2022 Rankings Update: Small-School/Outstate Standouts
In this article:
I hope you guys aren’t sick of hearing me say it, but here at PrepRedzoneMN we are always looking to help out and bring exposure to the small-school and/or outstate Minnesota prep football players. Due to factors outside of those athletes control, recruiting exposure outside of the Metro area in Minneapolis & St. Paul is a lot harder to come by, and there is a ton of talent, size, and skill in outstate Minnesota that is just waiting and ready to be recruited by college coaches. We’d like to help bridge that gap between the talent and the exposure, and a big part of that is writing about the playmakers on our radar with enough time for college football programs to get in contact with them. Luckily, we have an excellent crop of 2022 talent outside of the Metro that found themselves on our rankings after our recent c/o ’22 update, and I think they earned themselves some recognition. We started things off by taking a look at our newly refurbished rankings and highlighting the small-school/ outstate products that made the Top-200. Please enjoy!
#5: Tony Nelson Tony Nelson 6'6" | 265 lbs | OL Tracy-Milroy-Balaton | 2022 State MN (Tracy-Milroy-Balaton) OL. 6’6, 265 lbs. Committed to the University of Minnesota. School size: 369 students. Distance from MPLS: 154 miles
Check out what I had to say about our highest-ranking debut athlete from our recent feature: “Nelson came to our January PrepRedzoneMN Showcase and blew the socks off those lucky enough to be in-attendance, skyrocketing his stock and kickstarting his recruitment in a huge way. He’s a lean 265 lbs. with natural strength who moves like he’s 30 pounds lighter, with big hands and feet and a frame to add a ton more weight in a college strength and conditioning program. He also tested off the charts, clocking a 4.59 on the short shuttle and a 9’1 broad jump at 265 lbs., and in 1-on-1s showed he could handle big school defensive lineman as the technique to deal with speed and power rushes on the edge. On film he looks like a monster, playing stand-up DE/OLB at 6’6 and tossing kids around like it’s no problem. Coming from a small co-op like TMB the exposure you receive can be limited – hence why he wasn’t on our radar prior – but seeing Nelson perform in-person was another big reason why he debuted so highly in our new rankings…”
#12: Ethan Fischer Ethan Fischer 6'9" | 265 lbs | OL Maple River | 2022 State MN (Maple River) OT. 6’6, 265 lbs. School size: 904 students. Distance from MPLS: 96 miles
Check out what I had to say about another one of our highest ranking debut athletes in the class of 2022 rankings from a recent feature: “Another small school Southern Minnesota offensive lineman with enormous potential comes out of Maple River High School South of Mankato in the massive Ethan Fischer Ethan Fischer 6'9" | 265 lbs | OL Maple River | 2022 State MN . At a massive 6’9, Fischer also has some eye-popping tape that features him carrying his RB into the endzone, RBs getting thrown violently into the ground, and bodies getting pushed five yards backward by the long OT/DE. He would benefit exponentially from a college S&C program, as at 6’9 it’s got to be very difficult to add mass to your frame, but I really like what I see already in-terms of ability to move to the second level and overpowering small defenders. He’s still got a lot to prove and a strong senior season could help his stock tremendously.”
#19: Eli Gillman Eli Gillman 6'0" | 195 lbs | ATH Dassel-Cokato | 2022 State MN (Dassel-Cokato) ATH. 6’, 190 lbs. School size: 625 students. Distance from MPLS: 55 miles
Our new #1 rated athlete in the state of MN for 2022 is an explosive and versatile athlete with an already lengthy award list and a ton of varsity experience as a rising senior. Although he’s still waiting on his first offer, he’s been contacted by a variety of D1 and D2 programs, who no doubt are by his physical attributes and production. We got to see him compete in-person at January’s PrepRedzoneMN Showcase, and he’s a well-built junior with broad shoulders, defined arms, and thick legs. He looked great in RB positional drills, bursting out of his cuts with ease and showing balance and coordination, and backed it up in 1-on-1s where he was dusting LBs as a route-runner out of the backfield. On film, Gillman shows some good burst, contact balance, and vision to go along with his impressive top-end speed. He’s a really smooth athlete at the RB position who runs by defenders effortlessly and looks to have some good power in his cuts. In my eyes, he’s at least a Missouri Valley talent.
#32: Mitchel Jaskowiak Mitchel Jaskowiak 6'4" | 225 lbs | RB Glencoe-Silver Lake | 2022 State MN (Glencoe-Silver Lake) RB. 6’3, 220 lbs. School size: 530 students. Distance from MPLS: 54 miles
Check out what I had to say about the high ranking debut MN 2022er in a recent PRzMN feature: “An extremely versatile athlete who earned his first D1 opportunity at the end of January, Jaskowiak has my vote for the least fun to tackle RB in the state of Minnesota for the class of 2022. He looks all of 6’3, 220 lbs. on film, with long legs and an obviously powerful lower-body that helps him run over and through would-be tacklers with ease in both his junior and sophomore tapes. With the ability to pound defenses through the tackles all game or bounce the rock to the outside if given an opening, Jaskowiak has good vision and some impressive speed for a man of his size. The most exciting thing about his tape is definitely how easy he runs through weaker tackle attempts, showing off great contact balance and the ability to continue running forward seemingly uninhibited. He’s also got a mean stiff-arm that he is ready to use whenever, and he finishes runs with authority whenever given the chance, something I don’t see a lot of RBs do anymore at the high school level. I’m assuming LB is his future position in college, but for now he’s a really difficult RB to gameplan for and he’s a really fun one to watch. More Missouri Valley offers are definitely on the horizon for the GSL stud.”
#41: TJ Chiabotti TJ Chiabotti 5'11" | 200 lbs | RB North Woods | 2022 State MN (North Woods) RB/DB. 5’11, 200 lbs. School size: 304 students. Distance from MPLS: 229 miles
Also a standout basketball player, Chiabotti had a tremendous 2020 season with some impressive production for a COVID shortened season, including 131 rushes for 1,110 yards and 15 TDs plus 5 interceptions on defense. He put some really exciting TD runs and reps on film during his junior season, showcasing his unique blend of speed and strength. With a powerful lower-body, Chiabotti runs through weaker tackle attempts with ease, including throwing one over his body from behind on the first play of his tape, but also has the speed to take the ball to the house if he gets the edge. It looked difficult for defenders to even knock him out of bounds as a last-ditch attempt to corral him, and he even made some explosive plays out of the backfield as a pass-catcher. Overall, he’s got a rare talent for breaking tackles and can do it in about every way you could want from a RB, so combining that with his size and athleticism I think we have a really talented small-school stud that more coaches should be aware of.
#42: Justin Wohlers Justin Wohlers 6'6" | 215 lbs | QB Lake City | 2022 State MN (Lake City) QB. 6’6, 215 lbs. School size: 589 students (includes 7th and 8th grade) Distance from MPLS: 71 miles
Lake City, near the Wisconsin border, has two noteworthy 2022 prospects in our Top-150, the first of which being 6’6, 215 lb. QB Justin Wohlers Justin Wohlers 6'6" | 215 lbs | QB Lake City | 2022 State MN . An attendee of the January PrepRedzoneMN, he showed off a big arm, mobility, and some impressive deep-ball accuracy that all show up on film as well. For his size, he’s a quick and natural athlete with good elusiveness in the open field and the ability to move in or outside the pocket, which I also got to see in-person at our inaugural showcase. On film, you can also see a tough kid that will hang in the pocket with a defender bearing down on him in order to make a throw. He’s also a standout basketball player, which brings me to my final point that it’s just too hard to get over how well he moves for a kid of his size, and his cutting ability and overall mobility make him a really intriguing prospect who could project to multiple positions at the college level. Check him out!
#43: Andy Thomsen Andy Thomsen 6'3" | 215 lbs | LB Grand Rapids | 2022 State MN (Grand Rapids) LB. 6’3, 220 lbs. School size: 1,093. Distance from MPLS: 179 miles
Check out what I recently had to say about the Thunderhawk stud linebacker in a recent article here: “In case you didn’t already know, it is much more difficult for Northern MN athletes to garner recruiting exposure, so I was very excited when I checked out the film of Grand Rapids Thunderhawks linebacker Andy Thomsen Andy Thomsen 6'3" | 215 lbs | LB Grand Rapids | 2022 State MN , because this kid can absolutely play and needs to be on a lot more college recruiting radars. He’s one of the hardest hitters on the list, with a natural ability to find and dislodge the football at the point of contact. He forced a ton of fumbles in 2020 in a variety of fashions, and is also very physical when getting off blocks, bringing the pain and the contact to the would-be blocker and inserting himself as the hammer and not the nail. He flows to the ball well and has good range, and with excellent size at 6’3, 215 and already a ton of strength packed into his frame I think his best football is still in front of him. It also looks like he has some versatility and could potentially play middle or outside backer at the next level, but overall my favorite trait of his is just how hard he hits. There’s a ton to like his skill-set and I hope college coaches start taking notice.”
#47: Levi Richter Levi Richter 5'9" | 165 lbs | DB Perham | 2022 State MN (Perham) WR/DB. 5’10, 170 lbs. School size: 438 students. Distance from MPLS: 179 miles
Check out what I had to say about the Perham playmaker from a recent 2022 content article: “The younger brother of Perham graduate and Golden Gophers DT Logan Richter Logan Richter DL Perham | 2018 State MN , Levi has made tremendous gains from his sophomore to junior seasons and used his noteworthy athleticism to make impacts on offense, defense, and special teams. He runs with a lot of power for a smaller prospect, showing no hesitation to lower the shoulder and try to run over a tackler. On defense he’s a strong tackler, and he’s got good vision and some quick feet that help him in the return game. As a WR I also like how he makes contested catches and snags the ball at its highest point.”
#55: Drew Kittelson Drew Kittelson 6'4" | 185 lbs | QB Blooming Prairie | 2022 State MN (Blooming Prairie) QB. 6’4, 185 lbs. School size:
Take a look at what I had to say about the game of the Awesome Blossom gunslinger from a recent article here: “Our #4 ranked QB prospect in the state of Minnesota comes from small-school 1A program the Blooming Prairie Awesome Blossoms. He’s got great size for the position but is still dangerous with his legs and can move, scramble, and operate in and outside of the pocket, and has the ability to hurt you with his arm or his legs once he’s on the move. He’s got some obvious arm strength that shows up on film, as well as the ability to make accurate throws on the move or from the pocket. I also like his ability to extend plays and improvise when things break down and a play needs to be made, and I hope I get a chance to see and evaluate him, his arm, and his mechanics in-person at some point before he graduates. There’s a whole lot of upside and talent in the small-school gunslinger, and last season in 2020 he was one of the most productive signal-callers in the entire state, landing at the #1 or #2 spot on MNFootballHub in every major throwing statistical category.”
#60: Jack Behning Jack Behning 6'4" | 180 lbs | WR Lester Prairie | 2022 State MN (Lester Prairie) WR. 6’4, 175 lbs. School size: 121. Distance from MPLS: 46 miles
Coming from the smallest school on the list, I was particularly excited to come across the Bulldogs beast of a WR for these 2022 rankings. He’s got great size, looking like he’s in the 6’3-6’4 range and a long and lean 175ish pounds who could put in some great work in a college strength & conditioning program. I was also not expecting Behning to have so much shiftiness and quickness at the WR position, as he has some loose hips, can cut off his routes quickly, and doesn’t waste steps in his release or his cuts. I also love how he uses his strong hands and looks the ball in when catching the rock, which all in all combine for an athletic, 3-down wideout who can make impacts in the vertical passing game, over the middle, in the redzone, or anywhere else asked of him. In 2020 he totaled 24 catches for 389 yards and 8 TDs, and I think his senior season is going to be even bigger. Stay tuned.
#63: Will Turnbull Will Turnbull 6'3" | 220 lbs | TE Cloquet | 2022 State MN (Cloquet) TE/DE. 6’3, 220 lbs. School size: 700. Distance from MPLS: 138 miles
One of the three Turnbull boys out of Cloquet in the 2022 class, I was a big fan of Will’s junior tape from the first time I saw it, as it’s easy to see that he’s a well-built, dynamic, and physically strong athlete who brings a lot of versatility to his football team. As a TE he’s got a long stride and has some pretty loose hips and soft hands to make for an imposing redzone target. and it’s really hard not to like his DE film, where he uses his hands well to get off blocks and is a forceful tackler. He’s got a play that really caught my eye around a minute and a half in that shows him running down a loose RB from his DE position 40-yards downfield, looking like the fastest kid on the field as well as the largest. I think he’s pretty raw, but has all of the natural size and ability to be a really promising college football prospect. More to come from the Turnbull’s later!
#72: Logan Banse Logan Banse 6'3" | 220 lbs | DL Caledonia | 2022 State MN (Caledonia) DE. 6’3, 220 lbs. School size: 256 students. Distance from MPLS: 161 miles
The Caledonia Warriors are one of the select small-school, outstate programs in MN that doesn’t need any extra help in getting their kids exposure, as the tradition of excellence brings college coaches to the Southeast Minnesota powerhouse itself. Their next up-and-coming defensive specialist seems to be DE Logan Banse Logan Banse 6'3" | 220 lbs | DL Caledonia | 2022 State MN , who is garnering some early interest from the Golden Gophers. Bringing excellent length to the DE position, Banse has a good get-off and covers ground quickly when pursuing the ball-carrier, and he also can bring the [ain at the point of contact. It’s also worth mentioning just how great his frame is, as that aforementioned length is easily capable of carrying a significant more amount of weight and is a college S&C coaches dream. One of the biggest upsides in the entire class.
#77: Matthew Donovan Matthew Donovan 5'10" | 175 lbs | WR Kasson-Mantorville | 2022 State MN (Kasson-Mantorville) QB/ATH. 5’10, 175 lbs. School size: 653. Distance from MPLS: 79 miles
The younger brother of former KM Komet and University of South Dakota WR standout Riley Donovan, younger brother Matt was kind enough to make the drive to our PrepRedzoneWI Showcase back in December, and I was pumped to see he had a lot of the same juice his older brother had back in the day. Although he plays QB for the Komets, Matt competed as a WR at the showcase and was especially dangerous in his release at the LOS, giving opposing corners fits trying to get a hand on him. He’s got some great lateral quickness and burst, and on film you can see that he’s dangerous with the football in his hands, showing off vision and impressive speed at the top-end that helped him score more than a few exciting TDs last season. He’s also currently in the middle of a fantastic hockey season, so I’m all in on his athleticism and think he is a sleeper MVFC prospect that would make for an explosive wideout at the college level.
#82: Colton Hackel Colton Hackel 6'2" | 205 lbs | QB Perham | 2022 State MN (Perham) QB/ATH. 6’2, 205 lbs. School size: 438 students. Distance from MPLS: 178 miles.
One of my favorite prospects in the entire class comes from Perham and the well-built signal-caller Colton Hackel Colton Hackel 6'2" | 205 lbs | QB Perham | 2022 State MN . He’s got a really exciting junior tape and showed that he was the best athlete on the field last season, and his speed at 205 lbs. made him a really dangerous runner when he decided to tuck the rock and take off. Not only that, he runs with some exciting power, trucking not one but two defenders in an impressive play around 40 minutes into his 2020 tape. This ability as a rusher, coupled with his mobility and natural arm strength, leads me to believe he fits the old saying that coaches put their best athlete at the QB position. I think he’d make a heckuva LB at the next level, but that’s just me.
#83: Anthony Moe-Tucker Anthony Moe-Tucker 5'11" | 215 lbs | ATH Kasson-Mantorville | 2022 State MN (Kasson-Mantorville) LB/RB. 5’11, 215 lbs. School size: 653. Distance from MPLS: 79 miles
The second of the KM Komets to make the Top-100, Moe-Tucker is an intriguing and versatile recruit who showed off a deep skill-set at our Decemeber PrepRedzoneWI Showcase. He’s a little bit of an in-betweener in-terms of size, but has the feet and hands of a RB, the strength of a DE, and the mobility of a LB, not to mention the fact that he’s a distinguished heavyweight wrestler for the illustrious Komets wrestling team. On film he shows off a lot of power and an excellent first step as a DE, consistently penetrating the backfield and wrecking havoc. As a FB he ran with some serious authority and lower-body strength, and there’s overall a multitude of things to like about him as a prospect.
#84: Max Balow Max Balow 6'1" | 225 lbs | LB Lake City | 2022 State MN (Lake City) LB. 6’1, 215 lbs. School size: 589 students (includes 7th and 8th grade) Distance from MPLS: 71 miles
The second Lake City junior to make the Top-100, linebacker Balow has good size for the position and averaged 11.2 tackles per game in 2020 to go along with 2 FF, 1 INT, and 2 blocked PATs. He diagnoses plays quickly, and when he does he triggers on the ball-carrier with some impressive speed, beating blockers and finding the ball in the backfield early and often. He also showed some good pop as a ball-carrier and lead-blocker, and has no problem sticking his face into an opponents chest. He also showed a decent zone drop and some good hands/concentration on his interception, and I hope NSIC programs are all over this kid soon.
#93: Hudson Artz Hudson Artz 6'0" | 185 lbs | DB Fairmont | 2022 State MN (Fairmont) DB. 6’, 185 lbs. School size: 830. Distance from MPLS: 132 miles
The Southern MN program Fairmont has a ton of talent in their 2022 class, with DB Artz highlighting the class. He received an offer from MSU-Mankato last summer as a sophomore after an impressive showing at their prospect camp, and his junior tape shows a prospect with serious speed and strength at the point of contact. Operating as a kind of SS/OLB hybrid, Artz triggers on ball-carriers with impressive acceleration and is a really technically sound tackler capable of moving, reacting, and tacking in open space. He’s also an effective blitzer, and also makes an impact as a kick returner on special teams, where he bust off some impressive returns in 2020. Overall, his playing speed jumps off his tape more so than almost everyone on this list.
#103: Brooks Butt Brooks Butt 6'1" | 270 lbs | DL Crookston | 2022 State MN (Crookston) DT. 6’1, 270 lbs. School size: 518. Distance from MPLS: 289 miles.
Located North of Fargo, Crookston High School has themselves a nice looking DL prospect in the 2022 class in 6’1, 270 lber. Brooks Butt Brooks Butt 6'1" | 270 lbs | DL Crookston | 2022 State MN . He’s a stout and strong recruit with a great get-off at the LOS who will fly around from whistle to whistle to make a play. He’s got long arms, is light on his feet, and seems to be a really strong tackler who overpowers would-be blockers and uses his hands to disengage from blocks when need be. He also played 3T and 5T last season, and he definitely has the athletic ability to play at the 5T at 270 lbs. in high school. All in all, I love his get-off and how he flys around, sacrificing his body to make the play and laying out to make tackles. He’s a really promising scholarship 3T prospect.
#109: Eli Anderson Eli Anderson 6'0" | 160 lbs | DB Fairmont | 2022 State MN (Fairmont) WR. 6’, 160 lbs. School size: 830 students. Distance from MPLS: 132 miles
Another Cardinals standout 2022er, WR Anderson has deep play ability but also has the toughness and quickness to be an everydown possession WR if his team needs it. He’s slippery after the catch, with good burst and some top-end speed that defenses need to respect when gameplanning. His hands and concentration are also impressive. and he’s got some quick feet that help him to remain elusive as soon as he get the ball in his hands. Watching him spin out of tackle attempts and make people miss was really fun to watch on his junior tape, and he put himself in a great position to climb up the rankings when the next update comes around.
#113: Camden Ludeman Camden Ludeman 5'11" | 200 lbs | ATH Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial | 2022 State MN (Lake Crystal-Wellcome-Memorial) ATH. 5’11, 190 lbs. School size: 460 students. Distance from MPLS: 92 miles
Mostly known to me for their wrestling prowess, Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial is putting the football team on the map with standout athlete Ludeman. As a RB, he can bounce things to the outside and take the ball to the house if he gets the edge, and his vision is also noteworthy and impressive. He’s patient when waiting for the hole to develop, and once he sees daylight he does a good job of bursting through the hole and into the open field. He had a really productive 2020 season that saw for a lot of big runs and missed tackles, and I hope I get to see him in-person before next season. Big-time small-school sleeper prospect with great size and ability at the RB position.
#129: Reese Turnbull Reese Turnbull 6'2" | 255 lbs | OL Cloquet | 2022 State MN (Cloquet) OL. 6’2, 255 lbs. School size: 700. Distance from MPLS: 138 miles
The second of the three Turnbull boys you will read about here, lineman Reese is a punishing run-blocker with a high-motor and strong leg drive who has a powerful initial punch. With a frame still capable of adding a lot more weight, it’s nice to see Reese light on his feet and capable of finding work at the second level and finishing defenders into the ground with a good understanding of leverage. I think he could play OG or DT the second level, and a big senior season will be huge for his recruitment.
#131: Alex Wood Alex Wood 5'10" | 195 lbs | RB Stewartville | 2022 State MN (Stewartville) RB. School size: 584 students. Distance from MPLS: 98 miles
In four games in 2020 the RB/LB totaled 67 carries for 422 yards and 5 TDs, plus an interception on defense. With a shifty running style that uses some strong cuts to get away from would-be tacklers, Wood is a good combination of strength and speed and is a dangerous ball-carrier in the open field. He can also catch the ball out of the backfield and is a physical and capable edge defender as an OLB.
#133: Riley Eickhoff Riley Eickhoff 6'2" | 215 lbs | LB Stewartville | 2022 State MN (Stewartville) LB. 6’2, 215 lbs. School size: 584 students. Distance from MPLS: 98 miles
Another Stewartville Tiger, LB Eickhoff tallied 65 tackles, 2 sacks, and 1 FF in 2020 while taking on lead blocks and filling holes with violence. He’s patient when reading and reacting to the offense, but brings a ton of force to the point of contact and laid some big hits in 2020. He’s got a lot of good traits that you’d like to see from a ILB prospect, and with a great frame and a ton of strength already in his body I think he’s got a promising football career ahead of him.
#140: Alec Turnbull Alec Turnbull 6'2" | 190 lbs | QB Cloquet | 2022 State MN (Cloquet) QB. 6’2, 190 lbs. School size: 700. Distance from MPLS: 138 miles
The final Turnbull boy, quarterback Alec has good footwork and gets the ball out of his quickly, and has some good accuracy and touch on his throws that help him make deep as well as short and intermediate passes. An experienced signal-caller for Cloquet, Alec brings natural leadership and experience to the position and is a well-built prospect capable of operating as an effective pocket-passer and that can scramble if need be.
#164: Riley Butcher Riley Butcher 6'2" | 220 lbs | TE Glencoe-Silver Lake | 2022 State MN (Glencoe-Silver Lake) TE. 6’2, 220 lbs. School size: 530 students. Distance from MPLS: 54 miles
Butcher caught my eye at our January PrepRedzoneMN Showcase after he showed off some noteworthy route-running ability for a big-sized TE. He had some loose hips he used to gain separation from defenders, and some soft hands that I didn’t expect from such a strong run-blocker. I think he’s got all the makings to be a consistent safety valve for a QB and a dangerous redzone threat, and all of this fails to mention how efficient of a blocker Butcher is, with great strength and technique that helps him take on DEs and OLBs with tenacity. He’s a really complete TE prospect at this point in time with his best football in front of him.
#180: Mason Ailie Mason Ailie 6'4" | 235 lbs | TE Dassel-Cokato | 2022 State MN (Dassel-Cokato) TE. 6’4, 235 lbs. School size: 625 students. Distance from MPLS: 55 miles
Possesses great size for the TE position in high school, Ailie can book it a little bit for a man of his size, and is definitely capable of making an impact in the run or pass game for an offense. He’s willing to go over the middle to make tough catches, and uses his size to his advantage and is a load and a half to bring down for would-be tacklers. He also is a strong and willing blocker, and will make a college TE room a lot better when he decides to sign next year. Keep your ears open for the Chargers TE.
#189: Dawson Slaughter Dawson Slaughter 6'1" | 250 lbs | DL JWP | 2022 State MN (Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton) OL/DL. 6’1, 245 lbs. School size: 329. Distance from MPLS: 76 miles
The final small-schooler on our list, Slaughter is a mobile and effective puller who has some noticeable burst for an offensive lineman and can finish blocks with authority. Also a strong defensive lineman, he uses his hands well when blocking or getting off blocks and brings a mean-streak to the trenches for the Bulldogs. He’s almost certain to move up our rankings come next update time, and our subscribers should never sleep on the JWP program. We’re big fans here at PrepRedzoneMN.