28 Outstate Minnesota 2026s
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I was thrilled with the response and support of our recent PrepRedzoneMN feature naming and highlighting 26 Metro 2026 grads making waves across the freshman ranks of the state. Between the plentiful DMs, new follows, and tags on Twitter, it…
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Continue ReadingI was thrilled with the response and support of our recent PrepRedzoneMN feature naming and highlighting 26 Metro 2026 grads making waves across the freshman ranks of the state. Between the plentiful DMs, new follows, and tags on Twitter, it was no doubt exciting to see freshman prospects across the state updating their film and Twitter accounts to market themselves, their game, and their freshman seasons to us and the many college coaches and programs that recruit and rely on Minnesota-born talent to replenish and reinforce their rosters year to year. If you’re familiar with our site and my articles, you already know that PRzMN is dedicated to bringing exposure to talented football players across the state, across all classes of football, and across all levels of college football projection. For that reason, you know we couldn’t do a Metro-specific feature without publishing an Outstate heavyweight accompaniment, and lucky for us freshman football players from Up North and own in Southern Minnesota have been showing up and showing out this 2022 season and making it easy to find, evaluate, and write about 28 young bucks gaining steam as potential prospects of the future. From International Falls down to Fairmont and everywhere in between, get to know these talented first years below. Thanks for reading. The future is bright.
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28 Outstate 2026s
Ryan McIntosh Ryan McIntosh 6'1" | 210 lbs | LB Owatonna | 2026 State MN (Owatonna) LB. 6′, 175 lbs. @RyanMcIntosh05
The young buck from Southern Minnesota stronghold Owatonna is looking to continue a strong tradition of linebackers before and against freshman competition it looks like he has the goods to do it. He recorded a nice interception this season while dropping right under the QB’s nose and into the flats for an easy pick, and I also like how fast he’s able to read, trigger, and get to the ball in run support. There are also moments that make him look more primed for varsity than some, like when he gracefully bounces off blocking attempts or easily runs tackle attempts with the ball in his hand, such as after that aforementioned interception. I’ll be keeping my eye out for this one. Make sure to hit that weight room hard, Ryan!
Kayden Oakland Kayden Oakland 6'4" | 205 lbs | WR Northfield | 2026 State MN (Northfield) WR. 6’3, 170 lbs. @kaydenOakland2
A dynamic athlete playing his AAU ball with the Minnesota Lightning as a 6’3, 170 lb. combo guard, Oakland is also a dangerous WR and a consistent deep threat who has a ton of reps of him burning DBs and catching long TDs basically without being touched. His long legs help carry solid speed, and Oakland is also shifty in the open field and able to use his size to his advantage in 50/50 catch situations. He was dominant on non-varsity ball this season and helped Northfield’s freshman squad to a 7-1 record this fall. Kayden won’t have to scroll too far to find his name in our upcoming 2026 rankings. Go Raiders!
Hunter Carstensen (Minneota) DE. 6’1, 175 lbs. @HunterCarstensen1
A freshman Viking out of Class A powerhouse Minneota, Carstensen is a long 6’1, 175 who was strong and physical out on the edge of the LOS as a defensive end and offensive tackle. Not scared of contact, he was an efficient puller who showed off a long stride out in space as a blocker or when pursuing the ball from his DE spot. He can run down plays from the backside with those long strides and solid speed of his, and with his noticeably large feet and the fact he’s still growing into his body, I have the feeling Carstensen is far from done growing. Good job this season, Hunter!
Kaaleem Reiland Kaaleem Reiland 5'9" | 180 lbs | RB Kingsland | 2026 State MN (Kingsland) RB. 5’8, 170 lbs. @KaaleemReiland1
One of only a few varsity-only freshman contributors in MN this season, Kingsland RB Kaaleem Reiland Kaaleem Reiland 5'9" | 180 lbs | RB Kingsland | 2026 State MN has been a big part of the Knights explosive running attack in 2022 and has totaled 76 carries for 481 yards and 7 TDs with a 6.3 YPC average and a kickoff return for a TD for good measure. He lined up all over the field in 2022 as a RB, WR, returner, QB, and DB, and with his speed, elusiveness, and fluid athleticism, Reiland was able to do a lot of different things on the gridiron and do them all well. For his size and age, he’s also strong and does not shy away from contact. Lot to like in the small school standout and he’ll also see his name ranked highly upon our introductory 2026 rankings in the next couple of months.
Roman Voss Roman Voss 6'4" | 215 lbs | ATH Jackson County Central (MN) | 2026 State MN (Jackson County Central) ATH. 6’3, 195 lbs. @romanvoss2
I talked about Roman very recently in a PrepRedzone Midwest special focusing on 2026s, so I’ll keep this one shorter and try not to repeat myself. However, this dude is legit, and has the chance to be one of the best players in his class and a potential P5 prospect. With legit size and genealogy – his older brother Rudy plays QB at South Dakota State – Voss is in his second year starting on varsity as a quarterback but moonlights as a DB, WR, and dynamic ball carrier who I think does his best work when toting the rock. He uses his size to his advantage, possesses noticeable contact balance, and is light-footed and quick with impressive COD skills. Overall, there’s a ton of athleticism and positive traits going for him, and my gut tells me he projects to a higher level than his brother, a strong testament as his brother was a stud and is getting tick with the Jackrabbits.
Brockton Graber (Elk River) DE. 6’1, 195 lbs. @graberbrockton_
I’m stretching it a bit by calling Elk River “outstate”, but for the sake of the article I think it’s ok. With good size and a still growing frame, the 6’1, 195 lb. DE uses his length well to impact the run, pass, and special team games. His long arms help him get off blocks and those long legs aid him in running down QBs and RBs. Also plays offensive tackle and shows solid leg drive there. Hit that weight room hard, Brockton.
Boston Meyer (Mankato East) DE/TE. 6′, 160 lbs. @TheBostonMeyer
The Mankato native is in his first year at East High School and also plays basketball and lacrosse. A tight end and defensive end on the gridiron, Meyer is doing some good things on defense and possesses a solid chop/rip and pursuit speed and is also able to help out in pass coverage. Also shows good hands as a tight end and the ability to block out on the edge. Solid two-way contributor as a freshman.
Christian Flores Christian Flores 5'7" | 190 lbs | QB Owatonna | 2026 MN (Owatonna) QB/P. 5’7, 140 lbs. @ChristianF598
Another Owatonna Huskie, 5’7 freshman gunslinger Flores is a thick, mechanically-sound QB who shows the ability to get the ball out of his hand quickly and distribute the ball efficiently and with good decision making. He is deadly when rolling out to his left (Flores is a righty), and I also spy some arm strength and noteworthy accuracy. The future looks bright for the freshman QB and I’ll be keeping tabs on the young buck living south down I-35.
Noah Heppner (Spring Grove) DE.
A well-built freshman already contributing to multiple levels of 9man Spring Grove, and I’m always extra on the lookout for the next 9man monster out of Minnesota so this one has me excited. Heppner opens his tape with a MASSIVE hit chasing down a botched punt and sending the punter almost to the high heavens on a full 360 degree spin. Heppner possesses a great get-off, good strength for his age, and noticeable size that pops on film. Even though he primarily played against freshman competition he was physically dominant and disruptive in a way I’d expect of a future varsity standout. Keep up the great work, Noah! And make a Twitter!
Nathan Hansen Nathan Hansen 5'11" | 170 lbs | DB Dawson-Boyd | 2026 State MN (Dawson-Boyd) WR/CB. 5’11, 155 lbs.
8-1 Dawson-Boyd is rolling and on tape it looks like Hansen is getting varsity reps at CB for the Blackjacks. Despite his young age, Hansen looks comfortable out on the perimeter, and with solid size for his age at 5’11, 155 he also shows a fluid backpedal, ball skills, and eye discipline. Hansen also has freshman reps on his film and shows a lot of the same qualities but in faster fashion. The future is bright for the coverage corner and I’m pumped to see how he continues to grow and develop.
Caleb Rossi (Mountain Iron-Buhl) QB/LB. 5’10, 165 lbs. @Caleb_Rossi15
Another 9man freshman standout, MIB’s Caleb Rossi is putting some good stuff on tape as a running QB and LB whose physicality leaves the biggest impression on me after watching his tape. A light-footed and strong runner with the ball in hand, Rossi generally needs more than one tackler to bring him down and can cut by you or run through you depending on the tackle attempt. He’s got a thick lower body for a freshman and also is aggressive when taking on blocks and tackling as well. He’ll be playing varsity sooner rather than later.
Carson Javers (Minneota) 5’9, 155 lbs.
Another Minneota Viking, Javers is a playmaker on either side of the football and is dangerous with the ball in his hand and possesses a strong lower body and good balance that helps him work through tackle attempts with seeming ease. Reads QBs eyes well defensively as well. Update some more film please, Carson!
Deston Olson (Rochester Lourdes) DE. 6’1, 180 lbs.
Olson is long and has a lot of room to grow into his frame in the coming years. A DE on the freshman squad for the Eagles, his length helps him keep blockers at bay and I like how he identifies and flows to the football once he puts his head down and gets going. He’s quick off the ball, is a fundamentally sound tackler, and plays well in space. He can impact the run and pass game from his DE spot and is capable of making the play when given the opportunity. Olson has a good, long tape with a lot of reps and some solid overall athleticism as a freshman for Rochester Lourdes. Would love to see him grow into another large and physical Eagles DE that we’ve seen from the past.
Matthew Martin (Fairmont) DT/OL. 6′, 260 lbs.
One of the bigger freshman on this list, Fairmont Cardinal offensive and defensive tackle Matthew Martin only has a couple games of freshman tape from 2022 but in the Jordan and Waseca matchups, Martin is slippery at getting off blocks thanks to good hand usage and overall strength and I also love some of the hits he’s put on QBs this fall. He’s also got an impressive rep against Jordan where he rips the ball away from the RB like he’s taking candy from a baby, then powering forward for extra yardage before getting caught from behind. Not every kid can pull that off!
Benet Mathiason (Fairmont) QB/LB. 5’9, 160 lbs. @Benet51960293
Fairmont’s freshman QB will stand in the pocket and deliver a strike through contact and also shows the accuracy to hit the shorter and more routine throws that can keep an offense churning. Laid a big hit on kickoff coverage as well and shows strength as a tackler when playing linebacker. Some solid 2026s coming up through the ranks of the Cardinals in the coming years!
Shep Jensen (Marshall) QB/DB.
The Marshall Tigers freshman QB and safety utilizes his best asset at either position: speed. He’s got burst and top-end speed that makes very dangerous against freshman competition, and that same speed is very helpful as a safety, where Jensen shows good pursuit range and can take advantage of misthrows. He’s also comfortable and strong tackling in space and around the box and is overall a playmaker with the ball in his hands. With tremendous tradition coming out of the SW MN program you can generally recognize a baller when you see one, and if a freshman is balling out against non-varsity competition you can usually trust that will translate when he moves up a level. I got a good feeling about this dude!
Andrew Stelter (Marshall) FB/OLB. 6′, 180 lbs.
Another Marshall Tiger, Stelter is a big, strong football player with juice as a runner and strength at the contact point as a blocker. He looks huge with the ball in hand against freshman competition and can easily slip through weaker tackle attempts at his lower body. I’m looking forward to more film coming out from the 6′, 180 pounder.
Aniceto Ochoa (Grand Rapids) K/WR. 5’11, 160 lbs.
Handles kickoffs, where he shows the leg strength to get the ball inside the 20 with good height that allows his coverage team to make the tackle right after the returner catches the ball. Solid leg strength and ball placement for a freshman still very much growing into his body and adding strength.
Andrew Trout (Rocori) OL. 6’5, 260 lbs. @AndyTrout13
There are a couple of good things worth considering despite Trout not having uploaded any film at this point in time. 1) 6’5, 260 is nothing to scoff at. That’s a big dude even if he’s 14 and still developing. 2) Rocori is a legit program, has produced legit offensive lineman, and has strong competition to go against in practice. 3) The Spartans weight program and coaching make sure to get the best out of their players.
I’m not saying Trout is a guaranteed D1 kid, but I had Elinneus Davis Elinneus Davis 6'2" | 300 lbs | DL Moorhead | 2023 State MN on my radar for years prior to him having film, much less play on varsity, due to scouring Hudl pages of MN teams regularly and often. Size is must for the D1 ranks and shouldn’t be overlooked, no matter the player’s age. Keep grinding, Andrew, I’ll keep checking on ya.
Trevor Sheldrup (Mankato West) DE/RB.
No reported height, weight, or Twitter account, but Sheldrup’s film is good at 5A perennial contender Mankato West, in fact, it’s some of the best of any prospect on this list. With good size compared to non-varsity competition, a great get-off, and speed and physicality through contact, Sheldrup is a dangerous and disruptive DE who can impact the run and pass game consistently. He triggers on the ball very well, and on the offensive side of the ball as a violent RB, I love his stiff arm and balance when breaking tackles. Sheldrup looks like he’s on another level in terms of speed in his freshman tape and I’d be surprised if he wasn’t contributing to varsity next year, at least on special teams. The tape definitely left an impression and I’m stoked to see how productive he’ll be next year and eventually as an upperclassman.
Carter Beckman (Braham)
Also a standout baseball player, Braham’s Beckman has primarily played JV in 2022 and shows a nose for contact as a HB and LB. If he gets his hands on a ball carrier he is not letting go, and I also love how he puts his facemask right in opponents chest plates as a blocker. He sent some kids flying as a lead blocker in 2022 and was able to record a ton of TFLs defensively due to how quick he identifies and finds the ball. Definitely one of the better tacklers on this list, Beckman had a solid 2022 so far and will greatly benefit from a long winter in the weight room. Football is all about contact and this kid thrives off it.
Parker Samarzia (Moose Lake/Willow River) RB. 5’10, 155 lbs.
Hopefully next in line to continue an exciting line of MLWR running backs, freshman Parker Samarzia has popped off some big runs in 2022 and has even contributed to the varsity backfield in his first year of high school football. I love his vision and acceleration, and he weaves by defenders and tackle attempts surprisingly easy for a young buck. Now, he just needs to finish some of these huge runs for six! Hit those squats hard this offseason, Parker!
Carter Line (International Falls) WR
From about as far North as you can get, first-year WR Carter Line made a beautiful varsity TD catch against Crosby-Ironton on a sneaky little dump right down the hash, through contact, and into the endzone. He’s got good concentration, soft hands, and doesn’t mind making catches over the middle with potential contact bearing down on him.
David Erlandson (Breckenridge) RB. 5’9, 170 lbs. @DavidErlandson3
The younger brother of former Breckenridge thumper and MN’s premier fullback Daniel Erlandson, now at the University of Jamestown, freshman RB David is lacking in film but has a three-sport background with an accomplished wrestling pedigree not to mention the strong genealogy from his family. My mom’s cousins all went to Breck so I never stop checking in on them. Go Cowboys!
Jeremiah Peterson (Kasson-Mantorville) 5’9, 170 lbs. @Jeremiah_JPG
Yeah, this dude is a playmaker. Electric with the ball in his hands and very hard to corral for freshman defenders, Peterson is very fast and easily torches single and double coverage as a WR, easily sprints by LBs and DBs as a WR, and can generally find the endzone without even being touched, even as a kick returner. I also love how he plays the ball in the air, as he shows good hops and times his jumps well, and that speed and those ball skills also help him as a ballhawking DB on defense. He’s going to find himself ranked highly once these 2026 rankings get introduced.
Zakari Epps (Winona) QB/DB. 5’10, 155 lbs. @EppsZakari
The Winona Winhawks are on a good streak of producing standout freshman and Epps seems to be the initial standout for the 2026 class. As a ball carrier, he’s showing it all: burst, twitchiness, top end speed, and balance in a long, fast, and strong frame that is still growing and developing. His speed is on a whole different plane than his freshman counterparts and he’s been a consistent and explosive playmaker in every game he’s suited up in for Winona this season. He’ll find himself ranked highly in a couple months as well. This dude can ball!
Owen Egge Owen Egge 5'10" | 155 lbs | WR St. Michael - Albertville | 2026 State MN (St. Michael-Albertville) WR. 5’10, 155 lbs. @OwenEgge2026
In the same vein as the aforementioned Elk River DE Graber, St. Michael-Albertville is widely considered the Metro but is far enough from the Twin Cities that for the sake of this article, you’ll just have to roll with me. Plus, Egge is a stud, and I missed mentioning him on my recent Metro feature so I wanted to get him in this one. The freshman has recorded 1,010 receiving yards, 9 TDs, 4 INTs, and 22 tackles for the Knights against freshman competition. He’s a strong route runner for his age who can drop his hips and create a ton of separation when he breaks and has fantastic speed that can pull away from pursuing defenders with a full head of steam. An absolute deep threat, he also shows instincts as a DB, explosiveness as a returner, and overall a ton of juice and body control that has made him probably the most productive freshman receiver in the state. The future looks incredibly bright for the youngin’ and he’s left me no choice but to rank him highly when these 2026 introductory rankings release. Great tape, Owen! Now do it against varsity!
Andrue Rose (Winona) WR. 6′, 150 lbs.
Another standout Winona first year, Rose threw out a monster truck stick against Rochester Century after a catch, made a sweet drop into a slant’s passing lane against Faribault, and made a fantastic catch high up in the air against Mankato East. Some dynamic splash plays from the freshman.
More Outstate Freshman Worth Knowing…
Sullivan Gill (Cannon Falls) RB/LB. 6′, 150 lbs.
Collin McGill (Stewartville) RB/OLB.
Nolan Czmowski (Hutchinson) RB.
Zach Hoss (Pipestone Area) OL. @ZachHoss84
Cole Jensen (Mora)
Toby Hoffard (Pequot Lakes) OL/DL. 6′, 195 lbs.
Owen Foday (Aitkin) CB.
Zachary Volk (Zimmerman) LB.
Anthony Scherkenbach (Cloquet) RB.
JT Graupmann (Northfield) @jt_graupmann
Christian Whiteman (Northfield) QB/DB. 5’7, 155 lbs. @christian_w07
Royce Jax (Southland) RB/LB. 5’9, 150 lbs. @royce_jax