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Minnesota high school football Power 25: Maple Grove begins title defense at No. 1
Let’s take a closer look at some of the top returning linebacker in high school football for the 2023 season in Minnesota.
Plenty of worthy names are on this list, so be sure to read through the nominees and vote in our poll for who you think will be the top returning linebacker for the upcoming season.
Voting will close on August 31 at 11:59 p.m.
Editor’s note: Our corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. This poll is specifically for fans to vote on the players that have been nominated and in no way discredits any other player who may not be mentioned in our poll.
If you are a coach and you'd like to add a nominee before the poll closes, please email butler@scorebooklive.com.
Ashton Toll, senior, Springfield
SBLive's Minnesota Defensive Player of the Year last season, Toll led the state with 199 tackles and helped lead the defense for Springfield en route to a state runner-up finish.
“Ashton is an outstanding player and leader on our football team,” coach Adam Meyer said of the two-time all-district and area player. “He is the leader of our defense and a true sideline-to-sideline linebacker that is great against the run and pass. He is also a very knowledgeable player, putting in many hours studying the game and his opponents.”
Mason Carrier, senior, Detroit Lakes
A 6-foot-2 linebacker, Carrier is Minnesota’s top ranked 2024 recruit at the position, according to 247Sports. The 3-star is a Minnesota commit, who helped the Lakers to a 5-5 record last season.
Emmanuel Karmo, junior, Robbinsdale Cooper
Karmo is one of just two ranked players in Minnesota’s class of 2025, according to 247Sports, to this point. Karmo has become a two-way standout for the Hawks early in his career, operating at both the wideout and linebacker positions.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder turned in 74 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception on defense, while adding 242 yards through the air, where he led the team with four touchdowns.
The 3-star has several Power Five Division I offers.
Kadin Pries, senior, Plainview-Elgin-Millville
Pries was the Defensive Player of the Year for his conference and a first team all district and section honoree. He totaled 185 tackles, 22 for loss, two sacks and four forced fumbles.
A three-year starter, he is the “undisputed” leader of coach Daren Wingert’s program.
“Kadin has great natural ability as a linebacker, a nose for the ball, but this season he really worked hard at reading blocks and understanding offensive schemes through film study to become an elite linebacker in our district,” Wingert said. “He trains for strength and speed all year long, and is able to play from sideline to sideline from the inside, as well as provide excellent pressure through run and pass blitz packages.”
Matthew Heinen, senior, Champlin Park
Heinen, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound, linebacker, recorded a team-high 15 tackles for loss last season, helping to form a dynamic, returning, duo with edge Michael Bruggers.
He added 51 tackles and three sacks. He played in every game last season for Champlin Park and will lead the linebacking corps in 2023.
Kaleb Weikel, junior, Andover
Weikel had an outstanding sophomore campaign and looks to be the face of Andover football, at least defensively, for the next two seasons.
In 2022, as a member of a unit that played a key role in driving Andover to the Section 7A championship game, Weikel recorded a team-leading 115 tackles — 30 more than any teammate, and top-15 statewide — and 14 tackles for loss. He added two sacks and two forced fumbles.
Derrick Dohman, senior, Simley
Dohman was the leading tackler on a stacked Simley defense, and returns for one more season on the heels of the Class 4A state title game.
Dohman turned in 90 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, three passes defended, a sack and an interception. Dohman will be looked to again in 2023 as Simley runs it back with a strong linebacking core.
Jake Stanton, senior, Simley
While Simley loses a host of talented seniors, Stanton will be looked upon to lead the program after a state championship win last season. Stanton was a key contributor as a junior, racking up 72 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, two sacks and two interceptions. Stanton was a great complement to fellow rising-senior Dohman.
Derek Dahl, junior, Mountain Iron-Buhl
Dahl was top-20 in the state with 113 tackles as a sophomore in 2022. He was third on the team with 14 tackles for loss, and added a sack, a forced fumble and two passes defended.
Dahl was critical to the success of the 13-0 9-man state champs last season and still has two more years to continue his growth.
Tyler Burton, senior, Chanhassen
Burton helped key a state title runner-up defense from the linebacker position, finishing second on the team in total tackles with 74, adding two for loss and a pair of fumble recoveries for the 7-3 Storm.
Tyler Gunderson, senior Mahtomedi
Gunderson was a pivotal piece in a state semifinal Zephyrs defense. The linebacker was the unit’s top junior tackler with 36.
He added two tackles for loss and a sack in seven games. For a defense which graduated its top-three leading tacklers (all of whom played linebacker), Gunderson will be vastly leaned on in 2023.
Timmy Ball, senior, Centennial
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound rising-senior was the second-leading tackler on a stout Centennial defense last season.
He turned in 107 of them, helping support a Class 6A quarterfinal team in 2023. He’ll be relied on even more heavily in 2023 as Centennial loses three of its over top five tacklers.
Alex Lea, junior, Blooming Prairie
Lea plays all of the field on offense, but on defense, it’s the middle of the field — at linebacker – where he’s found what seems to be a permanent home. The all-district player tallied 135 tackles, 31 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks as a sophomore.
“Defensively, you will notice him right away,” coach Chad Gimbel said. “He plays sideline to sideline with a passion unparalleled. Even as a freshman, when Lea didn’t earn a starting job until game five, and he recorded 96 tackles, 18 for loss and four sacks."
Antonio Menard, senior, Lakeville North
Menard started three games as a freshman before turning out all-district seasons in each of the last two years.
“Antonio Menard is arguably the hardest working athlete our program has ever had,” coach Brian Vossen said. “His greatest competition was his brother (Greg Menard, ‘15).”
Menard’s brother started for four seasons at North Dakota State and is on their list of top five all-time sack leaders.
Menard, himself, has offers from every FCS school in the area, along with Colorado State, Wyoming, Army and Air Force. He plays both defensive end as well as outside linebacker and tight end.
“He is fast, explosive, strong, athletic, and relentless,” Vossen said of the three-sport athlete. “This kid is special.”
Aiden Doughty, senior, Lakeville South
Doughty was one of the top linebackers on the Cougars defense last season and a key contributor to a team that pushed its way to the Class 6A semifinals.
A 5-foot-11, 205-pound outside backer, he collected 37 tackles and two forced fumbles, while tying for the team lead in tackles for loss (seven) and sacks (three).
He’ll likely lead the Cougars 2023 linebacking corps.
Beau Wiersma, senior, Kingsland
Wiersma turned in 45 solo tackles, 36 assisted tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, a sack, interception and fumble recovery last season and is known as a weight room constant around the program.
“Beau has been an incredible role model and leader for our team on the field and around school and the community,” coach Matt Kolling said. “He is a serious kid who absolutely loves football and is working to improve his game.”
Wiersma benches 300 pounds and runs a 4.6 40-yard dash and possesses offers from Stout and Winona State.
Dominic Hardy, senior, Harding-Humboldt
Hardy was the defensive “catalyst” for Harding-Humboldt last season, helping secure a win against Minneapolis South in a game of the unbeaten teams by blocking a potential game-winning field goal as time expired.
An all-district player, Hardy tallied 33 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
“Dominic possesses a very strong football IQ,” coach Andre Creighton said. Hardy also plays a roll out of the offensive backfield.
Konner Kelly, senior, Red Wing
Kelly started at middle linebacker for coach Brent Stinson last year and totaled 23 individual tackles, 37 assisted tackles and a pair of interceptions.
“Konner is an intense leader who finds the football,” Stinson said of the player who spent two weeks at IMG Academy this summer in preparation for his senior year.
Kelly will also see extended time on offense this year, where he can showcase his “wide catch radius” and ability to high point the ball, which has helped him on defense, too.
Mark Rendl, senior, Forest Lake
Rendl is a team captain and the leader of a talented linebacking corps for the Rangers.
An all-district player, Rendl led the Rangers with 94 tackles as a junior. A stout, 6-foot-3, 230- pounder, Rendl is also a state champ wrestler at 220 pounds. Coach Brad Beeskow called him, “one of the best players in the state.”
Photo by Jeff Lawler
Colby Christenson, senior, Forest Lake
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Christenson collected 64 tackles last season alongside the standout Rendl. Christenson was also named to an all-district team and brings a splash of physicality, according to coach Beeskow.
Caden Sheff, senior, Barnum
Sheff, a four-year defensive starter, who has led the team in tackles three-straight seasons, also developed into the Bombers’ “most dynamic playmaker” last season, coach Robert Minkkinen said.
“Caden is an extremely hard worker and he provides a good combination of speed and strength while playing with a high motor.”
The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder recorded 1,122 all-purpose yards and 18 total touchdowns between running back and receiver last year, and at linebacker, led the defense with 77 tackles to go along with three tackles for loss, a sack, and pair of forced fumbles for the 8-3 Bombers.
Carlos Beckstrand, senior, Barnum
Beckstrand plays all over the field for the Bombers at wideout, running back, outside linebacker, and defensive back.
“Carlos might be our most competitive athlete and he plays much bigger than his size,” coach Minkkinen said of the 5-foot-9, 150-pounder.
While on defense, Beckstrand brings unique ability on the edge, where he tallied 60 tackles, eight tackles for loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and three interceptions.
On offense, he “runs with an edge once the ball is in his hands, and has natural vision running the ball.”
He ended the year with 1,012 all-purpose yards and 12 total touchdowns. He is extremely versatile on both sides of the ball and should be a two-way star in 2023.
Ray James Jr., senior, DeLaSalle
McMoore has accepted a scholarship to play outside linebacker at North Dakota State.
Coach Terrell McMoore said the backer, who stands at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, is “fast and explosive,” also calling him “one of the most naturally athletic guys I have ever coached.” James Jr. has played spurts of offense, too, but will be heavily relied upon on defense.
Tristan Holbrook, junior, Belle Plaine
In 2022, Holbrook, a 6-foot-2, 205-pounder was an all-district honorable mention at linebacker. He used his size on the other side of the ball, too, accumulating 650 yards and seven touchdowns.
“[He] will be one of the best players in our district this fall,” coach Dave Frisell said. “[He] has potential to be an upper level college linebacker.”
Avery MacDonald, senior, Rockford
MacDonald was Rockford’s second-leading tackler last season with 87. He added three forced, and recovered, fumbles, seven tackles for loss and an interception.
Coach Daniel Houghton described him as “very athletic,” saying he has a “nose for the ball” and can play multiple positions. MacDonald was his team’s Linebacker of the Year and a second team all-district honoree.
