2024 PrepRedzoneMN Preseason All-State: Class 9Man Defense

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the words of UFC announcer Bruce Buffer: "it's time!" After a year of anticipation and suspense, the state's premier, most in-depth, and accurate Preseason All-State team is back. It's one of my favorite times of the year, as well as my favorite articles series to write for <em>PrepRedzoneMN</em>, and we are really kicking things off with a bang. If you read a lot of my features for <em>PRzMN</em>, you've heard me mention that this is by far the best class of 9man prospects I've seen while scouting high school football, and after watching tape on each and every program and player in the 64 9man programs littered around the Land of 10,000 Lake, I can wholeheartedly stand on that opinion. This is a deep, talented, large, and athletic group of 9man prospects in 2024, with a handful of teams already showing state championship-caliber rosters, and the top-end of the prospect pool is as good as we've seen in a decade. However, I do need to mention that nine programs didn't have any available film or stats, but I still feel comfortable naming the star-studded 2024 <em>PrepRedzoneMN </em>Preseason All-State 9man Team, for our readers' eyes only. Next up: defense! Check out the best of the best defensive players that Minnesota's 9man class has to offer this fall. Congrats to the selections! It's going to be a great fall. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>--</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">9Man Preseason Player of the Year: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1204066' first='Chase' last='Evink'] </strong>(<em>Hancock</em>) Senior. 6'5, 250 lbs. RB &amp; LB. North Dakota State commit.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">9Man Preseason Defensive Player of the Year:<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1573209' first='Beau' last='Bakken'] </strong>(<em>Hills-Beaver Creek</em>) Senior. DE &amp; LB. 6'4, 215 lbs. South Dakota State commit.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Defensive Line</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>First Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1573209' first='Beau' last='Bakken']</strong> (<em>Hills-Beaver Creek</em>) 2025. 6'4, 215 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1204066' first='Chase' last='Evink'] </strong>(<em>Hancock</em>) 2025. 6'5, 240 lbs. -<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='945893' first='Chris' last='King']</strong> (<em>Mountain Iron-Buhl)</em> 2025. 6'2, 255 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1582869' first='Ty' last='Vig']</strong> <em>(Kittson County Central</em>) 2025. 6'5, 210 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Second Team:<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1003346' first='Noah' last='Berrini']</strong> <em>(Mountain Iron-Buhl)</em> 2025. 6'4, 250 lbs. -<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1582420' first='Ira' last='Schmidt']</strong> (<em>Kingsland</em>) 2025. 6'2, 250 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1201998' first='Parker' last='Johnson']</strong> (<em>Kingsland</em>) 2025. 6'2, 200 lbs. -<strong> Ben White</strong> <em>(Cass Lake-Bena</em>) 2026. 6'3, 235 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Third Team: <strong>Jacob Savig </strong>(<em>Renville County West)</em> 2026. 6'2, 205 lbs. - <strong>Josha Sammons</strong> (<em>Nevis</em>) 2025. 5'11, 170 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='945900' first='Evan' last='Anderson'] </strong>(<em>Mountain Iron</em>-<em>Buhl</em>) 2025. 5'10, 200 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1204382' first='Cade' last='Smith']</strong> (<em>Cook County</em>) 2026. 6'3, 270 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Linebacker </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>First Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='582149' first='Eli' last='Klimek']</strong> (<em>Nevis</em>) 2025. 6'1, 210 lbs. -<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1582874' first='Cole' last='Blazek']</strong> (<em>Badger-Greenbush/Middle River</em>) 2025. 6'1, 225 lbs. -<strong> Sam Howard </strong>(<em>Kingsland</em>) 2025. 6'3, 215 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Second Team:<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1204380' first='Ryder' last='Stern']</strong> (<em>LeRoy-Ostrander)</em> 2025. 6'1, 200 lbs. - <strong>Joe Gillis</strong> <em>(New Ulm Cathedral</em>) 2025. 6'2, 205 lbs. - <strong>Jackson Gacke</strong> (<em>Hills-Beaver</em> <em>Creek</em>) 2025. 6'2, 200 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Third Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1204499' first='Carter' last='Sweeney']</strong> (<em>LeRoy-Ostrander</em>) 2025. 6'1, 185 lbs. - <strong>Cayden Kimber</strong> <em>(Bertha-Hewitt</em>) 2025. 6'2, 190 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1225581' first='Quinton' last='Borders']</strong> (<em>Hill City/Northland)</em> 2025. 5'9, 215 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Honorable Mention:<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='592309' first='Royce' last='Jax']</strong> (<em>Southland</em>) 2026. 5'9, 160 lbs. -<strong> Derik Dahl</strong> (<em>Mountain Iron-Buhl</em>) 2025. 5'10, 175 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Defensive Back</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>First Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='743278' first='Landon' last='Chilman']</strong> (<em>Southland</em>) 2025. - <strong>Zach Brumm</strong> (<em>Spring Grove)</em> 2025. 6'2, 185 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1506853' first='Micah' last='Bush']</strong> (<em>Hills-Beaver Creek</em>) 2026. 6', 175 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1372100' first='Rayce' last='Gibson']</strong> (<em>Cook County</em>) 5'10, 175 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Second Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1565274' first='Michael' last='Gunnink'] </strong>(<em>Edgerton</em>) 2026. 5'9, 160 lbs. -<strong> Ian Kimmes</strong> (<em>Cherry</em>) 2026. 5'10, 150 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1204361' first='Isaiah' last='Voss'] </strong>(<em>Ogilvie</em>) 2025. 6'3, 180 lbs. - <strong>Tyson Stevens</strong> (<em>LeRoy-Ostrander</em>) 2025. DB.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Third Team: <strong>Caden Gerard</strong> (<em>Spring Grove</em>) 2027. 6', 185 lbs. -<strong> Brayden Andrews</strong> (<em>Border West</em>) 2025. 5'10, 155 lbs. - <strong>Ethan Swedberg</strong> (<em>Hillcrest Lutheran</em> <em>Academy</em>) 2026. 6'3, 180 lbs. - <strong>Carter Wilhelm</strong> (<em>Bertha-Hewitt)</em> 2025. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Honorable Mention: <strong>Dillon Smith</strong> (<em>Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda</em>) 2025. 6'1, 165 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Athlete</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>First Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='402074' first='Kaaleem' last='Reiland']</strong> (<em>Kingsland</em>) 2026. 5'9, 190 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='945346' first='Cam' last='Hungerholt']</strong> (<em>LeRoy-Ostrander</em>) 2025. 6'2, 190 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Second Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1248635' first='Jackson' last='Madsen']</strong> (<em>GHEC/Truman</em>) 2025. 5'11, 185 lbs. -<strong> Jamison Wood </strong>(Hill City/Northland) 2025. 5'11, 160 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Third Team: <strong>Nick Slater </strong>(<em>Nicollet</em>) 2025. 6'1, 185 lbs. -<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1288411' first='Isaiah' last='Asuma']</strong> (<em>Cherry</em>) 2027. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1369716' first='Hunter' last='Rex']</strong> (<em>Cook County</em>) 2025. 6'1, 210 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='591741' first='Caleb' last='Rossi']</strong> <em>(Mountain Iron-Buhl)</em> 2026. 5'9, 175 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Specialists</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>First Team: <strong>Landon Mattson</strong> (<em>Alden-Conger/G-E)</em> 2025. Kicker. - <strong>Jeremiah Bekkum</strong> (<em>Park Christian</em>) 2025. Punter. - <strong>Nathan Kellenberger </strong>(<em>Hancock</em>) 2026. 6'1, 170 lbs. Returner </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Second Team: <strong>Joe Valdovinos</strong> <em>(Renville County West</em>) 2025. 6', 160 lbs. Returner. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1371692' first='Jamin' last='Metzger']</strong> (<em>Hills-Beaver Creek</em>) 2026. 6'5, 200 lbs. Punter. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1248635' first='Jackson' last='Madsen']</strong><em> (GHEC/Truman</em>) 2025. 5'11, 185 lbs. Returner. - <strong>Jack Leiser</strong> (<em>Fertile-Beltrami</em>) 2025. 5'11, 230 lbs. Long Snapper. - <strong>Kasey Clark</strong> (<em>Kelliher/Northome</em>) 2025. 5'10, 175 lbs. Returner. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->