Minnesota's April Recruiting Roundup

Despite a somewhat slow start to the state of Minnesota's recruiting visibility, especially at the top end, the recruiting trail has really started to heat up in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. With so many offers, commitments, visits, workouts, recruiting graphics, camp invites, to scroll through, PrepRedzoneMN is here to bring to our wonderful subscribers the biggest news, themes, trends, and moments from P4 to NAIA recruiting in the Great State of Minnesota. What a month of action it was! Dig in.   --   [player_tooltip player_id='234761' first='Luke' last='Emmerich'] Explodes onto the Minnesota, Midwest, and National Recruiting Scene   We had some major commitments go down in April, and as big of a Gophers fan I am, I'd argue the context, short amount of time, and volume of offers in such a short span give Monticello's 2025 ATH [player_tooltip player_id='234761' first='Luke' last='Emmerich'] the title of "Biggest MN Recruiting Story of April." Injuries have held the 2025 class of top-end MN prospects back on the recruiting trail, and Emmerich is one of the biggest victims, as he missed all of his junior season in 2023 due to a knee injury, leaving his stock up in the air and a lot of questions revolving around what and how to go about his recruitment and place in the top-tier of the MN 2025 class. Despite the questions, there wasn't a doubt that Emmerich is a D1-worthy football player. The sophomore tape was dynamic, exciting, and impressive, and he brings good size to the table at 6'2, 200 and has reported some good athletic numbers prior to the injury, although they weren't verifiable by any means I could find. College programs agreed, as he earned a FCS offer from Illinois State in January and FBS offers from Air Force and Army in mid-April. The biggest believer in Emmerich seems to go to the University of Washington, who offered Emmerich his first P4 offer before the junior really shot his stock into the stratosphere a few days later.   With two weeks of hindsight and Emmerich's popularity behind us, it's now easy to say that questions about Emmerich's ability have been answered, the biggest of which is that Emmerich has bounced back and is back to 100% after popping off a wave-inducing and pleasantly surprising 10.69 100M dash time on April 23rd. It seems like there are some rumblings about that time being wind-aided, but the bottom line is that even if that time was tenths of a second longer, Emmerich is still moving at an explosive and rare pace for his size. That 100M time has now directly led to one of the biggest recruiting blowups of the spring, as Emmerich has since heard from Iowa State, Wisconsin, Washington State, Michigan State, Boston College, Cal-Berkeley, Utah, Nebraska, USC, Minnesota, and KState, and Ohio State, Alabama, and Miami have all made personal contact as well. I've been saying for years that verified athletic numbers - especially track times - are as good as gold in this industry, and Emmerich is fully reaping the rewards. With the amount of work he's put in to bounce back from his injury, as well as how good of a head the kid has on his shoulders, I am extremely happy about the attention he's now receiving. Not only is it good for Emmerich himself, but it's good for Monticello's town and program, as well as the state of Minnesota's recruiting scene as well. Everyone always says the Midwest is lacking in speed, and although the track is eye-catching, it's important to remember that this kid is a heckuva football player and his sophomore tape has played a role in this blowup as well. It looks like he's primarily being recruited at safety. It's funny, this article took me two days write, and I had a completed conclusion basically stating that we should enjoy this recruitment continuing to develop, as it doesn't look it like it was going to end anytime soon. HOWEVER, Emmerich - somewhat out of nowhere - shut things down and committed to Head Coach Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin Badgers. This came only three days after the Gophers offered, as well as a few days after Alabama, Miami, and Ohio State made contact. Looks like he had everything he needed in Mad Town. Congrats, Luke!   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/luke_emmerich29/status/1782931868612022665 </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='362273' first='Emmanuel' last='Karmo'] Chooses to Stay Home over Heavyweight Suitors   You know the Gophers have a good thing going when an instate prospect turns down an Ohio State offer - offered personally by one of MN's GOATs in James Laurinaitis - to stay home and rep the Gophers. It's both compelling and unsurprising that the Cooper Hawks have another nationally competitive football recruit walking their halls, and it's obviously exciting to see their flagship recruit commit to the Gophs as a high schooler. Standout 2025 LB/WR [player_tooltip player_id='362273' first='Emmanuel' last='Karmo'] has gotten better and better year-to-year, resulting in 18 D1 offers and most of the P4s coming after his junior season concluded. Karmo narrowed things down to a Top 7 of Oregon, Wisconsin, Penn State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Nebraska, and USC, but it only took him four days after announcing the finalists to commit to the hometown Gophers. In my opinion, kids with this type of offer list have traditionally spurned the Gophers, so I believe it's a testament to PJ Fleck & co. that they landed a LB of this caliber who was very popular with B1G competitors and national brands and suitors. Dynamic, physical, twitchy, and productive, Karmo has grown into quite the receiver, but defense is his bread and butter and he'll be rushing the passer for the Gophers in Dinkytown. What a talent and what a land by the Gophers. RTB!   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/EmmanuelKarmo28/status/1778943960167182698 </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='752525' first='Cameron' last='Begalle'] Commits to Stay Home on the Spot   We've been Andover WR [player_tooltip player_id='752525' first='Cameron' last='Begalle']'s #1 hype man since I saw him tear up Mankato West in the early weeks of the 2023 high school football season. Fantastic film, some of the best production in the state, size, and verified speed (11.02 100M as a sophomore), it took the rest of the national media quite some time to catch up, but they're getting there, as did the college football suitors. After his first two offers rolled in in April, first from the Air Force Academy and followed by Army-West Point, the Minnesota Gophers went to Andover High School to watch Begalle workout, which prompted the Gophs to invite the rising senior to meet 1-on-1 with PJ Fleck himself, which led to an offer and immediate commitment from the instate playmaker, emphasis on immediate. It was a big month for the Andover wideout, to say the least, and one that was building up over quite some time. Fast, explosive, juice after the catch, route running ability, and a big catch radius, Begalle is an excellent addition to the Gophers 2025 class and is another great representative of Minnesota skill players who are generally underrated on a regional scale. Begalle will be making the doubters pay in the Maroon & Gold.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/CameronBegalle/status/1781344299671572518 </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='234833' first='Meyer' last='Swinney'] Joins his Brother out West   One of the long-standing, unquestioned P4 recruits in the Minnesota 2025 class, Edina's XL pass-catcher [player_tooltip player_id='234833' first='Meyer' last='Swinney'] made his commitment decision in mid-April and will be joining his brother on the West Coast at Cal-Berkeley. You had to think the Golden Bear were a major player in his recruitment from the jump, and you always have to follow bloodlines in the recruiting world, so it wasn't a huge surprise when Swinney shut things down this month and ended what was a rich recruitment process that resulted in 15 D1 offers and 11 P5 offers from B1G, SEC, Big12, and ACC suitors. Swinney took a visit to College Station to see what the Aggies are all about, as well as to Kansas, Wisconsin, and Iowa State, but the chance to play with his brother, play big-time football out in Cali, the academic prestige, and the prospect to continue playing WR at the next level despite his big-bodied frame all ended up playing a role in his eventual decision. Great ball skills, is a polished route runner, has tons of physicality as a blocker, and is overall versatile, he's a big get for the Golden Bears as they head into ACC play going forward. With Cal-Berkely now having success in multiple recruiting cycles in Minnesota, I'll be curious to see if the Golden Bears continue to recruit the state as well.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/meyer_swinney/status/1779886196023255134 </div></figure>   Maple Grove Trio Continue their Massive Influx of Offers; More Crimson get in on the action   It's been a whirlwind of an offseason for the Maple Grove Crimson. An unexpected end to the playoffs, a sudden coaching change, and a prolific volume of D1 scholarship offers for their 2025 class have made for an offseason the Crimson's fans, players, and coaches won't soon forget. I'm still putting together my list for the state's best 2025 graduating classes, and Maple Grove is an early leader for the #1 spot. Between their three superstar rising senior prospects: TE [player_tooltip player_id='490031' first='Nathan' last='Hromadka'], ATH [player_tooltip player_id='586119' first='Dylan' last='Vokal'], and OT [player_tooltip player_id='362276' first='Michael' last='Wagner'], the trio holds an eye-popping 40 D1 scholarships between them, and that offer list is only growing week to week. In April, Vokal heard from Columbia, Northern Iowa, South Dakota, Cornell, and Air Force. Hromadka was offered by Dartmouth, Illinois State, Columbia, Fordham, South Dakota, Air Force, Cornell, Yale, and Colgate. And Wagner received offers from UC Davis, Fordham, South Dakota, Washington State, Dartmouth, and Columbia. What a month for these three! Additionally, the three were joined as D1-offerees by a couple of teammates, as stud RB [player_tooltip player_id='1192021' first='Charles' last='Langama'] grabbed an exciting first offer from North Dakota, and very late in March, LB [player_tooltip player_id='1120518' first='Bo' last='Draheim'] was offered by Cornell. What a graduating class the Crimson have on their hands! Talent, buy-in, and expectations are all sky-high for Maple Grove going into the season, as it should be.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Charles2Langama/status/1783894085406806281 </div></figure>   West Coast turned B1G Suitors Start Recruiting the Land of 10,000 Lakes   It's been interesting to see how geographic recruiting areas have changed since the realignment and tectonic shifts that have occured in the P5/P4 conferences, and a noticeable trend as of late is seeing the West Coast powers start moving into the Midwest to look for prep football talent. Oregon offered [player_tooltip player_id='362273' first='Emmanuel' last='Karmo'] and stopped by some Metro programs to recruit and build ties in-person, and more recently, we saw the University of Southern California, one of the biggest names in CFB, make a lengthy appearance to recruit the Land of 10,000 Lakes. It helps when former NDSU head coach Matt Entz is now on staff, and the former Bison serial-winner was busy in Minnesota, offering stock-riser [player_tooltip player_id='234761' first='Luke' last='Emmerich'], watching standout 2026 OT [player_tooltip player_id='490046' first='Owen' last='Linder'] workout, and checking out the likes of Buffalo and Chanhassen High Schools in-person to reignite some recruiting relationships. Objectively, having a brand name program like USC recruiting Minnesota kids is huge for the state on a national level, and with how much I love following and tracking who is recruiting the state and from where, you can bet your butt I wouldn't miss bringing this to yalls attention.   Not West Coach themed, but in the vein of P4 programs recruiting the state, Northwestern University recently made a long stop in MN, checking out Outstate programs such as Jackson County Central, Kasson-Mantorville, and Stewartville. Go Wildcats!   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/OwenLinder3/status/1785320002700050865 </div></figure>   Jaxon Howard Comes Home   Stay tuned in the coming days for Minnesota-focused Transfer Portal piece, but I couldn't be confident in an April Recruiting Roundup without mentioning the massive transfer news that is Jaxon Howard coming home! The 2023 #1 recruit in Minnesota and a Top-140 kid nationally, Howard chose LSU over his other finalists Minnesota and Michigan, and I believe the Gophers finished as runner-ups in his high school decision behind Louisiana State Tigers. However, even after a promising spring as a true freshman and five games of action with the Tigers this past fall, Howard elected to hit the transfer portal, and despite offers from Kansas, Purdue, Indiana, Michigan State, Cal-Berkeley, and Washington, the 6'4, 240 lb. EDGE will Row the Boat and committed to the home state Gophers. About as exciting of a transfer as possible, Howard brings elite athleticism to a position of need for the Gophers, and with the hometown angle, he's going to be a fan favorite in no time. Cannot wait to see what this dude can do in the Maroon & Gold!   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Hayesfawcett3/status/1781336978803368102 </div></figure>   2025 9Man Prospects Assert Themselves as a Top 9Man Class in Recent Memory   I always find the MN 9Man ranks fun to follow for a variety of reasons. The classification is always one of the most competitive brackets when state tournament time rolls around, the lack of available information makes it a fun challenge to try and evaluate, predict, and track the programs and players from 9Man Minnesota, and year after year, some under-the-radar monsters reveal themselves as mysterious, high-ceiling college recruits. Generally, the big-time recruits produced out of the 9Man ranks are linemen or TEs, who, due to the nature of the 9Man game, find themselves as versatile three-phase contributors who never leave the field and usually are oversized, XL, dominant, fun-to-watch weapons that are a nightmare for 9Man offenses & defenses to handle. This year, the 2025 class of 9Man prospects is one of the deepest and most talented I've seen in a long time, and we had some 9Man related recruiting news in April that we can use as evidence. This cycle, we have some legitimate explosive, playmaking offensive weapons with legit athleticism and production that cannot be discounted or ignored. [player_tooltip player_id='502012' first='Isaiah' last='Wright'], a 5'11, 195 lb. WR/RB/DB from Fertile-Beltrami, got the 2025 9Man class off to a hot start after he committed to the North Dakota Fighting Hawks on April 30th after receiving the offer in March. A great kid with versatility, fluidity, and a nose for the endzone, Wright balled out at December's PrepRedzoneMN Showcase and is/will be a classic example of UND finding a small town kid and getting the most out of him at the next level. Additionally, Hancock's 6'5, 240 lb. RB/LB [player_tooltip player_id='1204066' first='Chase' last='Evink'] earned his first offer from FCS Furman, who you don't see venture to MN very often. Evink's film looks like they gave a pickup truck or a pissed off hippopotamus a handoff, and with how little we know about this kid right now besides the tape and his basketball background, I don't know where his recruitment is heading. I'm dyin' to see him live, though. Follow 9Man recruiting and competition more this year, you won't regret it.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Isaiah_WrIght2/status/1785316504592060775 </div></figure>   Mankato State & Bemidji State Become Many Minnesotans First Offer   Really like the Mavericks and Beavers have methodically attacked the Minnesota 2025 class. Both programs came out hot with a big wave of early offers in the beginning of April, offering some of the top kids in the state, and with more fringe D1 guys than usual in the class, you could see some really talented and underrated prospects head to the always-mighty NSIC in 2025. The teams became the following players first offers:   Mankato:   Zachary Welch (Anoka) RB/LB.   [player_tooltip player_id='1204079' first='Alex' last='Johnson'] (Centennial) OT.   [player_tooltip player_id='1277505' first='DK' last='Gora'] (Stillwater) DB.   [player_tooltip player_id='1202015' first='Malachi' last='Boadi'] (Minnetonka) DB/LB.   [player_tooltip player_id='938335' first='Nick' last='Montik'] (Elk River) DL.   [player_tooltip player_id='1201977' first='Henrik' last='Hiltner'] (Centennial) TE.   [player_tooltip player_id='563415' first='Sam' last='Ruid'] (St. Francis) OT.   [player_tooltip player_id='1581587' first='Finn' last='Benz'] (St. Thomas Academy) DB.   [player_tooltip player_id='218639' first='Yahya' last='Yusuf'] (Minneapolis Washburn) OL.   [player_tooltip player_id='945918' first='Aijhon' last='Douglas'] (St. Paul Harding) ATH.   [player_tooltip player_id='743241' first='Austin' last='Nommensen'] (Mankato West) DE.   [player_tooltip player_id='1581527' first='Jason' last='Eagle'] (Spring Lake Park) DE.   [player_tooltip player_id='234847' first='Avaugn' last='Dorvil'] (St. Thomas Academy) DT.   Also offered: [player_tooltip player_id='743256' first='Eleazar' last='Staley'] (Mankato West) WR.   Bemidji:   [player_tooltip player_id='582149' first='Eli' last='Klimek'] (Nevis) LB.   [player_tooltip player_id='1581726' first='Adam' last='Dorsey'] (Eagan) DB.   [player_tooltip player_id='234762' first='Jaden' last='Blanck'] (Winona) ATH.   [player_tooltip player_id='1201982' first='Jake' last='Schultz'] (Delano) WR.   [player_tooltip player_id='1204087' first='Brodie' last='Miller'] (Minneapolis Washburn) OL/DL.   [player_tooltip player_id='945893' first='Chris' last='King'] (Mt. Iron-Buhl) DL.   [player_tooltip player_id='1003346' first='Noah' last='Berrini'] (Mt. Iron-Buhl) DL/OL.   [player_tooltip player_id='479373' first='Michael' last='Bruggers'] (Champlin Park) DE.   [player_tooltip player_id='1120579' first='Spencer' last='Lewis'] (Champlin Park) DE.   [player_tooltip player_id='234770' first='Brock' last='Wyandt'] (Farmington) WR.   [player_tooltip player_id='234777' first='Elijah' last='Johnson'] (Fairmont) RB.   [player_tooltip player_id='743256' first='Eleazar' last='Staley'] (Mankato West) WR.   [player_tooltip player_id='945933' first='Denim' last='Blackstad'] (Mankato West) DE.   [player_tooltip player_id='1186811' first='Max' last='Speratos'] (Farmington) DE.   [player_tooltip player_id='758773' first='Isaiah' last='Campbell'] (Elk River) OL.   [player_tooltip player_id='1204473' first='Owen' last='Thielges'] (Moorhead) DB.   [player_tooltip player_id='245762' first='Axel' last='Lorenz'] (Mankato West) OL.   Afy Ubekwe (Anoka) WR.   [player_tooltip player_id='1191521' first='Hudson' last='Omoke'] (Sauk Rapids-Rice) WR.   Also offered: [player_tooltip player_id='563415' first='Sam' last='Ruid'], [player_tooltip player_id='362313' first='Frank' last='McAninch'], [player_tooltip player_id='945923' first='Cooper' last='Mansfield'], [player_tooltip player_id='446976' first='Trey' last='Borchers'], [player_tooltip player_id='945939' first='Jake' last='Allex'], [player_tooltip player_id='743241' first='Austin' last='Nommensen'], [player_tooltip player_id='1581527' first='Jason' last='Eagle']   [player_tooltip player_id='641138' first='Gavin' last='Wang'] Commits to North Dakota State; Bison Offer Some Big-Time Juniors in MN   North Dakota State is undoubtedly one of the best recruiters of the Land of 10,000 Lakes, so it's always good to see them continue to stay active and stay successful in Minnesota. The Bison's 2025 class got off to an early start with Annandale's 6'7, 265 lb. OT/DE [player_tooltip player_id='641138' first='Gavin' last='Wang'] shut things down a couple months after receiving his offer to NDSU. A prospect who was initially shrouded in mystery after coming onto the scene with nothing but a small town newspaper clipping of a 3-sack performance, Wang has firmly asserted himself among the state's best and had a good showing at December's PrepRedzoneMN Stock-Up Showcase against high-quality MN competition from both the Outstate and Metro. Tall, long, two-way contributor, multi-sport athlete, physically dominant in his junior tape, Wang has all the makings of a MN-bred OL molded into a monster in Fargo, a tradition the Bison excel at. Additionally, the Bison offered some more talented MN juniors, including Chaska's [player_tooltip player_id='362299' first='Josh' last='Wedel'], Waseca's [player_tooltip player_id='641132' first='Damarius' last='Russell'], Stewartville's [player_tooltip player_id='234882' first='Graysen' last='Schneider'], and in March/February they offered Maple Grove's [player_tooltip player_id='586119' first='Dylan' last='Vokal'], Benilde-St. Margaret's [player_tooltip player_id='436161' first='Chase' last='Brixius'], BSM's [player_tooltip player_id='234786' first='Khalif' last='Brown'], East Ridge's [player_tooltip player_id='743275' first='Kyle' last='Frendt'], Buffalo's [player_tooltip player_id='918768' first='Ryan' last='Babatz'], and Holy Angels' [player_tooltip player_id='1191511' first='Damian' last='Devine'].   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/GavinWang888735/status/1780373194626490783 </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='490046' first='Owen' last='Linder'] two more P4 offers   4-star Chanhassen 2026 OL [player_tooltip player_id='490046' first='Owen' last='Linder'] is staying popular and consistent on the P4 recruiting trail and added to his growing list of offers in April with Kansas and Kansas State both reaching out. Linder also visited Iowa State, Nebraska, and Wisconsin, talked to Michigan State's Defensive Quality Control Chris Gordon on the phone, and had Boston College, USC, and KState come to Chanhassen to meet him and/or watch him workout.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/OwenLinder3/status/1778583545125986728 </div></figure>   Concordia-Moorhead hosts massive Junior Day, St. John's, Winona State, MSU-Moorhead, Augie also have good Junior Day(s) showings   I debated throwing every name from every visit on a list for you, but that would be too many to be readable. The big takeaway is that things are humming on the recruiting trail for local DII and DIIIs, and Minnesota 2025s are receptive! I don't think it's ever too early for NSIC, MIAC, WIAC, and UMAC schools to start hitting up the upcoming cycle, and although a massive junior day can be a lot of work to coordinate, getting that early impression in on a prospect's mind can pay dividends later on. In particular, I was very impressed with the attendance at Concordia-Moorhead's Junior Day, where dozens of Minnesota boys gathered from both the Metro and Outstate. Great job and many props to the coaching staffs at the above-mentioned programs, the 2025 class is overflowing with DII and DIII talent.   Track & Field   Besides [player_tooltip player_id='234761' first='Luke' last='Emmerich']'s game-changing 100M time, we've seen some other noteworthy track & field times posted by Minnesota athletes, both big and small, at various T&F meets around the state early into the outdoor season. I'm planning on doing a full-fledged Track & Field-specific feature covering the entire Midwest and as well as Minnesota itself, but I'll give you a brief glimpse at some numbers that have caught my attention so far.   [player_tooltip player_id='234882' first='Graysen' last='Schneider'] (Stewartville) 2025. DL. - 11.56 100M   [player_tooltip player_id='641132' first='Damarius' last='Russell'] (Waseca) 2025. DB. - 10.97 100M   [player_tooltip player_id='1289981' first='Caleb' last='Kamara'] (Burnsville) 2026. ATH. - 10.99 100M   [player_tooltip player_id='1204067' first='Daniel' last='Jackson'] (Alexandria) 2025. K. - 10.86 100M   [player_tooltip player_id='641134' first='Elijah' last='Rumph'] (Eden Prairie) 2025. RB. - 11.05 100M, 22.75 200M   [player_tooltip player_id='1094114' first='Cooper' last='Drake'] (Edina) 2026. FS. - 22.08 200M   [player_tooltip player_id='918768' first='Ryan' last='Babatz'] (Buffalo) 2025. OL. - 53'11" shot put   MN 2025s earn first P5(?) offers from Washington State   I'll be honest, I'm still having trouble accepting Washington State/Oregon State P5 vs. P4 development. Because they're playing a Mountain West schedule soon, I know in my heart that they've been left behind for the G5 ranks, but out of respect for the programs themselves, as well as the fact that their rosters are P5-worthy and coaches were hired as P5 coaches, I believe this still counts as a bit above the G5 ranks and I still think it's notable that four Minnesotans earned Washington State offers. If anything, you're seeing a new team move into the state for recruiting purposes. [player_tooltip player_id='831981' first='Colin' last='Hansen'] of Byron, [player_tooltip player_id='362299' first='Josh' last='Wedel'] of Chaska, [player_tooltip player_id='362276' first='Michael' last='Wagner'] of Maple Grove, and [player_tooltip player_id='234761' first='Luke' last='Emmerich'] of Monticello all heard from the Cougars in late March/early April. Emmerich is/was the only one of the four to hold another P4 offer.   [player_tooltip player_id='1191516' first='Max' last='Coles'] grabs first D1 offers, expands the 2025 MN offer pool and strengthens Shakopee 2025 class   We knew the day was coming, but it was still reaffirming to see Shakopee's big, strong, and physical DL [player_tooltip player_id='1191516' first='Max' last='Coles'] earn his first D1 offers. Like his teammate [player_tooltip player_id='1120583' first='Trey' last='Boyd'], Coles exploded onto the MN 2025 recruiting scene after a breakout junior campaign in 2023. Air Force Academy pulled the trigger first, with South Dakota offering shortly after, and I'll be interested to see who else joins the party. Shakopee's size, depth, experience, and top-end talent are up there with anyone in the state and are competing with the likes of Maple Grove and Eden Prairie for the state's best 2025 class. Coles wins with his get-off, play speed, physicality, and agility, and is in the middle of a successful junior lacrosse season, and you can imagine that it would not be fun to run into the 6'4, 265 lber. on the lacrosse field. Coles also took a junior day visit to Minnesota in April.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Maxwell_coles/status/1781748156520149198 </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='1120583' first='Trey' last='Boyd'] continues to diversify his offer profile, sets officials   Speaking of Shakopee, the Sabers' P5 representative has continued his eventful recruitment process and had himself a busy May, naming official visits and earning some new offers in the process. From what I'm hearing, Boyd has legitimately gained 30 pounds since we saw in December at the PrepRedzoneMN Stock-Up Showcase, so his weight is off right now but will be fixed shortly, but that's an exciting wrinkle to his developing recruitment and one that sweetens the pot for his potential suitors. Boyd added offers from Indiana and BYU in April, so good to see another B1G offer added to the list as well as an offer from a BYU team that you don't see dip into the Land of 10,000 Lakes often. Additionally, the 6'5 offensive lineman set official visits to Purdue, Kansas, and Arizona. Interestingly, Boyd is one of only 5 instate prospects to earn a Gopher offer, but he hasn't set an official to Dinkytown, so take that how you will. He has visited the Gophers a couple of times previously, so maybe he feels like he's seen what he needs to see from the U, but I can't say for certain. Either way, big recruiting waves coming out of Shakopee High School.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/TBoyd2025/status/1778776588831592836 </div></figure>   Iowa State, NDSU, and North Dakota get Minnesotans on Campus   Three regular D1 recruiters of the Land of 10,000 Lakes held junior day and major unofficial recruiting visits in April, and we have the details of who went where. Check out who made April visits to North Dakota, NDSU, and Iowa State below.   North Dakota:   [player_tooltip player_id='1202012' first='Ethan' last='Stendel'] (Caledonia) 2025. ATH. - left with an offer   [player_tooltip player_id='1191511' first='Damian' last='Devine'] (Holy Angels) 2025. ATH. - left with an offer   [player_tooltip player_id='1204501' first='Mason' last='Vollrath'] (Forest Lake) 2025. DL.   [player_tooltip player_id='641136' first='Blake' last='Schiltz'] (Pine Island) 2025. LB.   [player_tooltip player_id='234777' first='Elijah' last='Johnson'] (Fairmont) 2025. RB.   [player_tooltip player_id='743236' first='Aaron' last='Baisley'] (Rocori) 2025. LB.   [player_tooltip player_id='1186811' first='Max' last='Speratos'] (Farmington) 2025. DL.   [player_tooltip player_id='392533' first='Grant' last='Tylutki'] (Rocori) 2025. DB.   [player_tooltip player_id='362275' first='Joseph' last='Martinson'] (Alexandria) 2025. OL.   [player_tooltip player_id='945893' first='Chris' last='King'] (Mt. Iron-Buhl) 2025. DL .   [player_tooltip player_id='362280' first='Caleb' last='Taylor'] (Minnetonka) 2025. DE.   [player_tooltip player_id='234775' first='Connor' last='Cade'] (Lakeville South) 2025. RB.   [player_tooltip player_id='479373' first='Michael' last='Bruggers'] (Champlin Park) 2025. DE.   [player_tooltip player_id='945935' first='Kellen' last='Binder'] (Centennial) 2025. TE.   [player_tooltip player_id='1201977' first='Henrik' last='Hiltner'] (Centennial) 2025. TE.   [player_tooltip player_id='641143' first='Preston' last='Thielke'] (Champlin Park) 2025. ATH.   [player_tooltip player_id='582149' first='Eli' last='Klimek'] (Nevis) 2025. LB.   [player_tooltip player_id='945349' first='Noah' last='Nelson'] (Hawley) 2025. QB.   [player_tooltip player_id='973578' first='Jack' last='Ames'] (Hawley) 2025. LB.   [player_tooltip player_id='1204489' first='Dean' last='Lempka'] (Alexandria) 2025. DE.   [player_tooltip player_id='1132564' first='Sam' last='Shaughnessy'] (Blaine) 2025. ATH.   NDSU:   [player_tooltip player_id='1120518' first='Bo' last='Draheim'] (Maple Grove) 2025. LB. - came for the spring game   [player_tooltip player_id='1112510' first='Kaden' last='Herman'] (Waconia) 2025. QB. - came for the spring game   [player_tooltip player_id='1207411' first='Michael' last='Naber'] (Shakopee) 2025. LB.   [player_tooltip player_id='234882' first='Graysen' last='Schneider'] (Stewartville) 2025. DL - left with an offer   [player_tooltip player_id='641132' first='Damarius' last='Russell'] (Waseca) 2025. DB. - left with an offer   [player_tooltip player_id='362299' first='Josh' last='Wedel'] (Chaska) 2025. TE/DE. - left with an offer   [player_tooltip player_id='945891' first='Gannon' last='Bolgrean'] (Barnesville) 2025. ATH.   [player_tooltip player_id='1120571' first='Peter' last='Okafor'] (Park Center) 2025. OL.   [player_tooltip player_id='234787' first='Xavier' last='Fleming'] (Park Center) 2025. DE.   [player_tooltip player_id='945911' first='Evan' last='McCarty'] (Wayzata) 2025. OL.   [player_tooltip player_id='363115' first='Jacob' last='Wrbanek'] (Maple Grove) 2025. LB.   [player_tooltip player_id='234770' first='Brock' last='Wyandt'] (Farmington) 2025. WR.   [player_tooltip player_id='234900' first='Brady' last='Kittelson'] (Blooming Prairie) 2025. QB.   [player_tooltip player_id='1132564' first='Sam' last='Shaughnessy'] (Blaine) 2025. ATH.   [player_tooltip player_id='945923' first='Cooper' last='Mansfield'] (Elk River) 2025. OT.   [player_tooltip player_id='493314' first='Jackson' last='Thornburgh'] (Apple Valley) 2025. QB.   [player_tooltip player_id='758773' first='Isaiah' last='Campbell'] (Elk River) 2025. OL.   [player_tooltip player_id='945930' first='Carter' last='Storms'] (Norwood Young America) 2025. DE.   [player_tooltip player_id='392533' first='Grant' last='Tylutki'] (Rocori) 2025. DB.   [player_tooltip player_id='1207418' first='Reign' last='Battle'] (Moorhead) 2025. LB.   [player_tooltip player_id='1581626' first='Sam' last='Anderson'] (St. Michael-Albertville) 2025. WR.   Iowa State:   [player_tooltip player_id='284019' first='Gavin' last='Walden'] (Eden Prairie) 2026. DL.   [player_tooltip player_id='591730' first='Jeremiah' last='Peterson-Gordon'] (Kasson-Mantorville) 2026. DB.   [player_tooltip player_id='224134' first='Nick' last='Kinsey'] (Stillwater) 2026. QB.   [player_tooltip player_id='343080' first='Owen' last='Egge'] (Stillwater) 2026. WR.   [player_tooltip player_id='1256219' first='Caleb' last='Akinbolu'] (Rochester Lourdes) 2026. ATH.   [player_tooltip player_id='234761' first='Luke' last='Emmerich'] (Monticello) 2025. ATH.   [player_tooltip player_id='586119' first='Dylan' last='Vokal'] (Maple Grove) 2025. ATH.   [player_tooltip player_id='1202015' first='Malachi' last='Boadi'] (Minnetonka) 2025. DB/LB.   [player_tooltip player_id='212360' first='Braden' last='Petzel'] (Mankato East) 2026. OT.   [player_tooltip player_id='362276' first='Michael' last='Wagner'] (Maple Grove) 2025. OT.   Late March, Gophers get talented Minnesota 2025s to Dinkytown for Junior Day, 2026s Follow in April   I'm sure there's a lot of crossover between Minnesota high school football fans and Gopher football fans, me included, so I'll always want to follow the Gophers instate recruiting and will always find it interesting who the flagship P4 program is interested in between its borders. Here are (hopefully) all of the names who reported visits to Dinkytown for the Gophers' junior day, spring practices, and other unofficial visits.   [player_tooltip player_id='469057' first='Iggie' last='Cooper'] (Osseo) 2025. WR.   [player_tooltip player_id='1204473' first='Owen' last='Thielges'] (Moorhead) 2025. DB.   [player_tooltip player_id='641137' first='Luke' last='Guggenberger'] (Benilde-St. Margaret's) 2025. WR.   [player_tooltip player_id='1191511' first='Damian' last='Devine'] (Holy Angels) 2025. ATH.   [player_tooltip player_id='1204066' first='Chase' last='Evink'] (Hancock) 2025. ATH.   [player_tooltip player_id='945923' first='Cooper' last='Mansfield'] (Elk River) 2025. OT.   [player_tooltip player_id='945893' first='Chris' last='King'] (Mt. Iron-Buhl) 2025. DL.   [player_tooltip player_id='363115' first='Jacob' last='Wrbanek'] (Maple Grove) 2025. LB.   [player_tooltip player_id='592126' first='Skyler' last='Werner'] (Prior Lake) 2026. DL.   [player_tooltip player_id='479373' first='Michael' last='Bruggers'] (Champlin Park) 2025. DE.   [player_tooltip player_id='493314' first='Jackson' last='Thornburgh'] (Apple Valley) 2025. QB.   [player_tooltip player_id='641136' first='Blake' last='Schiltz'] (Pine Island) 2025. LB.   [player_tooltip player_id='592120' first='Ethan' last='Sather'] (Eden Prairie) 2026. OG.   [player_tooltip player_id='551426' first='Sawyer' last='Josewski'] (Rogers) 2026. TE.   [player_tooltip player_id='445957' first='Hans' last='Pederson'] (Buffalo) 2026. DL.   [player_tooltip player_id='541228' first='Caisen' last='Thome'] (Kasson-Mantorville) 2025. DB.   [player_tooltip player_id='1191516' first='Max' last='Coles'] (Shakopee) 2025. DL.   [player_tooltip player_id='284019' first='Gavin' last='Walden'] (Eden Prairie) 2026. DL.   [player_tooltip player_id='362276' first='Michael' last='Wagner'] (Maple Grove) 2025. OT.   [player_tooltip player_id='592117' first='Howie' last='Johnson'] (Forest Lake) 2026. DE.   [player_tooltip player_id='212362' first='Roman' last='Voss'] (Jackson County Central) 2026. ATH.   Beau Thielen (Eagan) 2025. LS.   [player_tooltip player_id='831981' first='Colin' last='Hansen'] (Byron) 2025. OT.   [player_tooltip player_id='918768' first='Ryan' last='Babatz'] (Buffalo) 2025. OL.   [player_tooltip player_id='1204067' first='Daniel' last='Jackson'] (Alexandria) 2025. K/P.   [player_tooltip player_id='592222' first='Ethan' last='Beckman'] (Prior Lake) 2026. OT.   [player_tooltip player_id='234882' first='Graysen' last='Schneider'] (Stewartville) 2025. DL.   Late March: [player_tooltip player_id='541228' first='Caisen' last='Thome'] Earns First D1 offers   In late March, Kasson-Mantorville's big-bodied safety [player_tooltip player_id='541228' first='Caisen' last='Thome'] entered the ranks of his 2025 D1 MN peers after receiving a FBS military academy offer from Air Force. Army-West Point followed on April 10th, and Thome stayed busy throughout last month recruiting-wise, visiting Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Minnesota and taking an in-home visit with Air Force. Northwestern came to KM to watch him work out, and Illinois State, South Dakota State, North Dakota State all came to meet with him in person. Instinctive, physical, able to contribute to both run and pass defense, and versatile, Thome should start seeing some serious Missouri Valley attention next.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/caisen_thome/status/1781693091784613963 </div></figure>   Senior Commitments   Luke Wolfe (Andover) - Committed to Concordia-St. Paul   Demetrious Moctezuma (East Ridge) - Committed to Dakota State   Calvin O'Connor (Mankato West) - Committed to to UW-Stout   [player_tooltip player_id='242381' first='Joey' last='Steinberg'] (Faribault) - Committed to John's Hopkins   [player_tooltip player_id='583648' first='Jackson' last='Schnell'] (Byron) - Committed to UW-Stout   [player_tooltip player_id='105393' first='James' last='Mankaka'] (Rochester Mayo) - Committed to Western Illinois   [player_tooltip player_id='242483' first='Ronnie' last='Lemon'] (Winona) - Committed to to Luther   [player_tooltip player_id='703433' first='Anthony' last='McCall'] (Shakopee) - Committed to to Iowa Central   [player_tooltip player_id='1120520' first='Cameron' last='Bergman'] (Win-E-Mac) - Committed to Concordia-Moorhead   Jayden Gbayisomore (Champlin Park) - Committed to Concordia-Moorhead   [player_tooltip player_id='368599' first='Juriad' last='Hughes'] (Irondale) - Committed to Arkansas to run track   Elijah Simmons (St. Agnes) - Committed to Hamline   Jakari Miamen (Minneapolis North) - Committed to Iowa Central   Decario Brown (Hill-Murray) - Committed to UW-River Falls   Other Notable Offers:   Offers: [player_tooltip player_id='641131' first='Dylan' last='Hudgens'] (Minnetonka) 2025. LB. - South Dakota State   [player_tooltip player_id='436161' first='Chase' last='Brixius'] (Benilde-St. Margaret's) 2025. LB. - Buffalo, South Dakota   [player_tooltip player_id='831981' first='Colin' last='Hansen'] (Byron) 2025. OT. - Northern Illinois offer, South Dakota State and Minnesota visit   [player_tooltip player_id='1191511' first='Damian' last='Devine'] (Holy Angels) 2025. ATH. - South Dakota State, visited KState   [player_tooltip player_id='362299' first='Josh' last='Wedel'] (Chaska) 2025. TE/DE. - South Dakota State, Washington State, visited KState   [player_tooltip player_id='918768' first='Ryan' last='Babatz'] (Buffalo) 2025. OL. - Wyoming, Cornell, visited South Dakota State, Michigan State, Nebraska, Minnesota   [player_tooltip player_id='945930' first='Carter' last='Storms'] (Norwood Young America) 2025. EDGE. - Augustana   [player_tooltip player_id='234786' first='Khalif' last='Brown'] (Benilde-St. Margaret's) 2025. WR. - Miami (OH)   [player_tooltip player_id='1120563' first='Logan' last='Rudningen'] - Sioux Falls   [player_tooltip player_id='234882' first='Graysen' last='Schneider'] (Stewartville) - North Dakota State, Northern Illinois   [player_tooltip player_id='236010' first='Eli' last='Ladu'] (John Marshall) - Minot State   [player_tooltip player_id='446976' first='Trey' last='Borchers'] (Anoka) - Sioux Falls   [player_tooltip player_id='1202012' first='Ethan' last='Stendel'] (Caledonia) - North Dakota   [player_tooltip player_id='1204473' first='Owen' last='Thielges'] (Moorhead) - Sioux Falls

Despite a somewhat slow start to the state of Minnesota's recruiting visibility, especially at the top end, the recruiting trail has really started to heat up in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. With so many offers, commitments, visits, workouts, recruiting graphics, camp invites, to scroll through, PrepRedzoneMN is here to bring to our wonderful subscribers the biggest news, themes, trends, and moments from P4 to NAIA recruiting in the Great State of Minnesota. What a month of action it was! Dig in.