9 Man Standouts Throughout the Season

As the season progresses, I strive to cover athletes throughout every class of Minnesota football. Unfortunately, some 9-man studs are either overlooked entirely or under the radar despite great performances throughout the season. I found 9 9-man athletes from southern Minnesota who have collegiate potential!    Boasting 34 total tackles and 3.0 sacks through the first four weeks of the season, Christianson is a 9-man prospect with a great frame and a shockingly quick step off the line of scrimmage. Christianson is a ferocious edge rusher standing up on the outside. He possesses a dangerous bullrush and shows off incredible tenacity when chasing down ballcarriers.     A dangerous RB1 for LeRoy-Ostrander, Stevens has 245 rushing yards and 4 TDs on only 40 carries so far into his senior year. Averaging a wild 6.0 yards-per-carry, Stevens showcases both impressive speed and pop through the line of scrimmage. He's dangerous in open space and can turn on the jets when he sees an opening. Stevens is a high upside under-the-radar athlete who could be a positive addition to many MIAC schools.     The numbers Stern has been putting up through his senior season have been incredible. Through 6 games Stern has 65 total tackles, 11 TFLs, 4.0 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 blocked kick, and 1 PBU. On his tape, Stern is like a pit bull. He finds his way in the backfield more often than not, and when he gets to a ball carrier, he takes their lunch. Stern plays like people owe him money, and he 100% deserves more attention after such an electric senior season.     Hungerholt is easily among the top QBs in the state, and he continues to light up both the stat sheet and the gridiron throughout what has been an incredibly successful senior year. The Mankato State commit has been electric so far. Through 6 games he has nearly 1,000 passing yards, a 14/1 TD-INT ratio, 1,300 rushing yards, 17 rushing touchdowns, and some great DB tape where he amassed 35 total tackles and 2 interceptions. Hungerholt proves again and again that he's one of the best prospects in outstate MN.     One of the best all-around athletes in outstate Minnesota, Reiland is the QB1 for Kingsland but finds exceptional success on the ground. Through 6 weeks Reiland has 292 passing yards, a 6/1 TD-INT ratio, over 500 rushing yards, and 7 rushing touchdowns. A special athlete with the ball in his hands, Reiland finds a way to succeed anytime he's given the rock. At times he appears unstoppable, especially in open space. I expect nothing but further stock to rise out of this promising 2026er.     A senior LB boasting elite size for a prospect, Howard has tallied 22 total tackles, 6 TFLs, 3.0 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery through 5 games. His film is loaded with violent pancakes while playing tight end, but he's also shown receiving upside with solid vision and a willingness to collision defenders. He's quick off the line of scrimmage and can blow up a play nearly immediately after the ball is snapped.     A powerful two-way player for Kingsland, Schmidt has 30 total tackles, 8 TFLs, 4.0 sacks, and a fumble recovery through only 5 games this season. He can erase running lanes and once he sits in a gap it's incredibly difficult to remove him. In the offensive trenches, Schmidt is a mauler. While his footwork isn't perfect, he does have quick feet and shuts down pass rushes by getting under defender's pads and stonewalling them. Keep an eye out for this underrated lineman.     A rising sophomore RB/DB from Houston Minnesota, Klunder flies around the field as he seemingly plays everywhere. He excels at running between the tackles where he can hide himself behind offensive linemen before breaking out into open space. One-on-one he's tough to bring down, a skill which I hope Klunder continues to expand on. He's gotten an interception in each of the last two weeks, which I think speaks to his ability to adjust to the ball trajectory and make plays when the opportunity presents itself.     A standout wideout and DB, Howard has been putting on during his final year with RCW leading his team in receiving yards through the first half of the season. He had a two-interception game during Week 5, where he was able to consistently put himself in a position to succeed and punish QBs for underthrowing balls. Howard does a great job of finding the soft spots in zone coverages and creates plenty of space on his releases.

As the season progresses, I strive to cover athletes throughout every class of Minnesota football. Unfortunately, some 9-man studs are either overlooked entirely or under the radar despite great performances throughout the season. I found 9 9-man athletes from southern Minnesota who have collegiate potential!