Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase: Top Defensive Linemen

ABERDEEN-- We move into the trenches from last Sunday's Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase in Aberdeen, taking a look at some of the top defensive linemen that were in attendance. We take a look at our 2027 MVP, who should be a D1 prospect in my eyes, 2026s that boosted their stock in the live eval, 2027 making a first splash in our eyes, and a 2028 DL that intrigued me with his reps despite being one of the youngest in the group.   [player_tooltip player_id='1575923' first='Jackson' last='Simon'], DL, Potter County, 2028 <a href="https://x.com/JacksonSim2028">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/12/IMG_1934-rotated-crop-481x316-1734382871.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1581703" style="width:329px;height:auto" /></figure>   Even though he was one of the youngest athletes in the defensive linemen group, Jackson was a defensive end that popped out early with the eye test as one that I liked the upside too that should be brewing over the coming years. We don't see too many 2028s at our camps, winning amongst the group in testing, but Jackson did in the L-Drill as he recorded a 7.25 which was the best in the group and overall, you could tell this young man had more mature athleticism when watching his reps than you might expect. Jackson showed off in the later groups that he has the upside in his toolbox of moves but has the twitch off the snap that intrigues me as just a freshmen and plays with a sound motor for his age. He is one I will be excited to track over the next several years out of Potter County.   [player_tooltip player_id='1328151' first='Anthony' last='McArthur-Morin'], DL, Bismarck 2027 <a href="https://x.com/Anthony_M50_">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/12/IMG_2039-rotated-crop-481x316-1734382801.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1581700" style="width:318px;height:auto" /></figure>   Anthony was an athlete I had circled pre-showcase as one of our top 2027 defensive linemen in North Dakota to watch and during the live evals of our Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase, he showed off that match we liked on tape. He showed off in multiple occasions, especially with the early eye-test as a DL prospect I had yet to watch live up until last Sunday. He showed off a favorable pad-level in the reps I watched and once the hands pulled off, he showed off a plethora of moves at his disposal that not you could tell had some wirey movement, but you could gauge the instincts Anthony has were surely there for the taking. He surely was one of a few of the my favorite 2027 defensive linemen in the building and is one that will be an even deeper stockriser into this next update with a great shot at playing on Saturdays.   [player_tooltip player_id='1236464' first='Hunter' last='Fenske'], DL, WWSSC, 2027   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/12/IMG_2099-rotated-crop-481x316-1734382474.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1581686" style="width:320px;height:auto" /></figure>   Hunter was a South Dakota 2027 that impressed me in the reps I watched in Aberdeen at our Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase. I could gauge it when I watched his tape pre-showcase, but the eye test was surely better watching Hunter when I saw the balance he had in his low-pad-level at the point of attack. You could gauge the strength that Hunter can get downhill running down the feet of the offensive linemen into the backfield, and even though I didn't catch many reps on his releases, I would have to bet that this kid brings off the fluidity you want to see when he sheds off his blocks.   Nolan Verdi, DL, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 2026   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/12/IMG_2015-rotated-crop-481x316-1734382404.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1581682" style="width:328px;height:auto" /></figure>   Nolan was a defensive linemen I wish I would have watched more reps, because after getting the testing numbers, man did this young man show out early. His measurables came in as advertised, and even I thought better than advertised after seeing the 79 inch wingpan (6'7) at 6'2 235 pounds. His change of direction is what intrigues me most as in the reps and based on the testing numbers, he showed off to have more wirey athleticism off the snap and showed off the agile movement that surely has some upside that I saw in Aberdeen. No tape or Twitter yet available on Nolan, but I was surely intrigued with the live eval of this under the radar NW Minnesota prospect.   [player_tooltip player_id='674709' first='Alex' last='Meece'], DL, Fargo Davies 2026 <a href="https://x.com/Alex_Meece">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/12/IMG_1956-rotated-crop-481x316-1734382081.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1581671" style="width:343px;height:auto" /></figure>   Alex has been a 2026 defensive linemen on the rise in the past few months in North Dakota in my eyes, and he confirmed why I felt that rise was evident in his live eval at our Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase. I felt from my eyes, the live eval showed Alex with having faster hands off his sheds, in fact quite faster as the strength has always been clear on tape, but it was swifter and stronger in Aberdeen. Alex is another prospect that the measureables were as advertised from pre-showcase to our Dakotas showcase. Alex also showed off the strength his hands possesed showing off a physical punch with great pad-level which was why he showed off so much presence with his hands during the reps I watched. Alex is certainly one that rose his ceiling from our Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase looking at the next-level.   [player_tooltip player_id='1406691' first='Felipe' last='Gonzalez'], DL, Abeerdeen Central 2026 <a href="https://x.com/g07_felipe">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/12/IMG_1904-rotated-crop-481x316-1734381772.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1581664" style="width:323px;height:auto" /></figure>   Felipe is one that I surely wanted to get a live eval at our Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase as the tape from his junior season was impressive, and I liked the live eval from Aberdeen that I got out of the local defensive tackle. On every rep I got to watch from Felipe, I could gauge the similar fluidity that he plays with on tape, as he was a defensive linemen that played with great pad-level and you could gauge that similar short area vision that he constantly shows off on tape as a defensive tackle that has pure instincts once he enters the backfield after he gets off his blocks. There was also smooth consistency in Aberdeen from Felipe whether he used an inside or outside move as he carried his footwork with ideal balance. He is one that you probably find out will likely be a stockriser by our next 2026 update in South Dakota as I think this young man is more of a sleeper than he should be coming out of Aberdeen Central.   [player_tooltip player_id='1113091' first='Jack' last='Bertsch'], DL, Aberdeen Central 2026 <a href="https://x.com/jmbertsch7">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/12/IMG_2119-rotated-crop-481x316-1734381848.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1581666" style="width:328px;height:auto" /></figure>   Showing the biggest hand size in the defensive line group at our Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase in Aberdeen was Aberdeen Central defensive end [player_tooltip player_id='1113091' first='Jack' last='Bertsch'], who was a standout at our showcase last winter in Jamestown too. From what my eyes could grasp, is Jack has taken his change of direction up notches since last winter as he came in faster in the L-Drill and pro agility from what I recall. The 2026 defensive end for the Golden Eagles has also gotten swifter with his inside move not only showing off the length with his strides in Aberdeen but he surely I thought played with more downhill finesse than what I saw from a year ago. He also has improved with his short-area vision as well as the tape also lined up with the live eval as another defensive line prospect from Aberdeen Central that has a great shot to catch some attention of college coaches at prospect camps this summer.   [player_tooltip player_id='1113076' first='Ethan' last='Howey'], DL, Minot North 2027 <a href="https://x.com/EthanHowey1">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/12/IMG_2179-rotated-crop-481x316-1734381310.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1581661" style="width:320px;height:auto" /></figure>   My gut told me in our <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2024/12/prz-dakotas-showcase-preview-nates-quick-hitters-before-sunday/">quick hitters preview</a> that Ethan could be one of the best DLs in attendance, as he proved that to be true taking home the defensive line MVP at our Aberdeen Showcase. Ethan is one of our top overall 2027 prospects in North Dakota and was that has impressed me at our last Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase and the UND Flagship Camp last summer, but man was this young man on another level with his growth yesterday in the live eval. During Indy drills, the 6'4 230 pounder showed off nothing but violence in his heavy striking hands and of course I loved his continous physicality with his striking ability, but the balanced in his pad level struck even further as well. When we got into 1v1s, the vicious hands continued but the fluid balance with his pursuit angles at the point of attack showed off excellent finesse with the spin move and other inside and outside moves he showed off at his disposal with his athleticism. I said last Sunday but it's worth repeating: If I were a Division I recruiting department, I would be looking to over this young man ASAP and feel if he was in one of those major US recruiting states, he would probably have that offer already. Surely you will see Ethan move into the neck of our top five with our upcoming 2027 rankings coming out in the coming weeks.

ABERDEEN-- We move into the trenches from last Sunday's Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase in Aberdeen, taking a look at some of the top defensive linemen that were in attendance. We take a look at our 2027 MVP, who should be a D1 prospect in my eyes, 2026s that boosted their stock in the live eval, 2027 making a first splash in our eyes, and a 2028 DL that intrigued me with his reps despite being one of the youngest in the group.