Three Slept-On Division 1 Teams

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Get 30% off your subscription by using Pallone30 in the coupon code area!</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When I look at Division 1, I see a few severely underrated teams. Grand Blanc, Grandville, and Dearborn all have the tools needed for an incredibly surprising 2023 season. All three of these teams were knocked out in the 1st round of the postseason last year, but I could see any of these teams making a phenomenal run this season. This article will serve as a mini team preview for each of these teams!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Grand Blanc</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's little pressure for Grand Blanc with 2nd-year Head Coach Kaleb Forr alongside a very young team. The Bobcats went 4-6 last year, still making the postseason yet getting booted in the 1st-round against rival Davison. I love the young talent at Grand Blanc, and I believe they're a dark horse to win the entire Saginaw Red. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Strengths</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Passing Offense</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bobcats passing offense will be amazing this season. There's a QB competition, but they can't make a bad decision. I was able to watch <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='909904' first='Jake' last='Morrow']</strong> during the Hope 7v7 tournament, and he lit it up there. If Jake gets the starting nod, he'll already be better than the majority of D1 QBs with an opportunity to develop into a true X-Factor in later years. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>They also have a very talented and complimentary set of receivers. [player_tooltip player_id='926295' first='JT' last='Webber'] is the best slot I've watched this offseason. He's a Cooper Kupp / Amon-Ra type of player who runs amazing routes and is lethal in the short-intermediate game. His athleticism is ideal for throws over the middle, check-downs, red zone, and he could provide some creativity in the run game. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='602292' first='Matthew' last='Evans']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='602300' first='Malachi' last='Evans']</strong> are great deep threats who can go over the top of someone, run the deep routes, and really spread the field. Other weapons like <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='602290' first='Joseph' last='Lattimore']</strong> provide competition and depth in the skill position room. Do not be surprised if Grand Blanc has one of the best passing offenses in Michigan!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Offensive Line</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grand Blanc's O-Line is another big strength on paper. <strong>Derek McIntosh</strong> is a leader on both sides of the ball, already with 3 college offers. Players such as <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1148724' first='Jack' last='Stewart']</strong>, <strong>Caleb Eggert, Austin Merrill, Lincoln Kramer</strong>, and others round out a good in-line blocking group. Good blocking should also open up the run game a ton more, while providing ample time to throw the football. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Questions</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>All-Around Defense</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grand Blanc gave up an average of 42.3 Points Per Game on their 6 losses last season. Obviously, this needs to change. Thankfully, I was happy with the secondary's play during the Hope 7v7 tournament. They have some promising secondary players, such as DBs <strong>Riyad Howard and DC Chapman</strong>. In the front 7, they have LB/DE <strong>Pierre Dukes</strong>, who played well last season but can truly break out this season. Jimmy Lacy is a super unique linebacker in that he's built like a slot receiver and uses his athleticism to work around blocks and get in the backfield quickly. Overall, the linebacker room has a lot of potential but doesn't have a true standout. On the Interior D-Line, you have <strong>Joshua Britt</strong>, who could make some noise as a run-stuffer, while other rotational guys like <strong>Derek McIntosh</strong> will get heavy reps with a chance to improve throughout the season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Grandville</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grandville is my #1 most slept-on team for the 2023 season. This is a team with top-end talent, and they have a chance to shock the world with a deep playoff run, knocking off their rivals in the OK-Red. Still, this won't be easy, as the OK-Red is stellar, while Grandville does have a few question marks. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Strengths</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Offensive Efficiency </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grandville could be one of the most well-run offenses in Michigan. This is a Wing-T team, which is quite rare in Division 1, but they have some top-end offensive talent. Starting with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='206418' first='Jayden' last='Terry']</strong>, he's a phenomenal 2026 talent who I'd have ranked as a top-4 Running Back if he was in the class of 2024. Seriously, I saw him perform this summer, then I saw a few top Senior running backs a few days later, and Jayden was on-par or better when it came to athletic ability. Jayden is due to hit a few home runs every single game, and is a rare gamewrecker. Quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='875978' first='Cash' last='Ruff']</strong> is one of if not the most underrated talents in all of Michigan. Although his QB play will not give him offers (being on a Wing-T offense), he's an extremely athletic, built, and durable player who can be a powerful runner and mature leader. O-Linemen like <strong>Michael Medawis, Stehpen Jackson, and [player_tooltip player_id='899522' first='James' last='Weiss']</strong> will absolutely dominate most front 7's, and their receivers will be great blockers as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Questions</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Defensive Standouts</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is looking to be a solid defensive team, though I don't see any major leaders or superstars as I do with the offense. The defensive trenches will be the most important factor. DT <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='602456' first='Carson' last='Kubczak']</strong> is a player with an extremely high ceiling that I've talked about a few times, and I truly hope he comes into this season in shape, strong, and ready to lead. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='602455' first='Reid' last='Graverson']</strong> is a great inside linebacker who is a bit undersized, though proves he can perform against anyone, as he totaled 89 tackles last season. When it comes to the secondary, I have little information on this group. Though if Grandville is going to win playoff games, they need to be able to defend against the better passing offenses. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Dearborn</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I've heard next to nothing about Dearborn Football from the media as a whole since the end of last season. The Pioneers quietly had a resurgent season, going 7-4, winning their final 6 regular-season matchups, and losing by 1 score against a Championship-Hopeful Catholic Central team. Dearborn deserves a ton more credit for what they accomplished last season. In addition, I've seen quite a few of their players putting in amazing work this offseason. This is going to be a great team! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Strengths</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Defensive Front</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Unlike the other two teams in this article, Dearborn thrives on the defensive side of the ball. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='251374' first='Evin' last='Fencil']</strong> heads into his senior season, having gained a few offers this offseason, and he has a chance to break out even more and truly dominate the competition. Evin is one of those players who I've seen consistent work and improvement from, and he's been a standout every time I've watched him. I truly think Evin is being under-recruited, as his intangibles make him a D2 prospect. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='251376' first='Hassan' last='Sareini']</strong> is another extremely consistent, hard-working player at inside linebacker. I would not be surprised if Hassan earned all-state honors next season, as he totaled 13TFLs, 78 Tackles, and won media Player of the Week for his week 1 performance last season. Hassan also has a great interview on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDIWaEp_cwc&amp;feature=youtu.be">Casey Campbell Podcast</a>, where his passion and excitement for this season really show. Dearborn has other front 7 pieces like <strong>Shehab Yacoobi and Joseph Sareini</strong> who have a big opportunity this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Overall Talent</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dearborn overall has a great pool of talent, and they're a team that can make a legit run in the postseason. Other key players include WR [player_tooltip player_id='601925' first='Hussein' last='Hamie'], WR Ryan Elhasan, TE [player_tooltip player_id='1124494' first='Brady' last='Isaacson'], K Rami Fakih, T Ali Homayed, and many others. This is an incredibly well-rounded and deep team that would be in the state championship conversation if they didn't have to face Belleville or Cass Tech in the earlier rounds of the postseason. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Questions</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Reaching the next level</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Although Dearborn has great talent and coaching, they are relatively unproven against the best teams in the state. I don't see a single position of weakness (maybe secondary?) but they also don't have the top-tier Division 1 monsters some other teams do. Dearborn will open the season @ Detroit Catholic Central in what will be an amazing measuring stick game for both teams and may be a preview of a playoff matchup. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->