Minnesota’s 2023 Class 4A Preseason All-State Team: Defense/ST
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We’re heading into the big school ranks of the Preseason All-State teams and the heat is turning up on the metaphorical stove of competitiveness. After watching every available player from the 48 Minnesota Class AAAA high school football programs, PrepRedzoneMN…
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Continue ReadingWe’re heading into the big school ranks of the Preseason All-State teams and the heat is turning up on the metaphorical stove of competitiveness. After watching every available player from the 48 Minnesota Class AAAA high school football programs, PrepRedzoneMN has selected the toughest defensive lineman, hardest hitting linebackers, biggest ballhawking defensive backs, most dynamic athletes, and the best specialists 4A has to offer in this talent-ridden, stacked-to-the-brim Preseason All-State Defense and Special Teams squad. I apologize for it coming out late, rankings from both Illinois and Minnesota pushed my August schedule back and I unfortunately contracted COVID last week, rendering me ineffective and unable to work this past weekend. However, it’s still early in the season and the talent speaks for itself. The competitors of Class 4A still deserve their well-earned recognition and we are going to give it to them! Now, get to know the superstars of the Class 4A Preseason All-State Defensive & Special Team squad. Congratulations on the selections, boys. Hard work pays off!
Preseason Class 4A Player of the Year: Mason Carrier Mason Carrier 6'2" | 225 lbs | LB Detroit Lakes | 2024 State MN (Detroit Lakes) Senior. LB. & Simon Seidl Simon Seidl 6'0" | 170 lbs | DB Hill Murray | 2024 State MN (Hill-Murray) Senior. DB/WR
Preseason Class 4A Defensive Player of the Year: Abu Tarawallie Abu Tarawallie 6'4" | 260 lbs | DL Heritage Christian Academy | 2025 State MN (Providence Academy) Junior. DL. 6’4, 260 lbs.
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Defensive Line
First Team: Zach Vanderpool Zach Vanderpool 6'5" | 230 lbs | DL Byron | 2024 State MN (Byron) 2024. 6’5, 250 lbs. – Trent Page Trent Page 6'4" | 245 lbs | DL Minnehaha Academy | 2024 State MN (SMB) 2024. 6’4, 245 lbs. – Abu Tarawallie Abu Tarawallie 6'4" | 260 lbs | DL Heritage Christian Academy | 2025 State MN (Providence Academy) 2025. 6’4, 265 lbs. – Dane Borene Dane Borene 6'6" | 240 lbs | DL SMB | 2024 State MN (SMB) 2024. 6’6, 240 lbs.
Second Team: Easton Suess Easton Suess 6'5" | 215 lbs | DL Kasson-Mantorville | 2024 State MN (Kasson-Mantorville) 2024. 6’5, 220 lbs. – Keenan Paschall Keenan Paschall 6'2" | 245 lbs | DL Delasalle | 2024 State MN (Delasalle) 2024. 6’3, 250 lbs. – Will Martin Will Martin 6'2" | 225 lbs | LB Detroit Lakes | 2024 State MN (Detroit Lakes) 2024. 6’2, 225 lbs. – Carson Jewett (Hill-Murray) 2024. 6’2, 260 lbs.
Third Team: Chase Brixius Chase Brixius 6'2" | 215 lbs | LB Benilde-St. Margaret's | 2025 State MN (Benilde-St. Margaret’s) 2025. 6’2, 215 lbs. – Leevy Barron Leevy Barron 6'3" | 220 lbs | DL MPLS Patrick Henry | 2024 State MN (Minneapolis Patrick Henry) 2024. 6’3, 215 lbs. – Logan Schleeter Logan Schleeter 6'2" | 235 lbs | DL Orono | 2024 State MN (Orono) 2024. 6’2, 235 lbs. – Kaden Rausch (Rocori) 2024. 6’1, 220 lbs.
Honorable Mention: Nick Thoma (Providence Academy) 2024. 6’4, 210 lbs. – Corey Picha III (Simley) 2024. 6’3, 280 lbs. – Grady Minnerath Grady Minnerath 6'0" | 245 lbs | DL Rocori | 2024 State MN (Rocori) 2024. – Cole Junso (St. Peter) 2024. 6’2, 220 lbs.
Linebacker
First Team: Mason Carrier Mason Carrier 6'2" | 225 lbs | LB Detroit Lakes | 2024 State MN (Detroit Lakes) 2024. 6’2, 225 lbs. – Ryder Wrazidlo (Hermantown) 2024. 6’1, 220 lbs. – Jeffrey Ratliff Jeffrey Ratliff 6'3" | 215 lbs | DL SMB | 2025 State MN (SMB) 2025. 6’3, 225 lbs.
Second Team: Will Seymour Will Seymour 6'2" | 215 lbs | LB Benilde-St. Margaret's | 2025 MN (Benilde-St. Margaret’s) 2025. 6’2, 215 lbs. – Charlie Zok Charlie Zok 5'11" | 210 lbs | LB Detroit Lakes | 2024 State MN (Detroit Lakes) 2024. 6′, 210 lbs. – Samuel Winkels Samuel Winkels 6'0" | 210 lbs | LB Austin | 2025 State MN (Austin) 2025. 6’1, 210 lbs.
Third Team: Carter Bursinger Carter Bursinger 6'2" | 210 lbs | LB MPLS South | 2024 State MN (Minneapolis South) 2024. 6’2, 215 lbs. – Nolen Volner Nolen Volner 6'1" | 200 lbs | LB North Branch | 2025 State MN (North Branch) 2025. 6’1, 190 lbs. – Joshua Bosacker (St. Peter) 2024. 6’1, 205 lbs.
Honorable Mention: Logan Bender Logan Bender 6'3" | 230 lbs | LB Chisago Lakes | 2025 State MN (Chisago Lakes) 2025. 6’3, 220 lbs. – Rory Wyatt Rory Wyatt 5'11" | 175 lbs | LB Patrick Henry | 2024 State MN (Minneapolis Patrick Henry) 2024. 5’11, 180 lbs. – Jackson Primus Jackson Primus 6'1" | 220 lbs | LB Rocori | 2024 State MN (Rocori) 2024. 6’1, 220 lbs.
Defensive Back
First Team: Simon Seidl Simon Seidl 6'0" | 170 lbs | DB Hill Murray | 2024 State MN (Hill-Murray) 2024. 6′, 170 lbs. – Will Steil Will Steil 6'2" | 190 lbs | DB Rocori | 2024 State MN (Rocori) 2024. 6’2, 190 lbs. – Grady Rannow Grady Rannow 6'1" | 190 lbs | DB SMB | 2024 State MN (SMB) 2024. 6’1, 190 lbs. – Josiah Young Josiah Young 6'3" | 165 lbs | DB Totino-Grace | 2025 State MN (Totino-Grace) 2025. 6’2, 180 lbs.
Second Team: Caisen Thome Caisen Thome 6'2" | 185 lbs | DB Kasson-Mantorville | 2025 State MN (Kasson-Mantorville) 2025. 6’1, 180 lbs. – Slater Crandall (Benilde-St. Margaret’s) 2024. 5’10, 170 lbs – Decario Brown (Hill-Murray) 2024. 5’11, 170 lbs. – Damian Devine Damian Devine 6'3" | 200 lbs | ATH Holy Angles | 2025 State MN (Holy Angels) 2025. 6’3, 200 lbs.
Third Team: Brody Summers (Hermantown) 2024. – Grant Tylutki Grant Tylutki 5'9" | 185 lbs | DB Rocori | 2025 State MN (Rocori) 2025. – Victor Ruhland Victor Ruhland 5'8" | 185 lbs | LB Orono | 2024 MN (Orono) 2024. 5’9, 185 lbs. – William Brands William Brands 6'3" | 200 lbs | DB Totino-Grace | 2024 State MN (Totino-Grace) 2024. 6’4, 190 lbs.
Honorable Mention: Anthony Fahlander (Providence Academy) 2024. 6’1, 170 lbs. – Jeremiah Peterson-Gordon Jeremiah Peterson-Gordon 5'10" | 185 lbs | DB Kasson-Mantorville | 2026 State MN (Kasson–Mantorville) 2026. 5’11, 180 lbs. – Davontae White-Sledge Davontae White-Sledge 6'2" | 170 lbs | ATH MPLS Patrick Henry | 2024 State MN III (Minneapolis Patrick Henry) 2024. 6’2, 175 lbs. – Jajuan Bobmanuel Jajuan Bobmanuel 5'11" | 180 lbs | ATH St. Paul Johnson | 2025 State MN (St. Paul Johnson) 2025. 5’10, 175 lbs.
Athlete
First Team: Ray James (Delasalle) 2024. 6’3, 200 lbs. – Taye Manns Taye Manns 5'11" | 200 lbs | ATH Denfeld | 2025 State MN (Duluth Denfeld) 2025. 5’11, 185 lbs.
Second Team: Tykeilan Moore Tykeilan Moore 6'2" | 190 lbs | ATH Fridley | 2024 State MN (Fridley) 2024. 6’2, 195 lbs.
Third Team: Carter Reinbold (Mound Westonka) 2024. 5’9, 200 lbs.
Specialists
Kicker: Zach Bengtson (Becker) 2024. – Sam Gaylord (Mound Westonka) 2024. 6′, 150 lbs. – Ethan Lieb (New Ulm) 2024. – Paulie Nathansen (SMB) 2024. 6’1, 190 lbs.
Punter: Caden Connor (Delano) 2024. 5’11, 155 lbs. – Ethan Lieb (New Ulm) 2024. – Paulie Nathansen (SMB) 2024. 6’1, 190 lbs.
Returner: Taye Manns Taye Manns 5'11" | 200 lbs | ATH Denfeld | 2025 State MN (Duluth Denfeld) 2025. 5’11, 185 lbs. – Dashawn Moore Dashawn Moore 5'11" | 180 lbs | ATH Duluth Denfeld | 2024 State MN (Duluth Denfeld) 2024. 5’11, 180 lbs. – Grant Tylutki Grant Tylutki 5'9" | 185 lbs | DB Rocori | 2025 State MN (Rocori) 2025. – Jaden Blanck Jaden Blanck 5'10" | 185 lbs | ATH Winona | 2025 State MN (Winona) 2025. 5’10, 180 lbs.