2020-2021 MN Recruiting Hotbeds: Lakeville North Panthers

LAKEVILLE-- The city of Lakeville is no strange to talented football programs in our state of Minnesota. The city of over 60,000 people produces an unbelievable amount of football talent at the next level between the Lakeville South Cougars and the program we'll connect with this evening. Today, we connect with the northside of Lakeville, talking about the talent that consists of the Lakeville North Panthers, who finished their season at 10-2 and made it to the state semifinals before losing to Champlin Park. They were a very senior-heavy team last season and are losing the likes of [player_tooltip player_id="10967" first="Raja" last=" Nelson"] and plenty of others, but this list of Panthers isn’t going to hold anything back from last year’s team. I present to you, Northstar Football News’s "MN Recruiting Hotbeds" featuring the Lakeville North Panthers! Matt Miller, QB, Class of 2021 Miller’s vision in play-action is what I enjoyed most on tape. His mobility streaks me as an asset to find the open guy while leaving the pocket. Give the Panthers yet another option to run, but yet just as you think you got him in coverage, he uses that solid arm of his to find his receiver in stride. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2DXFfL">Junior Highlight Tape</a> [player_tooltip player_id="18109" first="Logan" last="Freeburg"], RB, Class of 2021 Although slightly undersized at 5’9 195 pounds, you cannot let that fool you at all. If you give Freeburg any sort of space he will run right by you. Definite burner tailback that only gets faster in stride. Ran for over 1400 yards last season and had 17 touchdowns. Just picked up his first offer from University of Mary (ND) 2 weeks ago and has interest from Minnesota-Moorhead, Minot State, Concordia-Moorhead, Mayville State, Southwest Minnesota State, UW-Eau Claire, Minnesota-Duluth, Winona State, Valley City State (ND), Northern State (SD), Gustavus, Iowa Western, Augustana, Sioux Falls, and Bemidji State. I’m certain that Freeburg is just getting started as far as his college interest as that’s already a long impressive list from programs from all over the Midwest. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2DWeKT">Junior Highlight Tape</a> Jackson Hanson, RB/P, Class of 2022 My diamond in the rough prospect to this list. Hanson carried the ball 11 times for 138 yards on varsity last season but what stood out to me was his vision between the tacklers. Dominant on JV too, scoring 12 touchdowns in 5 games. Will provide the Panthers with a 3rd spark in their dominant rushing attack. Coming off an injury, but should have a consistent junior season behind Freeburg <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2C72i5">Sophomore Highlight Tape</a> Trace Hochsprung, DT, Class of 2021 Hochsprung is a hungry defensive tackle on Lakeville North that’s not afraid to lay the wood. Plays much bigger than his 6’0 230 pound size. An enforcer that you need to watch around the one minute mark as he just blows up the quarterback and his team gets an interception because of the strength of the hit he laid. Hochsprung has tons of interest on the table from Bemidji State, Concordia-St. Paul, Minot State, Jamestown (ND), Mayville State, Southwest Minnesota State, UW-Eau Claire, Bethel, Concordia-Moorhead, Valley City State, Morningside (SD) Culver-Stockton (MO), St. Johns, Gustavus, and St. Thomas. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/9781912/5dd813ba02b1a80d60100e50">Junior Highlight Tape</a> [player_tooltip player_id="18120" first="Joe" last="Grillo"], G/C, Class of 2021 Grillo is a key player to the Panthers outstanding offensive line, accumulating close to an average of 250 yards rushing yards per game last season. The 6’3 265 pounder has great mobility to get to the other side of the line and pave the way for his tailbacks. Fundamentally sound when it comes to his hands and position on a defender. Grillo has gotten tons of love from the Northern Sun, holding offers from Minnesota-Duluth, Concordia-St. Paul, University of Mary, Bemidji State and Northern State. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2CPCRi">Junior Highlight Tape</a> [player_tooltip player_id="18175" first="Harrison" last="Regier"], OT, Class of 2021 You may remember Regier from his <a href="https://www.northstarfootballnews.com/2020/03/recruiting-report-harrison-regier-lakeville-north-2021/">recruiting report </a>from March, but since then his recruiting has taken off. A 6’6 frame will make Division I coaches fall in love, as Regier has trained his body to play the offensive line for a very long time. What I like most about Harrison’s tape is his knockdown strength. He certainly can hold his own with any linemen, linebacker, etc. in his path and outsizes just about anyone when it comes to physical strength in Class 6A. He’s gotten one FCS offer from Illinois State and a ton of interest in the Nothern Sun with offers from Minnesota-Duluth, Concordia-St. Paul, Northern State, Southwest Minnesota State, and Winona State. There’s also interest coming in from the likes of South Dakota State, North Dakota, South Dakota, Sioux Falls, Minot State, Cornell (NY), Minnesota State-Moorhead, Minnesota State-Mankato, Bemidji State, St. Thomas, and UW-Eau Claire. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2CSHcE">Junior Highlight Film</a> Noah Nephew, OLB/WR, Class of 2021 It will be Nephew leading the Panthers receiving core this season as Keaton Mohs has graduated. Mohs had all 8 of [player_tooltip player_id="10967" first="Raja" last=" Nelson"]’s passing touchdowns last season, so Nephew has quite the shoes to fill. At linebacker, I’m a big fan of Nephew’s vision as he sees the field extremely well from being locked in on a ton of plays and in coverage as well. Nephew picked up his first offer late this week from the University of Mary. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2CSusA">Junior Highlight Tape</a> <a href="https://www.northstarfootballnews.com/2019/12/recruiting-player-profile-reed-smith-lakeville-north-2021/">Reed Smith</a>, TE/DE, Class of 2021 With having his junior season shortened due to injury, Smith should be set to have a solid senior season. Smith is the perfect prototype at tight end at 6’4 235 pounds that is a consistent blocker but can also provide a surprise spark to defenses forgetting that he has hands great hands too. Smith has recently taken in a junior day from FCS, South Dakota State. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/9631825/5e16a47d64ea160794c3dc3f">Junior Highlight Tape</a> Preston Fisk, K Class of 2021 The leader of #TheBrand at Lakeville North, Fisk shows off a strong leg on film and shows off his consistency inside 35 yards with some room to spare. With kickoffs, Fisk doesn’t have the best hangtime I’ve ever seen on tape but has great strength to hammer kickoffs inside the opponent’s 10-yard line thru the end zone. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/13549776/5dd75ed70c5ec80ff49b7d3c">Junior Highlight Tape</a> Go Panthers!