Aided by video, querying coaches and using his 25 year of experience covering high school football, the Star Tribune's Jim Paulsen assembled our collection of the metro area's best.

By Jim Paulsen

August 31, 2022 at 11:56AM

Clockwise from upper left: Joey Krouse of Prior Lake, Devin Jordan of Eden Prairie, George Bjellos of Woodbury and Jaxon Howard of Cooper are among the Dream Teamers for 2022. (Star Tribune photos/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Offense

Line

Jerome Williams, Osseo, senior, 6-4 1/2, 305. Beginning only his fourth season of football. Basketball background contributed to his quickness and agility. Moves well laterally and is a beast in the run game. College: committed to the Gophers.

Greg Johnson, Prior Lake, senior, 6-5, 280. Has a nasty streak that coaches love. Physically bigger than last year after offseason commitment to weight room. Agile yet packs a wallop. College: committed to Gophers.

Grant Chapman, Anoka, senior, 6-5, 280. Lean and athletic, with a good center of gravity. Went out for wrestling last winter to help with balance and combat in close quarters. Moves well in space. College: undecided.

Peyton Lange, SMB, senior, 6-9, 375. An imposing force simply because of size. Overwhelms smaller foes, who often end up on the ground. Above-average leverage for a player his size. Nimble feet. College: uncommitted, but there's Division I interest.

Jack Liwienski, Minnetonka, senior, 6-3, 275. The smallest of the five, but makes up for it with smarts. Father Chris played for the Vikings. Built to play center: agile, steady, gives a solid initial punch, great in space. College: committed to North Dakota State.

Tight ends/receivers

Daniel Freitag, Bloomington Jefferson, junior, 6-3, 175. One of the best overall athletes in the metro. Exceptional leaper, with speed to pull away. Terrific hands, wins most 50-50 battles. College: likely to play basketball.

Joey Krouse, Prior Lake, senior, 5-10, 185. Prototypical slot receiver. Shifty, with a burst to get through seams. Strong enough to run through arm tackles and away from defenders. College: uncommitted.

Sam Peters, Maple Grove, senior, 6-4, 225. A wide receiver in a tight end's body. Creates space with his size and speed. Exceptional hands. His frame suggests he could add size with no loss of agility. College: committed to Gophers.

Backs

Carson Hansen, Lakeville South, senior, 6-1, 200. Considered the No. 1 running back in Minnesota. Attacks holes and rarely goes down on first contact. Fast and strong. Ran for 2,012 yards and 23 TDs in 2021. College: committed to Iowa State.

Sawyer Seidl, Hill-Murray, senior, 5-10, 165. Strong hockey background helps his burst. A combination of speed (4.55 40-yard dash), strength between the tackles and balance. Makes routine plays spectacular.

Max McEnelly, Waconia, senior, 5-10, 180. Would be a top college prospect — he's a standout linebacker, too — but his future lies in wrestling. The soon-to-be Gophers grappler is a three-time wrestling state champ and was bronze medalist at the U-17 World Juniors in Rome over the summer.

Quarterback

George Bjellos, Woodbury, junior, 6-3, 186. Looks like a natural on film. Passed for more than 2,000 yards and 23 TDs as a sophomore. Already proficient at reading defenses, he gets the ball out quickly and accurately with a smooth, compact delivery. Instinctive pocket presence.

Defense

Line

Martin Owusu, Prior Lake, senior, 6-4, 250. Burst onto the scene in 2021, showing an explosive first step. Beats opposing linemen into the gap and also can get around the edge. College: committed to Gophers.

Chiddi Obiazor, Eden Prairie, senior, 6-6, 230. Defensive end with a quick first step and terrific body lean. Size and athleticism make him versatile. Can play inside or outside, with his hand in the dirt or standing up. College: undecided.

Wyatt Gilmore, Rogers, junior, 6-4, 240. Off-the-charts measurables: 39-inch vertical jump, 335-pound bench press, 475 squat, 4.78 40-yard dash. Sheds blocks and is disruptive in gaps. Had 17 tackles for loss, four sacks in 2021.

Antonio Menard, Lakeville North, junior, 6-2, 205. Built to rush the passer. Explodes off the ball and has a nose for the quarterback. Can chase down ball carriers sideline to sideline. Forces double-teams.

Jaxon Howard, Cooper, senior, 6-4, 245. With 60 legitimate Division I Power Five offers, he's considered the most sought-after recruit in state history. Monster as a pass rusher, with the speed and agility to overwhelm opposing linemen. College: committed to LSU.

Linebackers

Alex Elliott, Hutchinson, senior, 6-2, 200. A hybrid linebacker/strong safety type. Has speed to the ball and ability to play in space. Sure tackler who plays off blocks well and flies into gaps. College: committed to Gophers.

Reese Littlefield, Centennial, senior, 6-3, 235. Tough-as-rocks inside 'backer who plays like a throwback. Hits hard and rarely misses a tackle. Diagnoses plays quickly and is excellent in pursuit. College: uncommitted.

Kayode Amusan, Woodbury, senior, 6-3, 215. A standout because of size and athleticism alone but brings much more. Best closing speed among linebackers in the state. Plays sideline to sideline. College: uncommitted.

Backs

Jackson Powers, Maple Grove, senior, 6-1, 180. Long and agile, with the reflexes needed to change directions with receivers. Has good instincts and well-developed ball skills. Double-digit pass breakups and six interceptions in 2021. College: uncommitted.

Zashon Rich, Minneapolis North, junior, 6-1, 180. Size and speed and the fluid hips scouts desire, allowing him to quickly change directions. Supports the run defense. Runs a 4.55 40.

Garrison Monroe, Shakopee, senior, 6-0, 185. Nose for the ball, in pass coverage or run defense. Excellent timing. Plants and breaks on balls quickly. Isn't afraid to stick his nose in and hit. College: committed to Gophers.

Devin Jordan, Eden Prairie, senior, 6-2, 185. A complete player who is always around the ball. Plays at top speed and can be effective as a blitzer. Decisive when he reacts. Knows how and when to break on balls. College: committed to Air Force.

Athlete

Brady Anderson, Edina, senior, 6-2, 195. A potential Dream Team selection at wide receiver and defensive back. Sticks to receivers and rarely gets fooled. Fleet as a receiver, with sure hands. College: uncommitted.

Kicker

Logan Lehrer, Prior Lake, senior, 6-2, 180. A placekicker and a punter. Kicks off with height and depth. Punts also tend to be high and long, not allowing runbacks. Field-goal range to 50-plus yards. College: uncommitted.