2025 Minnesota Preseason All-State Team: Class A Defense

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Yes, folks. The 2025 high school football season in Minnesota kicks off this Thursday, and no one is going to cover the season better than <em>PrepRedzoneMN</em>. However, we still have some time left to pump out some Preseason content, and what better than a Preseason All-State Team. Next up: Class A Defense! Meet the best-of-the-best DL, LBs, DBs, ATHs, and Specialists the Land of 10,000 Lakes Class A has to offer. Congrats to the selections!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>--</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">2025 MN Preseason Class A Player of the Year: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1288305' first='Aiden' last='Moriarty'] </strong>(<em>Springfield</em>) Junior. ATH. 6'3, 240 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">2025 MN Preseason Class A Offensive Player of the Year: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1602764' first='Blake' last='McMullen'] (</strong><em>Mahnomen/Waubun</em>) Senior. QB. 6'4, 210 lbs. Uncommitted. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">2025 MN Preseason Class A Defensive Player of the Year: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1602672' first='Kyson' last='Arndt']</strong> (<em>Minneota</em>) Senior. Defensive End. 6'5, 225 lbs. Uncommitted. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">2025 MN Preseason Class A State Championship Prediction: <em>Springfield High School</em> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>HM: <em>Breckenridge, Park Christian, Parkers Prairie, Fillmore Central, Mahnomen/Waubun </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size"><em>Defensive Line</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>First Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1602672' first='Kyson' last='Arndt'] </strong>(<em>Minneota</em>) 2026. 6'5, 225 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1255142' first='Jake' last='Cassens'] </strong>(<em>United South Central)</em> 2026. 6'2, 310 lbs. - <strong>Riley Merchlewitz </strong><em>(Lewiston-Altura</em>) 2026. 6'1, 225 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1602776' first='Tucker' last='Gile'] </strong>(<em>Russell-Tyler-Ruthton</em>) 2026. 6'4, 230 lbs. - <strong>Trevor Rounds </strong>(<em>Parkers Prairie</em>) 2026. 6'2, 220 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Second Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1648573' first='Jackson' last='Staab']</strong> <em>(Lakeview</em>) 2026. 6'3, 300 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1256231' first='Noah' last='Kampsen']</strong> (<em>Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa</em>) 2026. 6'1, 250 lbs. - <strong>AJ Bessler</strong> (<em>Nevis</em>) 2026. 6'5, 185 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='591738' first='Hunter' last='Carstensen'] </strong>(<em>Minneota</em>) 2026. 6'4, 205 lbs. -</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Third Team: <strong>Henry Slettedahl</strong> (<em>Breckenridge</em>) 2026. 5'10, 210 lbs. - <strong>Carson Wagner </strong>(<em>Southland</em>) 2026. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1120550' first='Jordan' last='Brouwers']</strong> <em>(New Richland</em>-<em>Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva</em>) 2026. 6', 210 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Honorable Mention: <strong>Keeyan Netzke </strong>(<em>Sleepy Eye United</em>) 2028. 6'1, 190 lbs. - <strong>Sy Sanders </strong>(<em>Tracy-Milroy-Balaton</em>) 2026. 6'1, 200 lbs. - <strong>Isiah</strong> <strong>Oakgrove</strong> (<em>Red Lake</em>) 2027. 6'1, 220 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size"><em>Linebacker</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>First Team: <strong>Brody Lhotka </strong>(<em>Mahnomen/Waubun)</em> 2026. 6'2, 225 lbs. - <strong>Matthew Lee</strong> (<em>Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop</em>) 2027. 6'2, 200 lbs. - <strong>Tegan</strong> <strong>Abel</strong> (<em>Breckenridge</em>) 2026. 6'1, 200 lbs. -</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Second Team: <strong>Cael Heimerl </strong>(Lester Prairie) 2026. 5'8, 200 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1288409' first='Grady' last='Knapper'] </strong>(<em>Mountain Iron-Buhl)</em> 2027. 5'10, 190 lbs. - <strong>Thoren</strong> <strong>Thronson</strong> (<em>Red Lake County)</em> 2027. 6'2, 170 lbs. - <strong>Jacob Lyons Jr.</strong> (<em>Hinckley-Finlayson</em>) 2026. 6'4, 205 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Third Team: <strong>Isaac Eklund</strong> (<em>Braham</em>) 2026. 6'2, 165 lbs. - <strong>Cade Gross</strong> (<em>Nevis</em>) 2026. 5'9, 180 lbs. - <strong>Isaac Janish </strong>(<em>Russell-Tyler-Ruthton)</em> 2026. 6', 160 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Honorable Mention: <strong>Cory Schauer </strong>(<em>Lester Prairie</em>) 2026. 5'10, 185 lbs. - <strong>Jack Friske </strong>(<em>Mayer Lutheran</em>) 2027. 6', 200 lbs. - <strong>Lawrence</strong> <strong>Bowstrong </strong>(<em>Deer River)</em> 2026. 5'11, 185 lbs. - <strong>Gavin Boesl </strong>(<em>Parkers Prairie)</em> 2026. 5'11, 170 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size"><em>Defensive Back</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>First Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1666356' first='Isaac' last='Fredin']</strong> (<em>Springfield</em>) 2026. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='481531' first='Nathan' last='Hansen'] </strong>(<em>Dawson-Boyd) </em>2026. 5'11, 170 lbs. - <strong>Julian Beckstrand </strong>(<em>Barnum</em>) 2026. 5'11, 180 lbs. - <strong>Tanner Stetch </strong>(<em>Mahnomen/Waubun</em>) 2026. 6', 185 lbs. - <strong>Brant Bak (</strong><em>Parkers Prairie</em>) 2026. 6'3, 175 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Second Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1858670' first='Logan' last='Giese']</strong> (<em>Park Christian)</em> 2027. 5'9, 170 lbs. - <strong>Jordan Sturges</strong> (<em>Murray County Central</em>) 2026. 5'10, 150 lbs. - [player_tooltip player_id='1655354' first='Madden' last='Lendt'] (<em>Springfield</em>) 2028. 6'1, 180 lbs. - <strong>Owen Baumgartner</strong> (<em>BOLD</em>) 2026. 6'3, 210 lbs. - <strong>Finn Roder</strong> (<em>New York Mills)</em> 2026. 6', 180 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Third Team: <strong>Maxim Matee </strong>(<em>BOLD</em>) 2026. 5'9, 160 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1654544' first='Daymian' last='Beckstrand']</strong> (<em>Barnum</em>) 2028. 5'11, 170 lbs. - <strong>Ian Kimmes</strong> (<em>Cherry</em>) 2026. 5'10, 150 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size"><em>Athlete</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>First Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1288305' first='Aiden' last='Moriarty']</strong> (<em>Springfield</em>) 2027. 6'3, 240 lbs. -<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1602764' first='Blake' last='McMullen']</strong> (<em>Mahnomen/Waubun)</em> 2026. 6'4, 210 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Second Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1288405' first='Carson' last='Lyons']</strong> (<em>Cleveland</em>) 2027. 5'9, 155 lbs. - <strong>Kane Larson</strong> (<em>Fillmore Central)</em> 2026. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='591741' first='Caleb' last='Rossi'] </strong>(<em>Mountain Iron-Buhl)</em> 2026. 5'9, 180 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Third Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1288350' first='Ryan' last='Schlaak']</strong> (<em>New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva</em>) 2027. 6', 180 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='592309' first='Royce' last='Jax'] </strong>(<em>Southland</em>) 2026. 5'10, 180 lbs. - <strong>Riley Kappes</strong> (<em>Breckenridge</em>) 2027. 6', 180 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Honorable Mention: <strong>Chase Escamilla</strong> (<em>Hayfield</em>) 2027. 5'9, 190 lbs. -<strong> Eli Jensen</strong> (<em>Lewiston-Altura)</em> 2026. - <strong>Blake Grimsley</strong> (<em>MACCRAY</em>) 2027. - <strong>Jayden Hanson</strong> (<em>Park Christian</em>) 2027. 5'11, 180 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size"><em>Specialists</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>First Team: <strong>Caleb Possin</strong> (<em>Cleveland</em>) 2026. 5'8, 160 lbs. Kicker &amp; Punter. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1288405' first='Carson' last='Lyons'] </strong>(<em>Cleveland</em>) 2027. 5'9, 155 lbs. Returner. - <strong>Brock</strong> <strong>Fier</strong> (<em>Minneota</em>) 2026. 6'1, 190 lbs. Punter. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Second Team: <strong>Tanner Stetch</strong> (<em>Mahnomen/Waubun)</em> 2026. 6', 185 lbs. Returner. - <strong>Jayden Hanson</strong> (<em>Park Christian)</em> 2027. 5'11, 180 lbs. Punter. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1257239' first='Kegan' last='Schmitz']</strong> (<em>Red Lake County)</em> 2026. 6'1, 205 lbs. Kicker.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>--</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->