Class 4A Senior LB Watchlist for 2025

We continue our lists of the top upcoming senior prospects in Iowa by jumping up to Class 4A to take a look at the top senior LBs to watch from this group. These players on the list today have already established themselves as top athletes that rank toward the top of our rankings list, not just at the LB position, but also among the top overall prospects in Iowa for the class of 2025. We reveal 5 LBs from Class 4A Iowa that should be on your radar in 2025!    [player_tooltip player_id='1581293' first='Nate' last='Warner'] blossomed as one of the top LBs in the state during the 2024 season, culminating with him winning All-District Defensive MVP honors. His 109.5 total tackles in 2024 ranked 5th among all defenders in Iowa. Warner also had 10.5 TFLs, a sack, a fumble recovery, and a pick returned for a touchdown during the season. Warner has been a menace in the run-game, doing a great job at closing down space quickly and is almost guaranteed to bring down the ball-carrier when in his vicinity. Warner's testing numbers should be noted considerably, running a 4.56 40, posting a 37" vertical, and 375 lb max squat, displaying D1 Power 5 numbers, which combined with his play on the field should warrant him as a priority target for recruiting heading into his senior year.     Class-4A powerhouse Lewis Central unearthed a gem on their defense last season in [player_tooltip player_id='1620003' first='Paxton' last='Blanchard']. Blanchard emerged out of nowhere to finish with 68 tackles, 18.5 TFLs, 2 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, and an interception in 2024. Blanchard is a nimble and twitchy defender, keeping his hips square and showing excellent footwork, changing direction on a dime, and being quick on his breaks toward the ball-carrier. Blanchard was all over the field last season, covering sideline-to-sideline, and he has plenty of speed to explode into the back field as well as to catch up to the ball-carrier trying to run past him. Blanchard was a standout at Prep Redzone's NE/IA Combine Series event held last week, and he's continuing to build a strong case for himself as one of the top defenders to watch in Class 4A Iowa in 2025.     [player_tooltip player_id='1619997' first='Connor' last='Stolpe'] emerged in 2024 as the face of the defense for a struggling Mustangs' unit. Stolpe broke out with 84.5 tackles (67 solo), 7 TFLs, and a fumble recovery. Stolpe does a great job at keeping his feet moving constantly, making sharp cuts on his read steps, and has a great understanding on pursuit angles to run down the ball-carrier. Stolpe has solid close-down speed and does a good job brushing off blockers trying to jam him, using his hands to get by and get in front of the ball-carrier. Despite playing for a struggling unit, Stolpe talents should not be overlooked, as he could be a potential steal in this upcoming recruiting class.     [player_tooltip player_id='1620030' first='Dylan' last='Schrock'] had an explosive presence for Clear Creek Amana's defense last year, proving critical in guiding the team to their first playoff appearance since 2021. Schrock recorded 61.5 tackles, 11.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, and 2 fumble recoveries. Schrock does a great job at reading the play and determining exactly where the ball is going. Schrock does well playing downhill in the run-game, showing quick instincts and good pursuit angles to the ball-carrier, making it difficult for the offense to win in the run and short-pass game. Schrock has emerged into a solid signal-caller for the defense, and that leadership should once again be on full display in 2025.     [player_tooltip player_id='1619841' first='Trevor' last='Kuennen'] has made a strong impact for Decorah in both the run-game, and as a run-defender. As a LB, Kuennen recorded 59 tackles, 4 TFLs, and 4 interceptions, with 2 returned for touchdowns. Kuennen has quite a bit of length at 6'2", and he uses that to his advantage in the run game to reach the ball-carrier, running through blockers, and he tackles with clean form without letting the ball-carrier advance for extra yardage. What really stands out is his strength in coverage, using his speed and vertical jump ability to nab low passes, and with the ball in his hands, his ball-carrier vision as a RB allows him to find the open lane to the end zone. RB is Kuennen's preferred position, but those strengths on the ground have translated well for him on defense, and he could very easily get opportunities to play LB at the next level too.

We continue our lists of the top upcoming senior prospects in Iowa by jumping up to Class 4A to take a look at the top senior LBs to watch from this group. These players on the list today have already established themselves as top athletes that rank toward the top of our rankings list, not just at the LB position, but also among the top overall prospects in Iowa for the class of 2025. We reveal 5 LBs from Class 4A Iowa that should be on your radar in 2025!