PrepRedzoneMN 2026 Rankings: Nate’s Outstate Linebackers to Know

OUTSTATE- We keep rolling thru the Outstate thru our new Minnesota 2026 rankings release this time taking a look at the linebacker that caught our attention tonight or in a recent live eval. We feature 6'5 and 6'4 linebackers from small town Minnesota, plenty of hard hitters, and a handful of targets with position flexibility that we like.   [player_tooltip player_id='1255910' first='Preston' last='Hanson'], LB, Fertile-Beltrami <a href="https://x.com/Preston_hanson9">Twitter</a>   I have seen a ton of Minnesota prospects that stick out like a sore thumb on tape over the years based on the eye test, but holy smokes does 2026 linebacker Preston Has n of Fertile-Beltrami slam that down quickly on his junior tape. The 6'5 215 pounder has such intriguing lower body length with his strides to the ball especially on a smaller 9-man field, and what impresses me too with Preston you can see the athleticism and fluidity that he shows off with his upside. As you can imagine, Preston shows off a plethora of range at his disposal and you can see the intent that Preston plays with his pursuit angles you see on tape. I wish I was on the field for either of his games at US Bank Stadium, as even from tape this young man plays with a XL linebacker frame that should intrigue college coaches surely as they start to evaluate this 2026 class heavier. after NSD tomorrow.   [player_tooltip player_id='1605829' first='Isaac' last='Spencer'], LB, Stewartville <a href="https://x.com/isaacspencer07">Twitter</a>   If you like middle linebackers that play from sideline to sideline and show off the hit stick you want in your linebacking core early, you might want to meet [player_tooltip player_id='1605829' first='Isaac' last='Spencer'] out of hotbed Stewartville. The 6'3 215 pounder also plays with every ounce of the motor you want at linebacker as the tape doesn't take long to for Isaac to show that off quickly. He also impresses me with his football IQ as I can tell Isaac is a quick processor pre-snap of where the ball is headed as his pursuit angles in the tackle box also intrigue me. Just about every time I have watched a rep from Isaac's linebacker tape, you see him knock-back the ball carrier with authority. If we look ahead in the coming months, I surely could see Isaac as a stockriser in this 2026 class and will be enlightened to see what the college coaches think too at camps this summer as one if I were them, I would get Isaac on my radar sooner rather than later.   [player_tooltip player_id='936541' first='Jack' last='Carlson'], LB, Goodhue <a href="https://x.com/jack_carlso?lang=en">Twitter</a>   Jack is a 2026 linebacker that I would love to see where his pro agility comes out to be at a prospect camp this summer, because his change of direction surely is interesting to watch on tape. This young man flies off the snap and on both sides of the ball and plays with some of the most pure instincts amongst linebackers on this list from the Outstate tonight. The 6'0 215 pounder from Goodhue plays significantly bigger than his measurables and is shows off a wrecking ball incoming when he gets into the tackle box and even I would say is similar with how durable he is getting yards after contact at tailback. Linebacker surely shows off the next-level upside too in my eyes for Jack as I would expect the southern NSIC schools (Mankato, SMSU, Winona) to get in the mix early for Jack. You also can never go wrong with the mix of a linebacker and a wrestler during the winter month, one of my positions and sports you can put together.   [player_tooltip player_id='1602761' first='Talant' last='Rifenberick'], LB, Cannon Falls <a href="https://x.com/talant_rif">Twitter</a>   Talant might not have the most tape to watch full circle what he brings to the table at linebacker, but the raw upside he has brewing shows off quickly of the production you might see coming for him at the next-level as his best football in my eyes is in the coming years. The 6'4 220 pounder from Cannon Falls, shows off vicious strength with his hands that can move defenders like knocking down bowling pins at the alley as the athletic traits for this young man are surely there, he just needs more developemnt from a technique perspective. He surely plays with a big motor for his size that can move well athletically from sideline to sideline. I also could see position flexibility with Talant at the next-level, as I could see Talant as a 5-tech defensive end at the next level.   [player_tooltip player_id='1581379' first='Logan' last='Kleist'], LB, Mankato East <a href="https://x.com/KleistLogan">Twitter</a>   I got a recent live eval at our Prep Redzone Minnesota Showcase on Mankato East 2026 linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1581379' first='Logan' last='Kleist']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/logan-kleist/"></a> who showed off a higher football IQ than I expected as a new 2026 linebacker on my radar. He also stood out as a linebacker that shows off great fluidity in the reps I got to watch on Sunday, as one that too plays on both sides of the ball for the Cougars. He showed off an agile first step off the snap, that I felt played with a well-versed motor from the reps I watched live at our showcase back in December. The 9'5 broad jump which shows off that the contribution of what we saw in our live eval, lives up to the hype from seeing him in testing, as the other very intriguing numbers from our Minnesota showcase from Logan is his 6'5+ wingspan as a nearly 6'0 195 pound linebacker.

OUTSTATE- We keep rolling thru the Outstate thru our new Minnesota 2026 rankings release this time taking a look at the linebacker that caught our attention tonight or in a recent live eval. We feature 6'5 and 6'4 linebackers from small town Minnesota, plenty of hard hitters, and a handful of targets with position flexibility that we like.