North Dakota State Championships: Top LB/DBs, Part II

[player_tooltip player_id='1422830' first='Cooper' last='Fuchs'], DB, West Fargo Horace 2026 <a href="https://x.com/_cooperfuchs">Twitter</a>   Cooper was a defensive back that popped out on multiple occasions for the Hawks in their first 11AA state championship victory. Right away, it was his sound instincts that caught my eyes first and the rest of his skillsets came to fruitition after witnessing the consistency Cooper showed off in multiple areas last Friday. When he entered the tackle box, he locked in with great pursuit angles into the ball carrier and on the pass break up I logged he showed off the quickly proactive read steps with how quick and like I said instinctive he showed to be in pass coverage. A 6'0 175 pound 2026 defensive back to continue to watch into the 2025 season.   Matt Dick, DB, West Fargo Horace 2027   It might sound repetitive with these West Fargo Horace Hawks defensive backs, but off the eye test from last Friday's 11AA state championship, it is more instincts that we see in their secondary this time coming from 2027 DB Matt Dick. The 5'8 150 pounder, showed the example of instincts, as on his interception it was his pre-snap reads that allowed him to be in the right spot at the right time. This was very consistent across all Hawks defensive backs I got a live-eval on from last Friday, as you have surely credit the Hawks defensive coaches for giving their defensive backs the knowledge on where to be on every play.   Axel Anderson, DB, West Fargo Horace 2025 <a href="https://x.com/AxelAnd09570422">Twitter</a>   Incredible is the word that myself and other media outlets used to describe Axel Anderson's game-sealing interception to give the West Fargo Horace Hawks their first ever state championship. I even felt in all the state championships I have watched over the years, it was top-tier from an athleticism and effort perspective as you could easily tell that Axel used every ounce of his athletic ability to use the vertical and catch radius to put the icing on the cake for the Horace Hawks for their state championship. That was a play Axel will remember surely for the rest of his life and it is one that those nestled in southwest Fargo will talk about for years.   [player_tooltip player_id='533097' first='Israel' last='Bauer'], DB, West Fargo Horace 2026 <a href="https://x.com/israel_bauer2">Twitter</a>   The 11AA Game MVP will forever be enshrined in West Fargo Horace football history playing a huge role in their first ever state title. The 5'11 155 pounder logged a pick six interception for 50-yards, led the Hawks in tackles, and had a crafty kickoff return where he showed off excellent patience. Israel was another Hawks athlete that took advantage of the small details that won't show up in the box score on offense. Do NOT underestimate this young man's size as he plays miles above his frame with his ball-tracking, pursuit angles, and finesse he plays with on every rep either side of the ball. He won Game MVP from us at PRZ Dakotas, and just picked up his first Divison I offer from Prairie View A&M (Texas) which is an intriguing HBCU school that I have never seen make an offer in the Dakotas in our nearly five years here. FCS coaches will surely want to track this kid over the coming handful of months as another stockriser from our 2026 rankings in North Dakota.   [player_tooltip player_id='1185201' first='Reed' last='Krogstad'], LB, Grand Forks Red River 2025 <a href="https://x.com/ReedKrogstad">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/Reed-crop-1536x1009-1732644130.jpeg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1567323" style="width:323px;height:auto" /></figure>   Reading back on my notes from last Friday, Reed got one of my top defensive grades from the Roughriders defense which was lead heavily in my eyes at the linebacker position with Red River's 2025 class. The 5'11 195 pounder, not only made big plays with his sack and tackle for a loss it was at a time when the Roughriders needed all the help they could get on defense to swing the momentum their way and I felt Reed was the swinging branch to shift the momentum on later downs with his football IQ. I liked the agility that flew getting off his blocks toward the backfield and he also overall, graded high on my linebacker scale for his great vision. Reed surely is a prospect you will see on Saturdays, holding one offer thus far at the D3 level.   [player_tooltip player_id='1090476' first='Ray' last='Dusek'], LB, Grand Forks Red River 2025 <a href="https://x.com/RayDusek34">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/Ray-crop-1200x788-1732644030.jpeg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1567321" style="width:322px;height:auto" /></figure>   We now meet the other impactful linebacker that was one our highest graded Roughriders defensive in 2025 linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1090476' first='Ray' last='Dusek']. Ray not only was the leader of Grand Forks Red River in tackles, he was one our top linebackers as far as showing how he adjusts to the play pre-snap as that created consistency making tackles in space like he did last Friday in the FargoDome. The 5'10 200 pounder is certainly a high motor linebacker that also intrigues me with his progressive steps to the ball carrier, which not only seem long for his measurables, but process downhill with great instinct. Surely college coaches have been aware of what I saw last Friday and have seen from Ray, as he has three D3 offers thus far and with a 29 ACT, he should be one that attracts more academic football programs.   [player_tooltip player_id='1381948' first='Isaiah' last='Lincoln'], DB, West Fargo Sheyenne 2025 <a href="https://x.com/IsaiahLincoln0">Twitter</a>   If you saw my tweet from the 11AAA state championship game, you will recognize this name, as I stated [player_tooltip player_id='1381948' first='Isaiah' last='Lincoln'] is a 2025 defensive back prospect that I can't believe hasn't gotten much attention yet in the NSIC. The 6'1 180 pounder from Sheyenne, showed off everything I look for when evaluating the high amount of NSIC defensive backs that come out of the Dakotas. The length sticks out like a sore thumb, plus Isaiah uses every ounce of it in all the reps I watched. He also processes quickly downhill to the ball, and does so with a ton of physical ability when he makes contact with the ball carrier which I had noted on my notepad with high emphasis. When it was time for the Eagles to pass the ball towards the end of the game, it was Isaiah's sticky pass coverage that showed the 1v1 presence I wanted to see plus full use of the that length. Only one NSIC offer thus far, which is a huge shock to me.   [player_tooltip player_id='1184869' first='Brayden' last='Olson'], LB, West Fargo Sheyenne 2025 <a href="https://x.com/Brayden_Olson9">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/03/Brayden-Olson-crop-339x223-1709782666.jpeg?w=338" alt="" class="wp-image-1203428" style="width:314px;height:auto" /></figure>   The Mustangs leading tackler in the 11AAA state championship was led by 2025 linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1184869' first='Brayden' last='Olson'], which might I add is another oddly under the radar linebacker in the 2025 class for West Fargo Sheyenne. The 5'11 195 pounder is like getting tackled by a mack truck within the inside box, and that constant presence he showed off was great to continously watch all game long in Fargo as you I thought the live-eval showed off more motor than the tape shows which is why I always trust the live look most. Brayden is one of the most under the radar targets in my eyes on the Mustangs, as his interest for playing on Saturday's is surprising light with mostly local schools. He seems like one that could amp up in recruiting over the coming months.   [player_tooltip player_id='674790' first='Christopher' last='Kiepea'], DB, Fargo Davies 2026 <a href="https://x.com/Chrisfrmchs">Twitter</a>   There was one particular prospect that stood out for me in the Fargo Davies secondary, and that was 2026 cornerback [player_tooltip player_id='674790' first='Christopher' last='Kiepea']. I tweeted it out during the 11AAA state final, but this was a young man that graded even higher on his live-eval than his tape showed off and I surely liked his tape. It was the footwork of Christopher that did the justice in the live-eval, as he was much more poised, fluid, and agile when watching him in pass coverage in which he was one of a couple cornerbacks in this game that impressed me. The 6'0 165 pounder for Fargo Davies also had a stickiness to him that resonated with me as a prospect I will call out that you should see on Saturdays, hopefully at the scholarship level like my eyes think.   [player_tooltip player_id='1184872' first='Sully' last='Ihry'], DB, West Fargo Sheyenne 2025   Another North Dakota 2025 sleeper that balled in the state championship game on both sides of the ball? Time to hear about the live-eval I got on West Fargo Sheyenne ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1184872' first='Sully' last='Ihry'].Sully had two receptions for 82 yards and one interception defensively as he got my earlier nod for Two-Way MVP in the 11AAA State Championship game in Fargo. Overall, the football IQ Sully has for both sides of the ball needs more attention by college coaches as the interception he had showed off an athlete that just knows where the ball is likely going pre-snap as he showed that from watching him in my eyes.   More LB/DB Top Performers:   Braxton Lauckner, LB, West Fargo Sheyenne 2025   [player_tooltip player_id='1226685' first='Wilmot' last='Matadi'], LB, Fargo Davies 2026

Cooper Fuchs Cooper Fuchs LB/DB West Fargo Horace | 2026 State ND , DB, West Fargo Horace 2026 Twitter