Preseason Preview: Mankato East Cougars

There are very few teams I'm as excited about seeing in 2025 as the Mankato East Cougars. Not only do they retain some of the best players in 5A after an exciting 7-3 season, during which they made the section championship game, but those same kids are also touted as some of the best recruits in Minnesota as a whole. If the Cougars were ever primed for a state run, it would be this year. Meet some of the talented members of the 2025 Mankato East football team!   2025 Schedule:   Week 1: @ Owatonna   Week 2: Vs. Rochester John Marshall (Youth Night)   Week 3: Vs. Mankato West (Tackle Cancer)   Week 4: @ Chaska   Week 5: @ Chanhassen   Week 6: Vs. Waconia (Homecoming)   Week 7: @ Apple Valley   Week 8: Vs. Hastings (Every Day Hero)    Tischler has been one of the hottest rising prospects in the state and has quickly catapulted into becoming one of my favorite receiver prospects. The track standout, who just placed 4th in the state in the 4x100 AND 4th in the state for long jump, recorded over 600 receiving yards and 12 TDs last season. The WR/DB/K combo is a rare one, but Tishcler manages to excel in all areas. On the field, he's somehow both a safety blanket and one of the biggest YAC threats in the state. He's a crafty route runner who is quick at the top of his breaks, but the second the rock is in his hands, he's gone. He'll make multiple defenders miss on the same play, and his field vision while carrying the ball is stellar. I love Tischler as a prospect, and I hope the O's continue to roll in for him.     An uber-productive athlete on both sides of the ball last season, and a state track qualifier, Kleist tallied 45 Tackles, 3.5 Sacks, 2 FF, 1 INT, and a safety on defense. He also put up 427 rushing yards and 6 TDs on offense. On his tape, Kleist showcases that speed early and often. I'd argue that he looks like a linebacker at the next level, due to his unique combination of thickness and quickness, which serves him well when blitzing both up the middle and around the edge. That speed isn't limited to playing downhill, and you can see him roam across his zone on tape, disrupting passes. Kleist could easily evolve into one of the most sought-after ATH prospects in the state after his senior year.     Meyer might not have had the most productive junior season, catching 7 balls for 74 Yards and a TD, but he's someone that I've heard both teammates and college coaches speak about very highly over this summer. Likely a future Upback, Meyer is PHYSICAL. With or without the ball in his hands, Meyer seeks out contact and brings the hammer when a defender tries to tackle him. He's also got solid hands and can take a big hit while still securing the ball. He also tallied 10 tackles and a half sack on defense. The TE1 from last season graduated, so expect Meyer's workload and production to increase ahead of his senior campaign.     If you want to discuss underrated linebacker prospects, look no further than returning starter [player_tooltip player_id='1295016' first='Tyler' last='Thilges']. The well-built ILB brought down 41 tackles and 2 interceptions as a junior, a stat line that is likely to improve this fall. His tape actually bears a shocking resemblance to his teammate [player_tooltip player_id='1581379' first='Logan' last='Kleist']. Thilges, too, is a quick MLB who does a standout job of meeting ball carriers at, or very close to, the LOS. He plays a very heads-up brand of football. Rarely does he get caught in the wash when scraping from alley to alley. The Cougars' linebacker core this fall looks like it's going to be a dangerous one.     Petzel is a full-circle moment for me. I watched him start as a freshman when he was shorter, lankier, and far less refined. Now, he's evolved into not only one of the best offensive linemen in the state but one of the best prospects in general. Petzel is a wall and is a prospect with an insanely high ceiling. He's gotten far more mobile and is capable of generating a tremendous amount of power. It's hard for him to play low, but at his size, the second he locks into a defender's pads, they're cooked. You cannot bull rush him, and it's quite literally a tall task to beat him around the edge. You are hard pressed to find a better blindside tackle in Minnesota.     Fresh off of his first offer from MIAC member St. Olaf, Blaschko returns as a key piece of the Cougars' secondary ahead of the fall season. The first thing you notice on his tape is how well Blaschko is able to contest passes at the catch point, without getting penalized. When defending the run, Blaschko plays downhill and does an excellent job of attacking the ball carriers at their near hip. I also found myself impressed with how he fights through blockers, particularly on screens, and is able to disrupt them for minimal gains. Big things look to be coming for Blaschko this fall!     It's always a good thing when you can return starters on the defensive line, especially one that is as touted as Johnson. Last year, in 9 games, Johnson tallied 15 tackles and 2 sacks. The defensive end is a persistent one. He fights tooth and nail through offensive linemen, and utilizes his length to keep the trench dogs at bay while Johnson collapses run lanes. He's best described as a speed-rusher, often utilizing solid bend around the edges of less athletic offensive linemen. That being said, he's also perfectly capable of adapting to the needs of the play and working back upfield when the QB scrambles. He's fresh off an Augsburg offer, and I wouldn't be surprised if more soon followed.     Kamphoff is a little bit of a mystery. There is no question in my mind that he'll play a sizeable role for the Cougars; the question is where. Last season, he saw time as a QB, RB, and DB. I've been able to evaluate his throwing in person at a few camps, and he very well could transition to a full-time Q, but as good as he is with his arm, he's better with his legs. Last year, Kamphoff had 193 rushing yards on only 18 attempts with 6 TDs for an astounding 10.7 YPC. On his tape, he's extremely slippery with the ball in his hands, and Kamphoff never stops pumping his legs. I don't know where Kamphoff will play next season, but I do know he will make an impact wherever he's put.     The other likely possibility for the head signal caller for the Cougars is current sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1581375' first='Kellen' last='Willaert']. Both my coworker, Austin Lowell, and I were very high on his performance at the prestigious 612QBs camp. His freshman tape is also full of green flags. Willaert already boasts an ideal frame for a prep QB, and he throws one of the best spirals I've seen from the 2028 class. He's got a lot of the building blocks you like to see from a long-term starter. Good decision making, improving release, and the ability to move when the pocket collapses around him. Even if Willaert doesn't get the nod as a sophomore, the future is bright.     One of the most touted offensive linemen out of the 2027 graduating class, Valberg should be a key part of the Mankato East mauling offensive line that they're building. The now-junior is a force in the trenches. He's got a thick frame, and this, combined with his excellent knee bend, makes him a problem for DTs that are about to get down-blocked. Both his down and reach blocks are high-level, and while I'd like to see more urgency getting to the second level, he excels at creating ideal run lanes for his ball carriers in the trenches. I think this could be a stock rising season for Valberg.

There are very few teams I'm as excited about seeing in 2025 as the Mankato East Cougars. Not only do they retain some of the best players in 5A after an exciting 7-3 season, during which they made the section championship game, but those same kids are also touted as some of the best recruits in Minnesota as a whole. If the Cougars were ever primed for a state run, it would be this year. Meet some of the talented members of the 2025 Mankato East football team!