The Third Unit: Minnesota's Best Kickers of 2024

As we continue to recognize the top special teams players of our regions, our next edition of "The Third Unit" recognizes the top placekicker performances in Minnesota through the 2024 season. I was really impressed at the level of play from the kicking specialists in the state in Minnesota, with several top prospects appearing among the standouts on this list along with a few other names that may surprise you. Here are the 7 best Kickers from Minnesota over the 2024 season!    It made sense for the #1 ranked Kicker in Minnesota for this upcoming class to be among the 7 standouts that made this list. Ryerse finished 7 of 9 on field goals and 20 of 22 on extra points in his senior season. He led the state in field goals made from 40+ yards (4), and he was one of just 3 kickers over the course of the season to make a 50+ yard field goal, hitting a 56 yard attempt. He also recovered 2 onside kicks and hit 40 touchbacks on 41 kickoffs through the year. Ryerse flipped his commitment back in December from Alabama to Minnesota, staying in his home state to play for the Golden Gophers.     While Stillwater had a bit of an underwhelming year in 2024, the Ponies benefited from the reliability of their senior Kicker in Landon Huber. After attempting only 3 kicks in 2023, Huber attempted 10 in 2024, making all 10 kicks, while also going 25 of 26 in extra points. Huber showed solid range, making 4 kicks from 30+ yards throughout the year, and the Ponies put a lot of trust in Huber to get points on the board for them when their drives came short of the end zone. Huber could potentially get some D1 offers ahead of signing day.     Chase Lee plays as a forward for Mound Westonka's soccer team, and he's translated his kicking skills onto the gridiron, becoming one of the best underclassmen kicking specialists in the state this season. Lee went 6 of 7 on field goals and was 24 of 25 on extra points. Lee made both of his field goal attempts from 30+ yards. Lee clearly has a strong leg, with great control on his directional and vertical arc, having been developed well from kicking goals into a net, into kicking field goals through a post. Lee will be a specialist to watch going forward.     After having his 2023 season spoiled by an injury, Evan Swanstrom played through the entire 2024 year without skipping a beat, playing better than he did before his injury. Swanstrom finished the year 6 of 7 on field goals and 22 of 24 on extra points. Swanstrom did a good job capitalizing drives into points, but it was his performance on kickoff duties that made him stand out even further. Swanstrom showed great range on his kicks, and he was not afraid to get physical, getting several tackles on the returners. Swanstrom just received a D2 offer from Southwest Minnesota State, and he should be bound to get more offers pretty soon.     Having watched him play in-person, Jakobe Tosch is a great complementary piece for Mankato West's offense. Tosch finished 9 of 10 on field goals and made all 16 of his extra point attempts. Tosch plays as a midfielder for his soccer team, and he does a great job in translate his kicking skills from passing the ball through tight gaps to his teammates, to kicking the ball over defenders in between the goal posts. Tosch will be an important asset toward Mankato West's rebuild going forward.     [player_tooltip player_id='1204067' first='Daniel' last='Jackson'] had his fair share of misses in 2024, but his range, productivity, and natural ability as a placekicker showed itself through his senior year. Jackson was 4 of 8 on field goals, and he was a perfect 60 of 60 on extra points during the year. Jackson's season long was a 54 yard field goal against Chaska to start the season. Jackson also had a key kick in the 4th quarter against Robbinsdale Armstrong in the first round of the playoffs which allowed them to win. Jackson's efforts were awarded as he signed to Minnesota in December, and he should have an opportunity to make an impact for the special teams unit almost immediately.     Quinn Meyer may have been the most underrated Kicker in Minnesota across the 2024 season. His numbers don't look staggering, as he went 5 of 6 on field goals and 16 of 17 on extra points, but he finished as one of the 3 Kickers last season to hit a field goal from 50+ yards. Meyer also made a game winning kick against St. Thomas Academy, and the extra point that was the difference maker in Chaska's 1 point OT win over Waconia in the first round of the playoffs. Meyer has the ability to impact the outcome of the game, and he is a name that shouldn't be ignored heading toward signing day.

As we continue to recognize the top special teams players of our regions, our next edition of "The Third Unit" recognizes the top placekicker performances in Minnesota through the 2024 season. I was really impressed at the level of play from the kicking specialists in the state in Minnesota, with several top prospects appearing among the standouts on this list along with a few other names that may surprise you. Here are the 7 best Kickers from Minnesota over the 2024 season!