PrepRedzoneMN 2023 Rankings Update: Top Stock-Risers
The PrepRedzoneMN 2023 rankings update is here. Doing the rankings is funny, and it reminds me a lot of when I was in school. Sometimes, I would feel awesome after I turned in a paper/finished a test, other times I…
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Continue ReadingThe PrepRedzoneMN 2023 rankings update is here. Doing the rankings is funny, and it reminds me a lot of when I was in school. Sometimes, I would feel awesome after I turned in a paper/finished a test, other times I feel like I bombed. In this analogy, the 2025 and 2024 rankings felt more like home runs after I clicked “publish”, while these 2023s are feeling somewhat on the opposite end of the spectrum. Over the two weeks of updating I watched hours of film on hundreds of prospects and moved and edited players from dusk and dawn, but just could not get a set ranking that I felt great about. At a certain point, you need to just finish, so I’ve updated the 2023s and am planning on fitting another quick update in after Preseason All-State features are finished to try and get some fresh eyes on thing and start the season feeling like it’s in a better place. It’s a busy summer! Despite all this, I feel very good about identifying the prospects who rose their stock and outperformed their past ranking, and have named 16 of the top stock-risers from this 2023 update below. Congratulations to these studs on making me and my past rankings of them look foolish and I hope you all enjoy the article. Thanks for reading!
Top 2023 Stock-Risers
Rose his stock from #155 up to #14 in Minnesota’s 2023 class.
A player I missed out on big time when we updated the 2023 rankings last fall, 6’7 Johnson was honestly just hard to see on film playing for the run-heavy Spring Lake Park offense in 2021. However, for a kid of that height you can still see on his tape that he can bend and play with a low pad level and is a lean 250 pounds that would blow up in NDSU’s legendary strength and conditioning program. He’s also a technically sound run blocker with good leg drive and solid strength. You’d be a fool not to trust a Bison OL evaluation and offer, especially out of the great state of MN. Hopefully we have the next Dillon Radunz on our hands!
Highlights
Rose his stock from #128 to #35 in Minnesota’s 2023 class.
The recent North Dakota Fighting Hawks commit is yet another Minnesota mauler to head off to the Missouri Valley and potentially develop into an NFL-worthy offensive lineman and hopes to follow in the steps of fellow Rocori grad Matt Waletzko, a recent Round 5 draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys. Lopau will more than likely land in the Top-20 when things are all said and done, and at 6’7, 300 pounds he really impressed fellow PRzMN scout Nate Wahl at a recent Central Minnesota Football Academy event that was loaded with Spartan talent. He’s fluid and mobile at his size and has the strength to easily wash down opposing lineman or run them out of the play once he’s engaged. He can also work to the second level and has experience in pass protection, and I’m very excited to see how he develops in Grand Forks in his 4-5 years of college football.
Highlights
Rose his stock from #111 to #33 in Minnesota’s 2023 class.
A player who blew up on the junior day trail and netted himself an FBS offer from UConn, Powers is a smooth and loose CB and safety who led the state in PBUs last fall and all snagged 6 INTs for the Crimson as they nearly won the MN 6A state championship. He’s got the speed to stay with receivers vertically and has a well-timed punch that throws wideouts off their mark, and I like how aggressively he plays in man coverage on the outside. Powers also shows ball skills, the ability to play either CB or FS, and a rep or two of him running the alley. Morgan State, St. Thomas, and Butler have also added their names to his list of college offers.
Highlights
Rose his stock from #114 to #40 in Minnesota’s 2023 class.
Wilson is following in the footsteps of UNI commit Jordan McClom and operating as a D1 level DB in the Falcons defensive backfield and impressed both PRzMN scouts and college coaches alike this camp season. He’s coming off his first D1 offer from Western Illinois and has also heard from Upper Iowa and Bemidji State prior to his senior season, and on tape in 2021 the CB was all over the field picking off passes, blitzing off the edge, and laying the wood when given the opportunity. He’s got some noticeable thump and physicality at his size and is comfortable in his backpedal and does a good job of tracking and playing the football when it’s in the air. I’d be interested to see if he would stay at CB or possibly play safety at the next level, but we don’t need to worry about that right now. Good luck this season, Cordell!
Highlights
Rose his stock from #69 to #26 in Minnesota’s 2023 class.
One of a few Edina Hornets I am quite bullish on going into this fall, Anderson has seen his recruiting stock explode this summer as St. Thomas, Georgia State, Eastern Kentucky, Arkansas State, and Fordham have all offered since late May. The 6’1, 195 lber. plays both DB and WR and is a playmaker on both sides of the ball, torching defenders deep on post and fade routes as a WR and bringing the boom and forcing turnovers on defense and special teams. He plays fast, has good body control, and is athletic and physical with great size to play DB in college. He’s got a fun tape to watch and is very deserving of those FCS and FBS opportunities. Can’t wait to see how he and the Hornets perform in 2022!
Rose his stock from #50 to #22 in Minnesota’s 2023 class.
Boy, is Prior Lake loaded. If you would have asked me 6 months to a year ago which Laker 2023 offensive weapon would be reeling in service academy offers at this time, my pick would have been Joey Krouse Joey Krouse 5’10” | 185 lbs | WR Prior Lake | 2023 State MN . However, Spronk has absolutely won this offseason, and originally caught my attention as a potential stock riser when he broke PL’s all-time clean record with a 340 (!!) pound power clean in February. Then, he pleasantly surprised me again this spring, running multiple sub-10.9 100M dashes to put some eye-popping certified track times to his resume. 10.87 (his fastest time last spring) is cookin’, and on tape you can see that explosiveness and speed put to good use. Spronk has burst, contact balance, and can get you tough yardage or take advantage of daylight and pop off a big run. I’m expecting a big jump in his film as a now-senior and I would not want to get in the way of this kid in the hole. Prior Lake is chasing a ring this season!
Highlights
Rose his stock from #78 to #30 in Minnesota’s 2023 class.
The son of former Golden Gopher and Miami Dolphin Ed Hawthorne and brother of former Osseo tackle-machine turned Winona State LB Myles Hawthrone, younger brother Bryce has made his college decision and has inked with heavyweight South Dakota State to play FCS Missouri Valley ball in college. The 6’3, 245 lber. was a dangerous TE/DE combination last fall and the first thing that stood out to me on his junior tape was his noticeably strong initial punch that was punishing as a blocker from the TE spot. He also showed a good first step when playing DL and uses his strength to engulf QBs and RBs and easily run through weaker blocking attempts. His athleticism also helped him to contribute as a pass catcher, and he’s gotten bigger and stronger every year he’s been in high school. I’m stoked to see him as a Jackrabbit!
Highlights
Rose his stock from #227 to #140 in Minnesota’s 2023 class.
The PrepRedzoneMN Showcase OL MVP put on a show at our Prospect Tour stop last April and also caught Nate Wahl’s attention at Augustana’s prospect camp this summer. The 6’2, 240 lb. Byron product also wrestles, and uses that understanding of body positioning and leverage to attack and win battles against larger opponents. He’s also deadly at working to the second level and bullying LBs and DBs. Nothing beats an in-person eval, and Geerts did himself a huge service hitting camps this offseason. Can’t wait to see how he plays as a senior.
Highlights
Rose his stock from #129 to #67 in Minnesota’s 2023 class.
You can’t not be excited when you see a prep LB measure in at 6’3, 225 pounds, and Elk River’s Sandstrom looks and plays like his size suggests. Also a D1 lacrosse recruit, Sandstrom is a beast as a run-blocking TE and plays low and with great hand placement, as well as the natural pop you’d hope for with a kid of that size. He dominates at the point of attack, and was also athletic enough to help out as a pass catcher down the seam or a run-stuffing LB off the edge. Just a really intriguing athlete and prospect overall.
Rose his stock from #245 to #203 in Minnesota’s 2023 class.
Clocked in a blazing 4.46 40 at the UW-River Falls prospect camp and definitely has more room to boost that ranking at the next update. The Minneapolis North DB needs to put on some weight, but was productive last season as a junior and posted 36 tackles, 2 TFLs, 2 INTs, 2 FF, and a sack while lining up primarily in the slot as the nickleback. Clay uses that speed well when carrying receivers deep or covering ground in pursuit of the ball, and he’s dynamic and aggressive as a defender.
Highlights
Rose his stock from #242 to #157 in Minnesota’s 2023 class.
With outstanding size at 6’5, 190 and a ton of accolades on both the gridiron and soccer pitches, Owatonna’s Henson already holds two NSIC scholarship offers and went 9-10 on FGs and 29-31 on PATs last fall as well as 49 kickoffs for 29 touchbacks and a 56 yard average. Those FGs included a 44-yarder, 40-yarder, and 38-yarder, all of which had plenty of more leg and distance and were right down the pipes. There are some talented specialists in the state this year and Henson has solidified himself early as one of the best. More offers coming!
Highlights
Rose his stock from #79 to #41 in Minnesota’s 2023 class.
One of my picks for biggest sleepers in MN’s 2023 class has always been Fairmont’s massive lineman Tordsen, and he did a great job of balling out at the Gophers prospect camp in June and catching the eye of 24/7Sports regional scout Allen Trieu, who noted his size and ability to play on either side of the ball at the next level. He’s sure right about that, as Tordsen put some good reps on film as both a DE and OT, where his length and movement skills made him an asset and physical force out on the edge. He’s still raw, but watching him run and cover ground at that size is impressive. I’m hoping to see dominance this fall for the Cardinals bruiser. He holds offers from Winona State, SMSU, Augustana, Sioux Falls, and MSUM so far.
Highlights
Rose his stock from #126 to #77 in Minnesota’s 2023 class.
A classic big-back that excels in the tough and downhill offense of the Eden Prairie Eagles, 6’2, 210+ lb. Tyler Walden reminds me of former EP bruiser Dan Fisher and posted 725 yards and 6 TDs as a junior last fall. Fisher was a beasttttt back in the early 2010s for EP, and impressively Walden has more speed and finesse in his game compared to the 2014 grad, while still maintaining the toughness and physicality at the point of attack as a ball carrier. Walden has great hands out of the backfield, can play RB or FB, get you tough yardage or break open a big run, and wear down tacklers and a defense over the course of four quarters. He’s the best fullback in the state for 2023 and one of the best RBs to boot. He’s going to be a workhorse this fall as Eden Prairie looks to regain their spot at the top of MN’s big school competition. Love your tape, Tyler!
Highlights
Rose his stock from #48 to #18 in Minnesota’s 2023 class.
The former BSM Red Knight turned Osseo Orioles DE had a busy offseason and earned offers from Florida A&M, South Alabama, Eastern Kentucky, Hawaii, St. Thomas, and Northwestern State since March and is measuring in at around 6’4, 290 going into his last season of prep football. A big. strong recruit with a high motor, Fondren played DE fall but has the strength to plug gaps and eat doubles on the interior and the athleticism to beat slower guards and centers on 1-on-1 opportunities. It’s going to be a big season for Antonio and he has a lot to prove as a senior.
Highlights
Rose his stock from #42 to #20 in Minnesota’s 2023 class.
A Gopher legacy coming out of heavyweight Eden Prairie’s defensive backfield, Devin Jordan made for a fantastic Air Force DB commit on July 3rd after receiving a Minnesota PWO and offers from Yale, UNI, Princeton, and Army. The safety has a fun tape to watch from 2021 and opens his tape with an exciting sack coming off the edge where he blows by the RB in pass pro and hangs on and spins the QB down like he was shot out of a cannon. He can operate around the LOS or as a cover-2 safety and does a good job of staying around the football and capitalizing on opponents’ mistakes. Definitely a SS-type who is especially strong at tackling and tackling in space.
Highlights
Rose his stock from #56 to #34 in Minnesota’s 2023 class.
With eye-popping measurables for a prep receiver at 6’4, 200, college programs have taken notice of the SRR pass catcher and Harren has received offers from South Dakota State and Army West Point in March of 2022. He posted 25 catches for 427 yards and 5 TDs in seven games last fall and showed that he could drop his hips and break off his routes pretty well for a taller prospect as well as track and reel in tough catches through contact. Harren can run a variety of routes well and I love watching him use his length to slip through tackle attempts once the ball is in hand. He’s got solid body control for a receiver of his size and age and a big play machine as a junior. I’m interested to see if he’ll stay at WR or move to TE in college.