | 2021 State MN (Chaska) WR. 6’4, 200 lbs. 28 catches for 419 yards and 4 TDs plus 4 tackles. Earned some noteworthy recognition from his high school coaches as the most sure-handed wideout to come across this Hawks coaching staff. His frame makes him a big threat when the ball is in the air, as he can power through attempted PBUs and can go up and locate the football at its highest point. I really like his speed for his size, and his concentration and tough catching ability is second to none in the state. He’s also strong after the catch and is a handful for a CB or safety to bring down by themselves. Some of the catches he made this season were ridiculous, and some exciting awards are heading his way. He needs to be on a college football roster next Fall.
Kaven Blonigen (Randolph) ATH. 6’3, 200 lbs. Totaled 106 tackles, 4 TFLs, 3 sacks, 3 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR. On offense 87 rushes and 314 yards and 2 TDs and 22 catches and 332 yards and 3 TDs. Has good hands and can be a productive possession WR if need be, and also is a thunderous and eye-popping tackler on the defensive side of the ball. He cranks people when he hits them and is the most physical player on the field when he suits up. He’s a powerful ball-carrier with a big truckstick and would make for a fantastic LB at the next level. I love watching him tackle and he makes it look easy.
Dane Kennedy (Grand Rapids) ATH. Tallied 43 rushes and 371 yards and 4 TDs and 4 catches for 82 yards and 2 TDs on offense and 28 tackles, 4 TFLs, 4 INT, 3 interceptions for TD, 2 FF. Unfortunately does not have his 2020 film updated on his Hudl account.
Carter Sjoblad (Pequot Lakes) WR/DB. 6’1, 190 lbs. In 2020 posted 64 rushes for 306 yards and 4 TDs and 5 interceptions. Also does not have his film from his senior season updated but I hope he gets on that soon.