PrepRedzoneMN 2025 Rankings Update: LB Breakdown
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Recently, the likes of Carter Coughlin (Eden Prairie), Ryan Connelly (Eden Prairie), Kaden Johnson (SMB), Cody Lindenberg (Anoka), and Jake Ratzlaff (Rosemount) have been growing and continuing Minnesota’s talent-rich lineage of high school linebackers that succeeded as high-profile recruits and…
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Continue ReadingRecently, the likes of Carter Coughlin (Eden Prairie), Ryan Connelly (Eden Prairie), Kaden Johnson (SMB), Cody Lindenberg (Anoka), and Jake Ratzlaff (Rosemount) have been growing and continuing Minnesota’s talent-rich lineage of high school linebackers that succeeded as high-profile recruits and P5 contributors. It’s one of our best-produced positional groups on the gridiron, with far more standouts going on to prosper and thrive at the FBS, FCS, DII, DIII, NAIA, and JUCO levels, with far more All-American and All-Region accolades than one would expect from our humble Land of 10,000 Lakes. The linebacker position seems to be in good hands with this upcoming 2025 class of Minnesota thumpers, as the group takes my vote as the most loaded of any position on the recent 2025 rankings update and is filled with size, experience, and physicality that projects a bright future for these sophomores. Inside or outside ‘backers, Outstate or Metro products, big, strong, fast, and tough, we got it all below. Check out who makes up the talented group of linebackers from our recent PRzMN 2025 rankings update; the next Coughlin, Connelly, or Lindenberg may be among them!
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Robbinsdale Cooper’s Emmanuel Karmo Emmanuel Karmo 6’3″ | 205 lbs | LB Robbinsdale Cooper | 2025 State MN is and will continue to be a mainstay at the top of the 2025 rankings and comes in as #2 overall and LB1 in the latest update. The first Minnesota ’25 to earn a D1 offer and one of only two (at this time) to hold a P5 offer, Karmo diversified his LB-heavy highlights from a freshman and includes abundant WR highlights at a reported 6’3, 215+ pounds. He’s impressive at both positions, showing off closing speed and the capability to beat blocks with either quickness or strength, as well as an awesome rep of him in coverage where he flips his hips and floats under a pass for a beautiful one-handed INT against BSM. He was also an effective blitzer from the edge of the LOS or from an ILB spot. As a wideout, he showed a knack for the big play, strength through contested catches, and some YAC ability as well. He’s dynamic, athletic, and still growing and developing, which should excite MN prep football fans. Cooper remains a must-stop for P5 coaches.
I just wrote about Minnetonka LB Dylan Hudgens for our headlining Top Newcomers feature the day of the updated rankings release, so I’ll keep this eval. more concise in an effort not to repeat myself. However, the 6’2, 215 lber. is a must-know name out of the 2025s and comes in at #3 overall and as LB2. Already one of the hardest hitters in the state, Hudgens can make plays all over the field and in run support, blitzes, and in pass coverage. He’s also instinctive, has a talent for working through blocks, and has range and speed in pursuit for 6’2, 215. I’m really hoping he can attend the PRzMN spring showcase so we can get some eyes on him in person, but he’s already high up on the boards when talking about which 2025s are up next for a big-time FBS or P5 offer. Minnetonka has a strong history of LBs and Hudgens is vying for their top echelon of prospects already.
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Another sophomore I’ve already discussed in last week’s Top Stock Risers feature headlining the recent rankings update, Wedel again tore up a PRzMN Showcase and was fantastic in December at the Minnetonka Dome. Not only was he one of the overall biggest prospects in attendance (verified 6’5, 235) and a player my eyes just kept getting drawn to simply for the amount of mass and space he occupies even just standing around. He also posted monster testing numbers for his size. He built on his previous ranking and comes in at #5 overall and as LB3, although his future most likely lies along the defensive line or as a hybrid EDGE player. Dynamic out in space or around the LOS, Wedel is balanced, can change direction, and overwhelms opponents at the point of contact. He’s a legit prep LB with size not often seen at the varsity level, much less for an underclassman, and possesses elite athleticism already. Isn’t this a heckuva Top-3? The 2025 LBs are loaded.
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Pine Island, a town of around 4,000 residents outside of Zumbrota, has an exciting up-and-coming LB prospect from the 2025 class in 6’3, 210 lber. Blake Schiltz. Also a standout on the hardcourt and in track, Schiltz comes in as the current LB4 and at #18 overall in the recent PRzMN 2025 rankings update. One of my favorite aspects of his sophomore campaign was undoubtedly the number of positions he played in the fall of ’22, including MLB, FB, QB, WR, and TE. His sideline-to-sideline range & output behind an opponent LOS as a LB, as well as overall athleticism and ability to excel in situations involving contact and physicality have PRzMN very excited for his future, which I think projects best for the LB position in college. He was all over the field offensively, defensively, and on special teams, and was productive, disruptive, and high-motored in his sophomore tape and I’m pumped to see how he ups his game this offseason.
Coming in at LB5 and #33 overall in the updated PRzMN rankings update, North Branch’s Nolen Volner is a long 6’1, 180 lber. who found success as a RB and OLB in 2022. I also loved his reps as a safety, where he can cover a ton of ground in run support, and at either defensive spot, he was fantastic at pursuing, tackling, and defending the edge of the Viking’s defense. Volner is a strong tackler, plays with great angles and leverage, and is slippery when avoiding blocks. He also made plays as a blitzer and in pass coverage and is a smooth, strong, and impressive defensive presence at this stage in his budding prep career. A handful of college coaches across the FCS, DIII, NAIA, and JUCO levels already follow the young man and that number is sure to grow over the coming weeks and months.
It’s Austin Packers time! Notching in at #37 overall and as LB6 is Samuel Winkels, a 6′, 200 lb. linebacker who is currently ranked #8 in the 220AAA Guillotine wrestling rankings and had a strong sophomore campaign on the gridiron in 2022. Winkels did a great job of blitzing, shooting gaps, and finding space between the tackles to make plays in the backfield, often using his lateral agility to beat blocking attempts from OL. Also can pursue down the LOS and help out in coverage and beat smaller blockers with force. I’ll be keeping an exciting eye on him during the remainder of this wrestling season and through the summer!
I love the experience that Belle Plaine ballers come out of high school with, and with ’23 OL Ryan Retzer Ryan Retzer 6’3″ | 265 lbs | OL Belle Plaine | 2023 State MN heading to Augustana next fall, the reigns of the Tiger’s next big recruit seem to be passed to sophomore LB Tristan Holbrook, who comes in at #42 overall and as LB7. Also a stud wrestler who is 34-9 this current wrestling season at 170 lbs., Holbrook earned an All-District HM nod for his efforts on the gridiron in 2022 and looks fast and shows a nose for the football as a linebacker. Also popped off some solid runs as a RB and shows off a long frame that has a ton of room to continue filling out. Already a strong tackler, Holbrook is going to be a beast at the point of contact if he can put some real pounds on in the weight room. I’m excited to continue to follow him the rest of this wrestling season as well. Can’t go wrong with multi-sport standout Minnesota prospects.
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A single play away from becoming a Class AAA state champion as a sophomore in 2022, LB8 in our updated 2025 rankings comes out of the loaded Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton roster from this past season in 6’1, 210 lb. Caleb Johnson. He also got reps as a QB and TE this past fall, but he really shines as a LB, where he does a great job of reading, reacting, finding, and destroying the ball in run support. Good instincts, reaction time, and tracks the ball well. He’s slippery and smooth at avoiding blocks, is a strong tackler, and is a tough kid who is more than willing to put his body on the line for his team. Laid some strong blocks as a TE as well.
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Coming out of a stacked Blooming Prairie Awesome Blossom sophomore class, LB9 and #44 overall Alex Lea has seen a couple of his teammates receive some well-deserved recognition since we published the 2025 rankings update last week, and now his time has come! With noticeable length and room to fill in on his 6’1, 185 lb. frame, Lea did some good things as both a RB and LB, showing off a diverse skillset and a natural playmaking ability on either side of the ball. Standout closing speed and a great display of timing on his blitzes helped him lay some crushing hits on QBs and RBs last fall, and as a RB he showed solid speed, some exciting contact balance and YAC capability that helps him slip through tackle attempts, and an affinity for contact on either side of the ball. Also good hands out of the backfield to boot. Lea is fun to watch with an already strong skillset and more room to develop. Stay aware of the Awesome Blossoms these next couple of seasons.
Just rounding out the Top-10 of the LBs and Top-50 overall, Maple Grove’s Jacob Wrbanek is a part of a loaded crop of sophomores at the defending 6A state champions and shows of the biggest upside and potential to skyrocket up these rankings as any LB and overall recruit in the class. The young buck came to December’s PRzMN Showcase and clocked in at a legit 6’4 and 205 pounds, adding a nearly sub 5 second 40, a 4.62 short-shuttle, an 8’8″ broad jump, and a 7.08 L-drill. A varsity contributor in ’22 who primarily played in the JV ranks, he showed that he could cover ground from the second level of the defense, flying out of his stance and onto ball carriers toes at/behind the LOS or out on the edge. Also had a couple nice plays of pass defense and plays with high intensity and a strong motor. As mentioned, he’s poised for a breakout season in 2023 and has a great chance of flying up these rankings come next update.
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Another 6A Metro contender with a stacked sophomore class, the Anoka Tornadoes 2025ers already have a significant amount of varsity experience under their belt after the 2022 season concluded. One of the best of the bunch is linebacker Zach Welch, who posted 70 tackles and 13 TFLs as a 6′, 200 lb. OLB last fall. He absolutely wrecked some QBs in the process, exploding off the edge like he was shot out of a cannon and closing on the ball before opponents can even react. Welch can get to top speed quickly, can run down plays from the backside, and does a good job of keeping his feet active and mirroring ball carriers while still squeezing space. Beats blockers with speed easily as well. Welch plays like his hair is on fire and is going to be competing for title of the state’s hardest hitter if he keeps this up. For now, he comes in as LB11 and #54 overall with a ton more room to improve that ranking. I’m excited to see it!
The Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knights are overflowing with underclassman talent and have an impressive duo of sophomore LBs possessing varsity experience and solid size going into their upperclassmen crusade. Coming in at #59 overall and as the current LB12, Will Seymour is sitting at 6’2, 210 lbs. and posted 91 tackles, 5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, and an interception in 2022, showing off a strong proficiency at reading and making the play when he sticks his foot in the ground and triggers on the football. I also like how he attacks blocks with physicality and finishes tackles with authority, and Seymour does a good job of impacting pass coverage in the flats, which can be a lot of room to cover and a tough play to make for an OLB. Production, size, and the physicality needed to play LB are boxes already checked by the Red Knight. Big things coming.
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Chisago Lakes is still very underrated as a hotbed of college football talent, with a strong strength & conditioning program and some particularly electric and well-built offensive players over the last decade. Now, they are home to a standout defensive prospect with some of the best size of the LB rankings in 6’3, 220 lber. Logan Bender. Popping in at #62 overall and as LB13, Bender possesses college-ready size and knows how to use it, consistently sticking ball carriers in their tracks and driving them backwards or preventing extra yardage after first contact. He can pursue down the LOS, overwhelm blocking attempts with his sheer size, and also lay a mean block himself when he comes in and plays TE. It’s going to be hard to miss this dude on the field the next two seasons.
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At a compact and powerfully built 5’10, 210 lbs., Minneapolis North sophomore LB Mannie Allen can make an offense suffer if he’s left unblocked and is successful at patrolling and making plays around the pocket and occasionally downfield at the edge of the defense. He does a good job of using his hands to get off blocks and laid some big hits on QBs that impacted opponents passes and possible big gains. The Polar’s are always a must-stop for prospective college coaches and continue to reload with big-time talent. He comes in at #63 overall after our recent update of the 2025 rankings went live.
The second half of the aforementioned Red Knights dynamic sophomore LB duo, 6’2.5″, 205 lber. Chase Brixius found success from a two-point stance or with his hand in the dirt and is noticeably physical and thrives in 1-on-1 tackling situations when he can enforce his will. He made some grown man hits in 2022 that froze ball carriers flat in their tracks or sent them flying on special teams, and I like how he tracks the ball and works through traffic to locate and end a play. Good motor on him and brings versatility to the LB position. Still growing and will be even more of a hammer in 2023. BSM is on the up-and-up.
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Another Robbinsdale Cooper standout, Kollie’s 2022 season was unfortunately limited to 5 games, wherein he finished with 48 tackles, a TFL, and an INT. Alongside fellow 2025 LB standout Emmanuel Karmo Emmanuel Karmo 6’3″ | 205 lbs | LB Robbinsdale Cooper | 2025 State MN , Kollie does a great job of locating and finding the football before it can really develop and met more than his fair share of ball carriers behind the LOS last fall. Also plays with good angles, doing a good job of consistently staying square to the football and never over pursuing. It’s comeback season for the Hawks MLB in 2023 and I have a feeling he’s going to be coming out hot.
I’m stoked to see another Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton sophomore represented early in the PRzMN rankings and 5’10, 180 lb. two-sport standout Macziewski comes in at #92 overall to earn a spot inside our recently published Top-105 from MN’s 2025 class. In 5 games as a RB and LB this past fall, Macziewski laid some devastating hits as a fullback and was a tough, strong-legged, and balanced ball carrier who could run through multiple tackle attempts from the FB spot. Also showed off some impressive lateral quickness that allowed him to track the ball across multiple gaps and occasionally completely parallel to the LOS and still beat the ball carrier to the point of contact. Also was speedy in pursuit of the ball and a consistent, technically-sound tackler. He’ll be stepping into a much more featured role in 2023 and I’m pumped to see how he responds.
Another Outstate product, Plainview-Elgin-Millville’s 5’10, 150 lber. Logan Dittrich is our #94 overall prospect and also happens to be a standout baseball player for the Bulldogs. To be his size and to operate around the LOS as much as he did in 2022 means you gotta be tough, and Dittrich is tough and then some, showing off fearlessness and shiftiness when avoiding blocks while getting to the football with urgency and effort. He can cover a ton of ground in pursuit of the pigskin and is a strong tackler for his size and age. While still needing to add strength and weight, it should be noted his he wouldn’t be a varsity contributor without his athleticism, toughness, and physicality, all of which are mandatory for the LB position.
A well-built and physically intriguing 6’1, 225 lb. frame going into his junior season of prep football, Eagan’s Bennett Larson was primarily a JV ‘backer in ’22 but did get varsity reps, laying a big block on kickoff return and stuffing some holes when given the opportunity. Was a force between the tackles as a MLB who shut down runs, screens, and short passes and halting plays in their tracks. He’s got the size and the tackle strength to make an impact against varsity competition and he’s another LB on this list poised for a breakout season this upcoming fall.