ABERDEEN — The Northern State University football team signed 18 South Dakotans on National Signing Day. 

The Wolves signed 40 incoming freshmen, including 18 student-athletes from South Dakota. 

The South Dakotans are listed below: 

James Behan – WR, 6-0, 185, Aberdeen, S.D. / Roncalli HS / Liberty U

James Behan is a 6-foot, 185-pound wide receiver out of Roncalli High School and Liberty University. As a prep, Behan recorded 720 yards receiving with eight touchdowns for the Cavaliers. He was an all-conference selection on both offense and defense.  

Dreavin Hodge – RB, 6-0, 195, Sioux Falls, S.D. / Lincoln HS / South Dakota

Dreavin Hodge is a 6-foot, 195-pound running back out of Lincoln High School and the University of South Dakota. As a prep, Hodge tallied 635 yards rushing with nine touchdowns his senior year. He was a 2-time all-conference pick and all-state honoree. LHS won the South Dakota State Championship in his senior year. Hodge redshirted for the Coyotes in the fall of 2024. 

Drace Gaskins – OL, 6-4, 280, Yankton, S.D. / Yankton HS

Drace Gaskins is a 6-foot-4, 280-pound offensive lineman out of Yankton High School. He was a starter for the Bucks under the direction of head coach Brady Muth. Gaskins was an all-state honoree in 2025 as Yankton won the Eastern South Dakota Conference and finished second at the South Dakota State Tournament. He is the son of Dana Dracy and Zeth and Sherry Gaskins.

Riley Kerner – OL, 6-4, 320, Wall, S.D. / Wall HS

Riley Kerner is a 6-foot-4, 320-pound offensive lineman out of Wall High School. He was a 4-year starter for the Eagles under the direction of head coach Lex Heathershaw. Wall went 12-0 in 2025, winning the South Dakota State Championship. Kerner was a 2-time all-conference and all-state selection. He totaled 127 pancake blocks without giving up a sack in his final two seasons. 

Jesiah Baum – RB, 5-10, 165, Aberdeen, S.D. / Warner HS

Jesiah Baum is a 5-foot-10, 165-pound running back out of Warner High School. He was a 4-year starter and team captain for the Monarchs under the direction of head coach Derek Hoellein. Baum recorded 2,587 yards rushing, 1,462 yards receiving, and 70 touchdowns in his career. As a senior, he rushed for nearly 1000 yards and recorded 33 touchdowns scored. Baum was a 3-time all-conference selection, 2-time all-state honoree, the 2024 Lake Region Conference MVP, and a member of the South Dakota Elite 60 team. Warner won the South Dakota State Championship in 2023 and finished as the state runner-up in 2022. 

Landon Hulst – RB, 5-11, 205, Huron, S.D. / Huron HS

Landon Hulst is a 5-foot-11, 205-pound running back out of Huron High School. He was a 2-year starter and team captain for the Tigers under the direction of head coach Dru Strand. Hulst recorded over 1,500 career rushing yards, including 1,149 in 2025. He added 11 touchdowns in two seasons. Hulst was an all-conference, all-state, and all-academic selection as a senior. 

Karson Borge – WR, 6-1, 170, Aberdeen, S.D. / Central HS

Karson Borge is a 6-foot-1, 170-pound wide receiver out of Central High School. He was a 3-year starter for the Golden Eagles under the direction of head coach Justin Briese. Borge tallied over 1,000 all-purpose yards as a prep, leading the team in receiving yards and total yards in 2025. He finished the 2025 season, ranked top-3 in receiving yards in the state. 

Colby Flowers – TE, 6-5, 210, Wessington Springs, S.D. / Wessington HS

Colby Flowers is a 6-foot-5, 210-pound tight end out of Wessington High School. He was a 3-year starter and team captain for the Spartans under the direction of head coach Micheal Schmitz. Flowers recorded 1,359 all-purpose yards and 15 touchdowns in his career on offense, adding 274 tackles, 29.5 sacks, and eight interceptions on defense. He was a 2-time all-conference honoree and all-state selection. Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central won the SESD Championship in the fall of 2025. 

Kolte Garry – TE, 6-3, 230, Hartford, S.D. / West Central HS

Kolte Garry is a 6-foot-3, 230-pound tight end out of West Central High School. He was a 3-year starter and team captain for the Trojans under the direction of head coach Matt Thorson. As a senior, Garry recorded 400 yards receiving and eight touchdowns, averaging 14.8 yards per catch. He was a first team all-conference and first team all-state selection, as well as a member of the Sioux Falls Live 25 team and SoDak Select 60 team. WCHS finished as the South Dakota State Runner-up in 2022 and 2023. 

Edly Amaro Jr. – DL, 6-4, 225, Yankton, S.D. / Yankton HS

Edly Amaro Jr. is a 6-foor-4, 225-pound defensive lineman out of Yankton High School. He was a 3-year starter for the Bucks under the direction of head coach Brady Muth. Amaro recorded 66 tackles in his career, including 32.0 tackles for a loss and 26.0 sacks. He was an all-conference and all-state selection. YHS finished as the South Dakota State runner-up in the fall of 2023. 

Jack Bertsch – DL, 6-5, 220, Aberdeen, S.D. / Central HS

Jack Bertsch is a 6-foot-5, 220-pound defensive lineman out of Central High School. He was a 3-year starter and team captain for the Golden Eagles under the direction of head coach Justin Briese. Bertsch led CHS in sacks in 2025, earning the Spirit of the Eagle Award.

Felipe Gonzalez – DL, 6-3, 295, Aberdeen, S.D. / Central HS

Felipe Gonzalez is a 6-foot-3, 295-pound defensive lineman out of Central High School. He is a 3-year starter and team captain for the Golden Eagles under the direction of head coach Justin Briese. In his final two seasons, Gonzalez recorded 63 tackles, including 11.0 tackles for a loss. He was an all-conference and all-state honoree, as well as an Argus Leader Elite 45 team member. 

Al’Shamon Gunter – DL, 6-6, 230, Avon, S.D. / Avon HS

Al’Shamon Gunter is a 6-foot-6, 230-pound defensive lineman out of Avon High School. He was a 4-year starter and team captain for the Pirates under the direction of head coach Justyn Lukkes. Avon went 33-11 in his four seasons, winning the South Dakota State Championship in 2023 and finishing as the runner-up in 2025. 

Joey Dallmann – LB, 6-1, 215, Aberdeen, S.D. / Central HS

Joey Dallmann is a 6-foot-1, 215-pound linebacker out of Central High School. He was a 3-year starter and team captain for the Golden Eagles under the direction of head coach Justin Briese. As a senior, Dallmann recorded 44 tackles, including 6.0 tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks. He was an all-conference, all-state, and academic all-state honoree.

Josh Elder – LB, 6-0, 240, Rapid City, S.D. / St. Thomas More

Josh Elder is a 6-foot, 240-pound linebacker out of St. Thomas More. He was a 4-year starter and team captain for the Cavaliers under the direction of head coach Austin Hagen. In his final two seasons, Elder tallied 148 total tackles, including 76 solo stops, as well as 911 yards rushing with 13 touchdowns. He was a 2-time all-conference selection and academic all-state honoree. St. Thomas More won the first South Dakota State Championship in school history in 2025, going a perfect 12-0. 

Matthew Mount – LB, 6-0, 225, Webster, S.D. / Webster Area HS

Matthew Mount is a 6-foot, 225-pound linebacker out of Webster Area High School. He was a 4-year starter and team captain for the Bearcats under the direction of head coach Tyler Wagner. Mount tallied 313 career tackles, including 21.0 tackles for a loss and seven sacks. He was a 3-time all-conference selection and 2025 all-state honoree.

Nolan Pudwill – DB, 6-1, 175, Brandon, S.D. / Brandon Valley HS

Nolan Pudwill is a 6-foot-1, 175-pound defensive back out of Brandon Valley High School. He was a 3-year starter for the Lynx under the direction of head coach Matt Christensen. Pudwill notched 108 career tackles with seven interceptions. In addition, he averaged 30 yards per kick return. Pudwill was a 2-time all-conference and all-state selection, and an honoree on the Sioux Falls Live 25 team and Select 60 South Dakota team. Brandon Valley won the South Dakota State Championship in 2025, following a runner-up finish in 2024.

Westyn Thorpe – DB, 5-11, 170, Frederick, S.D. / Frederick Area

Westyn Thorpe is a 5-foot-11, 170-pound defensive back out of Frederick Area. He was a 3-year starter and team captain for the Titans under the direction of head coach Jeff Kosters. Thorpe recorded 198 career tackles in his four seasons, as well as nine interceptions. Playing on both sides of the ball, he added 1,578 yards rushing. Thorpe was a 2-time all-conference honoree, academic all-state selection, and all-state pick.