20 Midwest 2026s Making Waves this Season

When I was a freshman, I was 100 pounds soaking wet and needed as much protein, cognitive development, and high school coaching as I could get. Although our lowly but talented freshman squad had to scrimmage against the varsity and act as tackling dummies and cannon fodder for the big boys, thinking about my little 14-year-old self playing varsity gives me a great deal of stress and would have definitely resulted in some injuries to my tiny frame. Luckily, we aren't talking about me in this special PrepRedzone Midwest feature. In my opinion, one of the most impressive things you can do as a prep football player is starting and finding success as a freshman, and now that October is rolling quickly into November I did some hard digging and identified 14 special first-years who are tearing up gridirons around the Midwest and making waves on the field and recruiting trail as young bucks. From big-school impact players to small-town athletes already having started multiple years, PrepRedzone is here to let you know about these future superstars as early as possible. Congrats on a great 2022 so far, fellas.   --   [player_tooltip player_id='283936' first='Brayden' last='Holbrook'] (Lakeland, Indiana) QB. 6'2, 180 lbs. @BHolbrook2026   Hoosier State gunslinger [player_tooltip player_id='283936' first='Brayden' last='Holbrook'] has been making waves as a QB prospect since he was in middle school and has done a good job of marketing himself and his arm long before entering the high school ranks. With legit size and a productive middle school career, Holbrook kept the momentum going in his first year of high school ball and earned the starting varsity job Week 1. He has run with the opportunity without looking back and has put up some strong stat lines both game-to-game and overall in this 2022 season, including a 9-14 for 258 yards and 4 TD performance in a win against Central Noble and an 18-29 for 253 yards and 2 TD game versus Fairfield. According to Maxpreps, his season totals are sitting at 81 completions on 130 attempts (62%) for 1,269 yards and 13 TDs to six interceptions for a 108.8 passer rating and a 159 passing yard per game average. Not bad for a first-year player and starter. Holbrook also recently took his first unofficial college visit this October as the Cincinnati Bearcats reached out to get him on campus. It will be the first of many visits I presume. His midseason tape shows off a long, lean QB prospect with a quick release, good touch on his deep balls, and the accuracy to hit the shorter and intermediate throws that keep an offense humming along. His mechanics also look sound, with a smooth-looking throwing motion and consistency in setting his feet, and he does a good job of setting up his receivers for success with his ball placement. I'll be keeping a close eye on this young man going forward!   Beckett Bakker (Waukee, Iowa) QB/DB. 5'10, 175 lbs. @BeckettBakker   Waukee's football program has put out some good-looking prospects over the past few years but have a banger of a future recruit in freshman QB/DB Beckett Bakker, a 5'10, 175 pounder balling out in 2022. Although he doesn't have much information or film available, the young buck had a heckuva individual performance against Council Bluffs-Lincoln as he passed at a 81.5 completion percentage for 252 passing yards and 5 TDs to zero interceptions. From what I did find film wise, the ball snaps out of his hand and he's mobile and able to accurately throw on the run. Bakker is also dangerous and shifty when he tucks the ball and runs as well.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Bound_IA/status/1576020803753476096?s=20&t=rstqsQSwYyLFOmlyw6oW3Q </div></figure>   Jonas Williams (Bolingbrook, Illinois) QB. 6'3, 185 lbs. @JonasWilliams_1   One of the most highly-touted recruits on this list, Chicagoland product Jonas Williams came into the season well known amongst Illinois recruiting circles coming into the season and more than lived up to the hype, earning a Kent State offer late in September and a huge Big10 offer from Purdue on October 16th. According to 247Sports Midwest analyst Allen Trieu, Illinois, Northern Illinois, and Pitt are also involved in the youngster and his blossoming recruitment, and on a Bolingbrook squad loaded with P5 talent (Damon Walters, I'Marion Stewart, Kyan Berry-Johnson), Williams has solidified himself as a potential blue-chipper with a high ceiling and a very bright future. Sadly, he hasn't uploaded his film from 2022, but with great size and a big arm there is a reason FBS and P5 programs are already getting involved. Can't wait to get ahold of his tape when he gets it updated.   [player_tooltip player_id='212358' first='Corey' last='Sadler'] (Cass Tech, Michigan) ATH. 5'10, 170 lbs. @cos_jr1   My choice for the most talented freshman in the Midwest, powerhouse Cass Tech's superstar freshman was FIRST identified by PrepRedzoneNEXT (s/o Al Pops) and I was incredibly lucky to get to see him play multiple times with his Motor City Jaguars squad last February at the illustrious AYF youth football tournament in Kissimmee, Florida. Holy fricken moly what a talent. Far and above the best middle school football player I've ever seen, Sadler was on a completely different level than his peers and competition at the middle school level. An absolutely dominant playmaker whose speed, burst, strength, and elusiveness made him look like a high school senior playing against seventh graders, Sadler is already a very popular prospect who holds offers from Penn State, Maryland, Pitt, Louisville, Michigan State, Michigan, and Eastern Kentucky. That same speed has translated very well to the varsity level, where he can still hit that extra gear to easily burn pursing opponents with the ball in his hands or while running routes. He's also made CBs look foolish at the LOS with his shifty releases and has pulled in some wild one-handed catches as a WR in 2022. He's one of the most natural playmakers I've ever seen regardless of level. Please watch his tape below, dude is special.   http://www.hudl.com/v/2JMJfE   Jaquan Stennis (Martin Luther King, Michigan) WR. 6'6, 170 lbs. @jaquanstennis2   Another Michigan product who I saw play for the aforementioned Motor City Jaguars last winter in Kissimmee, 6'6, 170 lb. wideout and standout hooper is a legit 6'6er and still growing and adding weight to that massive frame. Stennis went to another Detroit Public League heavyweight in Martin Luther King and is bound for bright lights on either the gridiron or hardcourt depending on where he sees his future. Stennis earned a massive home-state offer from the Michigan Wolverines in May and is coming off his first college basketball offer from UMass on October 14th. Sadly, no high school film yet, but I'm happy to once again mention that I saw this kid live last winter and he definitely left an impression. For a 6'6 athlete, Stennis has some noticeable hops and was unstoppable in contested catch and 50/50 ball situations and "Mossed" more than his fair share of middle school defenders at the renowned AYF Tournament in Florida. He also showed solid speed and body control and was simply too big and long for middle school DBs to handle in the open field. Can't wait for some high school film to come out on Stennis in either sport!   [player_tooltip player_id='284017' first='Tristan' last='Comer'] (Freeland, MI) TE/DE. 6'7, 225 lbs. @comer_tristan   The largest freshman on the list, Freeland's [player_tooltip player_id='284017' first='Tristan' last='Comer'] earned some deserved recognition from Rivals' Clint Cosgrove this fall thanks to that size, dual-sport background (basketball), and varsity contributions. The young buck took a game day unofficial to the Big House in September and is sure to see more invites turn into offers as the season and his career continues to progress. Comer's game 1-3 highlights display a TE capable of making acrobatic catches with good concentration through contact and who possesses good pop and strength as a run blocker who can dominate smaller opponents once he gets his hands on them. He moves well for his size and age and is comfortable blocking at the second level and in space. Bunch of 2026s out of Michigan our readers need to know about!   [player_tooltip player_id='212362' first='Roman' last='Voss'] (Jackson County Central, MN) QB/WR/DB. 6'3, 195 lbs. @romanvoss2   The younger brother of South Dakota State QB Rudy Voss, younger brother Roman is in his second year as a varsity starter for small-school Jackson County Central and already is a well-built prospect with a ton of athleticism to work with. He's got a strong arm and get the ball downfield, but I'm more intrigued with his highlights as a WR, DB, or simply when the ball is in his hands. Hid body control, contact balance, and quickness look far from a freshman's, and he's great at high-pointing and playing the ball in the air. As previously mentioned, he's noticeably athletic and a big, strong kid who can do a lot of things on the football field and do them well. I'll be very interested to see where he continues to play and where colleges see him and his position in the future. As a Minnesotan, I am quite excited to see how the hometown Gophers like his game and how his recruitment will develop. Big fan of you, Roman!   Jacob Siner (Arrowhead, Wisconsin) RB. 5'8, 170 lbs.   A freshman phenom coming from D1 Wisconsin power Arrowhead, Hartland product Jacob Siner has made a big impact on the Warhawks varsity and JV offenses and has scored early and often as a young buck in his first year of high school. Siner is an electric little jitterbug with the ball in his hands with extremely quick feet, good vision, and well-timed cuts that have left defenders grasping at air. I also like his burst, and for a 5'8, 170 lber. who is still growing he's got some strong legs and fights like heck to earn as much yardage as possible per carry. He's got a shifty running style that makes it hard for opponents to square him up, and his elusiveness with the ball in his hands and how he sets up defenders is something serious. I really like watching this kid run and he's got a ton of touchdowns remaining in his prep career. Make sure you remember his name!   [player_tooltip player_id='284039' first='DeZephen' last='Walker'] (Raymore-Peculiar, Missouri) RB. 6', 185 lbs. @DezephenWalker   PrepRedzoneMO Lead Scout JP Rock has been all over Mr. Walker in 2022 and put him on my radar thanks to his more-than-stellar ongoing freshman campaign filled with big plays and touchdowns added to the scoreboard. On a loaded Ray-Pec 2022 squad, Walker has asserted himself in the run game and on special teams and has lived up to his lofty expectations and hype coming into his first year of high school ball. He is strong, explosive, and able to run by or run through tackle attempts and can take advantage of small holes in a defense and exploit them for huge gains. When you realize Walker has a very distinguished track background then the explosiveness begins to make sense, as the 6', 185 pounder is a 3x USATF junior Olympian and reports a 4.5 40. Film is still limited, but from what I can gather from his RB and kick return highlights the reported 4.5 40 may be legit. Fast, strong, and explosive is a heckuva combo to try and stop.   [player_tooltip player_id='308291' first='SHAHN' last='ALSTON'] (Harvey, Ohio) ATH. 5'10, 195 lbs. @shahnalston3   The first year Ohio product had a big day on the 18th of October as he received his first college football offer from the Akron Zips, an FBS opportunity that will hopefully kickstart his recruiting in what is looking like a soon-to-be very distinguished prep career. With a thick, compact build, Alston's strong lower body helps him easily power through tackle attempts with balance and physicality and he also shows enough speed to finish big runs past pursuing defenders. It's quite impressive how he trucks, slips, and bounces off would-be tacklers without showing any signs that someone just tried to bring him down full force, and those same powerful legs aid him as an OLB who flies off the edge and into the QB like a rocket. He's smooth and fluid and makes it look very easy, and it's scary to think about the fact that he has three full off-season's of full-time workouts ahead of him. Alston has the chance to be one of the hardest RBs to tackle in Ohio and the Midwest sooner rather than later. I really like watching this kid run the rock.   [player_tooltip player_id='212324' first='Dylan' last='Bowen'] (Hanover Central, Indiana) ATH. 5'11, 150 lbs. @dylan_bowen00   The younger brother of Notre Dame 2023 LB commit and consensus 4-star Drayk Bowen, younger brother Dylan is showing a lot of the same grit and talent as his brother and has been playing at a high level as a freshman QB/DB for Hanover Central in Cedar Lake, Indiana. Also a solid baseball player, Bowen is a thunderous hitter from his safety spot on the gridiron who has come downhill on WRs running slants and curls and made them pay the price. He also shows off some jets with the ball in his hands, and from his QB spot, he can take off and hit full speed in a blink of an eye, toasting LBs and DBs alike in the open field. I really like how he can start, stop, and change directions, and he gets out of his cuts with force, and his footwork - especially from the safety spot - looks clean and smooth. I can't stop watching him lay the wood, and in the first minute and a half of his week 1-7 highlights he's got five or six massive hits that I would not want to be on the receiving end of. I really like him as a safety, and his athleticism and COD skills are a huge asset and look developed far beyond that of a freshman. The offers will come rolling in before he knows it!   [player_tooltip player_id='401605' first='Gene' last='Riordan'] (Hinsdale Central, Illinois) OL/DL. 6'3, 240 lbs. @riordan_gene   A massive freshman lacrosse player and lineman, Riordan showed up and showed out at our inaugural PrepRedzoneNEXT Midwest Showcase in May and was a big part in Team Illinois' 4th place finish at a national lacrosse tourney this summer. Excitedly for the freshman, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish's Director of Player Development Hunter Biven reached out and sent the youngin' a gameday invite when ND took on Cal last month, and I'm positive it won't be the last time Riordan gets recruiting attention from a blue-blood in the CFB world. He's lacking in football highlights, but I can get a good sense of athleticism and mobility in his lacrosse highlights. Riordan has great hand-eye coordination, quickness for a big guy, stop-start ability, and some solid speed when he gets a full head of steam going. He's only getting bigger and growing and getting more comfortable as he ages as well, a good sign for his stock as a college football recruit.   Chris Henry (West Clermont, Ohio) WR. 6'4, 175 lbs. @ChrisHenryJr   The most prolific freshman in the entire Midwest, Ohio's Chris Henry Jr. is the son of former Cincinnati Bengals wideout Chris Henry and blew up on the recruiting trail BEFORE entering high school, earning his first offer from Grambling State last January and following it up with Marshall, West Virginia, UConn, Ohio State (he balled out at their summer prospect camp), Akron, South Florida, Penn State, and Miami (FL) all before playing a snap of high school ball. During this 2022 season, he's added Boston College and Texas A&M offers to his lengthy list of suitors, and there is overall a ton of things to be excited about in the 6'4, 175-pounder. With excellent ball skills, body control, and speed at the top end, Henry is already a nuanced route runner who can find separation at the LOS or at multiple landmarks throughout his route. He's also shifty and agile after the catch, with long legs that can slip through tackles. There is a ridiculous amount of things to like in the young buck and he's only getting better. I don't use this word often, or ever, but Henry is a freak!   Amir Moreland (Port Huron Northern, Michigan) CB/returner. 5'11, 170 lbs. @hard2guradmir   The Port Huron native has exploded onto the varsity scene as a playmaking corner and kick returner with a knack for a big play and some noticeable comfortability getting varsity reps as a freshman. This dude is fast, and uses it wisely when he takes kicks deep into enemy territory or hawks down loose ball carriers from behind. With great vision as a returner, he can easily rocket by defenders and has been a fantastic special team asset for his team and coaching staff this fall. He can also cover man-to-man out of the slot or on the perimeter, and shows off good COD skills that allows him to stay hip-to-hip with sprinting wideouts downfield out of his cuts. I also like how he plays the ball in the air and no matter where you put the freshman he can do his job and make plays. Moreland's name hasn't quite gotten out yet so you're hearing about him early, and I have a feeling you'll soon be hearing about him often.   Other Names to Know   David Callison (Fort Wayne-Carroll, Indiana) QB. 5'10, 150 lbs.   Nick Kinsey (Benilde-St. Margaret's, Minnesota) QB. 6'2, 185 lbs.   Caden Jurci (Kettle-Moraine, Wisconsin) QB.   Josh Ziebell (Waukesha West, Wisconsin)QB/ATH. 6'1, 155 lbs.   Noah Griswold (Kettle-Moraine, Wisconsin) LB.   Cade Sherman (Rosemount, Minnesota) QB.

When I was a freshman, I was 100 pounds soaking wet and needed as much protein, cognitive development, and high school coaching as I could get. Although our lowly but talented freshman squad had to scrimmage against the varsity and act as tackling dummies and cannon fodder for the big boys, thinking about my little 14-year-old self playing varsity gives me a great deal of stress and would have definitely resulted in some injuries to my tiny frame. Luckily, we aren't talking about me in this special PrepRedzone Midwest feature. In my opinion, one of the most impressive things you can do as a prep football player is starting and finding success as a freshman, and now that October is rolling quickly into November I did some hard digging and identified 14 special first-years who are tearing up gridirons around the Midwest and making waves on the field and recruiting trail as young bucks. From big-school impact players to small-town athletes already having started multiple years, PrepRedzone is here to let you know about these future superstars as early as possible. Congrats on a great 2022 so far, fellas.