13 Midwest 2026s Tearing Up the Recruiting Trail
In this article:
There’s honestly nothing more exciting than a freshman phenom. It’s a rare feat to be 14-15 years old and hold your own against upperclassmen, much less dominate, and the Midwest is home to some incredibly promising freshmen (soon-to-be rising sophomores)…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThere’s honestly nothing more exciting than a freshman phenom. It’s a rare feat to be 14-15 years old and hold your own against upperclassmen, much less dominate, and the Midwest is home to some incredibly promising freshmen (soon-to-be rising sophomores) who are already tearing it up on the gridiron, blowing up the recruiting trail, and poised to be highly ranked and highly touted in the national scene by the time their recruiting cycle wraps up in a few years. I’ve already seen a few of these studs in person, and even more of them have been evaluated by our PRZ and PRzNEXT staff, so I’m pumped to bring an early yet detailed look at some of the future superstars of the high school & college football scene. Let’s dig in!
—
It’s been a busy offseason for Decatur Central 6’2, 200 lb. gunslinger Bo Polston. The Indianapolis product has been hitting the unofficial visit circuit hard since the new year rolled around, beginning with a visit to Oxford, OH, and the Miami Redhawks, and after a month off to chill, a fellow MAC competitor came through with the freshman’s first college football offer. The Toledo Rockets confidently chose to offer Polston first, and major names have followed suit. After visits to Ball State, South Carolina, Toledo, Virginia Tech, Indiana, and Purdue, the Indiana Hoosiers came through in the middle of April for Polston’s first P5 and B1G offer to tuhe heat up in the young buck’s recruiting stock. After that, Akron, Central Michigan, and Marshall joined the pack for a more-than-solid and still-growing list of FBS & P5 scholarship offers. A varsity starter in 2022, Polston played and found success against some of the best competition the Hoosier State has to offer, and showed off the arm strength to stretch the field and hit receivers in-stride going deep, touch on his passes down the seam and over the middle of the field, and the ability to read the field and get the rock out of his hand quickly. I also like what I see in terms of him looking off DBs and getting through his reads, accuracy to all levels of the field, and vision & quickness when he takes off and runs. Polston is also strong (see his 315 x3 front squat in the middle of March), and is far more poised than his age would suggest. He’s got all the makings of a P5 quarterback and is going to hear up the fields of central Indiana for years to come.
Highlights
It’s especially exciting to see freshmen offensive linemen explode onto the recruiting scene early, as the strength & physicality required to excel at the position is hard to possess for young bucks, and with OL such a premium position in the recruiting world you can bet your bottom dollar that a prospect like Portage Northern 6’4, 260 lber. Gregory Patrick will be one of the most popular names in the 2026 OL class, especially in the Midwest. After an outstanding first year on the gridiron that saw him earn All-Conference, All-Region (1 of 4 total freshmen, only frosh OL in D2-D7), and Kalamazoo Dream Team honors, Patrick saw his recruitment kick off in April when Central Michigan reached out with a MAC scholarship. Only a day later, the Minnesota Gophers offered a B1G scholarship the former Eden Prairie, MN resident, and Western Michigan joined the mix a few days ago as well. Those won’t be his last offers, as the LT Patrick displays a balanced base, a strong punch and good hand placement when he locks and extends onto defensive linemen that is tough for opponents to disengage from, and a mauling attitude at the point of attack. He’s overall impressively controlled for his size and age, with efficiency and athleticism in his pass pro set and when working in space. It’s hard to believe he’s going into his sophomore year when watching the tape, and I couldn’t be more thrilled that my Golden Gophers got in at the ground floor. Patrick is going to be a monster these next three seasons of action.
Another native of the Mitten, Detroit product and Dearborn Divine Child 5’11, 175 lber. Marcello Vitti holds one of the most expansive lists of offers on this 2026 feature, with 12 Division 1 offers at the time of this article’s publishment and many more college programs sniffing around and set to throw their name in the mix. Vitti’s freshman campaign saw him earn All-Metro Detroit Second Team and All-League accolades, and the S/CB/RB hybrid totaled 64 tackles, 10 TFLs, 2 INTs, and 2 FFs along with 1,144 total yards, and 10 TDs between his carries, receptions, and kick return efforts with the ball in his hand. There are already some major names in the mix for his talents, with Tennessee, Arkansas, Michigan State, Minnesota, West Virginia, Western Michigan, Penn State, Toledo, Michigan, Akron, Maryland, and Central Michigan all having already offered. The cat is out of the bag in terms of Vitti’s talent, and he’s also visited Notre Dame, who I’m sure is keeping a close eye on the Michigan native. A playmaker no matter where he lines up, Vitti possesses game-breaking speed, is instinctive in the turnover department and when finding and closing on the ball defensively, and is lethal in space and 1-on-1 scenarios against opponents with the ball in his hand. Vitti can do it all and do it all well on the gridiron. Line him up anywhere and he’s going to make plays. Strength, speed, confidence, physicality, it’s all there in his still-growing 5’11, 175 lb. frame, which is sure to more than excite prospective collegiate suitors.
Highlights
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that there’s an Ohio native on this feature, as the ultra-fertile recruiting ground from the Buckeye State plays some of the best high school football in the nation and is jam-packed with P5 talent, which makes things even more impressive when a freshman makes waves like Avon Lake 6’5, 265 lber. Maxwell Riley has been as a freshman. An All-Conference, All-County, and All-District selection from last fall, Riley is also an accomplished thrower for the Shoremen T&F squad (#1 freshman thrower in Ohio, #4 frosh in U.S.) and already boasts an impressive 286 lb. hang clean to go along with his big frame and 12 D1 offers. The new Wisconsin staff is the latest team to officially offer a scholarship, and West Virginia, Tennessee, Michigan State, Kentucky, Pitt, Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State, Miami (FL), Florida State, and Toledo preceded the Badgers with offers. As a varsity LT last fall, Riley’s strength is more than evident on tape, as he can maul and finish opponents in the run game and stonewall larger DEs in pass pro, and his lateral agility and clean, quick pass set are impressive and atypical for a freshman with his size behind him. He also does a great job of breaking down and corralling quicker opponents in space, at the second level of the defense, or way downfield, and I also like his visible nasty streak and physical mentality as an offensive lineman. Riley will undoubtedly be one of the top OL prospects in the 2026 class when it’s all said and done.
Jonas Williams, the superstar QB out of Bolingbrook, Illinois, has been a popular name for years in Chicagoland and is more than living up to the hype since entering the high school ranks. The 6’3, 195 lber. posted 2,737 passing yards and 37 TDs in 10 games of varsity action last fall and saw his first college football offers roll in well before his fall concluded. Kent State offered up in late September, and the Purdue Boilermakers quickly followed suit, offering a B1G scholarship in mid-October. Things picked back up after the turn of the new year, with Marshall, Louisville, Tennessee, Pitt, Michigan, Illinois, and Arkansas throwing their names in the mix for a more-than-solid initial batch of CFB opportunities. I recently wrote about Williams after launching the inaugural PRzIL 2026 rankings, where he debuted as #1 by the way, and was particularly impressed with his big-time arm, crisp, quick, and consistent release, accuracy on passes all over the route tree, and striking pocket awareness and footwork that displayed a natural expertise and proficiency for the QB position, especially for his age. Williams is also smart with the ball, has some juice as a runner, and possesses a great frame that is going to continue to add and hold muscle well as he develops and grows. I’m a big fan of this kid and he’ll be competing for top dog status among the talented crop of 2026 Midwest QBs going forward.
Jacob Siner
Jacob Siner
Coming out of Wisconsin big-school powerhouse Arrowhead, 5’9, 165 lb. RB Jacob Siner currently holds the title as Wisconsin’s fastest freshman and has posted some impressive sprinting times that include Arrowhead’s fastest ever 10M (.99) and 30M (3.14), as well as an 11.13 100M and 22.90 200. That 200M time is also the fastest ever for an Arrowhead freshman, and the eye-popping speed has helped pay off on the recruiting trail as well, as Siner earned his first college offer in late April from Central Michigan. The 165 lber. did get varsity reps as a freshman football player as well, and was dominant in JV play, where he displayed super quick & active feet, burst, shifty hips and COD skills, vision, and physicality at the contact point when needed. Against some of the best defenses Wisconsin had to offer last fall, Siner was impressively elusive and presented a very tough target for opponents to square up and even get hands-on. The tradition of athletic and top-tier in-state Wisconsin RB prospects is in good hands with Siner. He’s going to tear the state up this coming fall.
Kory Amachree
Kory Amachree
Yet another stud freshman from the Mitten, Haslett High School’s 6′, 195 lber. Kory Amachree comes from talented stock and is the brother of 2024 3-star RB Nakai Amachree, who currently holds 14 D1 offers and is a playmaker from the Haslett offensive backfield. Younger bro Kory isn’t far behind in both regards, with five D1 offers currently under his name and some impressive athletic numbers as a freshman that includes an 11.2 100M time, a reported sub-4 second short-shuttle, and 14 reps of a 225 lb. bench press. At the Cincinnati Rivals combine, he also posted a 4.4 40 and a 32-inch vert, so it’s no wonder the likes of Akron, Western Michigan, Navy, Bowling Green State, and Ball State have entered their name in the mix early for the younger Amachree’s talents. Kory primarily worked out of the slot and as a RB last fall, where he showed off good hands, contact balance and strong cuts with the ball in his hand, and an ability to cut off his routes well. He was a promising blend of strength and quickness as a ball carrier last fall and mixes in a good blend of speed to boot, leaving would-be tacklers guessing and on their heels as to what he may hit them with in the open field. Kory is only getting bigger, stronger, and faster as well, which is going to present major problems for DCs and defenders these next three seasons. The Amachree boys can ball!
Dreshaun Ross
Dreshaun Ross
We’ve briefly brushed on two-sport athletes in this article track & field/football standouts, but Fort Dodge’s Dreshaun Ross is one of the best wrestlers in the country and brings the physicality required on the wrestling mat to the gridiron as an LB and TE. The 6’3, 195 lber. recently won the 92 kg spot for the USA U17 Greco Roman world team after two tech falls in the finals of the U.S. Open, and before that he became the heaviest freshman (195 lb. weight class) to win a 3A state title at the Iowa state wrestling meet in February. Between the two wrestling accomplishments, Ross saw his football recruitment blow up, as Iowa, Purdue, and Iowa State all offered B1G/Big12 football scholarships, and the freshman Dodger’s future is incredibly bright in both sports. I wrote about Ross for a PRZ Midwest special feature naming the top football/wrestling hybrids a few months ago, and despite the multitude of experienced, talented, and powerful upperclassmen in that article, Ross more than holds his own. Patient and sticky in coverage from his OLB spot, Ross is also great at holding the edge of his defense, playing with leverage, and defeating blocks, and is a strong tackler with good pursuit speed to boot. Ross is going to be able to play and do whatever he feels like at the next level, and I’m going to be strapped in and excited to follow both sports recruitment as they continue to develop.
Rocco Marriott
Rocco Marriott
The Show-Me State is well represented at the tail end of this article, and we’re kicking things off with Platte County 6’3, 195 lb. signal-caller Rocco Marriott. With a great name to back up his great game, Marriott is also a standout baseball player but saw his football recruitment kick off first with a UNLV offer on April 10th. Kent State all offered almost a week ago, and the home state Mizzou Tigers sent a personal camp invite to take a look at the young buck in June. At 6’3, 195 lbs. and with a reported 4.8 40, Marriott can generate some solid velocity on his first/second level throws, shows off good touch, and is especially impressive at breaking tackles inside the pocket as well as when he takes off and runs. He’s got a ton of juice as a ball carrier and can break tackles in a variety of ways and is a good athlete at the position with real dual-threat capability. He’s still got some development to do as a passer, but there’s some natural arm proficiency, and with his baseball background there’s real potential to be excited about going forward.
I saw now-Cass Tech’s Corey Sadler as an eighth grader at the AYF national tournament in Kissimmee, FL two springs ago, and came away knowing he was one of the best football players I’ve ever in-person, regardless of age or position. The kid is a baller, and it came as zero surprise that he made waves as a varsity starter for the Detroit-based heavyweight Technicians this past fall as a freshman. The 5’11, 185 lb. phenom is an absolute weapon with the ball in his hand, with outrageous speed that looks like he’s on a completely different plane than his competition, lightning-quick shake and quickness that is especially impressive in his releases, overall route running, and in space after the catch, and sticky hands that produced highlight reel catches last fall. He’s simply on another level of talent and athletic ability than his competition, and although I don’t project high schoolers to the NFL often, this dude is absolutely a professional talent and Day 1/Day 2 NFL Draft type prep prospect. So far, Sadler holds offers from Wisconsin, West Virginia, Tennessee, Pittsburg, Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan, Maryland, Penn State, Miami, Oklahoma, Auburn, Kansas, Illinois Louisville, Kentucky, Florida, Arizona State, and a host of more FCS/FBS offers. More are coming.
St. Louis and Missouri heavyweight program St. Louis University High School has an established crop of already ridiculously talented 2026ers with a couple of standouts making this list of impressive freshmen out of the Midwest. Up first is 5’9, 170 lb. RB/ATH Jordan Taylor, who has seen a fruitful genesis of his recruiting with the old Nebraska staff offering up last November and Toledo, Ball State, and UNLV officially entering the picture since May 1st. With the amount of college coaching traffic that routinely comes through SLUH and the quality development those players get playing for the St. Louis Metro powerhouse, I’m sure Taylor is far from finished on the recruiting trail, and with his combination of top-end speed, suddenness and quick-twitch prowess, contact balance, and two-way dynamic ability, plus the varsity experience, it’s easy to see why a P5 program was his first college offer. It’s far from his last either!
Highlights
The second freshman standout out of powerhouse SLUH, 6’1, 200 lber. Keenan Harris started his recruitment off in impressive fashion, as home state Mizzou became his first college football during his freshman season last fall. It’s a big deal to get that first offer from the in-state power, and it kicked off additional scholarship offers from Nebraska (old staff), Iowa State, Tennessee, Oregon, Penn State, Wisconsin, UNLV, UCF, Kentucky, Kansas, and Ball State going into the summer before his sophomore year. With the help of his great size, Harris posted 66 tackles, 6 TFLs, a sack, and a forced fumble and was a two-way playmaker with pace, great closing speed, boom at the contact point, and a fluidity and body control that looks smooth and never wastes movement. His ability to trigger on the football and close is particularly impressive, and he impacts both the run and pass game with equal efficiency. SLUH reloads once again!
Raymore Peculiar’s freshman phenom of a RB Dezephen Walker’s talent has been far from a secret in the Show-Me State, and he’s done nothing but lived up to the hype since entering the high school ranks after his decorated career as a youth football player and multi-time USATF junior Olympian. The 5’11, 195 lb. speedster is a bolt of lightning with the ball in-hand, and was able to create and pop off long, sometimes untouched runs against high-quality Missouri competition. Burst, top-end, the speed is visible, eye-catching, and game-breaking, and in addition I like Walker’s power of his cuts, and contact balance, and whether you get some pads on him or not, if he sees daylight he is gone. Walker will be competing for one of the top RBs in the nation throughout this 2026 recruiting cycle. Nebraska (new staff), Illinois, Arkansas, Mizzou, Kansas, Purdue, Oregon, Tennessee, Georgia, and KState have all entered the picture early with P5 collegiate offers. More are on the way!
Highlights
the RB