2020 Wisconsin PWO Preps

As a long time Midwest football fan I’ve always remained conscious of the athletes playing for my favorite college teams that are rostered on Preferred Walk-On (PWO) offers. These are the kids who are truly betting on themselves and their talents, and for the most part are local kids playing for their hometown teams or trying their hand at getting playing time for a regional powerhouse. Three Midwest powerhouse programs that have done a great job of recruiting and developing talent from WI and MN include the Wisconsin Badgers, Minnesota Gophers, and NDSU Bison, who have seen former walk-ons from both states make major contributions to their teams. This talented list includes: <span style="font-size: 10pt;">JJ Watt (<em>Pewaukee/CMU/Wisconsin), </em>John Chenal (<em>Grantsburg/Wisconsin), </em>Ryan Ramczyk <em>(Stevens Point/UW-Stevens Point/Wisconsin), </em>Jack Cichy <em>(Hill-Murray/Wisconsin), </em>Ryan Connelly (<em>Eden Prairie/Wisconsin), </em>Joe Schobert (<em>Waukesha West/Wisconsin), </em>Rick Wagner <em>(Nathan Hale/Wisconsin), </em>Blake Cashman <em>(Eden Prairie/Minnesota),</em> Sam Renner (<em>Maple Grove/Minnesota), </em>Axel Ruschmeyer (<em>Holy Family/Minnesota), </em>Calvin Swenson (<em>Kaukauna/Minnesota), </em>Johnny Santaga (<em>Green Bay Notre Dame/Minnesota), </em>Adekunle Ayindi <em>(Blaine/Minnesota), </em>Joe Haeg (<em>Brainerd/NDSU), </em>Aaron Steidl (<em>Alexandria/NDSU), </em>Jedre Cyr<em> (D-G-F/NDSU), </em>Garrett Malstrom (Frazee/NDSU), Caleb Butler<em> (Blaine/NDSU), </em>Logan Graetz <em>(River Falls/NDSU).</em></span> If you weren’t interested in reading all those names no worries, but just know there’s a lot of talent on this list and a lot of the guys on this list have proven themselves as major contributors, an All-Conference talent at their respective college, and/or sign with NFL teams, so the PWO is by no means an opportunity to scoff at. Additionally, there are a lot of DIII PWOs that go on to find success on their squads, so if you can make the money work and grind for that scholarship wherever you are then you have props from me. With all of that being said this recruiting cycle we have seen a lot of senior preps received PWO offers from scholarship programs from around the country, so I wanted to congregate them all into one article. Hope you enjoy. Also, if I’ve forgotten someone who has received a PWO please tag me on twitter @OliverJamesWes1 or email me at oliver@prepredzone.com ! <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="30748" first="Austin" last="Dahlke"</strong>] (<em>Edgar</em>) LB. 6’, 195 lbs. Named <em>PrepRedzoneWI </em>2020 Player of the Year. Lead the state of Wisconsin in sacks and TFLs. Named First Team All-State, 2x All-Region, All-Conference for LB and RB, Conference POTY. In 2020 posted 86 tackles, 13 sacks, 26 TFLs, 4 INT, 4 FF, 3 FR and 1,003 yards, 15 TDs.Has been offered PWOs from Colorado State, Western Kentucky, Northern Illinois, Nebraska, San Diego State. Also holds offers from Northern Colorado, Illinois State, Bucknell, St. Thomas, Augustana, Valparaiso, Northern Michigan, UMary, Bemidji State. [player_tooltip player_id="30776" first="<strong>Malachi</strong>" last="<strong>Munoz</strong>"] (<em>Sheboygan Falls)</em> OL. 6’4, 270 lbs. First Team All-Conference, All-Region. Offered PWOs from Central Arkansas, University of Akron. Also holds offers from William Penn, Southwest Minnesota State, Valparaiso, Northwestern College, St. Francis, Mayville State, Graceland, Culver-Stockton, Carthage, St. Norbert College. [player_tooltip player_id="30817" first="<strong>Ben</strong>" last="<strong>Janowski</strong>"] <em>(Menomonee Falls) </em>OL. 6’2, 290 lbs. 2x First Team All-Conference, All-Region, All-State HM, Conference Lineman of the Year. Committed to Central Arkansas University on a PWO offer. Also held offers from UW-Oshkosh, UW-Platteville, North Park, Mount Union, Elmhurst, Carthage, University of St. Francis, Loras College, Bethel University, Monmouth, St. Norbert, Olivet College. [player_tooltip player_id="30795" first="<strong>Owen</strong>" last="<strong>Arnett</strong>"] <em>(Arrowhead) </em>DB. 6', 215 lbs. 4 year varsity, 2x All-Conference. All-State. Offered a PWO from the University of Virginia. Also holds offers from University of St. Thomas, MSU-Mankato, Northern State, Minnesota-Duluth, [player_tooltip player_id="30743" first="<strong>Mac</strong>" last="<strong>Strand</strong>"] <em>(Xavier) </em>LB. 6'2, 225 lbs. First Team All-State. 2x All-Conference, All-Conference fullback, Conference LB of the Year, Conference DPOTY, Conference POTY, State POTY Finalist. Career varsity stats of 446 tackles, 81 TFLs, 25 sacks, 241 rushes for 1,459 yards and 21 TDs. Offered a PWO offer from the Iowa Hawkeyes. Also holds offers from Central Arkansas, the University of St. Thomas, Winona State, Upper Iowa, Northern Michigan, UMary, Northwood University, Ave Maria, Minnesota-Duluth. Visited UMD as well. [player_tooltip player_id="31064" first="<strong>Noah</strong>" last="<strong>Jessup</strong>"] <em>(Franklin) </em>DE. 6'5, 225 lbs. Was offered a PWO to the South Dakota State Jackrabbits and committed. Also held a Bemidji State offer. [player_tooltip player_id="30963" first="<strong>Tyler</strong>" last="<strong>Bittman</strong>"] <em>(Arrowhead) </em>K/ATH. 6'2, 195 lbs. Offered PWOs from Iowa State, Mississippi State, Wisconsin. Also holds offers from Colgate, Army, South Dakota, Eastern Illinois, Air Force. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="31037" first="Kayden" last="Warren"]</strong> <em style="font-size: 1rem;">(Rice Lake)</em><span style="font-size: 1rem;"> DL. 6'4, 250 lbs. Accepted PWO to North Dakota State and signed his LOI this past Early Signing Day. </span> [player_tooltip player_id="30819" first="<strong>Cam</strong>" last="<strong>Devine</strong>"] <em>(Brookfield Central)</em> RB. 6'3, 215 lbs. Accepted a PWO to NDSU and signed his LOI this past Early Signing Day. Also held offers from Bemidji State, Upper Iowa, Georgetown. <strong><span class="name-pointer">[player_tooltip player_id="31013" first="Marko" last="Rajkovic"]</span> </strong><em>(Franklin) </em>TE. 6'5, 220 lbs. All-Conference, All-Region, Conference TE/FB of the Year. Received a PWO from Robert Morris. Also holds offers from Bemidji State and Valparaiso. <strong>Eli Turrentine </strong><em>(Whitnall) </em>DB. 5'11, 175 lbs. First Team All-Conference. Offered a PWO to Southwest Minnesota State. [player_tooltip player_id="30814" first="<strong>Trevor</strong>" last="<strong>Fiecko</strong>"] (<em>Roncalli</em>) OL. 6'5, 310 lbs. 2x First Team All-Conference Offense. All-Conference Defense. All-Region. Offered a PWO from Central Arkansas. Also holds offers from Southwest Minnesota State and UW-Whitewater and also visited Whitewater. [player_tooltip player_id="30757" first="<strong>Evan</strong>" last="<strong>Ladwig</strong>"] (<em>Plymouth</em>) OT. 6'5, 270 lbs. First Team All-Conference. Conference OL of the Year. All-Region. All-State Honorable Mention. Offered PWO from Iowa State. Also holds offers from Eastern Illinois, North Dakota, Southwest Minnesota State, MSU-Mankato, Upper Iowa, Minnesota-Duluth.