Major Midwest Commitments from August 2021

As I write this, I am duel-wielding college football games on the eve of Friday Night Lights as I watch some DII Northern Sun ball between MSU-Mankato and Northern State on my computer and my homestate Minnesota Gophers battle against the Ohio State Buckeyes, so I think it's safe to say that life is good. In case you're unfamiliar, my name is Oliver West and I am the Midwest Scouting Director for <em>PrepRedzone. </em>After being promoted to that role last spring I have been trying to increase our presence in the Midwest while becoming more inclusive in my own recruiting coverage in the middle of the United States as well, and with the 2021 prep season underway, I will attempt to meet those goals by introducing some new weekly and monthly series focusing on athletes from the Dakotas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin, with a little bit of Missouri love sprinkled in. I begin things by publishing my first weekly "Midwest Top Performers" feature a few days ago and wanted to keep the momentum going by starting my first monthly series with this "Major Midwest Commitments" piece focusing on high school commitments from the previous month. We have almost 100 athletes who inked with a college program this past month from nine Midwest states listed below, but before I begin I wanted to say that our presence in Ohio's social media scene is pretty weak (which is my fault) which is why they aren't included in this piece, but in September I will be making sure to increase our occupancy in the Buckeye State, and the same goes for Kansas and Michigan. Anyway, take a look at where some of the Midwest's best committed to this past month, and thank you for reading. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Dakotas</span></span> <strong>Corbin Wirkus </strong><em>(Baltic, SD) </em>2022. Committed to Augustana University <strong>Aiden Brink </strong><em>(Sioux Falls-Washington, SD) </em>2022. Committed to Minnesota State-Mankato <strong>Max Thomson </strong><em>(Sioux Falls-Washington, SD) </em>2022. Committed to Northern State University <strong>Manny Struck </strong><em>(O'Gorman, SD) </em>2022. Committed to Augustana University (end of July) <strong>Brady Koupal </strong><em>(Brandon Valley, SD) </em>2022. Committed to South Dakota (end of July) <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Illinois</span></span> <strong>Jimmy Liston </strong><em>(Fenwick) </em>2022. Committed to Purdue <strong>Brian Allen Jr. </strong><em>(Marian Central Catholic/St. Thomas More) </em>2022. Committed to Illinois <strong>Luther Burden </strong><em>(East St. Louis) </em>2022. Decommitted from Oklahoma <strong>Luke Dalton </strong><em>(Marian Central Catholic) </em>2022. Committed to the University of Cincinnati <strong>Jamol Molton</strong> <em>(East St. Louis) </em>2022. Committed to Murray State <strong>Brendan Keane </strong><em>(Reavis) </em>2021. Committed to the College of DuPage <strong>Charlie Adams </strong><em>(Downers Grove South) </em>2022. Committed to Middlebury College <strong>Jack Schnoor </strong><em>(Prairie Ridge) </em>2022. Committed to Minnesota State-Mankato <strong>Kyle Moede </strong><em>(Benet Academy) </em>2022. Committed to Carleton College <strong>Derek Whaley </strong><em>(Mt. Carmel) </em>2022. Committed to Minnesota State-Mankato <strong>Paolo Gennarelli </strong><em>(St. Charles North) </em>2022. Committed to Army-West Point <strong>Kaden King </strong><em>(Prairie Central) </em>2021. Committed to St. Ambrose University <strong>Eddie Dreher </strong><em>(Loyola Academy) </em>2022. Committed to Denison University <strong>Tony Roberts </strong><em>(Batavia) </em>2022. Committed to Indiana State <strong>Valen Erickson </strong><em>(St. Rita) </em>2022. Committed to Nebraska (end of July) <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Indiana</span></span> <strong>Al McKeller </strong><em>(Lawrence North) </em>2017. Transferred from UIndy to Northwest Missouri State <strong>Jeff Becker </strong><em>(Fort Wayne-Carroll) </em>2022. Committed to South Dakota State <strong>Danny Norocea </strong><em>(Avon) </em>2022. Committed to Colgate University (end of July) <strong>Chaikou Diallo </strong><em>(Decatur Central) </em>2022. Committed to Davidson College <strong>Jahmad Harmon </strong><em>(Lawrence Central) </em>2022. Committed to Furman <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Iowa</span></span> <strong>Cam Buffington </strong><em>(Winfield-Mt. Union) </em>2024. Committed to Iowa (end of July) <strong>Dawson Ripperda </strong><em>(West Lyon) </em>2022. Committed to Northern Illinois <strong>Rex Johnson </strong><em>(Logan-Magnolia) </em>2022. Committed to Wyoming (end of July) <strong>Luke Vonderhaar </strong><em>(Pleasant Valley) </em>2022. Committed to the Air Force Academy <strong>Brandon Vander Sluis </strong><em>(Le Mars) </em>2022. Committed to South Dakota <strong>Dallas Westhoff </strong><em>(Columbus Catholic) </em>2022. Committed to Indiana State <strong>Kyson Van Vugt </strong><em>(Western Christian) </em>2022. Committed to South Dakota <strong>Keith Moko </strong><em>(Newton) </em>2022. Committed to Northern Iowa <strong>Cade Borud </strong><em>(Southeast Polk) </em>2022. Committed to North Dakota (end of July) <strong>Logan Cassady</strong> <em>(Interstate 35) </em>2022. Committed to the University of St. Thomas <strong>Mitchell Schares </strong><em>(Cedar Rapids-Kennedy) </em>2022. Committed to the University of St. Thomas <strong>Colin Kadolph </strong><em>(Ankeny) </em>2022. Committed to Minnesota State-Mankato <strong>Caeden Janssen </strong><em>(Cedar Falls) </em>2022. Committed to Upper Iowa University <strong>Jack Rutz </strong><em>(Johnston) </em>2022. Committed to Minnesota State-Mankato <strong>Tyler Schmitt </strong><em>(East Sac County) </em>2022. Committed to the University of Sioux Falls <strong>Ethan Snieder </strong><em>(Sioux City-East) </em>2022. Committed to Dordt University <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Kansas</span></span> <strong>Jaren Kanak </strong><em>(Hays) </em>2022. Committed to Clemson (end of July) <strong>Mason Ellis </strong><em>(Mulvane) </em>2022. Committed to North Dakota State <strong>Spencer Sprenger </strong><em>(Blue Valley North) </em>2021. Committed to Murray State <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Michigan</span></span> <strong>Nick Flegler </strong><em>(Dewitt) </em>2022. Committed to the Air Force Academy (end of July) <strong>Tyler-Scott Bivens </strong><em>(Ann Arbor-Huron) </em>2022. Committed to Kent State (end of July) <strong>Larry Robinson II </strong><em>(Saline) </em>2022. Committed to Army-West Point <strong>Tyler Stolsky </strong><em>(Portage Central) </em>2022. Committed to Lehigh <strong>Jayden Lewin </strong><em>(Grand Blanc) </em>2022. Committed to Wayne State <strong>Colin Kraatz </strong><em>(Saginaw Heritage) </em>2022. Committed to Saginaw Valley State <strong>Brett Anderson </strong><em>(Fraser) </em>2022. Committed to Bowdoin College <strong>Cooper Phillips </strong><em>(Dakota) </em>2022. Committed to Grand Valley State <strong>Brett Weaver </strong><em>(Traverse City Central) </em>2022. Committed to Grand Valley State <strong>Cross Dobbs </strong><em>(Grand Blanc) </em>2022. Committed to Grand Valley State <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Minnesota </span></span> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="49822" first="Trejuan" last="Holloman"] </strong><em>(Cretin-Derham Hall) </em>2022. Committed to Michigan State (basketball) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="18445" first="Darius" last="Givance"] </strong><em>(Champlin Park) </em>2022. Committed to North Dakota State <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="49868" first="Ryan" last="Haley"] </strong><em>(Mankato West) </em>2022. Committed to Brown University <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="18425" first="Mekhi" last="Collins"] </strong><em>(Mankato West) </em>2022. Committed to North Dakota State <strong>Tait Kongsjord </strong><em>(Deer River) </em>2022. Committed to Minnesota-Duluth <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="18428" first="Jacob" last="Kelly"] </strong><em>(Bemidji) </em>2022. Committed to North Dakota State on a PWO <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="116257" first="Hudson" last="Artz"] </strong><em>(Fairmont) </em>2022. Committed to North Dakota State on a PWO <strong>Blake Gode </strong><em>(Lakeville North) </em>2022. Committed to Minnesota-Duluth <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="118789" first="Nicholas" last="Ojile"] </strong><em>(Spring Lake Park) </em>2022. Committed to Minnesota-Duluth <strong>Gavin Luksik </strong><em>(Bemidji) </em>2022. Committed to Bemidji State <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="49831" first="Tommy" last="Niggeling"] </strong><em>(Lakeville North) </em>2022. Committed to Minnesota-Duluth <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="18540" first="Zach" last="Krause"] </strong><em>(Lakeville North) </em>2022. Committed to Minnesota State-Mankato <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="116280" first="Camden" last="Dean"] </strong><em>(Lakeville South) </em>2022. Committed to Minnesota State-Mankato <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="49911" first="Nate" last="Graham"] </strong><em>(Wayzata) </em>2022. Committed to Minnesota State-Moorhead <strong>Ashton Hoffman </strong><em>(Minnetonka) </em>2022. Committed to Minnesota-Duluth <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Nebraska</span></span> <strong>Mackenson Owens </strong><em>(Aurora) </em>2022. Committed to South Dakota <strong>Kaden Johnson </strong><em>(Papillion La-Vista) </em>2022. Committed to South Dakota State (end of July) <strong>TJ Murray </strong><em>(Boys Town) </em>2022. Committed to Augustana University <strong>Chase Emsick </strong><em>(Elkhorn South) </em>2022. Committed to Augustana University <strong>Grant Guyett </strong><em>(Omaha Westside)</em> 2022. Committed to Minnesota State-Mankato <strong>Jameson Krayneski </strong><em>(Bennington) </em>2022. Committed to Wayne State (NE) <strong>Spencer Smith </strong><em>(Papillion La-Vista) </em>2022. Committed to Wayne State (NE) <strong>Jake Stier </strong><em>(Bennington) </em>2022. Committed to Wayne State (NE) <strong>Alec Blevins </strong><em>(Papillion La-Vista) </em>2022. Committed to Wayne State (NE) <strong>Cooper Tracy </strong><em>(Lincoln Southeast) </em>2022. Committed to Minnesota State-Mankato <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Wisconsin </span></span> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="31206" first="Chad" last="Schuster"] </strong><em>(Franklin) </em>2022. Committed to Syracuse <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="118449" first="Gavin" last="Lahm"] </strong><em>(Kaukauna) </em>2022. Committed to Wisconsin on a PWO <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="181993" first="Matt" last="Jung"] </strong><em>(Neenah) </em>2022. Committed to Minnesota State-Mankato <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="31249" first="Owen" last="Pawlikowski"] </strong><em>(Kimberly) </em>2022. Committed to Saint Leo University (basketball) <strong>Max Weisbrod </strong><em>(DeForest) </em>2022. Committed to Northern Michigan (basketball) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="118312" first="Ty" last="Strehlow"] </strong><em>(D.C. Everest) </em>2022. Committed to Augustana University <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="31290" first="Kennan" last="Stowers"] </strong><em>(New Richmond) </em>2022. Committed to Minnesota State University-Moorhead <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="181995" first="Ben" last="Werner"] </strong><em>(Benton-Scales Mound-Shullsburg) </em>2022. Committed to Upper Iowa <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="31018" first="Michael" last="Jenson"] </strong><em>(Elk Mound) </em>2021. Transferred from Upper Iowa to UW-River Falls <strong>Jaylen Carter </strong><em>(Germantown/Southwest Minnesota State) </em>2018. Committed to the University of North Carolina-Pembroke