Prep Redzone Dakotas Combine: LB Standouts, Part I

SIOUX FALLS-- Was the Prep Redzone Dakotas Combine loaded with linebackers or what? 24 were in attendance at Kirkeby-Over Stadium on the campus of Augustana Univeristy and we were stuck like glue to watching a ton of them perfect their craft and raise their stock. I called it out with our All-Camp Team, if there was one position that fueled usual 1st team All-Camp Team top performers to 2nd Team, this position group was the one that felt that most. Let us start firing out our favorite linebackers below.    Our LB3 amongst South Dakota's 2025 class certainly passed the early eye-test upon arrival and erupted to be on our 1st Team All-Camp for linebackers. Dontai has outstanding vision that showed off consistency from tape to his live evaluation I had hoped to see in pass coverage especially. The explosiveness came out in testing too, as he jumped a 9'8 which was second amongst the 24 linebackers we had in attendance. The physicality Dontai showed off in his 1v1 reps had everyone in awe in Sioux Falls and I believe this kid will get one of his first of a handful of offers coming very soon as camp season picks up in June heavily.<a href="https://x.com/smith_dontai"> Twitter </a>     Easily the biggest new name on defense to me at our combine, came from Aberdeen Roncalli 2027 linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1275174' first='Jean' last='Anthony-Thomas']. The frame Jean already has built is built like a mack-truck at 5'8 195 pounds and as this young man caught plenty of eyes and was another name on our first team of linebackers. What popped out for me watching Jean was how much instinctive movement this kid showed off for his age, as there is still such a high ceiling to achieve with several years left of HS football. The versatility Jean shows off on tape, shows me for sure you will see him on our upcoming 2027 rankings as watching him bump over upperclassmen at our Dakotas Combine really caught our eyes.     Braylon was amongst one of the hardest selections I made on my All-Camp Linebacker team. What I grasped in Indy Drills with his downhill motor and great pad-level certainly made a case for a first-team nod. With the testing numbers too, there was not a more consistent prospect in attendance across the board, 40-yard dash: 4.81 (twice) short shuttle (4.5 twice) broad jump 8'10 (twice) and was 7.45 in the L-Drill which was .02 off his other time for perspective. If that change of direction gets even slightly faster by Winter's combine, no doubt he is a first-teamer but man is Bralyon going to open up some eyes on his recruiting trail this summer regardless as our LB5 in 2025 and rising. <a href="https://x.com/BraylonMarshal5">Twitter</a>     Jack was a name I had pre-circled prior to our Prep Redzone Dakotas Combine and that quick note lived up certainly to the hype. The athletic movement Jack moved with popped out with great fluidity in all aspects I got to watch from testing, Indy drills and later in 1v1s. Another first-team All-Camp Team at linebacker, Jack impressed with his tight position angles and body control for his size especially when I watched him in depth in Indy drills. Jack is due for some NSIC offers soon, I can just feel it. <a href="https://x.com/jack_olstad">Twitter</a>     I called out my 2027 new name I liked out of South Dakota linebackers, and now it is time to call out my 2026 new name out the same, which is [player_tooltip player_id='1279021' first='Jensen' last='Pixler'] out of Sioux Falls Christian. Named to our 2nd Team All-Camp Team for linebackers, Jensen showed off impressive range with his measurables that I saw in Sioux Falls. He also showed off long-seen vision and processed downhill on every rep I caught at our Dakotas Combine. The motor on Jensen runs like pickup truck into the gaps on tape and I'll be stoked to watch the growth of Jensen in the coming years or two out of Sioux Falls Christian. <a href="https://x.com/JensenPixler">Twitter</a>

SIOUX FALLS-- Was the Prep Redzone Dakotas Combine loaded with linebackers or what? 24 were in attendance at Kirkeby-Over Stadium on the campus of Augustana Univeristy and we were stuck like glue to watching a ton of them perfect their craft and raise their stock. I called it out with our All-Camp Team, if there was one position that fueled usual 1st team All-Camp Team top performers to 2nd Team, this position group was the one that felt that most. Let us start firing out our favorite linebackers below.