Dane looks like the athlete in position to have the biggest recruitment blowup this offseason. That is because he has some of the best junior film that I have seen so far in WI. The DeForest LT is built like a D1 athlete, standing 6’6″ 300 lbs. The things Dane does at that size is what sets him apart from the majority, and has me so excited for his future. The big man has made huge strides in his athleticism and all things movement related. The standout OT has excellent balance and body control. He is now able to easily slide laterally, change direction, and mirror pass rushers without reaching or getting off balance. He is trusting his feet, and uses his length to his advantage. Dane can also burst out of his stance in the run game and generate a lot of power at contact. The 2025 has a well rounded, and still developing game at the OT position. He is going to be a need to know prospect this offseason. Give the tape a click.

The final DeForest standout we need to highlight is junior left tackle Dane Schmidtknecht Dane Schmidtknecht 6'6" | 300 lbs | OL DeForest | 2025 State WI . Coming into the season it was clear the tools were there. He has a great frame and was developing next level strength quickly. However, I wanted to see the nuanced parts of the position that separates the top kids from the rest. Friday night we saw it. The balance, body control, footwork, and flexibility have all made a strong jump since his sophomore season. Dane moves, changes direction in pass protection and run blocking smoothly, and still maintains a strong anchor. In the run game, Dane is able to play low, adding leverage to his strength and that allows him to get a big push off the line. He is already ranked high, but solid chance we see him move up even more.

The sophomore OL out of DeForest easily passes the eye test as soon as you see him. He is an imposing 6’6” 295 lbs, and it is impressive watching him move around. Dane is well on his way to developing the body control needed to able to potentially play high level college football. You don’t see him reaching and putting his body in awkward positions. He is patient with his strikes and trusts his feet to get him there. The big man looks like he is just starting to scratch the surface too. The more he grows into his huge frame the more athletic and fluid I expect him to become. So his debut at #16 ovearll may just be the start for the big, strong OL out of DeForest.