Ryan is coming off a sophomore season where he did exactly this already. That might make it even more far fetched for him to accomplish this because we don’t see many repeat guys. But Ryan has the blend of instincts, athleticism, and ability to move through traffic cleanly. He also will face a schedule of teams that are going to be run dependent on a weekly basis, which will increase his opportunities. It is the perfect storm for a rare repeat leader in the tackles column.

Stats: 172 Tackles, 6 TFLs

We can’t make this list without our first defender being the state’s leading tackler from 2025. Ryan was all over the field cleaning up plays and bringing down ball carriers. The ’28 LB is fluid through traffic and plays with a high level of instincts as plays develop. The Cardinals finished 4-6 in 2025, so to beat that we are going to need to see Zenner continue to be all over the field making stops for his defense.

Stat Line: 172 Tackles, 6 TFLs

What a year for the sophomore out of Chippewa Falls. If the ball was snapped vs the Chippewa Falls defense, then the odds were strong that Ryan Zenner Ryan Zenner 6'0" | 200 lbs | LB Chippewa Falls | 2028 State WI would be the one to bring down the ball carrier. Nobody was better at finding the football and diagnosing plays than Ryan was in 2025. His speed gives him range to get involved in the tackle no matter where the football is. He is a stout tackler, and is effective when attacking downhill on blitzes. I can’t wait to see what Ryan does in his junior season as he attempts to chase down that 172 number.

This was an easy choice to bring up in this article. Ryan spent his sophomore season leading the entire state of Wisconsin in tackles with 170+. The kid was all over the field making stops, sniffing out plays, and providing his defense with a reliable presence in the middle of the defense. I really want to see how Ryan tests. He isn’t the biggest LB, so I want to see the numbers he puts up. Is he making plays from the athleticism? Is it from a very high quality football IQ and instincts? Or does he bring it all to the field? I hope to see Ryan in person and watch him answer those questions.