Ohio State commit Lincoln Kienholz named Gatorade Player of the Year for South Dakota

Pierre (S.D.) T.F. Riggs four-star quarterback and Ohio State commit Lincoln Kienholz has won the Gatorade State Player of the Year award for South Dakota.

Kienholz had a memorable senior year as he led his team to another state title and his third state title game MVP. He finished the year with 3,422 yards and 46 touchdowns through the air and 1,435 yards and 24 scores on the ground.

He is currently participating at the All-American Bowl, which was his first national camp appearance.

“We were eager to see Lincoln Kienholz live at the All-American Bowl,” On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power said. “The week in San Antonio also presented a big jump in competition, with Kienholz coming from South Dakota. The Ohio State pledge impressed with his adjustment to the defensive speed along with his ability to diagnose defenses and maneuver in the pocket. He also showed off his athleticism when working outside of the pocket. He was at his best when throwing touch passes. Kienholz’s accuracy and velocity wavered a bit when he had to drive the ball downfield or on a line into a tight window. The ball tended to hang on him some in those situations.”

Kienholz is the No. 214 overall recruit in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. However, On3 ranks him significantly higher as the nation’s No. 10 quarterback and as the No. 140 recruit in the 2023 On300 ranking.

He currently has an On3 NIL Valuation of $8.4k. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.

Lincoln Kienholz Scouting Summary

Prolific, accurate passer with a strong multi-sport background and athletic profile. Has unverified height and weight – listed at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds but looks to be shorter. One of the best high school athletes to come out of South Dakota in recent memory. A two-time state champion quarterback and all-state performer in three sports – football, basketball and baseball. Among the more productive quarterbacks in the 2023 cycle. Passed for 3,359 yards and 37 touchdowns against 6 interceptions and rushed for 1,165 yards and 12 more scores as a junior. Off to an even faster start as a senior. Shows the ability to place the football into tight windows at multiple levels of the field. Downfield arm strength appears to be good, with throws on video that travel approximately 60 yards in the air. Can change his arm slot to fit throws in windows over the middle of the field. A loose, fluid mover in the pocket and as a runner. A true do-it-all player who also plays defense at times for his high school. One of the top high school basketball players in South Dakota, averaging 19.9 points per game as a junior, while showcasing above-the-rim bounce. Will see a considerable spike in competition at the college level relative to his other blue-chip peers. Is typically the best athlete on the field at the high school level. May need time to adjust to the increased speed of the game once in college and is more of a projection relative to other quarterbacks due to the competition he faces in South Dakota.