Top Five Returning Tackle Leaders in 3A

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Taking a look at each of the top five tackle leaders that return in Class 3A this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/top-five-returning-receivers-in-3a/">Top Five Returning Receivers in 3A</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/top-five-rushing-leaders-returning-in-3a/">Top Five Rushing Leaders Returning in 3A</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="http://top%20five%20returning%20passers%20in%203a/">Top Five Returning Passers in 3A</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/top-five-returning-tackle-leaders-in-4a/">Top Five Returning Tackle Leaders in 4A</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/top-five-returning-tackle-leaders-in-5a/">Top Five Returning Tackle Leaders in 5A</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Will Welbes","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"213","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Wahlert Catholic","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68961cad273c4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Returning from last season's 3A state champion team, Will Welbes posted 88 tackles last season for Wahlert Catholic. A big-bodied, hard-hitting middle linebacker for the Golden Eagles, Welbes is a quintessential middle linebacker. Patient in the middle of Wahlert's defense, Welbes waits, reads and reacts to fly forward -- or backward in passing situations -- to lay the wood on open field tackles. He can run over or through would-be blockers, and he disengages well to make tackles. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1188432"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1776787,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68961cad27477"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Committed to the University of South Dakota this summer, [player_tooltip player_id='1188432' first='Mason' last='Claus'] is back to lead the Keokuk defense in 2025 after posting 79.5 tackles last season. He racked up more than 11 tackles a game, only playing in seven contests during his junior campaign. A fluid mover that shoots gaps well, Claus possesses more speed than the average linebacker, bursting through opposing offensive lines for tackles before plays even get started. Surely a film junkie, it appears at times that Claus knows what play is coming before the ball is even snapped.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Luke Argo","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"210","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Assumption","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68961cad2754a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The No. 3 tackler in the group, Luke Argo of Davenport Assumption registered 78 tackles for the Knights last fall, 65 of which were solo, open field tackles. Along with three interceptions, Argo made his presence known in the passing and run games on the defensive side of the field for Assumption.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/04/class-3a-senior-lb-watchlist-for-2025/">According to our Austin Lowell</a>, "Argo was solid against the run, making good pursuit angles. ... Argo did quite well against the pass, reading the QB well and made plays to break up the pass like a DB. ... He boasts the athleticism to make a push for either baseball or football in the next level."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Cael Donahe","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"210","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Humboldt","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68961cad2762f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Playing for the 3A runners-up last season, Cael Donahe is the top returner for the Wildcat defense in 2025 with 76.5 tackles to his name. Without the physical tools of some of the aforementioned tacklers, Donahe oozes smalltown linebacker that loves to hit and lead a defense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Prior to the ball being snapped, Donahe looks like an excited predator about to pounce on its prey, tapping his feet anxiously awaiting the snap. In the run game, he's a sure tackler, and in pass defense, he reads the quarterbacks eyes well to hide himself in the middle of the defense and snag a pick or register a PBU.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1370627"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-689b5a4ddcbfc"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A fullback/linebacker combo for Greene County, [player_tooltip player_id='1370627' first='Christopher' last='Daugherty'] returns after leading the Rams in tackles last season with 72.5 total. A sideline-to-sideline backer that can fly around, blow up screen passes and catch a running back getting to the edge of the formation, it's no wonder Daugherty racked up so many tackles last season. Though he didn't amass the same amount of solo tackles as the other leaders in this crew, Daugherty found himself around the ball constantly, putting together enough assisted tackles to boost his total numbers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->