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…
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Continue ReadingDespite 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.
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Luke Emmerich Luke Emmerich 6'2" | 190 lbs | ATH Monticello | 2025 State MN 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 Luke Emmerich Luke Emmerich 6'2" | 190 lbs | ATH Monticello | 2025 State MN 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!
Emmanuel Karmo Emmanuel Karmo 6'3" | 205 lbs | LB Robbinsdale Cooper | 2025 State MN 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 Emmanuel Karmo Emmanuel Karmo 6'3" | 205 lbs | LB Robbinsdale Cooper | 2025 State MN 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!
Cameron Begalle Cameron Begalle 6'0" | 180 lbs | WR Andover | 2025 State MN Commits to Stay Home on the Spot
We’ve been Andover WR Cameron Begalle Cameron Begalle 6'0" | 180 lbs | WR Andover | 2025 State MN ‘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.
Meyer Swinney Meyer Swinney 6'4" | 210 lbs | WR Edina | 2025 State MN Joins his Brother out West
One of the long-standing, unquestioned P4 recruits in the Minnesota 2025 class, Edina’s XL pass-catcher Meyer Swinney Meyer Swinney 6'4" | 210 lbs | WR Edina | 2025 State MN 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.
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 Nathan Hromadka Nathan Hromadka 6'5" | 220 lbs | TE Maple Grove | 2025 State MN , ATH Dylan Vokal Dylan Vokal 6'2" | 200 lbs | ATH Maple Grove | 2025 State MN , and OT Michael Wagner Michael Wagner 6'6" | 260 lbs | OL Maple Grove | 2025 State MN , 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 Charles Langama Charles Langama 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB Maple Grove | 2025 State MN grabbed an exciting first offer from North Dakota, and very late in March, LB Bo Draheim Bo Draheim 6'2" | 215 lbs | TE Maple Grove Senior | 2025 State MN 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.
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 Emmanuel Karmo Emmanuel Karmo 6'3" | 205 lbs | LB Robbinsdale Cooper | 2025 State MN 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 Luke Emmerich Luke Emmerich 6'2" | 190 lbs | ATH Monticello | 2025 State MN , watching standout 2026 OT Owen Linder Owen Linder 6'5" | 265 lbs | OL Chanhassen | 2026 State MN 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!
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!
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. Isaiah Wright Isaiah Wright 5'11" | 190 lbs | WR Fertile Beltrami | 2025 State MN , 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 Chase Evink Chase Evink 6'5" | 240 lbs | ATH Hancock | 2025 State MN 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.
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.
Alex Johnson Alex Johnson 6'3" | 310 lbs | OL Centennial | 2025 State MN (Centennial) OT.
DK Gora DK Gora 6'0" | 165 lbs | DB Stillwater | 2025 MN (Stillwater) DB.
Malachi Boadi Malachi Boadi 6'1" | 195 lbs | DB Minnetonka | 2025 State MN (Minnetonka) DB/LB.
Nick Montik Nick Montik 6'5" | 240 lbs | DL Elk River | 2025 State MN (Elk River) DL.
Henrik Hiltner Henrik Hiltner 6'4" | 250 lbs | TE Centennial | 2025 State MN (Centennial) TE.
Sam Ruid Sam Ruid 6'5" | 300 lbs | OL St. Francis | 2025 State MN (St. Francis) OT.
Finn Benz (St. Thomas Academy) DB.
Yahya Yusuf Yahya Yusuf 6'3" | 260 lbs | OL Washburn | 2025 State MN (Minneapolis Washburn) OL.
Aijhon Douglas Aijhon Douglas 5'8" | 150 lbs | ATH St. Paul Harding/Humboldt | 2025 State MN (St. Paul Harding) ATH.
Austin Nommensen Austin Nommensen 6'2" | 225 lbs | DL Mankato West | 2025 State MN (Mankato West) DE.
Jason Eagle (Spring Lake Park) DE.
Avaugn Dorvil Avaugn Dorvil 6'1" | 270 lbs | DL St. Thomas Academy | 2025 MN (St. Thomas Academy) DT.
Also offered: Eleazar Staley Eleazar Staley 6'2" | 185 lbs | WR Mankato West | 2025 State MN (Mankato West) WR.
Bemidji:
Eli Klimek Eli Klimek 6'1" | 210 lbs | LB Nevis | 2025 State MN (Nevis) LB.
Adam Dorsey (Eagan) DB.
Jaden Blanck Jaden Blanck 5'10" | 185 lbs | ATH Winona | 2025 State MN (Winona) ATH.
Jake Schultz Jake Schultz 6'0" | 170 lbs | WR Delano | 2025 State MN (Delano) WR.
Brodie Miller Brodie Miller 6'3" | 250 lbs | DL Washburn | 2025 State MN (Minneapolis Washburn) OL/DL.
Chris King Chris King 6'3" | 255 lbs | DL Mt. Iron-Buhl | 2025 State MN (Mt. Iron-Buhl) DL.
Noah Berrini Noah Berrini 6'3" | 245 lbs | DL Mountain Iron Buhl | 2025 State MN (Mt. Iron-Buhl) DL/OL.
Michael Bruggers Michael Bruggers 6'3" | 230 lbs | DL Champlin Park | 2025 State MN (Champlin Park) DE.
Spencer Lewis Spencer Lewis 6'3" | 245 lbs | DL Richfield | 2025 State MN (Champlin Park) DE.
Brock Wyandt Brock Wyandt 6'0" | 180 lbs | WR Farmington | 2025 State MN (Farmington) WR.
Elijah Johnson Elijah Johnson 5'9" | 190 lbs | RB Fairmont | 2025 State MN (Fairmont) RB.
Eleazar Staley Eleazar Staley 6'2" | 185 lbs | WR Mankato West | 2025 State MN (Mankato West) WR.
Denim Blackstad Denim Blackstad 6'3" | 225 lbs | DL Mankato West | 2025 State MN (Mankato West) DE.
Max Speratos Max Speratos 6'4" | 230 lbs | DL Farmington | 2025 State MN (Farmington) DE.
Isaiah Campbell Isaiah Campbell 6'5" | 315 lbs | OL Elk River | 2025 State MN (Elk River) OL.
Owen Thielges Owen Thielges 6'2" | 185 lbs | DB Moorhead | 2025 State MN (Moorhead) DB.
Axel Lorenz Axel Lorenz 6'2" | 280 lbs | OL Mankato West | 2025 State MN (Mankato West) OL.
Afy Ubekwe (Anoka) WR.
Hudson Omoke Hudson Omoke 6'2" | 185 lbs | WR Sauk Rapids-Rice | 2025 State MN (Sauk Rapids-Rice) WR.
Also offered: Sam Ruid Sam Ruid 6'5" | 300 lbs | OL St. Francis | 2025 State MN , Frank McAninch Frank McAninch 5'11" | 200 lbs | LB Mankato West | 2025 State MN , Cooper Mansfield Cooper Mansfield 6'10" | 300 lbs | OL Elk River | 2025 State MN , Trey Borchers Trey Borchers 6'2" | 185 lbs | WR Anoka | 2025 State MN , Jake Allex Jake Allex 6'4" | 275 lbs | OL Marshall | 2025 State MN , Austin Nommensen Austin Nommensen 6'2" | 225 lbs | DL Mankato West | 2025 State MN , Jason Eagle
Gavin Wang Gavin Wang 6'7" | 255 lbs | OL Annandale | 2025 State MN 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 Gavin Wang Gavin Wang 6'7" | 255 lbs | OL Annandale | 2025 State MN 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 Josh Wedel Josh Wedel 6'5" | 235 lbs | DL Chaska | 2025 State MN , Waseca’s Damarius Russell Damarius Russell 5'11" | 170 lbs | DB Waseca | 2025 State MN , Stewartville’s Graysen Schneider Graysen Schneider 6'2" | 240 lbs | DL Stewartville | 2025 State MN , and in March/February they offered Maple Grove’s Dylan Vokal Dylan Vokal 6'2" | 200 lbs | ATH Maple Grove | 2025 State MN , Benilde-St. Margaret’s Chase Brixius Chase Brixius 6'2" | 215 lbs | LB Benilde-St. Margaret's | 2025 State MN , BSM’s Khalif Brown Khalif Brown 6'1" | 190 lbs | WR Benilde-St. Margaret's | 2025 State MN , East Ridge’s Kyle Frendt Kyle Frendt 6'4" | 210 lbs | TE East Ridge | 2025 State MN , Buffalo’s Ryan Babatz Ryan Babatz 6'4" | 275 lbs | OL Buffalo | 2025 State MN , and Holy Angels’ Damian Devine Damian Devine 6'3" | 200 lbs | ATH Holy Angles | 2025 State MN .
Owen Linder Owen Linder 6'5" | 265 lbs | OL Chanhassen | 2026 State MN two more P4 offers
4-star Chanhassen 2026 OL Owen Linder Owen Linder 6'5" | 265 lbs | OL Chanhassen | 2026 State MN 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.
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 Luke Emmerich Luke Emmerich 6'2" | 190 lbs | ATH Monticello | 2025 State MN ‘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.
Graysen Schneider Graysen Schneider 6'2" | 240 lbs | DL Stewartville | 2025 State MN (Stewartville) 2025. DL. – 11.56 100M
Damarius Russell Damarius Russell 5'11" | 170 lbs | DB Waseca | 2025 State MN (Waseca) 2025. DB. – 10.97 100M
Caleb Kamara (Burnsville) 2026. ATH. – 10.99 100M
Daniel Jackson Daniel Jackson 5'10" | 170 lbs | K Alexandria | 2025 State MN (Alexandria) 2025. K. – 10.86 100M
Elijah Rumph Elijah Rumph 6'1" | 200 lbs | RB Eden Prairie | 2025 State MN (Eden Prairie) 2025. RB. – 11.05 100M, 22.75 200M
Cooper Drake Cooper Drake 6'1" | 170 lbs | DB Edina | 2026 MN (Edina) 2026. FS. – 22.08 200M
Ryan Babatz Ryan Babatz 6'4" | 275 lbs | OL Buffalo | 2025 State MN (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. Colin Hansen Colin Hansen 6'7" | 220 lbs | DL Byron | 2025 State MN of Byron, Josh Wedel Josh Wedel 6'5" | 235 lbs | DL Chaska | 2025 State MN of Chaska, Michael Wagner Michael Wagner 6'6" | 260 lbs | OL Maple Grove | 2025 State MN of Maple Grove, and Luke Emmerich Luke Emmerich 6'2" | 190 lbs | ATH Monticello | 2025 State MN 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.
Max Coles Max Coles 6'3" | 240 lbs | DL Shakopee | 2025 State MN 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 Max Coles Max Coles 6'3" | 240 lbs | DL Shakopee | 2025 State MN earn his first D1 offers. Like his teammate Trey Boyd Trey Boyd 6'5" | 270 lbs | OL Shakopee | 2025 State MN , 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.
Trey Boyd Trey Boyd 6'5" | 270 lbs | OL Shakopee | 2025 State MN 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.
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:
Ethan Stendel Ethan Stendel 6'3" | 200 lbs | QB Caledonia | 2025 State MN (Caledonia) 2025. ATH. – left with an offer
Damian Devine Damian Devine 6'3" | 200 lbs | ATH Holy Angles | 2025 State MN (Holy Angels) 2025. ATH. – left with an offer
Mason Vollrath Mason Vollrath 6'0" | 235 lbs | OL Forest Lake | 2025 State MN (Forest Lake) 2025. DL.
Blake Schiltz Blake Schiltz 6'3" | 225 lbs | LB Pine Island | 2025 State MN (Pine Island) 2025. LB.
Elijah Johnson Elijah Johnson 5'9" | 190 lbs | RB Fairmont | 2025 State MN (Fairmont) 2025. RB.
Aaron Baisley Aaron Baisley 6'0" | 200 lbs | LB Rocori | 2025 State MN (Rocori) 2025. LB.
Max Speratos Max Speratos 6'4" | 230 lbs | DL Farmington | 2025 State MN (Farmington) 2025. DL.
Grant Tylutki Grant Tylutki 5'9" | 185 lbs | DB Rocori | 2025 State MN (Rocori) 2025. DB.
Joseph Martinson Joseph Martinson 6'3" | 310 lbs | OL Alexandria | 2025 State MN (Alexandria) 2025. OL.
Chris King Chris King 6'3" | 255 lbs | DL Mt. Iron-Buhl | 2025 State MN (Mt. Iron-Buhl) 2025. DL .
Caleb Taylor Caleb Taylor ATH Minnetonka | 2025 MN (Minnetonka) 2025. DE.
Connor Cade Connor Cade 5'9" | 185 lbs | RB Lakeville South | 2025 State MN (Lakeville South) 2025. RB.
Michael Bruggers Michael Bruggers 6'3" | 230 lbs | DL Champlin Park | 2025 State MN (Champlin Park) 2025. DE.
Kellen Binder Kellen Binder 6'4" | 225 lbs | TE Centennial | 2025 State MN (Centennial) 2025. TE.
Henrik Hiltner Henrik Hiltner 6'4" | 250 lbs | TE Centennial | 2025 State MN (Centennial) 2025. TE.
Preston Thielke Preston Thielke 6'3" | 180 lbs | QB Champlin Park | 2025 State MN (Champlin Park) 2025. ATH.
Eli Klimek Eli Klimek 6'1" | 210 lbs | LB Nevis | 2025 State MN (Nevis) 2025. LB.
Noah Nelson Noah Nelson 6'5" | 210 lbs | QB Hawley | 2025 State MN (Hawley) 2025. QB.
Jack Ames Jack Ames 6'0" | 215 lbs | LB Hawley | 2025 MN (Hawley) 2025. LB.
Dean Lempka Dean Lempka 6'3" | 210 lbs | DL Alexandria | 2025 State MN (Alexandria) 2025. DE.
Sam Shaughnessy Sam Shaughnessy 6'1" | 185 lbs | ATH Blaine | 2025 State MN (Blaine) 2025. ATH.
NDSU:
Bo Draheim Bo Draheim 6'2" | 215 lbs | TE Maple Grove Senior | 2025 State MN (Maple Grove) 2025. LB. – came for the spring game
Kaden Herman Kaden Herman 6'3" | 195 lbs | QB Waconia | 2025 MN (Waconia) 2025. QB. – came for the spring game
Michael Naber Michael Naber 6'0" | 205 lbs | LB Shakopee | 2025 State MN (Shakopee) 2025. LB.
Graysen Schneider Graysen Schneider 6'2" | 240 lbs | DL Stewartville | 2025 State MN (Stewartville) 2025. DL – left with an offer
Damarius Russell Damarius Russell 5'11" | 170 lbs | DB Waseca | 2025 State MN (Waseca) 2025. DB. – left with an offer
Josh Wedel Josh Wedel 6'5" | 235 lbs | DL Chaska | 2025 State MN (Chaska) 2025. TE/DE. – left with an offer
Gannon Bolgrean Gannon Bolgrean 6'0" | 170 lbs | ATH Barnesville | 2025 State MN (Barnesville) 2025. ATH.
Peter Okafor Peter Okafor 6'3" | 350 lbs | OL Park Center | 2025 State MN (Park Center) 2025. OL.
Xavier Fleming Xavier Fleming 6'3" | 220 lbs | DL Park Center | 2025 State MN (Park Center) 2025. DE.
Evan McCarty Evan McCarty 6'6" | 250 lbs | OL Wayzata | 2025 State MN (Wayzata) 2025. OL.
Jacob Wrbanek Jacob Wrbanek 6'3" | 220 lbs | LB Maple Grove | 2025 State MN (Maple Grove) 2025. LB.
Brock Wyandt Brock Wyandt 6'0" | 180 lbs | WR Farmington | 2025 State MN (Farmington) 2025. WR.
Brady Kittelson Brady Kittelson 6'2" | 170 lbs | QB Blooming Prairie | 2025 State MN (Blooming Prairie) 2025. QB.
Sam Shaughnessy Sam Shaughnessy 6'1" | 185 lbs | ATH Blaine | 2025 State MN (Blaine) 2025. ATH.
Cooper Mansfield Cooper Mansfield 6'10" | 300 lbs | OL Elk River | 2025 State MN (Elk River) 2025. OT.
Jackson Thornburgh Jackson Thornburgh 6'0" | 190 lbs | QB Apple Valley | 2025 State MN (Apple Valley) 2025. QB.
Isaiah Campbell Isaiah Campbell 6'5" | 315 lbs | OL Elk River | 2025 State MN (Elk River) 2025. OL.
Carter Storms Carter Storms 6'5" | 215 lbs | DL Norwood Young America | 2025 State MN (Norwood Young America) 2025. DE.
Grant Tylutki Grant Tylutki 5'9" | 185 lbs | DB Rocori | 2025 State MN (Rocori) 2025. DB.
Reign Battle Reign Battle 6'1" | 210 lbs | LB Moorhead | 2025 State MN (Moorhead) 2025. LB.
Sam Anderson (St. Michael-Albertville) 2025. WR.
Iowa State:
Gavin Walden Gavin Walden 6'3" | 245 lbs | DL Eden Prairie | 2026 State MN (Eden Prairie) 2026. DL.
Jeremiah Peterson-Gordon Jeremiah Peterson-Gordon 5'10" | 185 lbs | DB Kasson-Mantorville | 2026 State MN (Kasson-Mantorville) 2026. DB.
Nick Kinsey Nick Kinsey 6'3" | 210 lbs | QB Stillwater | 2026 State MN (Stillwater) 2026. QB.
Owen Egge Owen Egge 5'11" | 165 lbs | WR Stillwater | 2026 State MN (Stillwater) 2026. WR.
Caleb Akinbolu Caleb Akinbolu 6'2" | 190 lbs | ATH Rochester Lourdes | 2026 State MN (Rochester Lourdes) 2026. ATH.
Luke Emmerich Luke Emmerich 6'2" | 190 lbs | ATH Monticello | 2025 State MN (Monticello) 2025. ATH.
Dylan Vokal Dylan Vokal 6'2" | 200 lbs | ATH Maple Grove | 2025 State MN (Maple Grove) 2025. ATH.
Malachi Boadi Malachi Boadi 6'1" | 195 lbs | DB Minnetonka | 2025 State MN (Minnetonka) 2025. DB/LB.
Braden Petzel Braden Petzel 6'9" | 240 lbs | OL Mankato East | 2026 State MN (Mankato East) 2026. OT.
Michael Wagner Michael Wagner 6'6" | 260 lbs | OL Maple Grove | 2025 State MN (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.
Iggie Cooper Iggie Cooper 6'2" | 190 lbs | WR Osseo | 2025 State MN (Osseo) 2025. WR.
Owen Thielges Owen Thielges 6'2" | 185 lbs | DB Moorhead | 2025 State MN (Moorhead) 2025. DB.
Luke Guggenberger Luke Guggenberger 6'4" | 210 lbs | WR Benilde-St. Margaret's | 2025 State MN (Benilde-St. Margaret’s) 2025. WR.
Damian Devine Damian Devine 6'3" | 200 lbs | ATH Holy Angles | 2025 State MN (Holy Angels) 2025. ATH.
Chase Evink Chase Evink 6'5" | 240 lbs | ATH Hancock | 2025 State MN (Hancock) 2025. ATH.
Cooper Mansfield Cooper Mansfield 6'10" | 300 lbs | OL Elk River | 2025 State MN (Elk River) 2025. OT.
Chris King Chris King 6'3" | 255 lbs | DL Mt. Iron-Buhl | 2025 State MN (Mt. Iron-Buhl) 2025. DL.
Jacob Wrbanek Jacob Wrbanek 6'3" | 220 lbs | LB Maple Grove | 2025 State MN (Maple Grove) 2025. LB.
Skyler Werner Skyler Werner 6'3" | 260 lbs | DL Prior Lake | 2026 State MN (Prior Lake) 2026. DL.
Michael Bruggers Michael Bruggers 6'3" | 230 lbs | DL Champlin Park | 2025 State MN (Champlin Park) 2025. DE.
Jackson Thornburgh Jackson Thornburgh 6'0" | 190 lbs | QB Apple Valley | 2025 State MN (Apple Valley) 2025. QB.
Blake Schiltz Blake Schiltz 6'3" | 225 lbs | LB Pine Island | 2025 State MN (Pine Island) 2025. LB.
Ethan Sather Ethan Sather 6'4" | 270 lbs | OL Eden Prairie | 2026 State MN (Eden Prairie) 2026. OG.
Sawyer Josewski Sawyer Josewski 6'5" | 235 lbs | TE Rogers | 2026 State MN (Rogers) 2026. TE.
Hans Pederson Hans Pederson 6'4" | 240 lbs | DL Buffalo | 2026 State MN (Buffalo) 2026. DL.
Caisen Thome Caisen Thome 6'2" | 185 lbs | DB Kasson-Mantorville | 2025 State MN (Kasson-Mantorville) 2025. DB.
Max Coles Max Coles 6'3" | 240 lbs | DL Shakopee | 2025 State MN (Shakopee) 2025. DL.
Gavin Walden Gavin Walden 6'3" | 245 lbs | DL Eden Prairie | 2026 State MN (Eden Prairie) 2026. DL.
Michael Wagner Michael Wagner 6'6" | 260 lbs | OL Maple Grove | 2025 State MN (Maple Grove) 2025. OT.
Howie Johnson Howie Johnson 6'4" | 250 lbs | DL Forest Lake | 2026 State MN (Forest Lake) 2026. DE.
Roman Voss Roman Voss 6'4" | 215 lbs | ATH Jackson County Central (MN) | 2026 State MN (Jackson County Central) 2026. ATH.
Beau Thielen (Eagan) 2025. LS.
Colin Hansen Colin Hansen 6'7" | 220 lbs | DL Byron | 2025 State MN (Byron) 2025. OT.
Ryan Babatz Ryan Babatz 6'4" | 275 lbs | OL Buffalo | 2025 State MN (Buffalo) 2025. OL.
Daniel Jackson Daniel Jackson 5'10" | 170 lbs | K Alexandria | 2025 State MN (Alexandria) 2025. K/P.
Ethan Beckman Ethan Beckman 6'5" | 330 lbs | OL Prior Lake | 2026 State MN (Prior Lake) 2026. OT.
Graysen Schneider Graysen Schneider 6'2" | 240 lbs | DL Stewartville | 2025 State MN (Stewartville) 2025. DL.
Late March: Caisen Thome Caisen Thome 6'2" | 185 lbs | DB Kasson-Mantorville | 2025 State MN Earns First D1 offers
In late March, Kasson-Mantorville’s big-bodied safety Caisen Thome Caisen Thome 6'2" | 185 lbs | DB Kasson-Mantorville | 2025 State MN 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.
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
Joey Steinberg Joey Steinberg 5'10" | 185 lbs | LB Faribault | 2024 MN (Faribault) – Committed to John’s Hopkins
Jackson Schnell Jackson Schnell 5'11" | 185 lbs | DB Byron | 2024 MN (Byron) – Committed to UW-Stout
James Mankaka James Mankaka 5'11" | 175 lbs | DB Rochester Mayo | 2024 State MN (Rochester Mayo) – Committed to Western Illinois
Ronnie Lemon Ronnie Lemon 5'10" | 180 lbs | RB Winona | 2024 MN (Winona) – Committed to to Luther
Anthony McCall Anthony McCall 6'1" | 235 lbs | OL Shakopee | 2024 State MN (Shakopee) – Committed to to Iowa Central
Cameron Bergman Cameron Bergman 5'11" | 150 lbs | WR Win-e-Mac | 2024 MN (Win-E-Mac) – Committed to Concordia-Moorhead
Jayden Gbayisomore (Champlin Park) – Committed to Concordia-Moorhead
Juriad Hughes Juriad Hughes 6'1" | 180 lbs | WR Irondale | 2024 State MN (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: Dylan Hudgens Dylan Hudgens 6'2" | 215 lbs | LB Minnetonka | 2025 State MN (Minnetonka) 2025. LB. – South Dakota State
Chase Brixius Chase Brixius 6'2" | 215 lbs | LB Benilde-St. Margaret's | 2025 State MN (Benilde-St. Margaret’s) 2025. LB. – Buffalo, South Dakota
Colin Hansen Colin Hansen 6'7" | 220 lbs | DL Byron | 2025 State MN (Byron) 2025. OT. – Northern Illinois offer, South Dakota State and Minnesota visit
Damian Devine Damian Devine 6'3" | 200 lbs | ATH Holy Angles | 2025 State MN (Holy Angels) 2025. ATH. – South Dakota State, visited KState
Josh Wedel Josh Wedel 6'5" | 235 lbs | DL Chaska | 2025 State MN (Chaska) 2025. TE/DE. – South Dakota State, Washington State, visited KState
Ryan Babatz Ryan Babatz 6'4" | 275 lbs | OL Buffalo | 2025 State MN (Buffalo) 2025. OL. – Wyoming, Cornell, visited South Dakota State, Michigan State, Nebraska, Minnesota
Carter Storms Carter Storms 6'5" | 215 lbs | DL Norwood Young America | 2025 State MN (Norwood Young America) 2025. EDGE. – Augustana
Khalif Brown Khalif Brown 6'1" | 190 lbs | WR Benilde-St. Margaret's | 2025 State MN (Benilde-St. Margaret’s) 2025. WR. – Miami (OH)
Logan Rudningen Logan Rudningen 5'10" | ATH KMS | 2025 MN – Sioux Falls
Graysen Schneider Graysen Schneider 6'2" | 240 lbs | DL Stewartville | 2025 State MN (Stewartville) – North Dakota State, Northern Illinois
Eli Ladu Eli Ladu 6'0" | 155 lbs | WR John Marshall | 2025 State MN (John Marshall) – Minot State
Trey Borchers Trey Borchers 6'2" | 185 lbs | WR Anoka | 2025 State MN (Anoka) – Sioux Falls
Ethan Stendel Ethan Stendel 6'3" | 200 lbs | QB Caledonia | 2025 State MN (Caledonia) – North Dakota
Owen Thielges Owen Thielges 6'2" | 185 lbs | DB Moorhead | 2025 State MN (Moorhead) – Sioux Falls