Seven 9-man players who could have a big offensive impact in 2021
The 2020 football season was a strange endeavor to say the least. No state tournament and many teams playing a limited schedule. Here is a list of players who had a good year in 2020 that could have an even…
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Continue ReadingThe 2020 football season was a strange endeavor to say the least. No state tournament and many teams playing a limited schedule. Here is a list of players who had a good year in 2020 that could have an even bigger impact on offense in 2021.
2022 WR Matt Thompson 6’8” 200 (Hancock)
Thompson broke out in 2020 with 8 touchdowns and 304 yards on 16 receptions. With half of his receptions in 2020 finding the end zone, Thompson will be Owl’s go-to reviver near the goal line in 2021. With the departure of the Owl’s 2020 leading receiver Brandon Kellenberger to Concordia College –Moorhead, Thompson could be the Owl’s main receiving target in 2021. The down side, Thompson will have to share touches with teammate and fellow 2022 prospect Luke Joos.
At 6’8” Thompson is a big target with soft hands. He has positive speed and quickness for his size with good jumping abilities. Look for the Owl’s to get Thompson the ball in space and let him use his size and athleticism to gain some YAC. With his size Thompson is not only a great receiving target he is a solid blocker as well.
2022 WR Luke Joos 5’8” 160 (Hancock)
Joos racked up 208 rushing yards on 33 attempts and 3 rushing touchdowns in 2020. He also hauled in 28 receptions for 418 yards and 5 touchdowns. With 626 total yards and 8 TDs, Joos is a versatile threat on the offensive side of the ball. With the departure of senior running back Ike Nienhaus to Concordia College – Moorhead, Joos will be the majority stake holder in the Owl’s backfield in 2021.
Being a little on the smaller side, Joos uses his speed and agility to make big plays. Joos can line up in the back field or split out as a receiver, so there will be plenty of opportunities for him to touch the ball.
2022 QB/ATH Chase Johnson 5’6” 170 (LeRoy-Osterander)
Johnson is a dual threat for the Cardinals. In 2020 Chase tallied 905 yards on 54-124 and 12 touchdowns through the air. He added another 994 yards on 146 carries and 7 touchdowns on the ground. With the departure of running back Isaac Collier, Chase is going to have to continue his dual threat approach to the Cardinal’s offense. The upside for Johnson is the return of 2020 leading receiver Tristan Lewison (2023). If Johnson and Lewison can connect, look for the Cardinals to put up good numbers in 2021
Johnson who will be a 3-year starter has a great combination of speed, agility, and power when running the ball. Johnson can sit in the pocket and make a strong/accurate throw. He also has the ability to make quick reads and puts his team in great positions orchestrating the Cardinals RPO offense.
2023 WR Tristan Lewision 5’10” (LeRoy-Osterander)
Lewision had 17 receptions for 377 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2020. Lewision quickly became the Cardinals main receiving threat in 2020. Look for the Cardinal’s to move Lewision around in the formation and put him in motion to expand his role in the Cardinal’s offense in 2021.
Lewision has a great combination of quickness and top end speed which makes him a dangerous vertical threat for opposing defenses. Lewision has a great ability to catch the ball with defenders on him. Lewision shows on film that he has the ability to out jumped a defender to make a catch.
2022 RB Ethan Shelton 6’0” 190 (Cromwell-Wright)
Shelton rushed for 546 yards on 94 carries and 6 TDs in 2020. He also hauled in 8 receptions for 127 yards and found the end zone one time through the air. With 673 yards of total offense and 8 touchdowns in 2020, Ethan will look to replace senior Jaeger Goranson to fuel the Cardinal’s offense in 2021. Downside, Ethan will have competition from fellow (2022) Zevvus Smith for touches.
Shelton will be a 3-year starter on offense and will be the Cardinal’s feature running back in 2021. Shelton does not have the top end speed as some other running backs. But he is a big physical runner with the ability to make players miss. Watching Shelton on film shows he is not afraid to lower his shoulder and deliver a blow to opposing defenders.
2022 RB/TE Zevvus Smith 5’8” 190 (Cromwell-Wright)
Smith rushed for 234 yards on 56 carries and 2 touchdowns as the Cardinals third running back in 2020. He also grabbed 5 receptions for 65 yards and 2 touchdowns from the tight end position. Smith was third for the Cardinals in total yards in 2020 and will look to increase his role in the offense in 2021.
Smith is a 4-year starter and will play both running back and tight end. Smith is a strong powerful runner with the ability to run you over. He also has the ability to catch the ball from the tight end position.
2022 QB Zach Braaten 6’2 (Wheaton-Herman-Norcross)
Braaten led the Warrior’s offense with 1413 yards on 110 for 193 passing and 10 touchdowns. He was also the Warrior’s leading rusher with 363 yards on 67 carries and 8 touchdowns. The strong upside for Braaten is that the Warriors will be returning their leading receiver (2023) Grant Dawson. Braaten and Dawson connected for 524 yards and 4 touchdowns. Look for them to better those stats in 2021