With the announcement, Schmidt noted, “Our goal in developmental recruiting is to have back-to-back classes that complement each other and make a complete team in three years. The NSD class of 2025 is filled with versatile football players that complement our class of 2024 and fill spots we didn’t address in last year’s class. This group fits Northern. We have great students, talented players, and phenomenal teammates. Our program has tremendous momentum, and this signing class believes in the direction of Northern State football.”

The full 2025 class includes Carter Campbell (San Antonio, Texas), Keaton Docken (Fargo, N.D.), Grayson Fisher (Gretna, Neb.), Leo Gallegos (San Francisco, Calif.), Jayden Gournaris (Lakeville, Minn.), Holden Havlik (Wessington Springs, S.D.), Riley Helgeson (Crookston, Minn.), Willem Hoefler (Saint Croix Falls, Wis.), Jackson Isakson (Aberdeen, S.D.), Drake Jellema (Brandon, S.D.), Kale Johnson (Papillion, Neb.), Layne Johnson (Farmington, Minn.), Lorenzo Jones Jr. (Orlando, Fla.), Boston Katzer (Montrose, S.D.), Landon Kelley (St. Joseph, Mo.), Brecken Keoraj (Elk River, Minn.), K’vaughn Landers (Blaine, Minn.), Cashton LaPlante (Hutto, Texas), Peyton Lindell (Aurora, Colo.), Malachi Mack (Milwaukee, Wis.), Grady McCarten (Cody, Wyo.), Jake Merchlewitz (Woodbury, Minn.), Ty Mikel (Pierre, S.D.), Antonio Moore (Gurnee, Ill.), Michael Nolan (Milwaukee, Wis.), Bridger Peldo (Sheridan, Wyo.), Cole Ruesink (Dell Rapids, S.D.), Max Scott (St. Louis, Mo.), Roland Sedlacek (Custer, S.D.), Harrison Smith (Waverly, Neb.), Zach Smith (Rosholt, S.D.), Sam Souerdyke (Hebron, Neb.), Jackson Waitkus (Sun Prairie, Wis.), Cooper White (Sun Prairie, Wis.), and Tasean Young Jr. (Oakland, Calif.).

The five 2025 transfers come to Aberdeen from four states and bring with them a wealth of experience at all levels of college football.

Lorenzo Jones Jr. is a 6-foot, 185-pound defensive back out of Edgewater High School and Minnesota State University Mankato. He was a 2-year starter for his prep program, the EHS Eagles under the direction of head coach Cameron Duke. In his two seasons with the Mavericks, Jones recorded 53 tackles, three fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles, one sack, and one pass break-up. MSU reached the semifinal round of the NCAA Tournament in the fall of 2024. He is the son of Brenda Brown.

Tasean Young Jr. is a 5-foot-10, 175-pound defensive back out of Antioch High School and Chadron State. Young was a starter and team captain for the AHS Panthers under the direction of head coach Brett Dudley. In his final season, Young tallied 17 tackles, eight pass break-ups, and three interceptions in five games played, and was honored on the Bay Valley Athletic League first team. Out of high school, he played two seasons at Laney College, earning Bay6 honorable mention in the fall of 2022. Young spent the fall of 2024 at Chadron State where he racked up 30 tackles, five pass breakups, and one interception. He is the son of Tasean Young Sr. and Genevieve Alexander.

“We recruit transfers to enhance and not replace,” noted Schmidt. “Tasean and Lorenzo are proven players at this level. They’ve played and produced. They will make a great impact on our secondary.”

Carter Campbell is a 6-foot, 200-pound wide receiver out of Ronald Reagan High School and Southern Methodist. At RRHS, Campbell was a starter and team captain, recording 398 yards he senior year. He earned 27-6A All-District team honorees and was named the league’s offensive player of the week. Campbell appeared in 23 games at SMU. In the fall of 2023, he earned the Tyler Lavine Walk-On of the Year Award and was a 2-time AAC All-Academic Team member. He is the son of Stacey and Doug Campbell.

Schmidt added, “Carter has played in a College Football playoff game. He has tremendous hands and explosiveness. He’s earned everything he’s gotten in college football. I love his positivity and outlook on the game and the process. He’s going to add to the legacy of great wide receivers at NSU in our time here.”

Leo Gallegos is a 6-foot-2, 290-pound defensive lineman out of City College of San Francisco. He was a 3-year starter and team captain for the Mustangs under the direction of head coach Phill Ferrigno out of high school. Gallegos played offensive line, earning back-to-back Academic Athletic Association Offensive Lineman of the Year awards. In addition, he was a 2-time defensive first team selection. ALSF won two CIF State Championships in his prep career, posting a 34-5 record. With CCSF, Gallegos was named to the All-California defensive first team and to the Bay 6 All-Conference team on the defensive line. He is the son of Leonardo and Patrica Gallegos.

“Leo is a big time get for us,” said Schmidt. “We needed to add some size and explosiveness to our defensive line and Leo certainly adds that. He’s such a great person with gratitude and humility. I couldn’t be happier to have Leo join us!”

Jackson Isakson is a 6-foot-2, 195-pound quarterback and kicker out of Aberdeen Christian High School and South Dakota State. He was a member of the Aberdeen Roncalli football squad and a 5-year starter for the Cavaliers under the direction of head coach Billy Young. Isakson earned both all-conference and all-state for RHS. In the fall of 2023, Isakson appeared in two games for the Jackrabbits with five kicking attempts, including two touchbacks. He is the son of Myron and Jill Isakson.

“I am so excited to have Jackson Isakson back in Aberdeen,” explained Schmidt. “This is home for him. We watched how good he was his senior year playing for Roncalli as they played in Dacotah Bank Stadium. Great leg and great athlete. We’re really excited to get him back here.”

Schmidt and the Wolves grew the quarterback room with this class, adding three incoming freshman, including two South Dakota arms. “Any recruiting class starts with the quarterbacks,” added Schmidt. “We have three great ones signed. Holden and Boston are the two best QBs in South Dakota in this class; two great playmakers with high compete factors. Peyton is coming from a great program in Colorado and is a great QB. We’re really happy about this group.”

Boston Katzer is a 6-foot-2, 200-pound quarterback out of Lennox High School. He was a 3-year starter and team captain for the Orioles under the direction of head coach Shawn Flanagan. Katzer threw for 7,820 career yards and 91 touchdowns, racking up a career high 3,249 in his senior campaign. He was a 2-time all-conference and all-state selection in 2022 and 2023. In the fall of 2024, Katzer was honored on the all-conference and all-state squads as well as the captain of the Argus Leader Elite 45 Team, the Joe Robbie MVP, the Quarterback of the Year, and an All-American. Lennox won the South Dakota State Championship his senior season.

Holden Havlik is a 6-foot-3, 210-pound quarterback out of Wessington Springs High School. He was a 4-year starter and team captain for the Spartans under the direction of head coach Micheal Schmitz. In the fall of 2024, Havlik threw for 1,789 yards and rushed for 266, recording 18 touchdowns. He was honored as the 2023 all-state runner-up at quarterback and 2024 all-state first team selection. He is the son of Brian and Rebecka Havlik.

Peyton Lindell is a 6-foot-2, 200-pound quarterback out of Regis Jesuit High School. He was a 3-year starter and team captain for the Raiders under the direction of head coach Danny Filleman. In the fall of 2023, Lindell threw for 1,941 years with 19 touchdowns, averaging 12.1 yards per completion. He moved to wide receiver in the fall of 2024, recording four touchdowns and 262 receiving yards. Lindell was a 2-time all-conference selection, earning the honor at both quarterback and wide receiver. He was also a member of the All-Aurora team in the fall of 2024. He is the son of Ryan and Elizabeth Lindell.

Sticking with the offense, Northern secured five on the offensive line who hold an average height of 6-4 and weight of 274. Schmidt emphasized that, “recruiting starts up front and recruiting the offensive line is a huge priority. That’s the engine that powers your offense. We have a great class. We found three really good interior guys and two really good tackles. We’re looking for tough, nasty, physical finishers and all of these guys possess those qualities.”

Jayden Gournaris is a 6-foot-2, 270-pound offensive lineman out of Farmington High School. He was a 3-year starter and team captain for the Tigers under the direction of head coach Jon Pieper. In 2023, Gournaris was honored on the MFCA All-District first team, as Prep RedZone Minnesota Showcase Top-3 offensive lineman, and the MVP of the Line Scrimmage Holiday Clinic. The following fall as senior, he earned MFCA All-District first team and was named to the Prep RedZone and 6A preseason teams. He is the son of John and Danelle Gournaris.

Riley Helgeson is a 6-foot-2, 295-pound offensive lineman out of Crookston High School. He was a 4-year starter and team captain for the Pirates under the direction of head coach Nate Lubarski. In the fall of 2024, Helgeson was named to the all-conference honorable mention team. CHS finishes as the second runner-up in the fall of 2022. He is the son of Kevin and Kelsey Helgeson.

Ty Mikel is a 6-foot-5, 250-pound offensive lineman out of T.F. Riggs High School. He was a 2-year starter for the Governors under the direction of head coach Steve Steele. Mikel’s offensive line did not allow a sack, and the offense tallied over 1,500 yards rushing and 2,500 yards passing. T.F. Riggs won the South Dakota State Championship in the fall of 2023 and finished as the state runner-up in 2024. He is the son of Jeff and Rebecca Mikel.

Michael Nolan is a 6-foot-5, 270-pound offensive lineman out of Marquette University High School. He was a starter for the Hilltoppers under the direction of head coach Keith Klestinkski. Nolan earned Greater Metro All-Conference honors in the fall of 2024, as the Hilltoppers won the league championship. In addition, MUHS won back-to-back Wisconsin State Championships in 2023 and 2024. He is the son of Vicki Nolan.

Bridger Peldo is a 6-foot-5, 280-pound offensive lineman out of Sheridan High School. He was a 2-year starter for the Broncs under the direction of head coach Jeff Mowry. In two seasons as the starting varsity center, Peldo did not give up a sack. He was a 2-time all-conference selection, 2024 Wyoming-football.com preseason class 4A breakout player, 2024 first team all-state pick, and WyoPreps All-Championship game honoree. SHS is the back-to-back-to-back Wyoming State Champions, going a perfect 36-0 from 2022-24. In the fall of 2023, the Brons set the single season 11-man record for season points in the state of Wyoming. He is the son of Colin and Pamela Peldo.

The offensive portion of the class rounds out with a pair of wide receivers, a running back, and tight end. “We are very excited about this group of guys,” explained Schmidt. “We were very targeted with this area because we have such a great group of current freshmen in our program. All these guys needed to be impact players, and we feel like they are; all are very explosive playmakers that possess tremendous athletic abilities.”

Brecken Keoraj is a 5-foot-7, 155-pound wide receiver out of Elk River High School. He was a 2-year starter and team captain for the Elks under the direction of head coach Steve Hamilton. Keoraj tallied 3,119 receiving yards with 31 touchdowns. He earned all-district honors in the fall of 2024. ERHS won two Minnesota State Championships in 2022 and 2024 with a combined record of 25-1. He is the son of Keith and Anne Keoraj.

Layne Johnson is a 5-foot-11, 205-pound running back out of Farmington High School. He was a 2-year starter for the Tigers under the direction of head coaches Jon Pieper and Rick Sutton. Johnson tallied 930 yards rushing in his final two seasons, including 585 as a senior. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry with six touchdowns in the fall of 2024. Johnson earned 6A South Suburban All-Conference as a senior. He is the son of Charlene and Northern State football alum Matt Johnson.

Roland Sedlacek is a 6-foot-4, 200-pound tight end out of Custer High School. He was a 4-year starter and team captain for the Wildcats under the direction of head coach Russ Evans. In the fall of 2025, Sedlacek record 8-5 yards receiving. He was a 2-time Black Hills All-Conference selection and 2024 academic all-state honoree. He is the son of Daniel Sedlacek and Fiona Willis and brother of former Northern State Wolf Daniel Sedlacek Jr.

Cooper White is a 6-foot-1, 185-pound wide receiver out of Sun Prairie East High School. He was a 3-year starter and senior team captain for the Cardinal sunder the direction of head coach Brian Kaminski. White tallied a season high 810 yards and ten touchdowns as a senior, racking up 1,704 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns in his career. He was a 2-time all-conference selection and 2024 member of the all-region and academic all-state teams. In the fall of 2023, SPEHS won the Big 8 Conference Championship and advanced to the state semifinals. He is the son of Brad and Angie White.

Alongside Isakson in the specialist core, Northern welcomes Keaton Docken out of Fargo. “Keaton can do it all; he’s a special team’s weapon,” noted Schmidt. I’m very excited to have him carry on a great legacy of specialists here at NSU.”

Keaton Docken is a 6-foot-1, 165-pound kicker and punter out of Fargo South High School. He was a 2-year starter and team captain for the Bruins under the direction of head coach Tyler Kosel. Docken knocked down 56-of-59 PATs and 15-of-20 field goals in his final two seasons. He averaged 36.0 yards per punt and tallied 31 touchbacks. He was a 2-time special teams’ player of the year and honored on the EDC All-Conference team in 2023. He is the son of Tina and Justin Docken.

The 2025 class features 19 defensive players in the secondary, at linebacker, and on the defensive line. Schmidt opened with, “we had a large class of defensive linemen last year and were only looking for two sure-fire, can’t-miss prospects and feel like we did that. Max is a force on the edge with freakish testing numbers. He is the prototypical edge rusher. Harrison is a big, physical, nasty DL who plays with a high motor.”

Max Scott is a 6-foot-4, 230-pound defensive lineman out of Marquette High School. He was a 2-year starter and team captain for the Mustangs under the direction of head coach Michael Stewart. Scott notched 14.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and one interception in his final two seasons. The defensive lineman was a 2-time all-conference and all-district selection. He was a member of the defense that set the Marquette school record for most turnovers in a season. He is the son of Michelle and Garth Scott.

Harrison Smith is a 6-foot-3, 235-pound defensive lineman out of Waverly High School. He was a 4-year starter for the Vikings under the direction of head coach Reed Manstedt. Smith recorded 142 tackles, including 38.0 tackles for a loss and 10.0 sacks, in his career. He was a 2-time all-conference, 2-time all-district, 2-time all-state, and super-state selection. WHS reached the playoffs in each of his four seasons, including two semifinal appearances in 2023 and 2024. He is the son of Shawn and Jessica Smith.

Moving to the linebacker crew, Northern found seven student-athletes that fit the bill for the program’s needs; and that need was strength in numbers. Schmidt added, “We really needed to fill this room up. We had high attrition due to graduation last year and this was a crucial position for us.”

“We need guys to play alongside Jake Adams and young guys to jump on special teams. This group is special. Cashton LaPlante is already enrolled in classes and working out with the team. He will make an impact early in his time at NSU. Kale and Sam are tremendous athletes with great size; very versatile players. Grady McCarten can find himself at linebacker, running back, or safety; he was a great high school LB with a lot of options. Zach and Jake are tough, physical finishers that have a nose for the ball.”

Kale Johnson is a 6-foot-3, 220-pound linebacker out of Papillion LaVista High School. He was a 3-year starter and team captain for the Monarchs under the direction of head coach Tim Williams. Johnson notched 219 career tackles, 23.0 tackles for a loss, 5.0 sacks, and four interceptions. As a receiver, he added 537 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 13.1 yards per catch. In the fall of 2024, Johnson was named to the Super State All-Nebraska honorable mention team, Nebraska Redzone All-State second team, Nebraska High School All-State second team, Omaha World Herald All-Metro third team, all-district first team, and academic all-state team. He is the son of Jason and Emily Johnson.

Cashton LaPlante is a 6-foot-3, 205-pound linebacker out of Hutto High School. He was a 2-year starter and senior team captain for the Hippos under the direction of head coach William Compton. As a senior, LaPlante recorded 93 tackles, 12.0 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, and one blocked punt. He was honored on the all-district first team, academic all-district team, and academic all-state honorable mention team. He is the son of Brad and Christie LaPlante and brother of current Wolves football student-athletes Carson LaPlante. Christie is also a Northern State alumna.

Grady McCarten is a 6-foot-, 205-pound athlete out of Cody High School, playing running back and linebacker as a prep. He was a 2-year starter and team captain for the Broncs under the direction of head coach Matt McFadden. McCarten rushed for 1,789 career yards and 31 touchdowns. CHS won the Wyoming State Championship in the fall of 2021 and finished as the runner-up in 2022, 2023, and 2024. McCarten was a 2-time all-state selection, 2023 offensive player of the year, 2023 selection for the Super 25, and the top-ranked running back in both 2023 and 2024. He is the son of Jay and Ashley McCarten.

Jake Merchlewitz is a 5-foot-1, 215-pound linebacker out of East Ridge High School. He was a 2-year starter for the Raptors under the direction of head coach Dan Fritze. Merchlewitz tallied 106 career tackles, including 86 his senior year. He was named to the Suburban East All-Conference team. In the fall of 2023, ERHS won the section championship and advanced to the quarterfinal round of the state tournament. He is the son of Jim and Mindy Merchlewitz and brother of current Wolves baseball student-athlete Joe Merchlewitz.

Sam Souerdyke is a 6-foot-3, 210-pound linebacker out of Thayer Central High. He was a 4-year starter and team captain for the Titans under the direction of head coach Mitch Shepherd. Souerdyke recorded 315 career tackles and ten interceptions. In addition, he rushed for 4,789 yards with 89 touchdowns in his career and averaged 45.8 yards per punt. Souerdyke was a 2-time all-state honoree on defense, 2024 all-state selection on offense, and 2024 super state punter. TCH qualifier for the state tournament in each of his four seasons, winning the district championship in 2022. He is the son of Rick and Michelle Souerdyke.

Zach Smith is a 6-foot, 215-pound linebacker out of Rosholt High School. He was a 5-year starter and team captain for the Tigers under the direction of head coach Jospeh Barfknecht. As a senior, Smith tallied 105 tackles, including 71 solo stops, 14.0 tackles for a loss, and 2.0 sacks. In addition, he notched three forced fumbles and an interception. Smith was a 2-time all-region selection and academic all-region honoree. He is the son of Chad and Katie Smith.

Jackson Waitkus is a 5-foot-11, 205-pound linebacker out of Sun Prairie East. He was a 2-year starter and team captain for the Cardinal under the direction of head coach Brian Kaminski. In his final two seasons, Waitkus notched 185 tackles, including 47 solo stops and 11.0 tackles for a loss. He added one sack, two interceptions, and one forced fumble. He was a 2-time Badger Large All-Conference first team selection at linebacker and second team pick at tight end. He is the son of April Jabang.

The largest group of the 2025 class comes in the defensive secondary with ten student-athletes hailing from six states. “This was another room we needed to fill up,” said Schmidt. “This is a tremendously talented recruiting class of defensive backs; we loaded up with explosive playmakers. This signing class will make an early impact in our program. There are so many great players in this DB class and I think the sky is the limit for these talented guys. It is exactly what we need in that room.”

Grayson Fisher is a 5-foot-10, 175-pound defensive back out of Gretna East High School. He was a 2-year starter and team captain for the Griffins under the direction of head coach Justin Haberman. Fisher recorded 147 tackles in his final two seasons and nine interceptions. In addition, he added 812 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns. Fisher was a 2-time all-metro selection and EMC All-Conference honoree. In 2024, he earned all-state accolades from the Omaha World Herald, Lincoln Star Journal, 1000yd Man, and Max Preps. 2023 also saw Fisher land on the Omaha World Herald All-State team and Lincoln Star Journal Super-State team. He is the son of Erin and Nick Boyer, and Kevin Fisher.

Drake Jellema is a 6-foot, 190-pound defensive back out of Brandon Valley High School. He was a 3-year starter and team captain for the Lynx under the direction of head coach Matt Christensen. Jellema tallied 147 career tackles and five interceptions. In the fall of 2024, he was named to the 11AAA All-State first team, ESD All-Conference first team, Sioux Falls Live 25 team, Argus Leader Elite 45 honorable mention team, and All-Metro Conference first team. He is the son of Nicole and Kyle Jellema.

Landon Kelley is a 5-foot-10, 165-pound defensive back out of Lincoln Southwest High School in Nebraska. He was a 3-year starter for the Silverhawks under the direction of head coach Grant Traynowicz. Kelley tallied 90 tackles, 17 pass breakups, four interceptions, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery in his career. His 17 pass breakups tied the LSHS school record. He was a 3-time Lincoln Journal Star All-City honoree, all-district selection, and all-state honorable mention pick. He is the son of Tiffany and Milford Kelley.

Willem Hoefler is a 6-foot, 175-pound defensive back out of Saint Croix Falls High School. He was a 2-year starter and team captain for the Saints under the direction of head coach Grant Belisle. In his final two seasons, Hoefler recorded 99 tackles, 20 pass breakups, five interceptions, three fumble recoveries, and two forced fumbles. He was a 2-time all-conference, all-region, and all-state selection. Hoefler was rated the top defensive back in the Heart O’North conference in both 2023 and 2024. SCFHS advanced to the Wisconsin state semifinals in the fall of 2023 and went 11-1 last season. He is the son of Bill and Mariette Hoefler.

K’vaughn Landers is a 6-foot, 170-pound defensive back out of Blaine High School. He was a starter for the Bengals under the direction of head coach Mike Law. In the fall of 2024, Landers recorded 55 tackles, five pass breakups, one interception, and one fumble recovery. BHS won the section championship in the fall of 2024. He is the son of Beth and Larry Landers.

Malachi Mack is a 5-foot-11, 170-pound defensive back out of Wauwatosa East. He was a 3-year starter and team captain for the Red Raiders under the direction of head coach Tom Swittle. In the fall of 2024, Mack tallied 53 tackles, including 15.0 for a loss and 3.0 sacks. He added two interceptions, two forced fumbles, and one pick-six. Offensively, Mack rushed for 1,026 yards with 20 touchdowns. He was named the Parkland Conference Offensive Player of the Year and was a first team all-conference selection and a WFCA all-region and all-state pick. Wauwatosa East won the Parkland Conference Championship in 2024, going 9-2 overall. He is the son of Ashley McGhee and Lesley Mack.

Antonio Moore is a 6-foot, 180-pound defensive back out of Warren Township High School. He was a 2-year starter for the Blue Devils under the direction of head coach Bryan McNulty. Moore recorded 46 tackles in each of his final two seasons, adding seven interceptions, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. He earned all-area first team in the fall of 2024. He is the son of Leola Jackson and Anthony Moore Sr.

Cole Ruesink is a 5-foot-11, 185-pound defensive back out of Dell Rapids High School. He was a 3-year starter and team captain for the Quarriers under the direction of head coach Derek Genzlinger. In the fall of 2024, Ruesink recorded 37 tackles, eight interceptions, 1 pick-6, and 1 forced fumble/fumble recovery. In addition, he added 1,469 offensive yards with 12 touchdowns. Ruesink is a 3-time Dak 12 All-Conference selection, 2-time all-state honoree, and 2-time Argus Leader Elite45 team member. DRHS won back-to-back state championships in 2022 and 2023 and reached the semifinal round in the fall of 2024. He is the son of Fran and Jen Ruesink.