Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase: Nate's Linebacker Standouts

Next up is the linebackers that we got live evals on at the Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase which includes, a sleeper 2026 linebacker that won MVP, plenty of under the radar LBs that leveled up in their second Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase, and more.    A new name that was a walkup that caught my attention at the linebacker position was [player_tooltip player_id='2076357' first='Mason' last='Moldenhauer'] of Shiloh Christian. He showed a plethora of consistency with his testing numbers across the board including a 4.62 pro shuttle, 5.01 in the 40-yard dash, 8'10 in the broad jump, and 7.57 in the L-drill. He was a linebacker that thought developed quickly from start to finish in the reps that I watched during Indy drills, as one that I feel had great upside headed into his senior season by utilzing his solid range with more downhill urgency in and around the edges.     One of the first linebackers to catch my attention at our Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase this winter was Milbank 2028 [player_tooltip player_id='1633534' first='Bennett' last='Hunt']. Bennett certainly has gotten more fluid with his movement since his last time at our showcase as the 5'11 nearly 190 pounder checked those boxes early with his testing numbers especially with his change of direction. He went 4.66 in the pro shuttle and had one of the top LBs times in the L-drill at 7.15. He showed off a high motor linebacker that got the point of attack with great urgency in his downhill movement. He was one that showed sound vision in and around the ball and has more strength than those measurables will show you. He will be a sure newcomer on our 2028 SD rankings for sure that also had well-versed sophomore tape this season.     Mason is a local athlete from North Central that I feel showed off much more explosive traits in Sunday's Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase than what I saw at our last showcase in Aberdeen. He showed off solid torque with his suddeness getting off blocks and getting downhill to the ball carrier during Indy drills and you could tell has established a higher motor at his disposal at linebacker position. He certainly grew substancially with his speed and agility from last showcase, posting a 4.95 40-yard dash, 4.72 in the pro shuttle, and 7.47 in the L-drill. I also felt Mason improved with getting off blocks at Sunday's showcase as there was more quickness and agility built in with his hands. Can't wait to see what his junior tape looks like.     Another North Central Thunder linebacker that caught my radar during the Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase was [player_tooltip player_id='1667022' first='Isaiah' last='Heilman']. He's gotten significantly more frame checking in at 6'0 219 pounds in Aberdeen, and you could feel it when you watched his reps on Sunday. He has grown with enhancing his football IQ in the reps I watched, as I liked how smooth Isaiah was with getting off his blocks during Indy drills as I felt the more I watched him the better he got. He also showed off a linebacker that has solid vision in short area and good quickness in those tight windows getting to the ball carrier. Would love to see more in season tape from this young man!     Another North Dakota linebacker that made my radar in the 2028 class at the Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase was [player_tooltip player_id='2071310' first='Hudson' last='Kisell'] of West Fargo Horace, a program we have seen a lot of at our Dakotas Showcases. He might not have been the biggest linebacker in attendance, but he won me in the live eval with how violent his hands were in the reps that I got to watch. I also like Hudson from a ball-tracking perspective in what I watched as I feel he could be one that has position flexibility in the future to possibly play in the secondary or more in pass coverage.     A new name that intrigued us amongst the linebacker group at our Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase was [player_tooltip player_id='2073950' first='Westin' last='Pitts'] of Sioux Valley, as despite the lack of tape he took home as one of our top performers at the linebacker position in Aberdeen. The 6'0 181 pounder from the Cossacks, ran one of the faster 40-yard dashes amongst the group with a 4.95, 4.72 in the pro shuttle and a top-tier in the LB group for broad jump at 8'11. The reps I got to watch from Westin showed off a linebacker that was instinctive during Indy drills and had lengthy size (6'2 wingpsan) that he showed there and into 1v1s. His length intrigues me from a position flexibility perspective as one that I would love to get more tape on as we put together our 2028 SD rankings update here very soon as one that will be on that list for sure.     Its being common that just about every other showcase we have in Aberdeen, that we have a linebaacker from Aberdeen Roncalli that either wins our LB MVP or is a top performer, which in thise case [player_tooltip player_id='1745606' first='Brock' last='Bowman'] in the 2029 class, came away as one of our three top performers in the linebacker group for his play on Sunday. Brock showed off in the reps I watched a linebacker that has a strong football IQ for his age and I felt he was an athlete that hit on the small details that you usually don't see freshmen hit at their position until later in their high school career. He knew how to utilize his pad-level to get off blocks not only in tight windows but with use of his athleticism at hand.     The only 2026 propsect we had as an MVP at our Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase, was Webster Area's [player_tooltip player_id='2073029' first='Matthew' last='Mount'] who had a strong senior season for the Bearcats. The 6'0 223 pounder, certainly passed the eye test from the jump to play linebacker at the next-level and his play backed it up too. Matthew showed off great instincts and locked in vision during Indy drills and you could tell the fluidity and motor were wired from start to finish in the chunk of reps I was able to watch on Sunday in Aberdeen. He was a linebacker that you could tell thru coaching, relished every opportunity hitting on the small details. You also could not miss on the big motor Matthew brought out on every rep there was on Sunday. The All-Stater has great vision at the point of attack and surely is deserving of some offers coming his way hopefully very soon.      More Names to Know from the Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase   [player_tooltip player_id='1597634' first='Bridger' last='Mez'], Rapid City Stevens 2028   [player_tooltip player_id='2073956' first='Micah' last='Bruns'], LB, Aberdeen Central 2028   [player_tooltip player_id='2005955' first='Owen' last='Sivertson'], LB, West Fargo Horace 2028

Next up is the linebackers that we got live evals on at the Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase which includes, a sleeper 2026 linebacker that won MVP, plenty of under the radar LBs that leveled up in their second Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase, and more.