Minnesota State-Mankato 2020 Recruiting Class Breakdown: MN Boys

The Minnesota State-Mankato Mavericks have a historic legacy of finding and signing some of the best and most accomplished MN preps year in and year out. Additionally, those same preps seem to find both All-NSIC and All-American recognition every season, and 2019 was no different as electric New London-Spicer WR Shane Zylstra garnered A.P. First Team All-American status. This came after the Mavericks reached the DII national championship game and narrowly lost to West Florida 48-40, so it’s about as good as a time as any to be signed to MSU’s football class. Mankato State reloaded again with these 2020 signings - especially in terms of Minnesota prospects. Of the 25 athletes signed, 11 are Minnesotans, and those 11 are some hammers. Get to know these standout and accomplished future Mavericks as well as a breakdown of the class overall, below. Thanks for reading! The gems of the recruiting class for the kids from the Land of 10,000 Lakes can definitely be awarded to Prior Lake’s [player_tooltip player_id="11019" first="Blake" last="Whaley"] and Jordan’s [player_tooltip player_id="2245" first="Ryan" last="Samuelson"] - who were offered D1 scholarships by Kent State and South Dakota, respectively - and are going to be impactful players early on in their NSIC careers. The rest of the commits from MN definitely have one thing in common as well: size. They’re all some of the biggest and baddest players not just on their teams but in their entire district’s and even the state. Not only that, three of the commits are 2019 MN state champs as [player_tooltip player_id="11008" first="Gabe" last="Hagen"] of Blooming Prairie, [player_tooltip player_id="3502" first="Max" last="Lommel"] of Chaska, and Christian Vasser all took home Minnesota state titles as seniors. Speaking of size and Wayzata RB commit [player_tooltip player_id="11010" first="Christian" last="Vasser"] is a 6’2, 210 lb. workhorse of a RB who totaled 49 rushes for 285 yards and 5 TDs in the 6A state championship game against Champlin Park, will be an exciting and productive NSIC running-back who one could argue should be on a D1 roster after his 2019 season. Besides Vasser, Samuelson, Farmington’s [player_tooltip player_id="10998" first="Luke" last="Weierke"], and Eastview’s [player_tooltip player_id="11001" first="DJ" last="Barber"], the rest of the MN commits emphasize and will strengthen the Mavericks trenches, so get ready for some huge and well awarded big-boys in the breakdown. To get a better sense of the commits and learn a little bit more about them check out the analysis below. Oliver Andersen (Austin) 6’5, 250 lbs. OL/DL A three-year starter and four-year letterwinner at Austin High School who garnered All-State, All-Area, and All-District honors as a senior after recording 71 tackles, 24 tackles for a loss, and 10 sacks. Also was an All-State thrower as a junior in track and field and was well on his way to another All-State accolade (according to his roster bio) his senior year before COVID took over. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/9279814/5db8924cdfd9bb0d445f2fbd">Top Plays Senior Year</a> [player_tooltip player_id="10986" first="Tony" last="Anger"] (Apple Valley) 6’3, 220 lbs. A ranked 220 lb. wrestler on the mat for the illustrious AV Eagles, Anger was even more of a standout on the gridiron as he (according to MSU’s roster bio) he "as a sophomore, he helped his team to a conference championship as he tallied 62 tackles, two sacks and three fumble recoveries...Helped his team win a section championship and advance to the semifinals of the state tournament as a sophomore...As a junior, he claimed all-district honors for his efforts on both sides of the ball as he tallied 700 rushing yards and six touchdowns, to go along with 82 tackles...Earned team MVP honors as a junior and a senior...Rushed for 955 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior, to go along with 108 tackles...Also recorded two interceptions and recovered five fumbles.." That’s a lengthy prep success sheet, and I’m very excited to see what position Anger ends up playing for MSU next fall. He had a D1 offer from Valparaiso, and scholarship offers from the University of Sioux Falls, Bemidji State, UMD, Wayne State. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2BfXMq">Senior Season</a> [player_tooltip player_id="11001" first="DJ" last="Barber"] (Eastview) 6’3, 185 lbs. Wide Receiver A three-sport ATH for the Lightning who started four years on the football team, played two years on the basketball team, and was a state track and field participant was selected All-Distrct twice and All-State (according to MSU’s bio) is another player who had D1 size and potential and will aid a Maverick WR room that has been very successful with Minnesota athletes this past decade. Offered by UMD, Bemidji State, UMary, Crookston (rip. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/10850349/5dafab0c2347dd1084bc0e12">2019 Regular Season Highlights</a> [player_tooltip player_id="11008" first="Gabe" last="Hagen"] (Blooming Prairie) 6’4, 250 lbs. One of the most athletic and successful TE’s in MN in 2019, the state champion Awesome Blossom athlete holds the school record with 43 touchdown catches and earned All-District honors twice while being named All-State as a senior after catching 61 passes for 873 yards and 15 TDs. This built on a junior year where he caught 43 balls for 1,081 yards (over 25 yards a catch) and 18 TDs. At 6’4, 250 lbs. he’s already NSIC sized and will be a fun one to watch. His experience at helping Blooming Prairie go 13-0 in their first state championship run in school history will also be critical in MSU s attempt to capture its first DII national championship. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/7952417/5daf42361762860838e100f5">2019-2020 Highlights</a> [player_tooltip player_id="3502" first="Max" last="Lommel"] (Chaska) 6’2, 290 lbs. A four-year starter on a very successful Chaska Hawks squad, Lommel helped the Hawks win three conference championships and win at least eight games in all four years. As a junior the 290 lber. helped his team to a section championship and an appearance in the state tournament while he tallied 46 tackles, eight tackles for a loss and two sacks. That year he was named the team’s Defensive POTY as a junior, and as a senior he helped his team to a 12-1 record as they claimed a section and a 5A state championship. This helped him received All-District and All-State second team honors as a senior. Offered by St. John’s, UMary, Bemidji State, Winona State, Sioux Falls, Augustana, SMSU. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/8364879/5e39967bab924611f8f02c99">Top Plays</a> [player_tooltip player_id="11047" first="Ethan" last="Prodzinski"] (Winona) 6’5, 285 lbs. OL/DL One of the members of Winona’s historic 2020 senior class that will be featured in a PrepRedzone special tomorrow, Prodzinski started three years for the Winhawks and won three conference championships. The senior captain was named the District lineman of the year as a senior and was also named All-State (according to MSU) as well as All-District twice. As a sophomore he tallied 29 tackles and 3.5 sacks and the team won a district and championship, as a junior he recorded 40 tackles, 9 TFLs, 2.5 sacks. He’s bruiser and will be a great addition to one of the lineman’s position groups. Offered by Winona State, University of Sioux Falls, Northern State, SMSU. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/7625378/5d80efa55ef6930f38978791">Three game highlight</a> [player_tooltip player_id="2245" first="Ryan" last="Samuelson"] (Jordan) 6’3, 180 lbs. According to MSU-Mankato’s bio of the Jordan grad, he "Caught 14 touchdown passes during his sophomore season as his team advanced to the state tournament...Registered 1,041 receiving yards and 14 touchdown catches during his junior season...Helped his team claim a district championship as he garnered All-State and offensive player of the year honors as a junior...Notched 14 touchdown catches during his senior season as he claimed All-State and offensive and special teams player of the year honors...Also returned three kickoffs for touchdowns during his senior campaign." Held offers from Augustana, South Dakota. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/6906201/5da353ae6e817c0ea847bb61">Week 7 Football highlights</a> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/6906201/5be9bc305ca912160c86aaf3">Junior Season</a> [player_tooltip player_id="11010" first="Christian" last="Vasser"] (Wayzata) 6’2, 210 lbs. Runningback A two-year starter for the 6A powerhouse Trojans, Vasser rushed for 300 yards as a sophomore, 800 as a junior, and then a whooping 2000 yards a senior to go along with 26 TDs. He also earned All-Metro and All-State (according to MSU-Kato) when he helped Wayzata go undefeated in 2019 and win the big-school MN state championship. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/8228938/5de49bda3863470e884f8fd7">2019 Full Season Highlights</a> [player_tooltip player_id="11029" first="Deontae" last="Veney"] (Rochester John Marshall) 6’5, 290 lbs. OL/DL Veney started two years for the RJM Rockets also competed in hockey and track and field. As a senior he recorded 47 tackles which led the team, and also tallied five sacks. He also claimed All-Conference honors and All-State third team honors senior year. Offered by UMary, Wayne State, SMSU, Bemidji State. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/7653648/5da914b55cb4020c4cc40355">vs Owatonna</a> [player_tooltip player_id="10998" first="Luke" last="Weierke"] (Farmington) 6’0, 200 lbs. Defensive Back One of the smaller commits at only 200 lbs., Weierke lettered thrice and started two-years for the 6A Tigers and posted 38 tackles and four interceptions during his junior season. Senior year he claimed All-District honors after tallying 81 tackles, one interception, one touchdown, two forced fumbles and five PBUs. Offered by Augustana, SMSU, Concordia-St. Paul, Augsburg University. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/7757936/5bdf46a68cd3bc0cfc2c7f2e">Junior Season</a> [player_tooltip player_id="11019" first="Blake" last="Whaley"] (Prior Lake) 6’4, 250 lbs. Defensive Line Starting two years for the Lakers of Prior Lake, Whaley was All-District in 2019 and recorded 66 tackles, including 18 tackles for a loss and eight sacks during his junior and senior season combined. Held offers from Kent State, Concordia-St. Paul, UMary, Bemidji State. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2CKSyt">Senior Season</a>