2026 Team Preview: Brainerd Warriors

The Brainerd Warriors have been a consistently solid team over the last half-decade, and because they are touting a roster with some noticeable talent in 2026, that's a trend I don't see changing this year. They started last season with a 3-game win streak, and although they struggled mightily in the second half of the season, they had a young roster, and many of those sophomores and juniors who started last season are back in a big way. Also boasting one of the better transfers in Northern Minnesota, the Warriors could be a dangerous team to run into this fall. Meet the 2026 Brainerd Warriors!   Key Returners:    The team's leader in receiving yards a season ago, Vanek returns as one of the undisputed "top dogs" on that Warriors offense and is looking to continue to build on the success he found as a junior. The All-District wideout tallied 425 receiving yards on only 43 catches last year and found the end zone once in his 6-game season. I really like what he put on tape from last season. The first thing that caught my eye was the sheer amount of effort he puts into every play. Even if he knows the ball isn't coming his way, he tries his best to sell the route and has no issues getting gritty and dirty by mauling a DB when blocking. If I had to characterize his abilities as a receiver, I would say he's a route runner. He finds ways to get open by exploiting soft spots in coverage and has good enough vision to be a legit YAC threat downfield. He never gives up on a play and is constantly looking to set up his QB for a big play. He's more athletic than I expected as well. Vanek should be a key part of Brainerd's success this season.     A three-sport athlete (Football/Basketball/Track) who put up some decent numbers as well as off-season tape, Merseth is another massively underrated prospect from Northern MN who I think we could see a breakout in a big way this season. Billed at 6'2", 175 lbs, Merseth was one of the more productive Warriors wideouts last season, catching 14 balls for 250 yards and a TD. His success wasn't limited to just offense, however, as he also saw a significant role on special teams as a kick returner, averaging over 29 yards per return across a 6-game sample. On his offseason tape, however, Merseth showed off some sick hands. Regardless of how tight the coverage is, Merseth can find a way to either go up and get the ball, mossing defenders in the process, or reel in passes in tight windows, fighting through contact the entire time. With two more years left to develop, I think we could see Merseth's stock explode.     Named a team captain heading into his senior season, Raske may be on the watch list now, but he's not far away from finding himself in the rankings. Talented as both a longsnapper and a DB, Raske put up solid numbers and plenty of tape throughout his junior campaign. He amassed 50 tackles, 3 PBUs, and 2 INTs across the season, and looked impressive in the process. His athleticism as a safety is on full display on his 2025 film. Raske is very adept in zone coverage and is more than capable of closing the distance at the last second to either disrupt the pass or pick it off entirely. He's very physical at the point of attack as well. Whether it be disrupting screens by blowing up blockers or lighting up receivers after they catch the ball, Raske can make his presence felt everywhere. Keep an eye out for the LS/DB combo athlete.     A 2026 team captain and a highly ranked MN prospect, Rodahl possesses an elite frame and some sick tape from his junior campaign. As a safety, Rodahl has legit utility in both the run and the pass game. He flows naturally to the ball and is very physical when colliding with the ball carrier. I love how aggressively he can play downhill, and especially against run-heavy teams, Rodahl can really erase many of their runs outside the hashes. His closing speed stood out to me as well. When he's defending passes, Rodahl does a great job of fully extending to disrupt the ball and does an excellent job of high-pointing passes once they're in the air. With the build he possesses, as well as the tape and leadership abilities that he brings to the table, I think we'll see big recruiting news out of Rodahl very soon.     Currently holding a pair of offers from Concordia-Moorhead and Augsburg, Beliveau brought down 37 total tackles, 3 PBUs, and 2 INTs during his junior season. With a vast majority of his tape coming at corner, I ended up really impressed with his ability to completely lock down a wide receiver. Left alone on an island is a perfect spot to be if you're Beliveau. He's exceptionally good at using his hands in coverage, and on multiple occasions you'll see that his physicality at the catch point is a massive bonus for that Warriors defense. His pursuit effort is also notable. The kid hawks down receivers cross-field and has a handful of plays making drive-saving tackles. There aren't too many wideouts who are going to see success locked in on that 1v1 man coverage.     One of the athletes I'm excited the most to see next season is the newest member of the Warriors defense, [player_tooltip player_id='1397399' first='Jacob' last='English']. English is a transfer from Crosby-Ironton, a small school around 45 minutes north of Brainerd. He's one of the most sought after edge's from the offseason, and his tape gives me a good idea as to why that is. This dude is a monster on film, possessing insane strength that combines well with his elite frame, making him a very tall task for any tackle to successfully pass-block. He plays with a dogged tenacity, never ceasing to hunt down the ball carrier no matter where the play goes. His pure physicality makes him a nightmare matchup 1-on-1, and he moves impressively well for a prospect of his size. He's not just effective in the pass game; however, English is more than capable of blowing up run plays. It takes a lot to displace him, and he does an excellent job of lighting up lead blockers and pulling linemen alike. I'm pumped to see what kind of film he can put out against 5A offenses.     Heinrich is an offensive lineman who has received some attention from MIAC schools recently, and for good reason. The versatile IOL has a stout frame, which lends itself well to his style of play. Coming in at a little over 230 lbs, Heinrich has a lot of tape at guard from his junior campaign, in which he shows off some excellent hand fighting early and often. He keeps a good base about him and has already impressed on the offseason camp circuit. With a year of varsity experience under his belt, I'm pumped to see what he can do during his senior season.    Potential Breakouts:    The QB2 for the Warriors last season and one of the highest-rated 2029 prospects in the state, Lauer is slated to come in and take over the gunslinging role for Brainerd this fall. He saw game action as a freshman, and although he doesn't have any tape from last fall, his offseason tape gives us a great window into the player that he is becoming. From that summer scrimmage tape, Lauer looks like he's evolved rapidly into a high-level 5A starter. He's got a cannon of an arm and can sling rockets off-platform into tight windows with no issue. This kid possesses sick mobility too. He's far more physically advanced than most QBs his age, and when he takes the rock off a read option, he's liable to gash the defense for an explosive play. His vision when carrying the ball is legit, and he fights hard for every yard. He's still got some things to clean up, but if he can put it all together this year, we might be looking at a legit prospect.     Another Brainerd wideout with a lot of size, Gilbert came into last season standing 6'3" and weighing in at 190 lbs; his frame alone makes him an appealing prospect. He was the WR4 last season, tallying 11 receptions for 149 yards, a TD, and a 2-point conversion in just 4 games. With recent graduations at the position, Gilbert could be primed for a massive senior year. MIAC/WIAC/UMAC schools would all be served very well by taking a hard look at the Warriors product.     An underrated trench athlete who popped at the PRZ combine in the spring, Ehlert put up some solid numbers as a defensive end last season, finishing his junior year with 33 TTCK, 2 PBUs, 2 Sacks, and 3 TFLs. I got more out of his 2025 tape than I expected to. Ehlert is a surprisingly explosive athlete who possesses a quick get-off and does a great job of hand-fighting with offensive linemen, which prevents them from locking on and making meaningful gains as blockers. He's often noticeably quicker than the OL he faces, and I really like how he's able to maintain control of his gap, even if he is out-sized. He plays a very aware style of football, always looking to bat down passes or create big play opportunities. With game time on both sides of the ball, you can expect to see a lot of Ehlert next season.     Mosely is an OLB who didn't see a ton of varsity reps last season, but he put together some good tape and, with constant graduations and player development, we could see him take a big leap forward in 2026. His junior tape does a great job of highlighting the effort he gives every time he touches the field. Regardless of where he's played, Mosely gives it 100% and made a serious impact last year on special teams. He's very physical upon contact, and I love how he continues to run his feet through the tackle. His utility and effort in the run game are legit. Keep an eye out for this under-the-radar 2027 prospect.     Arguably the best candidate to take over the mantle of RB1 for the Warriors is incoming senior [player_tooltip player_id='2327074' first='Kyle' last='Syrdal']. He had the most yards last season of any returning ball carrier, finishing his junior season with 27 carries for 121 yards and a TD, as well as catching 7 passes for 86 yards. He doesn't have any film yet, but he should be an early name to listen for.     An imposing DB standing at 6' and weighing in at around 185 lbs, Becher took home a pick-6 last year, and that's part of the reason he finds himself on this list. He doesn't have a ton of tape out, but he's put up some great track numbers from last spring. He possesses all of the raw physical potential you would look for in a young athlete, and if he can see some serious minutes this year, we might have a breakout on our hands.

The Brainerd Warriors have been a consistently solid team over the last half-decade, and because they are touting a roster with some noticeable talent in 2026, that's a trend I don't see changing this year. They started last season with a 3-game win streak, and although they struggled mightily in the second half of the season, they had a young roster, and many of those sophomores and juniors who started last season are back in a big way. Also boasting one of the better transfers in Northern Minnesota, the Warriors could be a dangerous team to run into this fall. Meet the 2026 Brainerd Warriors!