Inertia Sports Media/Dave Eggen
Football
Two-time defending national champion South Dakota State loaded up on in-state and regional football talent as head coach Jimmy Rogers announced Wednesday the signings of 19 high school standouts.
The signees include:
- Tyrone Cotton III, 6-1, 170, cornerback, Chicago, Illinois (Glenbrook South H.S.);
- Landon Dulaney, 6-2, 190, wide receiver, Brandon, South Dakota (Brandon Valley H.S.);
- Thomas Dwyer, 6-6, 285, offensive lineman, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin (Lakeside Lutheran H.S.);
- Owen Eshelman, 6-3, 195, quarterback, Norman, Oklahoma (Norman North H.S.);
- Donovan Fitzmaurice, 6-3, 280, defensive lineman, Ellisville, Missouri (Marquette H.S.);
- Myles Green, 6-0, 180, cornerback, Homewood, Illinois (Homewood-Flossmoor H.S.);
- Micah Hach, 6-4, 285, offensive lineman, Watertown, South Dakota (Watertown H.S.);
- Isaiah Hung, 6-2, 220, linebacker, Liberty, Missouri (Liberty H.S.);
- Brody Miller, 6-1, 175, safety, Shakopee, Minnesota (Shakopee H.S.);
- Carter Pabst, 6-1, 185, wide receiver, Wichita, Kansas (Eisenhower H.S.);
- Travon Pankey, 6-0, 200, running back, Kansas City, Missouri (Oak Park H.S.);
- Damarius Russell, 5-11, 175, safety, Waseca, Minnesota (Waseca H.S.);
- Sullivan Schlimgen, 6-1, 220, linebacker, Sioux Falls, South Dakota (O'Gorman H.S.);
- Lincoln Semchenko, 6-5, 295, offensive lineman, Brandon, South Dakota (Sioux Falls Christian H.S.);
- Trillion Sorrell, 6-1, 165, cornerback, Bloomington, Minnesota (Edina H.S.);
- Connor Sullivan, 6-4, 265, defensive lineman, Glenview, Illinois (Loyola Academy);
- J.B. Walters, 6-4, 275, offensive lineman, Grand Forks, North Dakota (Red River H.S.);
- Joshua Wedel, 6-5, 245, defensive lineman, Chaska, Minnesota (Chaska H.S.);
- Erimus Wright, 6-0, 180, defensive back, Hazel Crest, Illinois (Hillcrest H.S.)
TYRONE COTTON III
Cotton was selected as team most valuable player during the 2024 football season and earned his second all-conference award. He also has been a two-time all-league performer in track and field and has been a state qualifier.
Cotton intends to pursue a degree in construction management.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Tyrone is a long and rangy lockdown cornerback who will impact our team right away. We cannot wait to get him on campus and develop him into one of the best cornerbacks in the country."
LANDON DULANEY
Dulaney earned first-team all-state honors and was a member of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader Elite 45 each of the past two seasons at Brandon Valley High School. He caught 42 passes for 893 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior, then surpassed those totals with a senior campaign that included 82 receptions for 1,025 yards and 20 touchdowns.
In addition to football, Dulaney has won individual state titles in the long jump and 200-meter dash, as well as running on three state championship relay teams. He also has been an all-state selection in basketball.
An academic all-state selection and a member of the National Honor Society, he plans to major in business economics at SDSU.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "We couldn't be more excited to add Landon to our football family. He is one of the fastest players in the state of South Dakota. He also is a natural pass catcher and has great speed and length to make a difference in our offense."
THOMAS DWYER
Dwyer earned all-conference honors three times as an offensive lineman for Lakeside Lutheran High School in Lake Mills, Wisconsin, including receiving first-team accolades as a junior. He plans to study exercise science.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Thomas is a big, physical kid who plays with a great motor and physicality. His size and strength fit exactly what we are looking for. Thomas will make an impact on our line."
OWEN ESHELMAN
Eshelman accounted for 6,666 yards of total offense and 79 touchdowns over his two seasons as the starting quarterback at Norman North High School. As a junior in 2023, he passed for 2,279 yards and 24 touchdowns while rushing for 568 yards and seven touchdowns. He surpassed those totals this past fall by throwing for 2,507 yards and 29 touchdowns and adding 1,312 yards and 19 scores on the ground en route to all-conference honors.
A three-year starter, he first cracked the lineup as a sophomore by playing primarily on the defensive side of the ball as a safety, recording 76 tackles and a pair of interceptions.
Eshelman also has been a three-year starter in basketball and is co-valedictorian of his senior class, as well as a National Merit semifinalist. He intends to major in mechanical engineering.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Owen is a great student, leader and person. He will be an asset as a future leader on this team and has unbelievable playmaking ability to lead us to a title."
DONOVAN FITZMAURICE
Fitzmaurice received all-state recognition during both his junior and senior seasons at Marquette High School. During the recently completed 2024 season, he registered 60 total tackles (35 solo), including 21 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. He also blocked nine kicks and forced and recovered a pair of fumbles.
His future plans also include majoring in exercise science.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Donovan is a violent defensive lineman who has great power, speed and bend to impact our defense immediately."
MYLES GREEN
Green earned conference player of the year awards as both a defensive back and wide receiver during his prep career in the Chicago metro area. He tallied 42 receptions for more than 900 yards in earning offensive accolades as a junior. During his senior season at Homewood-Flossmoor High School, he registered 48 total tackles (23 solo), intercepted four passes and broke up five more pass attempts. He also recorded six interceptions in 2023.
An honor student, Green plans to major in either civil engineering or architectural engineering.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Myles is an early enrollee who will impact our defensive back group. He is a dynamic playmaker with great instincts and ball skills. He will be a great addition to the program."
MICAH HACH
Hach has been a dominant performer both on the football field and the wrestling mat during a standout prep career at Watertown High School. He earned all-state honors in football each of the past two seasons, averaging 40 tackles per season while helping lead the Arrows to a Class AA state title in 2024.
In wrestling, Hach has placed at the state meet three times and has totaled more than 120 pins entering his senior season.
Hach intends to major in mechanical engineering.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Micah is an explosive two-sport athlete. He has extraordinary potential and gifts to be a special player here at SDSU. The sky is the limit for Micah."
ISAIAH HUNG
Hung notched more than 100 tackles on his way to earning conference defensive player of the year honors in 2024. He totals also included 22.5 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 4 blocked kicks.
Also a state wrestling champion, Hung has been named to all-academic teams in both sports. He plans to major in exercise science.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Isaiah will be an early enrollee and has a ton of upside to impact our football program right away. He is a natural pass rusher and a physical football player."
BRODY MILLER
Miller was an all-state performer in both football and track at Shakopee High School during the 2024 calendar year. He also repeated on the all-district football team this fall and was selected to play for the South team in the Minnesota High School Football All-Star Game.
He intends to pursue a degree in business economics.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Brody is a long and physical player who is a great addition to our secondary. He is a natural tackler who plays with feel and a chip on his shoulder."
CARTER PABST
A prolific pass catcher at Eisenhower High School, Pabst earned four varsity letters. He closed his prep career by earning first-team all-state honors after tallying 75 receptions for 1,641 yards and 29 touchdowns.
He intends to major in business economics.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Carter is the all-time leader for receiving touchdowns in the state of Kansas. He is an explosive playmaker who is ready to come in and make an immediate impact in our offense."
TRAVON PANKEY
Pankey rushed for 4,828 yards and 58 touchdowns during his prep career at Oak Park High School, averaging 134.1 yards per game over four seasons. He was selected to the all-district first team each of the last three seasons and was a first-team all-state pick in 2023.
A two-time academic all-state honoree, he plans to pursue a degree in business economics.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Travon is a physical and explosive back who has the ability to both make you miss and run through you. He is a natural playmaker."
DAMARIUS RUSSELL
Russell excelled in all three phases of the game at Waseca High School, earning conference awards as special teams player of the year (2022), receiver of the year (2023) and player of the year (2024). He closed out his prep career with 110 receptions, 1,800 receiving yards and 19 total touchdowns on the offensive side of the ball, while tallying 100 tackles and 11 interceptions on defense.
An all-state selection in 2024, Russell has been selected to play in the Minnesota High School Football All-Star Game.
Besides football, Russell has scored more than 1,000 points in basketball and holds the school's single-game record with 22 assists. He won state titles as a member of the Bluejays' 4x100-meter and 4x200 relays in track and field, as well as placing second individually at state in the long jump.
Russell plans to major in business economics.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Damarius is one of the most instinctual players in the class. He has extraordinary ball skills and playmaking ability. His suddenness and speed will make an impact in our secondary."
SULLIVAN SCHLIMGEN
Schlimgen has been a four-sport standout while attending O'Gorman High School in Sioux Falls. On the football field, he totaled 247 tackles on defense and racked up more than 2,500 offensive yards with 29 touchdowns over three seasons and was a two-time first-team all-state selection for the Knights.
In other athletic pursuits, Schlimgen has been a two-time all-state honoree in baseball, has been a starter on the basketball team and holds the third-fastest 100-meter dash time in school history.
A member of the National Honor Society and an academic all-state selection, Schlimgen plans to pursue a degree in business economics.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Sullivan is a very smart and explosive playmaker. He has the self-discipline, toughness and work ethic to be the next great linebacker at SDSU."
LINCOLN SEMCHENKO
Semchenko earned all-state recognition and was a member of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader Elite 45 as both a junior and senior for Sioux Falls Christian High School.
An honor student, he intends to major in business economics.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Lincoln is a big, physical kid who loves football. He will put in the work that it takes to be great, and we can't wait to watch him flourish at SDSU."
TRILLION SORRELL
Sorrell was a first-team all-state selection after seeing action as a two-way player for Edina High School in 2024. As a wide receiver, he caught 30 passes for 500 yards with seven touchdowns, adding 25 tackles and five pass breakups on the defensive side. He also earned a roster spot for the Minnesota High School Football All-Star Game.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Trillion brings a ton of athleticism and fire to the secondary. We love the competitiveness and edge that he plays the position with. Trillion will be ready to compete right away."
CONNOR SULLIVAN
Sullivan put together an impressive junior season at Loyola Academy in which he registered 54 total tackles with 12 tackles for loss and 5 sacks, but missed his senior campaign in 2024 due to injury. Despite being sidelined, he served as a team captain this past fall.
Sullivan intends to major in psychology.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Connor comes from a high school powerhouse. He is an extremely physical and tough kid who plays with a motor and chip on his shoulder. We cannot wait to work with him."
J.B. WALTERS
Walters earned all-conference honors twice and was a first-team all-state selection in 2024 for state runner-up Red River High School. In addition to playing on offense, he recorded 24 total tackles and 10 tackles for loss as a defensive lineman. He also served as a team captain for two seasons.
At SDSU, Walters plans to major in mechanical engineering.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "J.B. is an intelligent football player who is physical and loves to compete. He will fit right in with the 605 Hogs."
JOSHUA WEDEL
Wedel received all-conference accolades as both a junior and senior for Chaska High School. A team captain in 2024, he has received an invitation to play for the South squad in the Minnesota High School Football All-Star Game.
Wedel plans to study exercise science at SDSU.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Josh is a long defensive lineman who plays with great bend and instincts. He is extremely explosive. Josh's agility and twitch will make him an unbelievable player."
ERIMUS WRIGHT
Wright earned conference player of the year honors at Hillcrest High School and was a first-team all-state selection in 2024 after recording 50 tackles and scoring 20 touchdowns on offense.
An honor student, he has yet to declare a major.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Erimus is an explosive football player who plays with great speed and physicality. He also has great instincts and feel for the game. There is no question that Erimus will be a game changer."
In addition, Rogers announced the following 13 prep standouts have been accepted for admission to South Dakota State and plan to further their educations and football careers at SDSU in the fall of 2025:
- Beau Bakken, 6-4, 215, linebacker, Garretson, South Dakota (Hills-Beaver Creek H.S.);
- James Basinger, 5-10, 195, running back, Littleton, Colorado (Columbine H.S.);
- Ben Brooks, 6-8, 215, tight end, Madison, South Dakota (Madison H.S.);
- TyJohn Brooks, 5-6, 150, wide receiver, Minneapolis, Minnesota (Park Center H.S.);
- Cameron Cribari, 6-0, 175, safety, West Des Moines, Iowa (Valley H.S.);
- Sebastyen Fries, 6-2, 225, tight end, Lakeville, Minnesota (Lakeville North H.S.);
- Mason Kelley, 6-1, 180, wide receiver, Waukesha, Wisconsin (Mukwanago H.S.);
- Luke Krempges, 6-4, 235, defensive end, Sioux Falls, South Dakota (Lincoln H.S.);
- Brady Kurt, 6-2, 190, linebacker, Independence, Iowa (Independence H.S.);
- Maverick LeBrun, 6-5, 205, defensive end, Flandreau, South Dakota (Dell Rapids St. Mary H.S.);
- Adlai Lounsbury, 6-4, 185, kicker/punter, Adel, Iowa (Van Meter H.S.);
- Evan McCarty, 6-5, 260, offensive lineman, Hamel, Minnesota (Wayzata H.S.);
- Brock Osbahr, 6-2, 280, offensive lineman, De Pere, Wisconsin (De Pere H.S.)
BEAU BAKKEN
Bakken earned first-team all-state honors as a two-way player at the nine-man level as both a junior and senior at Hills-Beaver Creek High School in Minnesota. Also a three-time all-district honoree and a two-time selection to the Worthington Globe All-Area Team, he rushed for a combined 2,102 yards and 36 touchdowns over his final two seasons. The District Player of the Year in 2024 and a selection to the Minnesota High School Football All-Star Game, he also registered 59 tackles as a senior.
An academic all-state honoree, Bakken plans to major in engineering.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Beau is a long, rangy linebacker who comes from a championship program. He loves football and we cannot wait to get him on campus to develop him."
JAMES BASINGER
Basinger was an all-conference performer as a junior with nearly 800 all-purpose yards and ascended to first-team all-state status in 2024 after totaling 2,029 all-purpose yards (169 yards per game) and 33 touchdowns for Columbine High School.
He plans to major in business economics.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "James is an extraordinary football player with great feel for the game on both sides of the ball. He is a natural running back who we can't wait to get to Brookings and start to work with."
BEN BROOKS
Brooks played all over the field during his senior season at Madison High School, accounting for more than 1,500 yards of offense en route to first-team all-state recognition. He ran for 649 yards, recorded 334 receiving yards and threw for 550 yards and 17 touchdowns against only two interceptions.
An academic all-state honoree, he plans to pursue a career in education.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Ben is a natural route-runner with great speed and length. He will be a hard target to cover here in the future. We can't wait to add Ben to the program."
TYJOHN BROOKS
Brooks was a time-time all-conference selection at Park Center High School and earned an invitation to play in the Minnesota High School Football All-Star Game. Also named a special teams player of the year, he tallied 1,256 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns during his senior season, including 500 yards through the air on 30 receptions.
He plans to major in business economics.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "TyJohn is a really twitchy athlete who has elite agility and speed. He will not only impact us at wide receiver, but also in the return game."
CAMERON CRIBARI
Cribari played his way to first-team all-district recognition by notching 24 solo tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, an interception and 10 pass breakups during the 2024 season at Valley High School. He also has excelled in track and field and holds the school record in the long jump.
Also a member of the National Honor Society and an academic all-state selection, his future plans include majoring in human biology.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Cam plays the game with great speed and athleticism. He has the ability to be a difference maker as he develops."
SEBASTYEN FRIES
Fries caught 32 passes for 442 yards and three touchdowns in eight games during his senior season at Lakeville North High School. He was an honorable mention all-conference performer in 2023 in helping lead the Panthers to the first of two consecutive trips to the state quarterfinals.
He intends to major in business economics.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Seb is a physical football player with great ball skills. He will be a great run blocker and pass catcher in this offense."
MASON KELLEY
Kelley moved to quarterback during his senior season at Mukwonago High School and earned all-conference and all-region honors after passing for 1,423 yards and 16 touchdowns while rushing for 724 yards and 11 touchdowns. He previously earned all-conference recognition as a wide receiver and is expected to move back to that position at the collegiate level.
He intends to major in exercise science.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Mason is a great route runner with the ball skills to make big plays. He is competitive and wants to be great. We can't wait to get Mason to campus."
LUKE KREMPGES
Krempges earned all-state recognition in both 2023 and 2024 in helping lead Lincoln High School to back-to-back Class AAA state championships. He registered 34 tackles with five tackles for loss and four sacks as a junior, then tallied 53 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and four sacks during his senior season in which he also served as a team captain.
Also an academic all-state honoree, Krempges plans to major in exercise science.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Luke has great length and bend at defensive end. We believe that as Luke develops, he will be a force on the defensive line."
BRADY KURT
Kurt excelled on both sides of the ball as a receiver and linebacker for Independence High School, earning first-team all-district honors three times. He finished his prep career ranked in the top 20 all-time among Iowa high schoolers with 176 receptions (12th) and 2,493 receiving yards (17th) over three seasons, while adding 25 touchdowns. His defensive totals included 90 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks.
Also an academic all-state honoree, Kurt intends to pursue a degree in business economics.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Brady has great speed and plays the game with a motor. We are excited to add this long, rangy athlete to the linebacker room."
MAVERICK LEBRUN
LeBrun was honored on the all-state first team in 2024 and was an honorable mention selection to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader Elite 45 after registering 62 tackles and seven sacks during his senior season at Dell Rapids St. Mary.
Also an academic all-state honoree and a member of the National Honor Society, he intends to study business economics.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Maverick is a long and explosive player who we are excited to add to the Chain Gang. As Maverick develops, he will be special."
ADLAI LOUNSBURY
Lounsbury received first-team all-state honors as a kicker each of the last two seasons and was a first-team all-district selection at punter this past fall. A member of three consecutive state championship teams at Van Meter High School from 2021-23, he went a combined 11-of-13 on field goal attempts during the 2023 and 2024 seasons with a long of 54 yards.
He also has been an academic all-district and all-state selection in football and will look to further his education in the engineering field.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Adlai is combo specialist who can both kick and punt. He has the ability to be the next great weapon on our special teams units."
EVAN McCARTY
McCarty was a two-year starter who earned first-team all-West Metro District honors for Wayzata High School after not allowing a sack during his senior season.
He plans to major in engineering.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "We are excited to add Evan to the 605 Hogs. He is an explosive player with great length and twitch. He will develop into a great offensive lineman."
BROCK OSBAHR
Osbahr received all-conference honors in the trenches on both sides of the ball at De Pere High School. He was a two-time all-league selection as a defensive lineman while averaging four sacks over three seasons, while earning first-team recognition on the offensive line as a senior in 2024.
In addition to football, Osbahr has competed in the throwing events in track and field, while also playing baseball and hockey. He plans to major in mechanical engineering.
Coach Rogers' Comments: "Brock is a tough, physical kid who plays with a chip on his shoulder. We are excited to see how he develops on our offensive line."
ABOUT SDSU
South Dakota State has won back-to-back Division I Football Championship Subdivision national titles and completed the 2024 regular season with a 10-2 record. The Jackrabbits are seeded third in the FCS playoffs and are making their 13th consecutive postseason appearance.
-GoJacks.com-
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