Recruiting Report: Dawson Schmidt (WR/DB) Watertown SD (2021)

In the first year of Prep Redzone Dakotas, I had no idea what to expect in the talent across South Dakota. I had a general knowledge of the teams that had produce some impressive athletes, usually coming out of the Sioux Falls area. My goal was to find that ’hidden gem’ outside that area, and with the first ever SD recruiting report, I believe I found one. [player_tooltip player_id="56274" first="Dawson" last="Schmidt"] is a 6’4" 185 pound WR/DB out of Watertown, SD, that is about 90 minutes away from Sioux Falls, in case anyone needed a reference. I was researching Watertown when I came across Schmidt and thought he had some skills to make plays with the film from his Junior Season, following his Senior Season, he more than shattered my expectation of what he could do. Schmidt has an amazing set of hands, although he only used one to catch the football most the time, ran some good routes, can get up and high point the ball, and can make great catches in tight coverage. After interviewing him, the character this kid showed my head scout and I, I give him my highest regards for any college looking to steal a playmaking WR. Check out the full interview below: <em>PRZ: Hello Dawson, tell us a little about yourself and when you began playing football.</em> Schmidt: I’m a senior wideout from Watertown, SD and started playing football at a very young age. <em>PRZ: What do you love about the game?</em> Schmidt: Being around my friends coaches is what I love. <em>PRZ: How did your 2020 season go for you and your team?</em> Schmidt: Our season didn’t go as well as we thought, but we competed in a lot of the games against the best teams in the biggest class in South Dakota. I had a good year (790 yards, 12 TD’s). <em>PRZ: What were your expectations for you and your team?</em> Schmidt: We wanted to finish above .500 and host a playoff game. For myself, I wanted to be a leader and make everyone around me better. We grew a lot as a team over the summer lifting together. <em>PRZ: How has your recruiting been going? What are you looking for in a college program?</em> Schmidt: I have received offers from eight schools, NAIA, D3, and D2. I’m interested in a team that is like a second family. Watertown missed a couple games this year due to COVID, but Schmidt was still able to put up some gaudy numbers and make some jaw-dropping plays. All this with a RB converted QB in [player_tooltip player_id="56293" first="Kale" last="Stevenson"] who really stepped up and fill the role at the position, those two were best friends on the field. Check out some of the clips and highlights below. https://twitter.com/Hudl/status/1302241573392900097 https://twitter.com/KELOSweeter/status/1321975478861922305 https://twitter.com/SamMooney4/status/1314952609531338753 <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/10543217/5f9f7b66b3c87803c4d847b2">Senior Highlights</a>