Notable Midwest P5 & FBS Offers Going Out Early this Fall Pt. 2
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With the amount of excitement, storylines, broken records, and Madden-esque performances that have popped off during the fall of 2023’s high school and college football seasons, it can be easy to forget that prep football recruiting is still very much…
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Continue ReadingWith the amount of excitement, storylines, broken records, and Madden-esque performances that have popped off during the fall of 2023’s high school and college football seasons, it can be easy to forget that prep football recruiting is still very much in full swing. Not only are there big-time gameday visits and official visits going down, we’ve seen must-know first offers get sent out and prospects seeing their stock, offer list, and recruiting momentum shoot into new heights. This is especially true in America’s Heartland, where prospects from North Dakota down to Missouri – and everywhere in between – have seen notable P5, FBS, and even FCS offers go out early this fall and into the hands of some of the Midwest’s finest. 2024s, 2025s, 2026s, and even young freshmen are seeing the fruit of their labor & talent pay off in big-time ways, and lucky for our wonderful readers, no one has as complete, detailed, and comprehensive rundown of Notable Midwest P5 & FBS Offers than PrepRedzone. Recruiting fanatics, this one is for you! Let’s dig in.
P.S. stay tuned for part 3! Tons of recruiting moves are being made in the “Flyover States” this fall.
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If you haven’t been paying attention, the Dakotas have been putting out some high-quality, prolific, and highly-touted prospects year-to-year in addition to the talented & underestimated recruits who build the foundation of the heavyweight FCS and DII programs in both North and South Dakota. The top dogs have been surefire, bonafide P5ers, and the alpha for both states 2025 class has revealed himself this fall in West Fargo Sheyenne’s 6’5, 245 lb. defensive lineman Kade Pietrzak. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the 2025s #1 prospect comes out of Fargo, as that area has been fertile for years, and Pietrzak will bring even more well-deserved attention to the 701. After his first P5 offer came in July from Kansas, which was preceded by North Dakota and North Dakota State offers, he’s solidified his P5 stock this fall with offers coming in from Nebraska (9/18), UNLV (9/20, FBS), Iowa State (9/24), Boston College (9/25), Iowa (10/1), Wisconsin (10/2), and Arizona State (10/5). South Dakota State also offered a FCS scholarship on September 10th. That’s a quite a haul in less than a month, and when you flip on the tape you can see why Pietrzak has become so popular. With rare athleticism, speed, and mobility for a kid of his size, the junior DL displays a very quick get-off, heavy hands and an effective punch that knocks blockers deep into the backfield, the balance and strength to work through contact and multiple blocking attempts well, and a little bit of bend to boot. Pietrzak gets off the ball and runs down ball carriers like a LB as compared to a 6’5, 240+ DL and closes very quickly. His combination of pursuit speed, motor, and athleticism gets him into ball carriers with scary pace and he can easily run down plays from the backside, 20+ yards downfield, and sideline to sideline. As an OL, he flies out of his stance, is controlled in space, demonstrates strength and explosiveness at the contact point that has helped him lay some big time booms in 2023, and great leg drive once he’s engaged. Pietrzak reports a 4.7 40, 4.31 5-10-5, 31″ vertical, 9’4″ broad jump, and those athletic numbers seem to be justified and backed up by his tape. He’s tailor-made for P5 football. We got a good one on our hands out of the Roughrider State, people!
It’s been a little bit since Neenah High School – located right outside of beautiful Appleton, WI – has had a D1 prospect on their hands, but 2025 RB/S Grant Dean changed that this fall after the 6′, 180 lber. earned a big-time FCS offer from North Dakota State in mid-September. The Bison doing an excellent job of identifying talented high school prospects – a lot of the time with NFL potential – earlier than their counterparts, so I wouldn’t expect NDSU to be his last offer before it’s all said and done. Since the NDSU offer rolled in, Dean has visited Iowa State for a gameday, and the home state Badgers have gotten involved as well. Dean is dynamic and can make an impact in a ton of different ways on the gridiron and in all three phases of the game. I like him best as a safety, but he also makes plays as a RB, WR, and punt returner, and can even block PATs and FGs on special teams. Offensively, he’s got solid speed, cuts off his routes well and is fearless when reeling in receptions through contact, and is laterally explosive and will pack a punch at the contact point. With the ball in hand, he sets up would-be tacklers well and breaks/cuts suddenly, and as a RB he finds the hole well. As a safety, there’s a lot going for him. Dean can start/stop & change direction well, which helps him lock into WRs when breaking on the ball and adjust well to the flight of the pigskin. He’s also patient in man coverage and and is an asset in off-man and from the slot, and I love how he gets downhill, closes, and covers a ton of ground in run support impressively. Dean can make plays behind the LOS as the two-high safety and is a strong tackler who can lay a thump and easily negate extra yardage when he makes contact with a RB or WR. He’s fun to watch and a surefire stock-riser in the Badger State. Keep it up, young man!
Highlights
PrepRedzoneWI lead scout Mark Johnson and I were lucky enough to get a look at Stoughton’s behemoth of an OT Griffin Rousseau while he was a young 8th grader at one of TheLine Showcase’s earliest events, and it was easy to tell he had a P5 ceiling and had the chance to be a heckuva player one day. Fast forward a few years and Rousseau is now a 6’7, 305 lb. upperclassman representing Wisconsin’s 2025 class well, and he’s seen those years of hard work pay off this fall. After his first offer rolled in in early June from Wisconsin-prospect-lovin’ Bart Miller and Bret Bielema from the Illinois Fighting Illini, Rousseau grabbed an offer from 2023 pleasant surprise performer Duke and is receiving a ton of attention from the likes of Minnesota, Syracuse, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Dartmouth, Ohio, and NDSU. The junior film will be a big reason more P5 offers come in, and the 6’7, 305 lber. is off to a solid start in 2023. The strength and physicality are the #1 most exciting things about his current resume as a prospect. He’s dominant at the contact point against all kinds of opponents, but there is a lot more to his game that should get a prospective college OL coach fired up. With a legit 6’7, 305 lb. frame with more room to fill in, Rousseau can bend pretty well in his stance for a 6’7 OT, is a vicious puller, and is quite comfortable getting out into space and breaking down to handle smaller opponents, which also translates to him working to the second level easily. He has noticeably and impressively powerful punch and is strong at the point of attack, possesses good leg drive once engaged, always works to finish, and sends opponents flying once he locks out and extends his arms. In addition to his run-blocking prowess, Rousseau has experience in pass pro and shows he can drop and gain depth to handle speedier rushes upfield. He’s balanced when adjusting laterally or in pass pro and is patient when timing up his punch. He already looks built for B1G ball and will see more offers roll in during what will be a fun junior season for the junior.
Keshawn Lewis-Hunt
Keshawn Lewis-Hunt
The Chicago Public League saw an influx of talent for the 2023 season in the form of transfers, and Morgan Park got a good one from Bremen High School out in Midlothian, about an hour south of Chicago. 6’1, 225 lb. RB/LB Keshawn Lewis-Hunt has been a large and powerful injection of talent for the Mustangs offensive especially running attack, and the 2x All-Conference and All-Area ball carrier has seen his hard work pay off with a big-time P5 offer this September. Morgan Park has not been light on college coaches/recruiters stopping by, and the Louisville Cardinals were the first team to take a flyer out on the XL RB, making for a great first offer for Mr. Lewis-Hunt. So far this season, Lewis-Hunt has demonstrated a ton of college projectability on both sides of the ball. As a RB, he possesses light feet, COD skills and is sudden for his size, and can beat tackle attempts with power and/or quickness and sets up defenders in the open field nicely as well. I also like his vision and ability to see the cutback lane, and he displays the contact balance and physicality you’d expect from a RB of his size. Lewis-Hunt does not run out of bounds, a trait that is getting harder and harder to find in prep RBs. As a LB and occasional DE, he reads, recognizes, reacts, and triggers on the ball quickly, and does a good job of flying out of his stance, particularly when blitzing or shooting gaps between the tackles. Lewis-Hunt can also pursue to the sideline, is comfortable in space, and is a hammer at the contact point once he puts his pads on an opponent. Lots to like on both sides of the ball. The Illinois 2024 class has a big-time stock-riser and new name on their hands!
Every recruiting cycle, I have around 10 prospects I will absolutely stand on the table for, and in the 2025 class, one of those recruits is Mt. Zion’s electric WR Brayden Trimble. I, along with PRzIL, have been singing his praises since he was a young freshman, and I have to pat myself on the back for seeing that projection finally come to fruition this fall. After his first offer rolled in from Miami (OH) in June and the Northwestern Wildcats joined in later that month for his first P5 offer, Trimble has added Iowa and Iowa State offers in September to fully solidify his status as a Power5 prospect. Absurdly athletic, the 6’1, 170 lber. is a highlight reel waiting to happen, and is on a different plane than his opponents in terms of speed and elusiveness. Trimble can break half a dozen tackles in a single rep like it’s a walk in the park. Some of my favorite traits of his are his big-time burst, twitchy and powerful cuts, and ability to explode out of his breaks and create a ton of separation at the top of the route. He possesses great hands, eye-popping, and impressive vertical ability when climbing the ladder and high-pointing the football, where he seems to levitate and create an insane vertical to pluck the ball high out of the sky, and he will also lower his shoulder and run a would-be tackler over like they’re his little brother. Trimble is the complete package in terms of a playmaker and can turn routine screens, dumps, and quick passes, not to mention punt returns, into massive momentum-shifting TD plays. Get the ball in his hands and good things are going to happen. Every time I watch him I become more and more of a fan.
One of the most fertile recruiting grounds in our great United States, the state of Ohio produces top-notch talent at all positions on the gridiron year after year. New names, breakout stars, and stock risers are emerging into the spotlight basically all year around, and this is especially true during the season, where Ohio natives play on the gridiron become too hard to ignore for potential college homes. One of this fall’s new stars comes out of powerhouse St. Xavier in Cincinnati, where 6’5, 240 lb. 2025 DE Gordy Sulfsted is having a heckuva fall on the recruiting trail. After his first offer rolled in last April from Pitt, he earned September offers from Iowa, Cincinnati, and the Minnesota Golden Gophers, validating his P5 potential and creating some exciting recruiting momentum that should carry through the rest of his junior year. Sulfsted is a traditional 3-4 5T but can line up all over the LOS and create havoc, and is patient and assignment-sound and productive in both run and pass defense situations. He can go speed to power off the edge, can change direction and pursue/tackle ball carriers out to the edge, and has a good get-off that puts blockers on their heels from the snap. Sulfsted also displays a big-time motor, effective hand usage, bend at the top of the arch, and the ability to beat OTs to either shoulder and execute stunts effectively. Big kid who moves like he’s 40 pounds lighter and is putting together strong reps and exciting tape against big-time competition. His best football is in front of him as well.
It doesn’t get much better than a first college offer from a defending college football playoff semifinalist, and if you don’t believe me, you can ask Avon, Ohio’s 2026 standout Jakob Weatherspoon. The 5’11, 170 lb. sophomore has been tearing up fields of Northern Ohio this fall and saw his standout speed, athleticism, and tape pay off with a major first offer from the University of Michigan in mid-September. One of the top 400M runners in the United States, Weatherspoon transitions that speed to the gridiron as a cornerback nicely, displaying top end speed to easily stay on top of WRs going vertical and run down loose ball carriers far downfield with pursuit speed that is very rare to find, especially in an underclassman. He has lined up and held his own against high-quality competition such as Ohio State commits and other P5 athletes, and gets out of his breaks with pace, covers an absurd amount of ground in run support, and is an effective blitzer from the CB spot. For a young buck of his size, Weatherspoon has no problems in the physicality department either. He looks very comfortable and natural in pass coverage and already has a balanced and playmaking skillset that should do very well the rest of his varsity career and into college. Great move by the Wolverines getting in early.
One of the unique particulars that come out of the recruiting space during the fall is the “flips” that occur when committed athletes switch their commitment from one school to another, which can come from factors such as their former committed school’s success, or lack thereof, visits, family situations, one or two party cooling on the other, scholarship limits, or new offers rolling in from impressive junior/senior tape. The latter factor may be at play in our next athlete, who comes out of Lumen Christi High School in Jackson, Michigan. 6’7, 250 lber. Aiden Pastoriza is a current Central Michigan commit who has upped his stock this season in big ways. Thanks to the combination of size (6’9″ wingspan), athleticism (9′ broad jump), and new film, Pastoriza has earned his first two P5 offers from Cincinnati and Northwestern, both of which came last month. He’s still committed to the ‘Chips, but these are obviously notable offers and his recruitment is surely one to watch going forward before the early national signing day. The P5 offers and potential makes sense when you combine the film with the size, as he possesses a great frame with a lot of room to fill in and has rare + impressive pad level and flexibility that I’m not used to seeing in a 6’7 OT. A dominant run blocker with strength at the point of attack and effective leg drive once he’s engaged, Pastoriza crumples defenders when run blocking at the LOS and can easily work to the second level and corral smaller & quicker opponents. Additionally, he shows a solid base and anchor in pass pro and also plays DL, where he can easily hold a gap vs. doubles, can shock and shed single blocking attempts, and is a hammer at the contact point when tackling. For the recruiting gurus out there, especially in The Mitten, this is a must-watch recruitment to follow.
Highlights
Zionsville’s 6’2, 190 lb. safety Max Phenicie asserted himself as a name-to-know in the Hoosier State’s 2025 class of P5 prospects after a successful summer camp circuit earned him a P5 offer from Ole Miss in late July, but he’s confirmed himself as a big-time prospect during the fall of his junior year after Maryland offered in mid-September and Miami (OH) joined his offer list on October 7th. The likes of Kentucky, Notre Dame, Indiana, and Wisconsin are also involved, and if he keeps up his play and production like he’s been showing as a junior, his offer sheet is far from finished. Phenicie is impressive in both run and pass support, and identifies passing concepts and breaks on the ball well as the MOF defender while also demonstrating the skills to effectively and impressively play man coverage out of the slot. Great patience, footwork, and ball skills when breaking on passes, and he’s comfortable when the ball is in the air and has the speed to carry wideouts far downfield in pass coverage. Additionally, the 190 lber. triggers on the ball with so much pace that he can create massive collisions when he makes impact with WRs and is a big-time enforcer from the defensive secondary. In the run game, Phenicie runs the alley well & can come downhill to make run stops behind the LOS from his high safety spot. Rangy in both run and pass defense, he’s also able to defeat blocks in space well, and boy do I love watching him tackle. He sticks opponents when he makes contact and is consistently technically sound. Indiana is loaded in the 2025 class and Phenicie is a must-know when talking DBs.
We’re staying in the Great State of Indiana and the theme of “flips” with our next notable recruit in Fishers High School 6′, 200 lb. RB Khobie Martin. One of the top ball carriers in the Hoosier State and the 2024 class, Martin came into his senior season committed to MAC heavyweight Miami (OH), but his play and athletic profile kept the P5 and B1Gs circling the wagons and ended up paying off. On September 14th, Indiana offered, and three days later Martin decommitted from Miami (OH). The writing was on the wall, and five days after that Martin announced his commitment to the in-state Hoosiers. What a week it must have been for the senior! The 200 lber. has a slashing, North/South running style that is going to fit in very well in the B1G. Martin displays slippery and loose hips and quick feet that help him play twitchy for his size. He uses misdirected cuts and steps to set up would-be tacklers in the open field and gets defenders off balance where he does a good job of slipping through tackle attempts at his lower body. I also like his burst & vision, and Martin shows noticeable pop and contact balance when meeting defenders head-on. It’ll be fun to watch the instate hero play for his Hoosiers for the next 3-5 years. Enjoy the rest of your senior year, stud!
Highlights
We’re back to the Buckeye State and the 2025 class as we check out the budding recruitment of Ironton High School’s 5’10, 170 lb. WR Shaun Terry II. After coming into his junior campaign with offers from Toledo, Western Kentucky, and UMass, Terry saw his stock rise and recruitment pedigree bump up a level after he earned his first P5 offer from Illinois on September 22nd. Things have blown up since then, and Terry II now holds offers from West Virginia, Eastern Michigan, Wisconsin, and Michigan State, with a lot more potential offers coming. I only use the word “electric” in rare cases, but Terry II is absolutely electric. He possesses game-breaking speed that easily take the top off the defense, take simple jet sweeps to the house untouched, and create something out of seemingly nothing, and I love how he can start/stop or change direction and burst out of his cuts with visible power and pace. After the catch, Terry II demonstrates great balance and one of the better spin moves I’ve seen scouting prospects this season. He can hit the B button or spin out of tackle attempts with equal zeal and effectiveness, and in addition to the spin move, Terry II has a plethora of moves in his repertoire to embarrass defenders, and is shifty, dangerous, natural at creating miss tackles, capitalizing on space, and creating big plays out of solid defense from the opposition. He’s simply a natural playmaker, with a dynamic skillset and a ton of twitch and suddenness that gives DBs and LBs absolute fits. Additionally, Terry II has ball skills and is a shifty route runner who breaks off his routes well and can create separation at just about any point in the route. What a fun one to watch!
Charleston Coldon
Charleston Coldon
A major newcomer to the Land of Lincoln 2025 recruiting crop of prospects, 6’1, 190 lb. WR/DB Charleston Coldon represents deep southern Illinois and the always talent-rich St. Louis metro/Southern IL area right over the border. A junior at Althoff Catholic who is also a stud hooper, Coldon burst into the P5 recruiting ranks this past month when Iowa State became his first offer on the 23rd of September. Yet again, the Cyclones pull the trigger and trust their evaluation process before anyone else. A plus-sized DB with length, Coldon is also a stud on the offensive side of the ball and displays a skillset that includes good speed that can take the edge on a defense and finish a run for six, as well as take the top off the defense when going vertical. He can also drop his hips and burst out of his cuts with noticeable pace, owns good COD skills overall, is quick in his releases at the LOS, and demonstrates ball skills and concentration when the pigskin is in the air. Defensively, which is where he projects best in college, Coldon is excellent at mirroring and eventually breaking on the ball and is so smooth he sometimes runs the routes for the receiver. The 190 lber. explodes out of his breaks, can play press or off-man on the perimeter or even out of the slot, and is physical at the LOS. Speaking of physical, Coldon will hold the edge and can come up and support the run as well.
Flip season is far from over in 2023 and it’s also far from over in this PrepRedzone Midwest feature, and we have a major potential flip coming out of the Great State of Indiana that is trending toward a B1G competitor. Peru High School’s 6’4, 235 lb. TE/DE Braxton Strong came into his senior season committed to FBS Colorado State, but even during the summer, it seemed his recruitment was not finished. Akron offered at the end of July and Central Michigan reached out in early September, which preceded the massive news of the Northwestern Wildcats offering near the end of last month. Two days after the offer came in, Strong announced his de-commitment from Colorado State, but thrillingly, he still hasn’t officially declared his new intentions. You have to be feeling good if you’re the Wildcats in this situation, especially given Strong’s athletic profile, which includes a 36″ vert, 4.5 40, 475 lb. squat, and 325 lb. power clean. His senior tape shows off a dynamic, powerful, and athletic two-way contributor who has posted 11 catches for 353 yards and 6 TDs plus a rushing TD for good measure from his TE spot and added 46 tackles, 9 TFLs, 4 sacks, 2 forced INTs through the first 7 weeks of his senior season. Defensively, Strong displays an explosive get-off, bend at the top of the arch, and effective hand usage in both run and pass situations. I’m really impressed by his excellent closing speed and the 235 lber. is a physical and aggressive tackler who gets the most out of every hit. As a TE, he shows off good speed for his size. He gets into DBs and LBs’ toes before they can react and has a ton of reps of him burning coverage and getting open downfield. I also like how Strong can high-point the football well and shows solid concentration when the rock is in the air, and he’s got an array of moves with the ball in hand and after the catch. Additionally, he’s a high-energy, physical blocker who can pull/wrap around the LOS, swipe back, work from an inline spot, and get to the second or third level of a defense. I could see him playing either spot at the next level, and we’ll be eagerly awaiting his commitment status announcement. Hard work pays off, sir!
Highlights
Although it’s not the most surprising recruitment news, it’s definitely still notable, as earning a P5 offer from the home state helmet school is never not major, especially when it’s the University of Michigan. Portage Northern’s superstar sophomore Gregory Patrick got his recruitment going early, as he earned offers from Central Michigan, Minnesota, Western Michigan, Toledo, Miami (OH), Oklahoma, and Michigan State before his sophomore year got underway, and it took less than a month for blue-blood Michigan to get involved with his recruitment and offer a B1G scholarship. The Nebraska Cornhuskers joined in two days later as well. The sophomore midseason tape displays a powerful, mobile, balanced , and athletic LT with an explosive initial punch that is powerful enough at first contact to send DL flying backward. Patrick does a great job of staying engaged with an opponent and working to finish once he gets his hands on, plays with a sturdy and solid base, and can easily and effectively work to the second level and eliminate smaller/quicker defenders. I can’t help but be impressed by his clean and patient pass set. The footwork and technique is consistent and smooth, and overall Patrick’s got just about everything going for him that you’d want in a prep OL, especially a sophomore. Patrick just turned 15 on September 2nd, stands at 6’4.5″, 270 lbs., is already a decorated and experienced varsity LT, and has his best football in front of him. One word: stud.
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