2028 ND Rankings: Meet the 1s on Defense

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NORTH DAKOTA--</strong> We meet the 1s on defense in the Rough Rider State of the prospects that are ranked #1 at their position. Because this 2028 class is just getting started, this list will be a work in progress as an example, defensive linemen we feature a watch list thus far and defensive backs in a way are grouped in with athletes as finding pure defensive backs in the Dakotas in an initial class is tough to find.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"24px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:24px"><strong>DL1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The defensive line group in this 2028 class is still a work in progress and is still a watchlist at the moment. The defensive linemen on the watchlist include:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1598042' first='Kaden' last='Crawford'], Mayport-CG</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1596556' first='Declan' last='Doherty'], Minot</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1597881' first='Paxton' last='Jahner'], Bowman County</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1609444' first='Sutter' last='Littlejohn'], Grand Forks Red River</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1597840' first='Rhyse' last='Unruh'], Beulah</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"24px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:24px"><strong>LB1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1093065' first='Knoxx' last='Wedelstedt'], Bismarck Century </strong><a href="https://x.com/Knoxxw22">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1613828,"width":"306px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/52-Knoxx-Wedelstedt-e1716318238499-crop-4187x2749-1716346133-crop-640x421-1738196469.jpg?w=639" alt="" class="wp-image-1613828" style="width:306px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Knoxx made his mark as one of the first names I logged in our 2028 class, when he came out to our Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase last Spring and cracked our top performers as an 8th grader at running back. Man, when you peek at the tape, the athleticism and wirey instincts shows how quick Knoxx's nose for the ball really is, I would love to see him at summer camps as a linebacker as the grit this young man plays with oozes more like a linebacker. I will say that our LB1 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1093065' first='Knoxx' last='Wedelstedt']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/knoxx-wedelstedt/"></a> might be the hardest hitting linebacker in the class as almost everything you see on tape is a hard-nosed knockback tackle. Knoxx will be another linebacker in this class that has ball-hawk capability and plays with a easily noted sidleine to sideline presence. Even as a 2028 prospect, I surely like this kid as a scholarship level in the future.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"24px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:24px"><strong>DB1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defensive backs are in the same boat as defensive linemen. Being that most of the 2028 athletes play on both sides of the ball and as this is a brand new class we surely will have more athletes converted to defensive backs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"24px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:24px"><strong>ATH1</strong> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1597646' first='Korbin' last='Kraft'], Minot</strong> <a href="https://x.com/korbin_kraft">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1614116,"width":"297px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/Korbin-crop-339x223-1738210387.jpg?w=338" alt="" class="wp-image-1614116" style="width:297px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Our #1 ranked 2028 athlete in the North Dakota class is another one that hails from the Magic City, in Minot High's [player_tooltip player_id='1597646' first='Korbin' last='Kraft']. Right off the bat, Korbin shows off the open field vision that looks like more an upperclassmen than just a freshmen. There is one play on tape that told me why he is the top 2028 athlete in the class, as he got a botched snap that got pressured quickly but somehow was able to maneuver out of a very high traffic area to get to the edge and find the end zone utilizing that durability, constant field perspective, and sudden burst that gets downhill quickly. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->