Noteworthy Wisconsin Duel-Sport Studs: Football + Wrestling

If you take football out of the equation the sport I have invested the most time and energy into would be wrestling. Although my wrestling career began in high school and I was average at best during my four year career, the physicality and toughness of the sport really drew me and the feeling of getting your hand raised kept me in it. It also made me a better football player and helped my tackling tremendously, and after noticing the benefits I challenged myself and completed the J Robinson 28 Day Intensive Camp at the University of Minnesota much to the dismay of my poor mother. It’s still one of my greatest accomplishments, and helped me that Fall as I captained my high school squad to our best season in decades. The lessons I learned from wrestling in high school have stuck with me to this day, and I’ve always been observant of the two-sport football/wrestlers that I see balling out on the gridiron or wrestling mat year to year. The two sports go hand in hand, and I’m also keen to finding potential college football recruits that wrestle in my job here with PrepRedzone. With that in mind I thought it would interesting to head on over to wiwrestling.com to take a look at which duel-sport Wisconsin studs that I know from their gridiron accolades have themselves ranked in their respective weight classes in Division 1, 2, and 3. I made sure to include their weight class, division, where they are ranked, and any additional notes I could find in-regards to their football or wrestling accomplishments. Thanks for reading! Division 3 220 lbs. Ranked #4: [player_tooltip player_id="31384" first="David" last="Gauderman"] (Wittenberg-Birnamwood) 2023. DL/LB/TE/FB. 6’2, 230 lbs. @Dg2Drippy - There’s a lot I can go on about in-regards to our #1 ranked 2023 recruit in the state of Wisconsin. He will more than likely remain at the #1 position post-update, as it is just too hard to ignore his rare and impressive blend of size, strength, and mobility. He’s already earned himself a ton of snaps and experience at Wittenberg-Birnamwood and has and can play multiple positions including LB, DL, RB, FB, TE, and more. With Wisconsin’s tradition of small-school athletes with the same pedigree as Gauderman finding success at the D1 level - particularly at Wisconsin - I think it’s just too hard to ignore his talent. He’s consistently kept himself in the Top-5 so far this wrestling season with wins over the D3 #4 heavyweight, D3 #5 at HWT, and D3 #12 at 220, he’s solidified himself as a potential champion at 220 with a great state tournament run. 285 lbs. Ranked #5: [player_tooltip player_id="30818" first="Will" last="Straka"] (Mineral Point) LB. 2021. Committed to UW-Platteville. Named 2020 AP All-State Second Team. I was absolutely stoked to see that Straka wrestles at 285 as his Hudl account has him listed at 215 lbs., meaning that he is no doubt a quick, fast, and explosive wrestler at the 285 division that is probably a handful on his feet and has some great pacing and offensive attacks. His wrestling teammate Nolan Springer just committed to Bucknell as well. Division 2 195 lbs. Ranked #7: [player_tooltip player_id="31258" first="Brady" last="Lehman"] (Jefferson) 2022. In 2019 the DE/OLB was named 2nd Team All-Conference as a sophomore while playing DE/OLB/TE/FB/OL. With no 2020 highlights due to COVID there isn’t any recent film to evaluate, but the current junior is receiving recruiting graphics from Illinois State, Upper Iowa, Augustana (SD). Last wrestling season he was also a WIAA Regional Champ. 220 lbs. Ranked #3: [player_tooltip player_id="30743" first="Mac" last="Strand"] (Xavier) 2021. LB/FB. Committed to Minnesota-Duluth. What a career the Xavier LB has had, as he finished the John Anderson Award Winner for state LB of the year, First Team AP All-State, 1st Team All-Conference as a LB and FB, Conference LB of the Year, Conference Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and a state player of the year finalist. He finished his career with 446 tackles, 81 TFL, 25 sacks, and 241 carries for 1,459 yards and 21 TDs. Finished 4th at the 2020 state tournament with a record of 33-7. He won his opening match, then lost, then won 2 straight before losing in the third place match. Also beat [player_tooltip player_id="30822" first="Kyle" last="Dietzen"] to advance to that third place match. He’s a heckuva Bulldog commit who held a PWO from Iowa, a FCS offer from Central Arkansas and St. Thomas, and offers from Winona State, Upper Iowa, Northern Michigan, UMary, Northwood University, Ave Maria. Ranked #4: [player_tooltip player_id="30822" first="Kyle" last="Dietzen"] (Omro) 2021. LB. Committed to UW-Oshkosh. All-State HM pick as a LB. Finished 5th in the 2020 state tournament with a record of 41-13. He unfortunately doesn’t have his senior highlights updated but I hope he gets around to that soon. 285 lbs. Ranked #4: [player_tooltip player_id="30757" first="Evan" last="Ladwig"] (Plymouth) 2021. OL. 6’5, 270 lbs. Unanimous All-Conference OL, Conference Lineman of the Year, All-Region, All-State HM. Offered a PWO from Iowa State in November. Also holds offers from Eastern Illinois, North Dakota, Southwest Minnesota State, MSU-Mankato, Upper Iowa, UMD. Senior highlights show off a long, lean, and punishing OG who uses his hands violently and drives through the whistle. I like his DE highlights almost even more, as he’s virtually unblockable 1 v. 1 and has a great jump off the LOS and moves well in space for a man of his size. Ranked #7: [player_tooltip player_id="30763" first="Jason" last="Klauck"] (Kiel) 2021. DL. Qualified for the state tournament at 220 and finished with a record of 22-9. Senior defensive highlights display a defensive lineman with a ton of pop in his initial punch and is a punishing tackler. He can work down the LOS and cover multiple gaps just due to his athleticism and is patient and forceful when tracking the ball. No reported offers or interest. HM: [player_tooltip player_id="30883" first="Tyler" last="Johnson"] (Osceola) 2021. OL/DL. Virtually visited Minnesota State University-Moorhead. Only has game film posted from the Ellsworth game from Osceola’s 2020 3-4 season, and in that film it’s obvious he’s a quick two-way lineman who can cover ground, plays with a high motor, and is a tough tackler to break out of. Division 1 152 lbs. Ranked #10: [player_tooltip player_id="30997" first="CJ" last="Grisar"] (Waukesha West) 2021. DB. 5’8, 165 lbs. Committed to play FCS football for Drake University. First Team All-Conference and All-Region DB. A punishing and athletic tackler for his size who hits like a he can play safety in college and has the feet and speed to play corner. He is an excellent open-field tackler who is exciting to watch lay the wood. 170 lbs. HM: [player_tooltip player_id="31002" first="Corbin" last="Hauser"] (Sparta) 2021. WR/DB. Committed to Upper Iowa to play his college football. Speedster and a playmaker who unfortunately did not get a Fall season in 2020. 195 lbs. Ranked #5: [player_tooltip player_id="30773" first="Rudy" last="Detweiler"] (Stoughton) 2021. LB. Committed to UW-Whitewater to play college football. Held D1 offers from Drake and St. Thomas and DII offers from Augustana (SD), Upper Iowa, Bemidji State. Qualified for state last wrestling season and posted a 26-8 junior record. Unfortunately did not get to compete in a Fall football season in 2020. Ranked #7: [player_tooltip player_id="31437" first="Mason" last="Wells"] (Pulaski) 2023. Qualified for state as a freshman last season and finished with a record of 24-12. Unfortunately did not get a Fall football season in 2020. HM: [player_tooltip player_id="31274" first="Sam" last="Paar"] (Oak Creek) 2022. OLB. Helped Oak Creek to a 4-3 record in 2020 and posted 21 tackles, 2 TFLs, and a sack. 220 lbs. Ranked #1: [player_tooltip player_id="30796" first="Brooks" last="Empey"] (Stoughton) 2021. Defending state champion at 220 lbs. for Division 1. Last season he finished with a 56-1 record. Had an absolutely dominant junior state tournament that saw him tear through his state tourney competition with pins at 3:47, :16 seconds, 2:23, and a pin in 28 seconds in the state final. Visited Northern Illinois in January of 2020. Hasn’t competed in his senior football season yet. Ranked #2: Skyler Gill-Howard (Greenfield) 2021. LB. First Team All-Conference and All-Region LB. Holds offers from Wisconsin Lutheran College, Graceland University. Defending state runner-up at 220 lbs. for Division 1. Lost to the #1 ranked [player_tooltip player_id="30796" first="Brooks" last="Empey"] last season in the state championship final. Finished with a junior season wrestling record of 44-5. Ranked #3: [player_tooltip player_id="30804" first="Orion" last="Boe"] (DC Everest) 2021. All-Conference LB and FB, Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Holds offers from Loras, St. Norbert College. Placed 3rd in the 2020 state championship after losing his initial match 3-1 and then winning 4 straight matches to get that 3rd place spot on the podium. Finished with a season record of 51-3. Senior highlights showcase a LB with speed and power while blitzing, some impressive range and aggression at the point of contact, and a tough defender to block 1 on 1. Ranked #5: Alexander Perelshtein (Homestead) 2022. DL. State qualifier in 2020 that won his initial match before losing to eventual state champ Empey. He then won his wrestleback match but lost to [player_tooltip player_id="30804" first="Orion" last="Boe"] while attempting to place. Last season as a sophomore he finished with a record of 34-8. Attended and balled out at our inaugural PrepRedzoneWI Showcase as he sports a stout and contact build with a ton of strength and power in his upper and lower body. In 8 games in 2020 he posted 43 tackles, 10 TFLs, 3 sacks, and 1 FF. He can line up all over the defensive line and even can play some OG, and has some good pop off the snap and a great understanding of leverage. He uses his hands well and plays with a really high motor. 285 lbs. Ranked #3: [player_tooltip player_id="31385" first="Griffin" last="Empey"] (Stoughton) 2023. OL. As a freshman last wrestling season he qualified for state at 285 lbs. but unfortunately lost his initial match and was knocked out of the tournament. He finished with a 36-17 record. Hasn’t competed in his senior football season as of yet. Ranked #9: [player_tooltip player_id="31009" first="Madden" last="Connelly"] (Sparta) 2021. OL. Last season qualified for state at 220 lbs. and finished with a 22-17 record. Hasn’t competed in his senior football season yet.