South Dakota 2025 Winter Rankings Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SOUTH DAKOTA--</strong> We take a final look at the South Dakota 2025 class rankings for the last time in this class. We unleash our new top five, our eval process, the valued positions of South Dakota and my favorite, my top 25 prospects you should be recruiting right now to close out your 2025 classes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"24px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:24px"><strong><em>Our PRZ Prospect Evaluation Process:</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Our&nbsp;<strong>#1 priority</strong>&nbsp;and goal with Prep Redzone Dakotas is to put prospects on the map for college coaches and college programs at all levels to advance their exposure. We evaluate prospects on&nbsp;<strong><em>next-level potential&nbsp;</em></strong>not stats, not on the team's rankings in the state, it's all about prospect upside and how their skillsets fit in and apply at the next level when it comes down to measurables, athleticism and everything else that college football programs measure as far as skillsets within their evaluations. All prospects will need to have tape available or have been referred to us by our anonymous sources throughout the North Dakota or South Dakota. Some prospects will peak with a higher rank searly in their high school careers which is why our rankings change 3-4 times per year at Prep Redzone Dakotas, because we also always factor in several live evaluations year-around thru prospect camps in the spring and summer, games during the fall season, as we have seen several prospects within a 3-month span add 30 pounds of muscle and a couple inches of height, while others stay the same. That is our clear-cut process with every rankings update for those of you that are new to us!&nbsp;<strong>Our main goal?</strong>&nbsp;Expose as many prospects state-wide to make sure they get the exposure they deserve in the Dakotas get next-level opportunities thru our network of college programs from Division I FBS, FCS, Division II, NAIA, Division and the JUCO ranks. We also on occassion will individually refer prospects to college coaches at all levels, other recruiting sources, etc. for their input to share.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"24px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:24px"><strong>Meet our Top 5:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#5: [player_tooltip player_id='997454' first='Micah' last='Hach'], DL/OL, Watertown </strong><a href="https://x.com/HachMicah58694">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-SDSU commit</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#4: [player_tooltip player_id='351508' first='Landon' last='Dulaney'], WR, Brandon Valley </strong><a href="https://x.com/LandonDulaney5">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"16px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:16px">-SDSU commit</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"20px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:20px"><strong>#3: [player_tooltip player_id='321168' first='Lincoln' last='Semchenko'], OL, Sioux Falls Christian</strong><a href="https://x.com/LincolnSemchen2"> Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"16px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:16px">-SDSU commit</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"20px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:20px"><strong>#2: [player_tooltip player_id='1152909' first='Elias' last='Gillen'], OL, Rapid City Stevens </strong><a href="https://x.com/elias_gillen">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"16px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:16px">-Texas Tech commit. Elias will go down as one of my favorite rare finds in this 2025 class out of Rapid City. After we got the word out to several contacts, his recruiting spread like wildfire quickly.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"20px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:20px"><strong>#1: [player_tooltip player_id='800405' first='Shawn' last='Hammerbeck'], OL, Winner </strong><a href="https://x.com/HammerbeckShawn">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"16px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:16px">-Nebraska commit</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"24px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:24px"><strong>Key Points with our 2025 SD Winter Rankings Update</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The Door is Nearly Closing</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"16px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:16px">The doors are nearly closed for 2025 football targets looking to play at the next-level. Yes, of course Division II, NAIA, Division III, JUCOs schools are still actively recruiting, but I can assure you this 2025 class is nearly a wrap when it comes to recruiting otherwise especially at the Division I level in the Dakotas minus a few rare circumstances. Especially with the floodgates open with the transfer portal right now, if you have an offer from any level you should consider taking it if your gut tells you it's a fit, that would be my advice for any 2025 prospect reading this.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"20px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:20px"><strong>The OL/DL Value Remains High</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"16px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:16px">I'll say it for probably the next several years, that the OL and DL positions are the highest valued positions in the Dakotas and the college coaches we know are all in agreement on this. That's why of our top 20, you find 11 offensive linemen and defensive linemen out of that group including (outside of our top five)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#8: [player_tooltip player_id='798250' first='Luke' last='Krempges'], DL, Sioux Falls Lincoln </strong><a href="https://x.com/Luke_Krempges">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-SDSU commit</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#11 [player_tooltip player_id='1152911' first='Lucas' last='Feldkamp'], OL, Brandon Valley </strong><a href="https://x.com/LucasRFeldkamp">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-A late USD commit</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#12 [player_tooltip player_id='1568230' first='Maverick' last='LeBrun'], DL, Dell Rapids St. Mary</strong> <a href="https://x.com/Maverick_LeBrun">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-A late SDSU commit</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#13 [player_tooltip player_id='1003933' first='Benjamin' last='Paepke'], OL, Rapid City Central </strong><a href="https://x.com/paepkebenjamin">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Augustana commit</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#15 [player_tooltip player_id='351548' first='Carson' last='Hughes'], OL, Sioux Falls Jefferson </strong><a href="https://x.com/carsonhughes52">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Winona State commit</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#17 [player_tooltip player_id='1152910' first='Austin' last='Miller'], DL, Sioux Falls Jefferson </strong><a href="https://x.com/Miller_Austin01">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Sioux Falls commit</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#19 [player_tooltip player_id='1371882' first='Kale' last='Vesely'], OL, Harrisburg </strong><a href="https://x.com/kale_vesely0">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Wayne State commit</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#20 [player_tooltip player_id='1406192' first='Karter' last='Engels'], OL, Watertown </strong><a href="https://x.com/karter_engels14">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Augustana commit</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"20px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:20px"><strong>The Surprise of Uncommitted 2025 QBs</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two of our top four quarterbacks remain uncommitted, which this late in the 2025 recruiting cycle these two really surprise me.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>QB1: [player_tooltip player_id='205260' first='Sam' last='Knuth'], QB, Harrisburg </strong><a href="https://x.com/KnuthSam">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>QB4: [player_tooltip player_id='800371' first='Boston' last='Katzer'], QB, Lennox</strong> <a href="https://x.com/boston_katzer">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><em><strong>More Uncommitted QBs to Know:</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='817300' first='Blaise' last='Showers'], QB, Canistota </strong><a href="https://x.com/BlaiseShowers">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='798263' first='Carter' last='Williams'], QB, Sturgis Brown </strong><a href="https://x.com/CarterWill70850">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1556609' first='Esten' last='Schlimgen'], QB, Hanson</strong> <a href="https://x.com/EstenSchlimgen">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"24px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:24px"><strong>Still Hunting for 2025s: Who should we target?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'll put my college recruiting coordinator hat on for this one and tell you a solid list of names I would be targeting still in this 2025 class below. Here is 25 of the best available prospects you should be targeting to fill out your 2025 classes upcoming.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='210623' first='Elijah' last='Boutchee'], DL/LB, Pierre T.F Riggs</strong> <a href="https://x.com/ElijahBoutchee">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='321184' first='Cole' last='Knudtson'], DB, Sioux Falls Lincoln</strong> <a href="https://x.com/cole57k">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1556674' first='Evan' last='Stormo'], WR/ATH, Hamlin </strong><a href="https://x.com/evan_stormo">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='321186' first='Josh' last='Myers'], RB, Sioux Falls Lincoln</strong> <a href="https://x.com/JoshuaMyers09">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1003989' first='Spencer' last='Wientjes'], LB/ATH Watertown</strong> <a href="https://x.com/SpencerWientje2">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='798265' first='Cole' last='Ruesink'], ATH, Dell Rapids </strong><a href="https://x.com/cole_ruesink">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1568193' first='Cayden' last='Van Horssen'], OL, Harrisburg </strong><a href="https://x.com/CaydenVH7">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1536729' first='Shane' last='Henderson'], TE/LB, Mobridge-Pollock</strong> <a href="https://x.com/Shanehendu">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1380144' first='Talon' last='Stief'], ATH, Sioux Falls Roosevelt</strong> <a href="https://x.com/stief_talon">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='351518' first='Gunnar' last='Swift'], LB, Brandon Valley </strong><a href="https://x.com/swift_gunnar">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='798257' first='Damaris' last='Fields'], DB, Sioux Falls Jefferson</strong> <a href="https://x.com/_Damaris_Fields">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1287894' first='Layton' last='Smith'], WR, Lennox </strong><a href="https://x.com/Layt_ls">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='399787' first='Parker' last='Denne'], RB, Mitchell</strong> <a href="https://x.com/parkerdenne21">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='800377' first='Wesley' last='Schlabach'], DB/ATH, Rapid City Christian </strong><a href="https://x.com/WesSchlabach">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='798254' first='Aaron' last='Morovits'], DL/OL, Sturgis Brown</strong> <a href="https://x.com/AaronMorovits">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1003937' first='Domonic' last='Ghost Bear'], WR, Pine Ridge</strong> <a href="https://x.com/domonicGB">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='782755' first='Isaac' last='Ostrem'], LB, Harrisburg </strong><a href="https://x.com/OstremIsaac">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1293580' first='Evan' last='Gray'], LB, Brandon Valley</strong> <a href="https://x.com/Evangray06">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1003954' first='Dontai' last='Smith'], LB, Sioux Falls Washington </strong><a href="https://x.com/smith_dontai">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='321182' first='Edison' last='Knoll'], DB, Sioux Falls Lincoln</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1352730' first='Ryder' last='Michalek'], WR, WWSSC</strong> <a href="https://x.com/RyderMichalek">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1551807' first='Lane' last='Deutsch'], LB, McCook Central-Montrose</strong> <a href="https://x.com/DeutschLane8">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1003956' first='Carson' last='Stoeser'], DB, Pierre T.F. Riggs</strong> <a href="https://x.com/Carson4726">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='798264' first='Curtis' last='Doll'], OL, Rapid City Stevens</strong> <a href="https://x.com/CurtisDoll_63">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1315878' first='Myles' last='Meyer'], TE, Parker</strong> <a href="https://x.com/MylesMeyer2025">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"24px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:24px"><strong>What is On Tap for Content in the Coming Weeks?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Content will flow consistently from both Dakotas daily over the next week or two from each of these groups of article series:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Newcomers (Multi-Part Series)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Who was added to our prospect database of 2025 prospects and what do they bring to the table as far as their skillsets?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Stockrisers (Multi-Part Series)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Which prospects that were already ranked in the 2025 class rose their stock from last update into this offseason and why did their rank see improvement?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Positional Breakdowns (Multiple Positions)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-We will stack up some of our position groups and evaluate why x prospect was ranked over x prospect due to what their tape shows, live evaluation shows, etc.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Small Town Sleepers</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-One of my favorite article series every ranking update. Which prospects from sleepy small town America made waves on our rankings whether newcomers or stockrisers? We always love to talk the population too showing off these prospects from small town North Dakota. Any prospect from a small town under 5000 will get mentioned.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"16px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:16px"><strong><br></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->