Vraa Wins Mr. Football Award, Henderson Among Finalists
Seantrel Henderson has been the nation’s No. 1 ranked prep football recruit this year but
the Cretin-Derham Hall offensive tackle isn’t winning all the local awards
including yesterday’s announcement of Rosemount’s Zach Vraa as
the state’s Mr. Football.
A 10 member Mr. Football committee chose
Vraa as its award winner. Committee member Jim Dotseth, former
head coach at Minneapolis Patrick Henry High School, said Henderson’s national
reputation didn’t put the committee in a difficult position for
selecting a winner.
Dotseth said that those who look at
potential college players are making projections about them and he can
understand what puts Henderson at the top of the lists. Henderson,
about 6-8, 330, has NFL size already with impressive footwork and
athletic ability. “He’s a special recruit,” Dotseth said. “He’s the
same size as the two Vikings’ tackles (Bryant McKinnie and
Phil Loadholt)."
The Star Tribune
selected Wayzata linebacker A.J. Tarpley as its Metro Player of the Year.
The
Pioneer Press made Cretin-Derham Hall quarterback Mark Alt
its Player of the Year in the state. Henderson was honored by the
Associated Press as Minnesota's Player of the Year.
Cretin Derham-Hall coach Mike Scanlan
considered Henderson his most valuable player on the state champion
Raiders. After the Mr. Football banquet Scanlan told Sports Headliners that Henderson certainly
could have been the recipient of the Star Tribune, Pioneer
Press and Mr. Football awards. “He was the one most deserving of
these considerations, but like you saw tonight, 10 guys each one
deserving in his own right,” Scanlan said. “Only one is going to get
the award.”
Henderson has been rated the nation’s No. 1 recruit by Rivals.com since
last winter and other sources believe he’s the best college prospect
regardless of position. The Mr. Football committee members (other than
Dotseth, all are active Minnesota high school coaches) looked at game
video and other information on the 10 finalists for the award and
decided Vraa was the most impressive player to them.
Vraa, 6-3, 200, was a defensive back, wide
receiver, and punt and kickoff returner for the Irish. Dotseth said
Vraa, who played on a run oriented offense but accounted for nine
touchdowns and 77 percent of his team’s receiving yards, has a
reputation for “circus” catches. “If you look at him on film he
probably most reminds you of Eric Decker from the Gophers,”
Dotseth said.
In addition to Henderson and Vraa, the Mr. Football finalists
were Beau Allen,
Minnetonka; Joel Bauman, Kerkohoven-Murdock-Sunberg; Jacob
Brusehaver, Hutchinson; John Crockett, Totino Grace; Ben
Henson, Buffalo; Brandon Marquart, Champlin Park; Ryan Tri,
Eden Valley-Watkins; and Zach Zenner, Eagan. The
annual Mr. Football program is a project of the Minnesota High School
Football Coaches Association, an organization that works to promote
football throughout the state.
Henderson was the one player among the 10 finalists not present at the
Mr. Football banquet in St. Louis Park. He was on a recruiting
trip to Southern California. Before being wooed by Southern Cal coach
Pete Carroll this weekend, Henderson had a visit here a few days
ago from Ohio State coach Jim Tressel.
Henderson may not be collecting all the local “hardware” but nobody can
match his list of college suitors.
