We have compiled a list of the preferred walk-ons that will be joining the UND Football program at the beginning of fall camp, come August. We think it goes without saying that the UND staff did a good job of getting the North Dakota talent to come to Grand Forks. With limited roster spots at the FCS level, it is essential for a program like UND’s to get these kids to come as PWO’s and eventually earn there way into a scholarship. UND did as good of a job in the tri-state area as we have seen in a long time.
- OL – Conrad Schwarzkopf – Bismarck Century High School – Schwarzkopf, 6’3″-285, was a standout OL/Dl for the Patriots. He was a Class 3A All State selection this past season. He is also a state champion in both the shot put and discus. He is projected as a defensive lineman for UND, most likely NG.
- QB – Jake Hanson – Grafton High School (ND) – Hanson was First Team All State in Class 2A and also the Player of the Year in leading the Spoilers to an undefeated season and the state title. He is also a standout basketball player for the Spoilers. UND will be getting a very good athlete at the QB position.
- LB – Brandon Larson – Bemidji High School (MN) – Larson, 6’2″-200, was a standout linebacker for the Lumberjacks. He was named 2nd Team All State in Minnesota his senior season. Larson had an astounding 152 tackles and 15 sacks in his senior season. We see him being an inside linebacker for UND.
- Ath – Devin Coyle – Mandan High School (ND) – Coyle was named the ESPN Gatorade Football Player of the Year for North Dakota. He was a First team All State QB for the Braves in his senior season. Coyle is also an excellent all-state basketball player. We see Coyle playing safety for UND.
- LB – Jake Watson – Mandan High School (ND) – Watson, 6’2″-200, was a 2nd team all state selection at LB for the Braves. He showed some good speed for the Braves to go along with his size and we see him being an inside linebacker for UND. Watson is definitely an under-the-radar type of player but we really think he has potential.
- FB/LB – Tanner Vesledahl – M0tt-Regent High School (ND) -Vesledahl, 6’3″-215, was a 9-Man First Team All State selection for the Wildfire as a LB. He was also all-region. He has pretty good size for a linebacker and we see him being a tight end/H-back type at UND.
- LB – Joe Schobert – Waukesha West High School (WI) – Schobert, 6’2″-205, was an All-State selection at RB in the state of Wisconsin, as well as an All Region selection (SE). His stats at RB are astounding: in his junior and senior seasons he rushed for 4,000 yards and 51 TD’s. With this size and athletic ability, he is being projected as an outside linebacker for UND.
Why didn’t Schobert get any offers? We was one of the most talked about players out of WI a year ago.
Its a strange situation. He is tall, has good speed and size. I think some schools looked at him as a RB because that is where he made his name and figured he wasn’t fast enough or good enough to play that position at the FCS level. It is apparent that UND looked at him as an OLB the entire time and is probably how they got him. He has the perfect body type for OLB in a 3-4.
Are you going to have a write-up for Devon Hall?
Yes we will, hopefully today.
If this year turns out to be the norm with regard to Kill keeping the vast majority of the borderline FBS prospects at home via either grayshirting or PWO, what does that mean long term for UND (or NDSU, SDSU, USD or UNI, for that matter)?
I feel that it means there will be less “steals” than there has been in the past. However, there is still a ton of prospects down there and will always be kids to get. Kill had success this year but that doesn’t mean it will always be that way. We would definitely like UND to get more involved down in Minneapolis in coming years. Guys like Daryl Brown (Wayzata) should be a primary focus every year. He has already turned into a steal for UND and he still has 3 years left.
I miss Tim Brewster.
Hopefully whomever fills Belmore’s open position has good recruiting contacts in the cities.
Schobert athletic ability is outstanding!! I watched his bball game last week, he had 4 sick jams! One of them was a windmill, very sweet