Minnesota’s Top 2024 Dual-Sport Athletes Going into the Fall
With the recent announcement by Bloomington Jefferson’s Daniel Freitag Daniel Freitag 6'1" | 175 lbs | WR Bloomington Jefferson | 2024 MN that he’ll spend his senior year out west playing basketball for Southern California Academy, the state of Minnesota…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWith the recent announcement by Bloomington Jefferson’s Daniel Freitag Daniel Freitag 6'1" | 175 lbs | WR Bloomington Jefferson | 2024 MN that he’ll spend his senior year out west playing basketball for Southern California Academy, the state of Minnesota can kiss our top dual-sport athlete in the class of 2024 goodbye. Freitag was the latest continuation of excellent football/basketball standouts from the Land of 10,000 Lakes that has been highlighted by the likes of Jalen Suggs, David Roddy, Will Tschetter, Max Shikenjanski Max Shikenjanski 6'2" | 160 lbs | ATH Stillwater | 2023 State MN , Tre Holloman, Eli King, Chiddi Obiazor Chiddi Obiazor 6'6" | 220 lbs | DL Eden Prairie | 2023 State MN , and a frightening amount of additional standouts from ONLY the past five graduating classes. Freitag, who holds football offers from the likes of Notre Dame, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and KState, as well as more than 10 high-major basketball offers, was set to be the state’s top dual-sporter in 2023-24, taking over from Gopher wrestling commits Max Mcenelly and Gavin Nelson Gavin Nelson 6'0" | 220 lbs | LB Simley | 2023 MN , who moonlighted as outstanding RB/LBs for their respective high schools and were extremely accomplished and productive over their high school athletic careers. Besides basketball and wrestling, Minnesota born and bred football players also have a distinguished legacy of success in other high school sports, namely baseball, track & field, and of course, hockey, and all five activities are well represented in Minnesota’s 2024 crop of dual-sporters, the best of which PRzMN will highlight for you below. Thanks for reading, now let’s sit back and get to know some of the best athletes in state going into next football season. Enjoy!
—
Football & Baseball
Conner Connell Conner Connell 6'4" | 225 lbs | ATH Luverne | 2024 State MN (Luverne) TE/LB. 6’4, 225 lbs.
The two-way standout for Luverne’s football team also doubles as a beast of a RHP and outfielder for the Cardinals baseball squad, a 6’4, 225 lber. Conner Connell Conner Connell 6'4" | 225 lbs | ATH Luverne | 2024 State MN shows off good velocity on his fastball, changeup, slider, and curveball and is an explosive batter possessing exit velocity, distance, and bat speed. He’s also got speed as a baserunner, which also shows up in his football highlights, where Connell posted 1,673 AP yards and 18 TDs with 57 tackles and 6 TFLs defensively. This spring, Connell visited South Dakota State on a football unofficial and was named an MN Baseball Coaches 2A player to watch as well as 2023 Perfect Game Preseason All-American going into this current baseball season. The weather has been uncooperative for baseball players in MN so far this year, but I’m excited to follow Connell in his junior year baseball campaign and am hoping to get an idea of how his recruitment is going on that front. For football, the 225 lber. is dynamic, coordinated, and brings some real juice after the catch for a player of his size. He can line up and make plays all over the field and brings an impressive blend of size, strength, and physicality to the gridiron, especially on offense.
Will Steil Will Steil 6'2" | 190 lbs | DB Rocori | 2024 State MN (Rocori) DB. 6’2, 190 lbs.
Fresh off a fantastic showing at the PRzMN Prospect Tour Showcase, Rocori’s rising senior defensive back Will Steil Will Steil 6'2" | 190 lbs | DB Rocori | 2024 State MN is now in the ringer of his junior year baseball season and brings his great speed, quickness, and explosiveness to the diamond as an infielder and right-handed hitter. The younger brother of former Nebraska Cornhusker turned NDSU Bison infielder Jack Steil, younger brother Will has hand speed, speed & power as a batter, and can fly around the bases, and you guys already know how we feel about him as a defensive back. A physical and long CB with eye-catching size for the position, Steil can impact the run and pass game and is a great tackler who attacks blocks with physicality. He can also start/stop and get out of his breaks well, and when you combine it with the ball skills you have an impressively prep defensive back who would make for an excellent safety at the next level. His brother’s prowess as a baseball recruit adds another wrinkle to Steil’s recruitment and I am very curious as to how college coaches from both sports approach him.
Milos Spasojevic Milos Spasojevic 6'4" | 215 lbs | QB Minnetonka | 2024 State MN (Minnetonka) QB. 6’4, 215 lbs.
One of the top QBs in the state going into the fall, Milos Spasojevic Milos Spasojevic 6'4" | 215 lbs | QB Minnetonka | 2024 State MN is also a standout infielder for the Skippers who uses his good size to bring a ton of power to the plate as a batter. His football recruitment has taken him to NDSU twice, Northern Illinois, and St. Thomas on unofficial football visits during his junior year, and Pittsburg also reached out with an ACC invite to one of their spring practices in March or April. I like his game as a quarterback a ton, where he brings athleticism to the table on top of his great frame and can hurt defenses with his legs in and outside of the pocket and spin off tackles behind the LOS like Big Ben. Spasojevic also has a big arm that can stretch the field and put deep balls on a rope when necessary, and I like his accuracy on a variety of throws as well. Scholarship player in both sports!
Football & Wrestling
Terae Dunn Terae Dunn 5'11" | 175 lbs | DB Eden Prairie | 2024 State MN (Eden Prairie) DB/RB. 5’11, 160 lbs.
An exciting new addition the 2024 rankings update, Dunn is a physical RB and hard-hitting DB who is already a 3x placer in state wrestling tournaments in Minnesota and Nevada, highlighted by a 2nd place finish in the Silver State and a runner-up finish this past March in Class 145AAA. He had a dominant run at state as well, with a 9-3, 7-0, and 11-2 major decision in route to the finals, where he met the hammer that is St. Thomas football commit and Anoka dual-sport star Eli Paulson. I’d recruit him in either sport, as I’m positive that Dunn is going to be extremely motivated for the rest of the offseason as he gears up to help EP win a state title in both sports.
Mark Rendl Mark Rendl 6'3" | 225 lbs | LB Forest Lake | 2024 State MN (Forest Lake) LB/TE. 6’3, 225 lbs.
One of the most accomplished multi-sport athletes on this decorated list, Forest Lake’s Mark Rendl Mark Rendl 6'3" | 225 lbs | LB Forest Lake | 2024 State MN is fresh off a 220AAA state title in a loaded bracket of MN big school opponents who coincidentally beat four other decorated football/wrestling standouts from the Land of 10,000 Lakes on his way to the crown. It didn’t come easy, but it does show Rendl’s toughness, talent, and competitiveness, as well as prowess in 1-on-1 settings, both on the mat and the gridiron. As a linebacker for the Rangers, Rendl’s pursuit speed and range, as well as burst out of his stance, ability to beat blocks with quickness and/or force, and thump at the tackle point makes for an attractive package as a LB prospect, not to mention the size. He’s a great representation of football/wrestling hybrids and will be a fun one to watch as he works to defend that individual state title next winter, as well as keep Forest Lake on this exciting upwards trajectory as a football program. No offers yet!
Dominic Heim Dominic Heim 5'11" | 210 lbs | LB Eden Prairie | 2024 State MN (Eden Prairie) LB. 5’11, 215 lbs.
The Wayzata transfer had a great first year with Eden Prairie, both on the gridiron and wrestling mat, where he held down the middle of the Eagles defense and finished third in a loaded 220AAA bracket at the 2022-23 state wrestling tournament. One of the harder hitters in the state, Heim is an absolute hammer, bouncing bigger blockers and ball carriers off him like a pin ball and easily forcing RBs backwards past the initial contact point for stuffing tackles. It’s also worth mentioning he had to bounce back and win two matches after losing his quarterfinal in the state wrestling meet, so that drive, toughness, and competitive spirit you see with high-level football/wrestling prospect is very much in play with Heim’s recruiting resume. I love LBs with this kind of makeup. College coaches: get at him!
Will Sather Will Sather 6'0" | 270 lbs | OL Eden Prairie | 2024 State MN (Eden Prairie) OL/DL. 6’1, 275 lbs.
My big announcement for this PRzMN special feature is my choice for the new #1 dual-sport athlete in the state now that Freitag will head out west. Without further ado, meet the pick: Eden Prairie’s Will Sather Will Sather 6'0" | 270 lbs | OL Eden Prairie | 2024 State MN ! Entering this fall, which will be Sather’s third year of starting on EP’s varsity football team, the 270 pounder won a AAA heavyweight state championship as a sophomore and runner-up this past March, which was one fo the bigger upsets of the tournament and is sure to light another fire under Sather’s behind. Fresh off his first two college football offers from MSU-Mankato and Brown, Sather has also visited Harvard and Princeton of wrestling officials, and I’m extra interested to see how his recruitment in both sports continues to develop. On the gridiron, the two-way lineman’s get-off, pad level, strength, and understanding of leverage helps in blow up the man in front of him in both run and pass settings, and I especially like his highlights as a DL, where he fires into the backfield like a bat out of hell and has the first step, quickness, fight, and strength to beat single and double teams alike, as well as stuff RBs and QBs in the backfield. Welcome to an elite club, our new #1 dual-sport Minnesotan!
Antonio Menard Antonio Menard 6'3" | 230 lbs | DL Lakeville North | 2024 State MN (Lakeville North) EDGE. 6’3, 215 lbs.
PRzMN has given Menard a ton of love and coverage as of late, and for good reason, as his film and recruitment have been fun-to-watch and has catapulted him to one of the most popular football recruits in the 2024 class. Additionally, his junior wrestling campaign was noteworthy, as he was another part of the loaded 220AAA bracket and finished 4th in the state to cap off a decorated junior year on the gridiron and on the mat. He also competes in soccer and track, and holds a 4.0 GPA, making him another excellent representation of MN multi-sport supremacy. Menard is fresh off a visit to Laramie and the Wyoming Cowboys, who were his first college football offer back in late January, and also holds six FCS offers and three more FBS opportunities from Colorado State, Air Force, and Army. He’s one of the best pass rushers in the state going into the fall and possesses a quick get-off, twitch, closing speed, and power at the point of attack. I can’t wait to see where he lands. Menard is going to ball out wherever he ends up at the next level.
Jide Abasiri Jide Abasiri 6'6" | 290 lbs | DL Prior Lake | 2024 State MN (Prior Lake) DL. 6’6, 265 lbs.
The recent Minnesota Gophers commit, who is newer to football but has can’t teach physical attributes, athleticism, and work ethic, is also a standout wrestler for the Lakers who just completed his second season of wrestling and nearly qualified for the bright lights of the state tournament if not for a big upset in the Section 2AAA tourney to a wrestler he had already beaten that season. That wrestler ended up placing 6th in 285AAA, so I have no doubt that Abasiri could have made some serious noise in the bracket if he had qualified, and I’m already looking forward to seeing how he uses that defeat as motivation going into his senior campaign in both sports. His combo of length, quickness, and strength is overwhelming to go against on the wrestling mat, and the lessons he’s learning in the ultra-tough individual sport will pay dividends as a future B1G defensive lineman. Easy choice for a top dual-sporter in MN next season.
Damian Tapio Damian Tapio 5'7" | 180 lbs | RB Mountain Iron-Buhl | 2024 State MN (Mt. Iron-Buhl) RB. 5’7, 185 lbs.
The PRzMN Showcase standout and 2022 9-man state champ is also a decorated wrestler and finished 4th in the state in the 170AA bracket who won three matches at the X this past March. An electric RB with shiftiness, power, and speed, his dynamic athleticism were a big part of MIB’s success on the gridiron and will be asked to carry an even bigger load as they see their talented 2023 graduate in a month. With the toughness he shows on the wrestling mat, I’m positive he’s up to the task. Small school, dual-sport, productive, and tough, Tapio has all the makings of a classic Outstate prospect bound for big success at the next level.
Grady Minnerath Grady Minnerath 6'0" | 245 lbs | DL Rocori | 2024 State MN (Rocori) DL. 6′, 230 lbs.
Another talented and tough new addition to the 2024 PRzMN rankings update & big board, Rocori is known for their dual-sport athletes, and have themselves a beast in 2024 defensive lineman Grady Minnerath Grady Minnerath 6'0" | 245 lbs | DL Rocori | 2024 State MN . On the gridiron, Minnerath displays an effective array of power rush moves and counters that he uses to beat linemen of all types, as well as solid hand placement from his wrestling background and strength as a tackler once he gets his hands/pads on an opponent. Minnerath is fresh off his second consecutive placing at the state wrestling tourney, with a 3rd place finish in March that saw three victories and a 6-2 decision in the third-place match. No recruiting interest reported yet despite Minnerath showing scholarship ability in both sports.
Football & Track & Field
Koi Perich Koi Perich 6'2" | 200 lbs | ATH Esko | 2024 State MN (Esko) DB/ATH. 6’1, 195 lbs.
Inarguably one of the most athletic and high-profile football prospects in Minnesota going into the fall, Perich is fresh off a massive B1G offer from Michigan, which adds to a vaunted list of offers from B1G, SEC, PAC12, and Big12 suitors all over the country. This winter, Perich crossed the 1,000 point threshold on the basketball court, and to add to his multi-sport aptitude, Perich is also an accomplished jumper on Esko’s track & field team who was the Class A state champ in the long jump last spring. He jumped 21-05.75 to take the title last season as a 10th grader, and is surely the favorite going into this current T&F season. Along with the aforementioned Will Sather Will Sather 6'0" | 270 lbs | OL Eden Prairie | 2024 State MN , Perich is surely one of the top dual-sport athletes in the state going into the next school year. What can’t this kid do?
Francis O’Malley Francis O’Malley 6'0" | 235 lbs | RB Montevideo | 2024 State MN (Montevideo) RB. 6′, 235 lbs.
The exciting truckstick of a Montevideo RB is a runaway freight train on the gridiron and takes my vote as the least-fun-to-tackle ball carrier in Minnesota going into the fall. Also a PRzMN Showcase standout, Francis O’Malley Francis O’Malley 6'0" | 235 lbs | RB Montevideo | 2024 State MN more than passes the eye test, is a three-down RB with some great blocking clips, and possesses the speed to take the edge, vision, powerful cuts, and an eye-popping hurdle that keeps defenders on their toes and unmotivated to see this dude 1-on-1 in the hole. The Montevideo rising senior also is accomplished on the track, where he finished 2nd in the Class A discus throw last spring as a sophomore when he hucked it 164-08 in the finals. The champion from last spring has graduated, so I’m pumped to see if O’Malley can win some hardware this season in his second sport. MSU-Mankato smartly reached out with his first offer in the middle of March. More are on the way.
Tykeilan Moore Tykeilan Moore 6'2" | 190 lbs | ATH Fridley | 2024 State MN (Fridley) ATH. 6’2, 195 lbs.
Dynamic on the gridiron as a do-it-all athlete, Fridley’s Tykeilan Moore Tykeilan Moore 6'2" | 190 lbs | ATH Fridley | 2024 State MN can effectively rush the passer, make people miss and pop off big plays as a RB, and burn DBs deep as a wideout, not to mention add a physical and instinctive edge to the Tigers football squad no matter what position he’s at. He’s also a 2x All-Conference pick as a track & field competitor, and last spring finished 4th in Class AA’s long jump with a 21-05.75 in the finals. The three placers in front of him all have since graduated, so you can bet your butt Moore is shooting for the title this spring. However, there are some young bucks nipping at his heels, a couple of whom are standout football players themselves. Good luck this spring, Tykeilan!
Carter Holcomb Carter Holcomb 5'9" | 165 lbs | WR Rochester Mayo | 2024 State MN (Mayo) WR. 5’9, 165 lbs.
The most productive and explosive WR in the state last fall goes to 2024 Rochester Mayo product Carter Holcomb Carter Holcomb 5'9" | 165 lbs | WR Rochester Mayo | 2024 State MN , who helped lead the Spartans to a Class 5A state quarterfinal and a 9-2 record while anchoring one of my favorite offseasons of 2022. This fall will be Holcomb’s fifth (!) season starting for the Spartans varsity, and he’s visited Winona State, South Dakota, and NDSU as a junior scouting out potential college football options. He’s also an accomplished track & field athlete, who has competed on the Spartans varsity track program since he was in 7th grade, earning two All-State nods along the way. Last spring, he finished 7th in the Class AAA Long Jump bracket, jumping 22-02.25 in the prelims and 21-07 in the finals. We’ll see if he can add a third All-State honor soon! I’ve loved watching this kid in high school and can’t believe he’s almost a senior already.
Football & Hockey
Simon Seidl Simon Seidl 6'0" | 170 lbs | DB Hill Murray | 2024 State MN (Hill-Murray) DB. 6′, 170 lbs.
The big winner of the 2022-23 offseason, Hill-Murray’s Simon Seidl Simon Seidl 6'0" | 170 lbs | DB Hill Murray | 2024 State MN is now a Golden Gopher football commit whose stock blew up after his junior football season concluded, shooting him up the Gophers recruiting board and earning him a B1G offer after a visit to Dinkytown in early March. Part of the reason the Gophers staff liked Seidl so much is the multi-sport background, and Simon is easily one of the best and most accomplished in the state going into next school year. Just like his older brother – who is now at North Dakota – Seidl is an excellent hockey player for the Pioneers’ heavyweight hockey program, and is poised to run a sub-11 second 100M on the track after he put up some impressive times as a freshman sprinter a couple of seasons ago. In Hill-Murray’s 2022-23 hockey season that saw him win the Section 4AA championship and finish as the state consolation champ, Seidl posted 5 goals and 10 assists while playing with a high-motor and physical playstyle that I loved checking out during the state tourney. With a MN hockey background like his, he’s a match made in heaven and a fun mix to the Gopher football melting pot of players.
Charlie Brandt Charlie Brandt 5'11" | 185 lbs | QB Mahtomedi | 2024 State MN (Mahtomedi) QB. 5’11, 185 lbs.
Of all the impressive dual-sport resumes on this list, Mahtomedi’s Charlie Brandt Charlie Brandt 5'11" | 185 lbs | QB Mahtomedi | 2024 State MN holds one of the most high-pressured and leadership-driven of anyone in Minnesota, as he mans the QB position for the Zephyr’s football team and just won a Class A state hockey championship as the Zephyr’s goalie. He was just named a top 15 returning Metro hockey standout by the StarTribune in preparation for next season, and this past winter he finished with a 2.59 GAA and a .912 SV% that no doubt was a major reason that Maht won a state hockey title this season. Brandt also is a mobile, athletic, tough, and big-armed QB who sees the field well and throws a heckuva deep ball that really emphasizes his touch and can fit the ball into tighter windows downfield. He’s a darkhorse in the 2024 QB race with a list of responsibilities and accomplishments far above his peers that should net him a ton of love on the recruiting trail in both sports.
Football & Basketball
Maxwell Woods Maxwell Woods 5'11" | 180 lbs | RB Chanhassen | 2024 State MN (Chanhassen) – RB. 5’11, 180 lbs.
Now holding the top spot in the state when talking football/basketball standouts, Chanhassen stud Max Woods has been on the radars of PRzMN and Northstar Hoops, as well as college programs, since he was a young first year just getting his feet wet in varsity action in both sports. Our RB1 in the 2024 class, Woods is also ranked #13 in the Northstar Hoops 2024 basketball rankings and is fresh off his first four college football offers from MSU-Mankato, Air Force, Army, and North Dakota State. It’s absolutely deserving for the young buck, whose elusiveness, quickness, burst, and balance aid him equally on the gridiron & hardcourt, where he is a natural at blowing by defenders and breaking ankles. Like some of the other athletes mentioned in this feature, Woods is near the top of Minnesota’s best dual-sporters going into the 2023-24 school year.
Seth Newbern Seth Newbern 6'1" | 175 lbs | ATH Armstrong | 2024 State MN (Robbinsdale Armstrong) WR. 6’1, 180 lbs.
The son of former Golden Gopher and Detroit Pistons hooper Melvin Newbern, 2024 WR Seth Newbern Seth Newbern 6'1" | 175 lbs | ATH Armstrong | 2024 State MN had two older brothers play collegiate bball but saw his own recruitment take off on the football front first. The Northern Iowa Panthers offered a Missouri Valley scholarship at their junior day in mid-February, and since then, he’s visited Minnesota and North Dakota on unofficials as well. Still with a lot to prove as a wideout, the Panthers surely appreciated Newbern’s two-sport accomplishments, athletic lineage, and combination of size/length/frame, and his athleticism can be vindicated by his #30 overall ranking on Northstar Hoops. Still a newbie to the MN prep football recruiting scene, I can’t wait to see what 2023 has in store for Newbern.
Elijah Solum Elijah Solum 6'1" | 190 lbs | ATH Spring Grove | 2024 State MN (Spring Grove) QB/LB. 6’1, 185 lbs.
One of – if not thee – top returning 9man football player going into the fall, Spring Grove’s Elijah Solum Elijah Solum 6'1" | 190 lbs | ATH Spring Grove | 2024 State MN is also an accomplished hooper who clocks in as our #71 overall ranked basketball player in the 2024 Northstar Hoops big board. Solum was just named to the 2023 Class A Boys Basketball All-Tournament Team by the MSHSL after this latest state bball tournament, along with a teammate who is also a strong returning dual-sporter, and was the lynchpin of Spring Grove’s 2022 9man state runner-up finish this past fall. He can do it all on the gridiron, and after his junior athletic season is nearing its conclusion, I think it’s safe to say he an do it all athletically as well.
Austin Koep Austin Koep 6'3" | 210 lbs | LB Northfield | 2024 State MN (Northfield) LB. 6’3, 210 lbs.
A three-sport, Southern Minnesota athlete and standout, Northfield’s Ausitn Koep went from a well-built WR to a strapping LB after another year of growing and developing, and he also comes in as the #83 overall hooper in our Northstar Hoops 2024 rankings list. You can see the basketball background show up in his football highlights, as Koep was and is still strong at going up and high-pointing the football out of the air, and shows off quick feet and balance that is indicative of hardcourt success as well. An All-Conference pick for the Raiders basketball team this winter, he also recently clocked a 91 mph pull down while training for baseball szn with HTP Academy in Apple Valley. The small town kids have, do, and will continue to do the multi-sport thing extremely well.
Max Mogelson Max Mogelson 6'3" | 260 lbs | DL Two Rivers | 2024 State MN (Two Rivers) DL. 6’3, 265 lbs.
The defensive lineman from St. Paul, who is blowing up on the football recruiting trail this offseason and is on the exclusive short list of 2024s right on the cusp of a P5 offer, is also a beast on the hardcourt and comes in as Northstar Hoops‘ #94 ranked basketball prospect, not to mention an All-District baseball player. Fast and explosive for his size, Mogelson has one of my favorite junior tapes in the state of Minnesota filled with big hits, dominance at the point of attack, and a hair-on-fire playstyle. Keep your eyes and ears out for Mogelson the rest of this ultra-important football offseason.