Nate’s Standouts from the PRZ Minnesota Showcase: Gunslingers
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ROSEMOUNT– We take a look at the 12 standouts at the quarterback position that made our list from Sunday’s 2nd ever Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase! Bart McAninch, QB, Mankato West (2024) McAninich made a splash in the early QB drills as…
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Continue ReadingROSEMOUNT– We take a look at the 12 standouts at the quarterback position that made our list from Sunday’s 2nd ever Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase!
Bart McAninch, QB, Mankato West (2024)
McAninich made a splash in the early QB drills as I have become an early fan of how he throws the football and with good accuracy for a youngster QB out of Mankato West.
When you watch his film, you see a prospect that, throughout his film, develops his poise as he goes through his reps which is similar to what I watched on Sunday in Rosemount. Bart can also extend plays with his legs and has an excellent burst to get his fair share of yards upfield when needed. I think the most prominent development this young man can grow on is his balance when he throws. You’ll see on tape when he sets his feet and throws a solid throw with good touch and zip on the ball. When he doesn’t set his feet, he loses some of that touch, and although he can make a play, it doesn’t look as clean as it could be. The great thing is, he has plenty of seasons to work on that aspect of his game with the Scarlets.
Ben Wesolowsk Ben Wesolowsk 6'2" | 185 lbs | ATH Wittenberg-Birnamwood | 2022 WI , QB, Wittenberg-Birnamwood (WI) (2022)
Twitter: @BenWesolowski1
Wesolowski is a QB prospect I have evaluated recently on film, so I was excited to watch him in person in Rosemount. He looked at his best on 1on1s with his deep ball as he completed his fair share of throws deep and showed tremendous precision on hitting his wide receivers on Sunday.
Wesolowski shows that same precision early on in his film as he shows that great arm strength with a couple of deep balls. One thing that is interesting that I noticed about Wesolowski in person and just learned about on film is his arm motion. He flicks his wrists slightly side-armed but makes it look so natural when it comes off his arm. I didn’t notice it on film when I watched it before the Showcase, but I do see it now when I watch his tape. Ben also shows great mobility in the pocket and can make plenty of plays with his legs. I feel this young man has a college football future in my eyes. Wesolowski also has a 3.8 GPA and is getting interest from mostly the Division II and III programs at the moment.
Cayden Vokal, QB, Maple Grove (2023)
Twitter: @CaydenVokal
As it turns out the Crimson have another solid QB prospect in the Class of 2023 in Cayden Vokal. When watching Vokal for a good portion of the day, I become a huge fan of his touch on the football on not just one play but the multiple reps I saw at the Irish Dome.
When I watch Vokal’s sophomore tape from his junior varsity season, I see a kid that can put the ball in the breadbasket of any of his wide receivers with precise accuracy. He also can extend plays with his legs. The brightest spot for Vokal’s arm is plays between 10-15 yards over the middle of the field as his accuracy and throw power are very solid in that area of the field and depth. If he can get a little more touch on his deep ball, he could be a good second option for the Crimson behind Jacob Kilzer Jacob Kilzer 6'3" | 200 lbs | QB Maple Grove | 2023 State MN .
Connor Gerrell Connor Gerrell 6'4" | 185 lbs | QB White Bear Lake | 2022 State MN , QB, White Bear Lake (2022)
Twitter: @GerrellConnor
Gerrell has come to our last two Minnesota showcases, and both times now, I have been impressed with not just his arm but his decision-making when making each throw. When watching him in drills on Sunday, he always made the smart throw vs. the deep throw as Gerrell, to me is he would instead pick apart the defense than make one big play with more risk.
When I watched Connor’s tape from his shortened season, he carries that same mentality. He makes a variety of throws with excellent poise, knowing where the ball is going quickly with his good football IQ. He certainly has the good arm strength to hit the deep ball, but he’d rather pick apart the defense and grab first downs. I would say development-wise he could use a little more touch and strength on his deeper routes to give him even more opportunities at the next level. Gerrell currently holds one offer from Augsburg, with plenty of interest coming in from Division II and Division III.
Cole Gerrell Cole Gerrell 5'11" | 175 lbs | QB Forest Lake | 2024 MN , QB, White Bear Lake (2024)
Twitter: @ColeGerrell12
I came away quite impressed with Connor’s little brother Cole on Sunday at Rosemount. He showed off some arm strength, solid poise, and a calm demeanor for just an incoming sophomore for the Bears of White Bear Lake.
For his age and size, Gerrell has good precision on his throws with his wide receivers and I came away quite impressed with his deep ball zip on the football. Cole has the ability to extend plays with his legs to buy more time to find the open wide receiver. I have a gut feeling this kid has a growth spurt coming (brother is 6’3), and once he gets that growth spurt, that will help out his game in the Class of 2024 and make him even a better QB prospect as he all the time in the world to develop.
Devin Jordan Devin Jordan 6'2" | 190 lbs | DB Eden Prairie | 2023 State MN , QB, Eden Prairie (2023)
Twitter: @DevinJordan_5
Jordan showed a lot of potential in 1on1 drills on Sunday afternoon in Rosemount and looked to be the QB of the future for the Eden Prairie Eagles.
Jordan has a substantial deep ball arm with a strong mix of touch and zip on the football. His shorter throws show off his true arm strength with the football. He does a great job of fitting the ball through some tight windows. The one development I caught on some of Jordan’s throws is the ball flight. Some of his passes can get slightly wobbly when going through the air, which he can for a sure clean up this offseason and his next two seasons at Eden Prairie. Jordan also has good mobility to make an extension of plenty of plays out of the pocket. In my eyes, the Eagles have a QB battle to figure out coming from the Class of 2023 with Devin Jordan Devin Jordan 6'2" | 190 lbs | DB Eden Prairie | 2023 State MN and Nick Fazi Nick Fazi 6'1" | 180 lbs | QB Eden Prairie | 2023 State MN . If I had to give the edge at this given moment from watching both, I would go with Jordan.
Gregory Clark Gregory Clark 6'1" | 185 lbs | ATH Dassel Cokato | 2022 MN , QB, Dassel-Cokato (2022)
Twitter: @GregoryClark03
One of the most under-the-radar quarterbacks from his list is Dassel-Cokato’s, Gregory Clark Gregory Clark 6'1" | 185 lbs | ATH Dassel Cokato | 2022 MN . Clark showed a great launch on his deep balls Sunday in Rosemount and is just overall a high character kid in my opinion.
Clark mainly got the later down reps for the Chargers this past season, but from the reps I did see in person from their game against New London-Spicer this season, Clark performed very well in limited action. He has a good touch on the football and has excellent arm strength. I see Clark as a solid small school prospect that some folks don’t know about yet. Hopefully, in 2021, the Chargers can find Clark more reps and take the quarterback load off of Eli Gillman Eli Gillman 6'0" | 195 lbs | ATH Dassel-Cokato | 2022 State MN . The Chargers have so many weapons in Mason Ailie Mason Ailie 6'4" | 235 lbs | TE Dassel-Cokato | 2022 State MN , Monte Gillman Monte Gillman 5'6" | 165 lbs | RB Dassel-Cokato | 2024 State MN , Eli Gillman Eli Gillman 6'0" | 195 lbs | ATH Dassel-Cokato | 2022 State MN , and more for Clark to throw to, he just needs more opportunities. Clark is a high academic student with a 3.9 GPA and a three-sport athlete with basketball and baseball on his resume too.
Jacob Eggert Jacob Eggert 6'1" | 195 lbs | QB Mankato East | 2022 State MN , QB, Mankato East (2022)
Twitter: Jacob_Eggert
Minnesota and Mankato’s best QB came out to play at the Prep Redzone Showcase in Rosemount. Eggert checked in 10-15 pounds stronger than the last Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase a few short months ago. I wrote about the battle between #1 and 2 in 2022 for QBs at the event, and from what I saw from both, Eggert won the battle with his excellent arm strength, accuracy and looked to be even more athletic than our last showcase as some of those throws looked effortless when watching up close.
When I watch Eggert’s film, I see a prospect on film that makes the game of football look like a whole lot of fun with just a flick of his wrist. He moves extremely quickly on play-action plays. I couldn’t remember from last time about his mobility, and I was refreshed quickly that he has the elusiveness with his size (6’1 190) and speed to get out of high traffic areas quickly. Another great strength of Jacob’s game is his total balance. He makes all of his throws with all similar types of balance, which just shows what a gifted athlete he is on the field. Eggert had the coaches in the building chomping at the bit, and I’m sure there are a whole lot more coaches wanting to get this kid on their radar this summer.
Jamarrius Courtney Jamarrius Courtney 6'0" | 200 lbs | QB Chaska | 2023 State MN , QB, Benilde St. Margarets (2023)
Twitter: @jayycourtney7
Courtney, of all QB prospects at the Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase, came in with the most gifted arm strength in the Class of 2023 that had us Prep Redzone scouts with all eyes on him, especially in the late 1on1 drills seeing how far his arm strength could take him and how far he could get it to his WRs. Courtney just made the transfer over to Benilde St. Margaret’s from Robbinsdale Cooper so that it will give the Red Knights a strong QB in the Class of 2023.
The one thing I couldn’t watch Sunday that I got out of Courtney’s film today is how strong his legs to get out of the pocket and use his burst to make plays. I saw he had a strong lower body, but I was glad to see he is patient and leaves the pocket within a short amount of time. I came away impressed with his touch on the football on tape as he has a gentle yet strong touch when he throws the football. He also can throw some rocket balls, so his WRs better have some broken fingers! This young man throws the ball really nicely over the middle of the field. Courtney is an outstanding student with a 4.0 GPA, and I feel he is destined for a strong couple of seasons with the Red Knights.
Joseph Russell Joseph Russell 6'0" | 180 lbs | QB Cooper | 2022 State MN , QB, Robbinsdale Cooper (2022)
Twitter: @joseph12russell
Although Russell made a couple of reads early in drills that were offline, he kept his composure and finished drills and 1on1s with plenty of poise and confidence as one of the best QBs in the Class of 2022.
When I watched Russell’s film from his junior season, the big difference I saw from the last time I watched his film from his sophomore season was his patience in the pocket. He is an excellent dual-threat QB and can move really well, but that increased patience really helped out his game a ton for the Cooper Hawks. I also saw Russell’s ball placement get better on film from his sophomore season as he has drafted up more precision in his junior tape. It’s no wonder Division I programs have this young man on their radar, as Russell holds one FCS offer at the moment!
Mekhi Moua, QB, Tracy Area (2023)
Moua came into our Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase as a total unknown to me but I liked what I saw in the early drills out of him. He has a unique ball-throwing ability and is quite undersized, but with the right development could turn into another known prospect out of Tracy Area.
Moua doesn’t have any film available as of yet, but what I did see out of him in Rosemount was a hard worker with good arm strength but needs to work on his throwing mechanics and develop more overall strength in the weight room.
Tanner Gangl Tanner Gangl 5'11" | 190 lbs | QB Spectrum | 2023 State MN , QB, Spectrum (Elk River) (2023)
Twitter: @TannerGangl
A member of my Sherburne County All-County Team I was excited to see Gangl in person on Sunday in Rosemount. Gangl passed the eye test for me early in drills by being a vocal leader and throwing excellent arm strength & accuracy on his throws. Another add Gangl showed off was his determination. I was surprised to see this young man drop in at DB and get some reps with that group.
When I watched Gangl’s film, you can see the poise in his throwing ability very early on in his film. His ball placement is excellent as he puts its right where the defender can’t get it the bulk of the time. Gangl’s trust in his wide receivers is solid as he throws precise passes that they can extend for it and go the distance. He shows a good fluid arm motion even when he leaves the pocket to throw. Gangl can fit the ball in some tight windows when needed. He has active feet with a solid burst to get yards with his legs and has a good physicality level with his hitting ability on defense for the Sting as well! You will for sure see Gangl on our next Class of 2023 rankings as he just missed last time!