Minnesota’s 2023 Class AAA Preseason All-State Team: Defense/ST

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Class AAA: your time is now! After watching every available player from all 54 triple-A programs in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, <em>PrepRedzoneMN </em>has selected the best of the best on the defensive side of the ball for our esteemed 2023 Class AAA Preseason All-State Defensive &amp; Special Team squad. Athletic pass rushers and run-stuffers, thumping linebackers, ballhawking defensive backs, do-it-all athletes, and standout kickers, punters, and returners galore! Chosen with available film, stats &amp; production, accolades &amp; awards, and college interest from the freshman up the rising seniors all taken into account, this Class AAA preseason Dream Team is overflowing with talent and prospective college athletes. Congratulations on the selection, young ballers. Hard work pays off! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>--</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Preseason Player of the Year: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='323504' first='Koi' last='Perich']</strong> (<em>Esko</em>) Senior. Athlete. 6'1, 200 lbs. Committed to Minnesota </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Preseason Defensive Player of the Year:<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1140786' first='Harrison' last='Brun']</strong> (<em>Rockford</em>) Senior. DB/LB. 6'2, 205 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Defensive Line</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">First Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='641138' first='Gavin' last='Wang']</strong> (<em>Annandale</em>) 2025. 6'7, 255 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='234882' first='Graysen' last='Schneider']</strong> (<em>Stewartville</em>) 2025. 6'3, 235 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='306620' first='Zach' last='Bentler']</strong> (<em>Two Harbors</em>) 2024. 6'4, 240 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='743259' first='Elijah' last='Hagen']</strong> (<em>Jordan</em>) 2024. 6'6, 225 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Second Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='234759' first='Hank' last='Artz']</strong> (<em>Fairmont</em>) 2025. 5'11, 240 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='706015' first='Lucas' last='Swenson']</strong> (<em>New London-Spicer</em>) 2024. 6'3, 235 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='408509' first='Thatcher' last='Bochmann']</strong> (<em>Rochester Lourdes</em>) 2024. 6'5, 220 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='551400' first='Jacob' last='Dietel']</strong> (<em>Litchfield</em>) 2024. 6'1, 240 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Third Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='551314' first='Brock' last='Montminy']</strong> (<em>Esko</em>) 2025. 6'3, 310 lbs. - <strong>Marshel Johnson</strong> (<em>New London-Spicer</em>) 2024. 6'2, 270 lbs. - <strong>Aidan Adamski</strong> <em>(Two Harbors</em>) 2025. 6'3, 240 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='743310' first='Will' last='Roth']</strong> <em>(Rochester Lourdes</em>) 2024. 6', 240 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Honorable Mention: <strong>Devon Schaefer </strong>(<em>Albany</em>) 2024. -<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='105385' first='Azrie' last='Yeager'] </strong>(<em>Minneapolis North</em>) 2024. 6'1, 290 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='242371' first='Nate' last='Klusmann'] </strong>(<em>Pine Island</em>) 2024. 6'3, 240 lbs. - <strong>Cade Grimmius</strong> (<em>Worthington</em>) 2024. 6'7, 330 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Linebacker</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-b62f9e1e-e45a-465c-a2f3-d80526713008">First Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='105413' first='Conner' last='Connell']</strong> (<em>Luverne</em>) 2024. 6'4, 225 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='704469' first='Caleb' last='Jannsen']</strong> (<em>Stewartville</em>) 2024. 6'4, 220 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='641136' first='Blake' last='Schiltz'] </strong>(<em>Pine Island</em>) 2025. 6'3, 215 lbs. - <strong>Joey Antonutti</strong> (<em>Esko</em>) 2024. 5'11, 225 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-0fcfe14d-e1cb-4ef1-8dc4-dab08058f65b">Second Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='242476' first='Kadin' last='Pries']</strong> <em>(Plainview-Elgin-Millville</em>) 2024. 5'11, 200 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='422176' first='Tristan' last='Holbrook']</strong> (<em>Belle Plaine)</em> 2025. 6', 205 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='362306' first='Caleb' last='Johnson']</strong> <em>(Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton</em>) 2025. 6'1, 205 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='241909' first='Hudson' last='Hackel']</strong> (<em>Perham</em>) 2024. 6'1, 215 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-83e6fc1b-8af6-4904-a8ef-7aaf4f49b018">Third Team: <strong>Cashmere Grunau</strong> (<em>Minneapolis North</em>) 2024. 5'11, 220 lbs. - <strong>Isaak Sertich</strong> (<em>Esko</em>) 2024. 6'2, 180 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='641225' first='Casey' last='Macziewski'] </strong>(<em>Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton)</em> 2025. 5'10, 185 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='242450' first='Sam' last='Haug']</strong> (<em>Concordia Academy</em>) 2024. 6', 210 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Defensive Back</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-b62f9e1e-e45a-465c-a2f3-d80526713008">First Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1140786' first='Harrison' last='Brun']</strong> (<em>Rockford</em>) 2024. 6'2, 205 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='234881' first='Parker' last='Wangen']</strong> (<em>Stewartville</em>) 2025. 6'4, 200 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='641132' first='Damarius' last='Russell']</strong> (<em>Waseca</em>) 2025. 6', 160 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='242454' first='Kellen' last='Quast']</strong> (<em>Concordia Academy</em>) 2024. 5'10, 180 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-0fcfe14d-e1cb-4ef1-8dc4-dab08058f65b">Second Team:<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='368537' first='Joe' last='Healy']</strong> (<em>Annandale</em>) 2024. 6'1, 180 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='234907' first='Jacion' last='Owens']</strong> (<em>Esko</em>) 2025. 5'10, 170 lbs. - <strong>Kobee Thielen</strong> (<em>Dassel-Cokato</em>) 2025. 6'1, 175 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='592119' first='Deron' last='Russell']</strong> (<em>Waseca</em>) 2026. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-83e6fc1b-8af6-4904-a8ef-7aaf4f49b018">Third Team: <strong>Keiji Suggs</strong> (<em>Holy Family</em>) 2024. 6'1, 160 lbs. - <strong>Darius Lockett</strong> <em>(Fergus Falls</em>) 2025. 5'10, 150 lbs. - <strong>Alex Kriesel </strong>(<em>Pequot Lakes</em>) 2024. 6', 170 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='369905' first='Tate' last='Nelson']</strong> (<em>Two Harbors</em>) 2025. 5'11, 150 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Honorable Mention: <strong>Levi Anderson</strong> (<em>East Grand Forks)</em> 2024. 6', 185 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='491435' first='Miguel' last='Arandia']</strong> (<em>Glencoe-Silver Lake</em>) 2024. 5'6, 170 lbs. - <strong>Gavin Twaddle</strong> (<em>Pine Island</em>) 2025. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='282093' first='Keegan' last='Knutson']</strong> (<em>Red Wing</em>) 2025. 5'10, 155 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Athlete</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-b62f9e1e-e45a-465c-a2f3-d80526713008">First Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='323504' first='Koi' last='Perich']</strong> (<em>Esko</em>) 2024. 6'1, 200 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='105392' first='Zashon' last='Rich']</strong> (<em>Minneapolis North</em>) 2024. 6'2, 190 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-0fcfe14d-e1cb-4ef1-8dc4-dab08058f65b">Second Team:<strong> Logan Stedman</strong> (<em>Rockford</em>) 2024. 6', 180 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-83e6fc1b-8af6-4904-a8ef-7aaf4f49b018">Third Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='551303' first='Alex' last='Hinrichs']</strong> (<em>Plainview-Elgin-Millville)</em> 2025. 6'2, 180 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Specialists</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Kicker: <strong>Zach Roe</strong> (<em>Annandale</em>) 2025. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='551351' first='Garrison' last='Jackman']</strong> (<em>Litchfield</em>) 2024. - <strong>Brayden Spears</strong> <em>(Thief River Falls)</em> 2024. 5'10, 165 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Punter: <strong>Trenton Mikels</strong> (<em>Albert Lea</em>) 2024. 6'2, 190 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='551351' first='Garrison' last='Jackman']</strong> (<em>Litchfield</em>) 2024. - <strong>Joe Kosloski</strong> (<em>Pequot Lakes</em>) 2024. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Returner: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='323504' first='Koi' last='Perich']</strong> (<em>Esko</em>) 2024. 6'1, 200 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->