RISE Midwest Showcase: Breaking down the Offensive MVPs

Yesterday, one of the largest Winter Showcases took place. The Legacy Center in Brighton, MI served host to nearly 400 athletes from over five states in what was an electric environment. This event showed a lot, from surprisingly good performances, up-and-down performances, utter dominance, and everything in between. This was an eye-opening event that was full of great competition and a ton of rankings considerations. With that, we have a ton of MVPs plus a few honorable mentions!   Quarterback MVPs   #1 | [player_tooltip player_id='248811' first='Andrew' last='Schuster'] | 2024 | Chippewa Valley (MI) |<a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/13399083/Andrew-Schuster"> Hudl </a>| <a href="https://twitter.com/SchusterAndrew6">Twitter</a>   What a day it was for the Chippewa Valley prospect. Before yesterday, I hadn't heard too much about Schuster, and it doesn't help that I live on the opposite side of the state as Chippewa Valley. Schuster won showcase MVP because of his consistency and his ability to take well-calculated risks. Of course, his footwork, throwing motion, and overall fundamentals sparked zero complaints. Everyone from Matt Sauter to [player_tooltip player_id='1678934' first='Devin' last='Gardner'] and myself had Schuster as the obvious #1 Quarterback of camp.   I love his touch on the deep ball and his ability to throw his receivers open. It was obvious that, even in a short time with his receivers, he was able to develop chemistry and use their strengths to everyone's advantage. With the athletes that Chippewa Valley has on its roster, I expect the Schuster-led offense to be one of the highest-scoring in Michigan come next fall.   This highlight by The D Zone perfectly exemplifies the types of throws that Schuster was making all day!   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/TheD_Zone/status/1617207571999227907 </div></figure>   #2 | [player_tooltip player_id='327835' first='Zak' last='Olejniczak'] | 2024 | Lapeer (MI) | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11896943/Zak-Olejniczak">Hudl</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ZakOlejniczak">Twitter</a>   As expected, Zak had another great showing at camp. Having led a 36.2PPG offense this past fall, everyone should know by now that Zak is one of the top Quarterbacks in Michigan. Again, it was all about consistency, as Zak didn't take long to heat up and was hitting on deep throws while slinging it into tighter coverage. It didn't matter if he was throwing routes on air or competing with coverage, and the whole camp watching him; Zak was confident, consistent, and allowed his receivers to make plays.   Knowing Zak's offseason competitiveness, I know he'll continue to attend camps, work on his game, and be absolutely ready for next season. Lapeer is in very good hands for another season!   HM | [player_tooltip player_id='918781' first='Corey' last='Swartz'] | 2025 | Toledo St. Francis (OH) | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/16180824/Corey-Swartz">Hudl </a>| <a href="https://twitter.com/Hardcoreqb18">Twitter</a>   Swartz really began to heat up as the camp went on. He turned some heads here and there, and throughout camp, he was considered one of the better quarterbacks. Though once the defenders came into play with the whole camp watching, that's when he performed his best. Corey was challenged late in the camp against the best LBs and DBs, and he delivered time and time again. He has really good touch on the deep ball and had superb ball placement on short-mid-range throws. If a third MVP would have been awarded, I would have given it to Swartz.   Running Back MVPs   #1 | [player_tooltip player_id='253291' first='Sean' last='Emerson'] | 2024 | Seaholm (MI) | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/8036203/Sean-Emerson">Hudl</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/SeanEmerson32">Twitter</a>   I see noticeable and significant improvement in [player_tooltip player_id='253291' first='Sean' last='Emerson']'s game since the last time I watched him last spring. From the jump, I noted how great his change of direction was, as he kept a good center of gravity and stayed low + balanced. This skill served as the foundation of his game throughout the camp, as he was able to later run excellent short routes with elite change of direction against linebackers who couldn't keep up.   One of the most important things I look for when evaluating a prospect is his improvement over time. Sean seems to be constantly and consistently improving, and he's growing on me as a legit Divison 2 college prospect. No matter what, Sean deserves attention from D3 schools right now. Even though he's mainly a RB, I could easily see Sean playing slot receiver in college.   #2 | Semisi Kinikini | 2024 | Mountain Ridge (UT) | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/14698721/Semisi-Kinikini">Hudl</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/SemisiKinikini">Twitter</a>   Quick, powerful, and elusive was Semisi, who came out all the way to Michigan from Utah. I got to see Semisi a bit during 1-on-1s with LBs, and he consistently had the elusiveness to successfully juke his opponents and fly past them. On top of that, his film shows incredible shiftiness in the open field, top-end speed, and great strength. This is an all-around great running back that has real great potential.   HM | [player_tooltip player_id='601926' first='Nathan' last='Stark'] | 2025 | Brighton (MI) | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/16142108/Nathan-Stark">Hudl </a>   Nathan immediately stood out just from the eye test. He's overall very well-built with massive quads and a well-defined upper body. With a full beard and long hair, he looks more like a college athlete than a sophomore in high school. Whenever I looked Stark's way, he was solid. He's not as athletic as the two above, but is very fast, powerful, and has the ability to make guys miss. Stark will be RB1 for Brighton next fall, and I expect him to perform just as well as Shrader did.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/01/IMG-6229-crop-1228x807-1674413892.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-610504" /></figure>   Wide Receiver MVPs   #1 | Jake Vermaas | 2024 | Grand Rapids South Christian (MI) | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/15040172/Jake-Vermaas">Hudl</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/jake_vermaas">Twitter</a>   Vermaas had the most impressive day out of any athlete in the building. By nature, he's under the radar as he's from a smaller West Michigan school + he was injured for most of last season. From the jump, Vermaas showcased his elite hands with great route-running, focus, and even a few toe taps. As the camp went on, I could see QBs looking his way through his entire route. The QBs had immense trust in him, and he straight-up mossed a few guys. Keep in mind that Vermaas came back from injury in the D4 State Championship and posted 7 receptions for 152 yards!   South Chrisitan tends to follow a run-heavy scheme, but they've had the ability to throw downfield. Even if he's not flawless for the SC scheme, this is a quickly-rising WR prospect that deserves much more attention. Expect more articles that include Vermaas.   #2 | Donovan Isaac | 2024 | Waterford Mott (MI) | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/13107042/Donovan-Isaac">Hudl </a>| <a href="https://twitter.com/DonovanIsaac07">Twitter</a>   Separation, speed, and hands. Donovan Isaac earned his silver medal and has likely earned a spot in the 2024 rankings. I love his route-running and big play potential, with an ability to high-point the ball when he needs to. From what I can see, Isaac is just as good a DB as he is a WR. The "ATH" classification will suit him, and I hope to see him again sometime this offseason.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/01/IMG-6305-crop-3442x2261-1674421204.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-610671" width="599" height="393" /></figure>   HM | [player_tooltip player_id='602097' first='Cooper' last='Voeffray'] | 2025 | Avondale (MI) | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/16484170/Cooper-Voeffray">Hudl</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/Cooper_Voeffray">Twitter</a>   This is the most impressed I've been with Cooper during a competition. I've seen Cooper a few times, but yesterday he performed at his best. He ran a few great routes with a couple of impressive contested catches. He looked fluid, quick, and focused. Excited to see what he and Herzog are able to cook up for the Yellowjacket offense next season!   Offensive Line MVPs   #1 | [player_tooltip player_id='557747' first='Khalief' last='Canty'] Jr. | 2026 | Cass Tech (MI) | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/17809538/Khalief-Canty-Jr">Hudl</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/kjcapn">Twitter</a>   The amount of times I've heard the name [player_tooltip player_id='557747' first='Khalief' last='Canty'] Jr over the past two months is insane. It seems like every week, Canty attends a new showcase and leaves with MVP honors or a few offers. The Freshman lineman manhandled the competition with impeccable balance, great hands, and a controlled, aggressive deminer. Whenever an opposing D-Lineman tried to get fancy, Canty punished it. He likely had the best W-L ratio of any O-Lineman, and I can now see why he's earned offers from Michigan, Michigan State, West Virginia, and others.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/TheD_Zone/status/1617008354420838400 </div></figure>   #2 | [player_tooltip player_id='80952' first='Ryan' last='Ross'] | 2024 | De La Salle (MI) | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/14950145/Ryan-Ross">Hudl </a>| <a href="https://twitter.com/ryanross53_">Twitter</a>   Ross continues to impress and frankly deserves more offers. The big man earned runner-up in an extremely tight MVP race with a deep group of linemen. In fact, I see a ton of improvement when compared to the Prep Redzone Spring Showcase, where he won outright MVP. I see a major increase in confidence and overall power. He was unbeatable as an interior O-Lineman against some great D-Line competition.   HM | [player_tooltip player_id='437957' first='Jaylen' last='Pitts'] | 2025 | River Rouge (MI) | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/15740895/Jaylen-Pitts">Hudl</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/JaylenPitts6">Twitter</a>   Pitts was by far the most expressive lineman in the showcase. Moving around the line quite a bit, [player_tooltip player_id='437957' first='Jaylen' last='Pitts'] looked to manhandle his opposition. Most reps ended with the defender on the turf, especially when Pitts was in the interior position. There were a few reps where Pitts was able to be beaten with speed, but those are few and far between. Pitts is a confident, ultra-powerful, and expressive athlete that will receive more offers.

Yesterday, one of the largest Winter Showcases took place. The Legacy Center in Brighton, MI served host to nearly 400 athletes from over five states in what was an electric environment. This event showed a lot, from surprisingly good performances, up-and-down performances, utter dominance, and everything in between. This was an eye-opening event that was full of great competition and a ton of rankings considerations. With that, we have a ton of MVPs plus a few honorable mentions!