“Up North” Players To See 2023
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In Michigan, nobody can agree what constitutes being called “Up North” or not, but pretty much unanimously it’s respected as fertile grounds for hard nose, old school football. In this article, I want to highlight some northern players you need…
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Continue ReadingIn Michigan, nobody can agree what constitutes being called “Up North” or not, but pretty much unanimously it’s respected as fertile grounds for hard nose, old school football. In this article, I want to highlight some northern players you need to pay attention to as we enter 2023. I am using the criteria of anything north of where 10 and 127 cross, so essentially anything north of Clare. With that being said, lets check out some “Northerners” to keep an eye on.
CJ was able to accrue over 800 total yards in his junior season, and was electric when he had the ball. I expect more of the same this season as his role just increases. In the return game, he was an absolute lightning rod, and was a threat to house it any time he received the kick. On top of that, his vision and ability to improvise out of the backfield makes him must see, as you just never know what he might do! Look for him to continue to get our praise as the year goes on.
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Another Petoskey player we can’t say enough good things about, McCarthy can flat out sling it. He’s got a big strong arm that can go deep at any time. His pocket presence is impressive, and his ability to move and extend plays and still deliver downfield is something very few can do on a consistent basis. He also drops it in a bucket down the sideline where only his wideout can make a play on it. The fact that he could go deep at any moment for a huge throw makes him someone you want to keep an eye on, as he makes every play exciting.
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I know he has already committed to Minnesota, but he is the undisputed leader of this list. He is fun to watch make tackles in the run game, but he has really developed well covering the pass as well. Brady has the size and ability to do anything he wants at the linebacker position. He will be a blast to watch be an absolute game wrecker this fall, as he flies around and makes plays sideline to sideline. If you want to see true D1 superstar talent, Brady embodies it.
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College coaches need to keep an eye on Noah this season, as I think he could really prove himself as a really good prospect. His size gives him a good base, and his technique is a huge plus. He fires off the ball hard enough to scoot past offensive linemen, but in the cases that he doesn’t, he has a few really good moves at his disposal to still get by. He really is one of those hardnose U.P kids that do the dirty work, and there’s a lot of D2 teams taking notice. If he adds onto what he did last year, we could see some G5 D1 teams start to make their pitches.
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I haven’t had a chance to watch Jake in person, but his tape tells me a lot. He displays an innate ability to throw on the run, and improvise to extend plays. There were a ton of broken plays he turned into positive yardage when it looked hopeless. He is a solid scrambler and can throw from any platform. I was impressed by his ability to throw cross body, and the accuracy and distance he was able to do it. Coming off a really good junior season, I am expecting a lot of big things this year, and I think Jake is up to that task. He could really elevate Alpena in 2023.
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Jaxon has a ton of fun tape to watch, and really impressed me on a few different things. He’s a really good route runner, getting in and out of breaks very nicely, and can change direction quickly. Another thing I noticed is for his height of 6’2, he goes up and gets a ton of jump ball catches. A ton of his production was coming down with 50/50 balls that he was able to high point over a defender, or sometimes 2. He accrues a ton of yards after the catch too as he catches in stride and turns upfield quickly. Look for Childers to be a leading receiver up north as he has the makings to show out this fall.