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NDSU 2016 Recruiting Class

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GABBY HARTZE | THE SPECTRUM
The Bison announced Wednesday the addition of 26 student-athletes.

About five months ago, North Dakota State Athletic Director Matt Larsen announced the university would be offering cost of attendance.

A full-scholarship Bison athlete will receive $3,400 per year, and it seems the incentive has paid off for the NDSU football team.

Head coach Chris Klieman announced Wednesday at the Fargodome the addition of 26 student-athletes: 16 National Letter of Intent signees and 10 walk-ons.

“Its extra money in their pocket that we’ve made the commitment to,” Klieman said of cost of attendance.

The 2016 recruiting class includes two junior college transfers: Darren Kelley, a defensive back from Baltimore, who played at North Dakota State College of Science last season and Jackson Koonce a Southern Methodist University (FBS) punter from Oceanside, California.

Klieman said the theme of this recruiting class was speed and multi-sport athletes.

Below are the 24 other student-athletes who will be in green and gold next season.

Minnesota 

Local star Matt Biegler was a three-time all-conference and two-time all-state honoree at Underwood. The 6-foot, 3-inch tight end had played fullback and defensive line, setting a school record with 45 career sacks. Also played basketball and track and field.

Sean Engel will be the tallest wide receiver on NDSU’s roster next year at 6-foot-5. Engel was a two-year starter playing both offense and defense (corner back). He set a Chaska High School record with 16 touchdown receptions. He was also Chaska’s 2015 offensive most valuable player. Engel played basketball as well.

Best tweet of 2016: @seanjeromeengel: Who’s tryna visit my farm on FarmVille?

“Sean’s a guy that has the chance to fit in with us really quickly here,” Klieman said.

Moses Nyangacha has by far the best name of all the 2016 recruits for NDSU. He played safety for Robbinsdale Cooper High, and at 5-foot-11 the Bison listed him as a linebacker. In his three-year career he finished with 146 tackles, 10 interceptions and 18 pass breakups. Nyangacha was named to the second team all-state by the AP and North Star Football news. He did it all in high school, playing quarterback, wide receiver, punter and kicker. He also competed in track and field.

“Phenomenal player at camp,” Klieman said. “Really athletic, versatile guy … extremely gifted player that we are excited to work with.”

Josh Howieson was a two-year starter for Brainerd High and played offensive line and defensive line. Recorded 70 tackles and recovered four fumbles in his last two seasons. The Baxter native was a 2015 all-district honoree for football and was named offensive player of the year of the Brainerd hockey team. He also played baseball.

Best tweet of 2016: @joshhowieson Haters gonna hate but Howies gonna celebrate

Klieman said its always a goal to get one quarterback in every recruiting class, and this year it happened to be a 6-foot-4 205 pound kid from Plymouth. Henry Van Dellen played high school football at Providence Academy and threw over 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns in his three-year starting career. He was also a conference basketball player and a letterman winner on the baseball team.

Others:

Beau Pauly a 6-foot-2 linebacker from Becker, Minn., finished his high school football career with 270 tackles, 12 sacks, four forced fumbles and six interceptions. Pauly was named the 2015 all-distract honoree and most valuable player at his position.

The second recruit from Becker, Minn., is Dillon Radunz, a 6-foot-6 offensive lineman. He was a team captain and district most valuable player, as well as a top 10 finalist for Mr. Football in the state of Minnesota. He was on the front lines of a team that rushed for just over 3,000 yards.

The second of three wide receivers in the 2016 recruiting class is Cole Jacob, a 6-foot wideout from Medina. Jacob was a two-year starter and played both sides of the football. He caught four touchdown passes and led the team with 69 tackles. Jacob was also a two-year starter on the Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School baseball team.

North Dakota 

The largest man weight-wise is 6-foot-2 offensive lineman Quinn Alo from LaMoure, N.D. Alo is 336 pounds and was a three-time all-state and all-region selection. In 2015 he was awarded with the Region 1 co-senior Athlete of the Year. On defense Alo recorded 80 tackles and eight sacks in his senior season. He also played basketball and baseball.

Best tweet of 2016: @MQA_63 The world wants to tell us who we are and who we ain’t but the person that I am is somethin’ you can never change.

NDSU also scooped up a few tight ends, including Braydon Lund out of Minot, N.D. Lund led Minot in receiving years his junior and senior season and caught eight touchdowns. He started at defensive end for three years and at tight end for two. He was a team captain for football and basketball.

“His athleticism really stood out,” Klieman said about Lund’s game.

A popular name around North Dakota is Cordell Volson from Balfour. The 6-foot-6 offensive lineman was a five year-starter and two-time all-region and all-state selection. He also played defensive line, tight end, fullback, linebacker, punter and kicker. And recorded 239 tackles and 28 sacks in his high school career at Drake.

“Real excited about getting Cordell,” Klieman said on Wednesday. “He can do it all.”

Others:

Zach Kubas a 6-foot-4 offensive line from Dickinson, N.D. was a three-year starter for Trinity High School. Kubas was a three-time all-conference and all-region selection.

Zak Kuntz is another key addition to the Bison football squad. He is listed as a fullback but played running back, defensive end and linebacker for Red River High School in Grand Forks.

Rolla native Karson Schoening was a four-year starter on the offensive side of the football and is listed at 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds. He played both sides of the football in high school, and recorded 63 tackles his senior year.

Wisconsin 

Possibly one of the fastest players in the 2016 recruiting class is 5-foot-9 wide receiver Trevor Heit out of Pepin. He was a three-year starter and played running back, cornerback and outside linebacker. He was named 2015 Wisconsin Football Coaches Association first team all-state running back. He played basketball, baseball and track at Pepin-Alma High School.

“He’ll put a little bit of weight on, but he’s in kind of that Ryan Smith mold,” Klieman said about the 170-pound athlete.

Others: In five games last season defensive tackle Cameron Hackl collected five sacks and 31 tackles. Hackl stands at 6-foot-3 and was first team all-conference, all-area and all-region for Bay Port High in Green Bay.

Ross Kennelly a 5-foot-11 linebacker was a two-team captain at Superior High and finished with 109 tackles and three sacks his senior year.

Best tweet of 2016: @RossKennelly44 All you girls need to chill with the shakes #smh

Vistor Kizewski, defensive back, 6-foot-0, 190-pounds from Stevens Point, Wis. was named 2015 Valley Football Association Southern Division Offensive Back and Offensive Player of the Year.

Garret Wegner, punter, 6-foot-0, 177-pounds from Lodi, Wis., was named most outstanding player at his position last season. He averaged 4-.5 yards per punt and 60 yards per kickoff.

Missouri

Adam Cofield, running back, 5-foot-11, 190-pounds from Lee’s Summit, ran for almost 150 yards and crossed the end zone three times in the Class 6 state championship game last season.

Jabril Cox, linebacker, 6-foot-3, 218-pounds from Raytown, Mo., played quarterback, wide receiver, linebacker safety and cornerback. Cox had a total of 3,107 yards of offensive and 31 touchdowns in his senior season.

Florida

Felix Dixon, defensive back, 6-foot, 165-pounds from Clearwater, was selected to play for USA Football’s Under-19 team in the 2016 International Bowl. Dixon was a three-year starter at his position.

Iowa

Ross Godfrey, defensive back, 5-foot-10, 150-pounds from Sioux City, had 49 tackles and three interceptions in his final season at Sioux City East High School.

Best tweet: @TheWind_7 Am I the only one who gains a follower…Follows that person back…Then gets unfollowed by that person the next day? Like u ain’t slick

Kansas

Ben Hecht, offensive line, 6-foot-5, 225-pounds from Shawnee, Kan., was a three-year starter and played guard and tackle throughout high school.

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