Prepredzonemn ranking 98/Ranked #2 in the 189A weight class by The Guillotine

Bartkowicz throws a very easy-looking deep ball. His arm strength is to the point where many of his deep balls look effortless. His accuracy in throwing deep is also strong. He is not just a pocket passer; that arm strength and his overall athletic ability allow him to throw well on the move. The junior’s movement in the pocket is not just to buy time. Bartkowicz is a threat to run at any moment – both when the play breaks down and with a designed quarterback run. He has the prototypical size for a quarterback. The junior plays both ways – as an explosive edge rusher. His length and athletic ability off the edge make him look about as far away from a quarterback as you can get. A two-time state entrant, he has fallen just short of the podium, going 2-2 on both previous trips to State.

One of the best multi-sport athletes in the 2026 class, a designation that is always prioritized by college coaches, recruiters, and programs, Holdingford’s Jaxon Bartkowicz Jaxon Bartkowicz 6'4" | 220 lbs | EDGE Holdingford | 2026 State MN has seen his recruiting stock surge during the budding offseason, joining a select group of talented in-state peers to earn both an in-school visit from the home state Golden Gophers as well as a junior day invite to Dinkytown for Minnesota’s Junior Day. Bartkowicz had a strong showing on the summer camp circuit going into his junior year, posting some solid verified measurables in the testing department, particularly in terms of size, quickness, and explosiveness. Additionally, the 320 product showed off his functional athleticism after getting moved to quarterback for his junior season, and I’d be hard-pressed if I didn’t mention the wrestling background. Bartkowicz is currently ranked #1 in Class A’s 189 lb. bracket and surpassed both the 150 career wins and 75 pin mark this season after nearly placing in last year’s state tournament at 215 lbs.

Despite Bartkowicz throwing for 1,400 yards on a 68% completion clip, rushing for 500, and scoring 20 total TDs, the junior standout’s future is best served on the defensive side of the ball, where his length, physicality, wrestling background – which positively impacts his understanding of leverage, hand usage, hips, overall toughness, and body positioning – show up in eye-catching fashion when getting after the QB. As a standup rusher who generally aligns on the edge of the LOS outside of the tackle, the long, wiry, and strong Bartkowicz possesses a powerful bull rush that makes blockers look like they’re on skates and a great get-off that shoots him off the ball with explosiveness, good pad level, and the speed to run down RBs from the backside and create a ton of disruption and chaos in the backfield. He’s slippery and balanced when working through traffic, contact, and multiple blocking attempts in search of the rock and shows impressive bend at the top of the arc. I love how he rips and works through contact from pass-setting tackles, can unlock and flip his hips, and stays tight off an OTs playside hip. Bartkowicz also uses his hands very well. If you lean or get over your toes, Bartkowicz is going to pull and shuck you forward, off balance and sometimes stumbling forward and onto your face, and he explodes and brings his hips through contact, creating some big hits and collisions on helpless QBs throughout the year. Easily one of the most naturally gifted pass rushers in Minnesota’s 2026 class. Don’t be surprised if he shoots up the rankings this offseason!