Breakout Candidates of the MAC Red
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It’s no secret that the MAC Red houses some of the best talent Michigan has to offer. With several alumni now in the NFL, historically great coaches, and state champions, the Macomb area is a hotbed for college recruiting. There…
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Continue ReadingIt’s no secret that the MAC Red houses some of the best talent Michigan has to offer. With several alumni now in the NFL, historically great coaches, and state champions, the Macomb area is a hotbed for college recruiting. There are dozens of athletes who could break out in this league next season. Today, I’ll be covering 8 of them.
QB | Jadon Ford Jadon Ford 6'3" | 180 lbs | QB Dakota | 2025 MI | Dakota | Hudl
Jadon’s film is headlined by big games against St. Mary’s and Fordson. During these games especially, Jadon shows great throw power with the ability to fit it into tighter windows. There were a few plays where I thought he made the wrong read, but he pass was still complete because of his ability to throw an accurate bullet. His deep accuracy can use a bit of work, but he consistently gets the ball where his receiver has a chance to make a play. His pocket presence is also quite good, as he does his best to stand strong in the pocket, but he’s also great at evading pressure while still keeping his eyes downfield. It was a good 2023 season despite his collarbone injury, and I’m looking forward to seeing just how good he can be next season.
DB | Arnez Sanders | Dakota | Hudl
Arnez’s film shows a well-rounded game. He has film with press coverage, man, zone, run stopping, blitz, and a few kick returns. The first highlight showcases a great ability to disrupt the route before turning his head around to come down with an interception. In general, he’s very quick to react on all types of plays. He explodes toward the QB on blitz packages, aggressively sheds blocks on run plays, gets his head around, and is quick to make plays on the ball in pass coverage. It’s apparent to me that Arnez is a great DB prospect, and his recruitment should get going soon.
G | Nick Battaglia | Dakota | Hudl
Nick is a great guard who blocks through the whistle and finishes his blocks, especially with basic gap blocks. He fires out of his stance with intent, and delivers a big hit, getting his defender out of his gap. He’s similarly aggressive with his pulls, but I think he could be a tad faster and under control with his pulls. His pass sets could use work, as he seems to lean and get off balance easily. Though he’s a starting guard on a state championship contender, he’s got an entire offseason ahead of him to work to improve.
RB | Caleb Fowlkes Caleb Fowlkes 6'0" | 190 lbs | QB Chippewa Valley | 2025 MI | Chippewa Valley | Hudl
With several amazing athletes graduating from CV, Caleb is an obvious choice for a breakout candidate. Unlike the speedy, agile athletes that CV is known for, Caleb is more of a north-south bruiser of a runner. That said, he doesn’t try to do too much in the open field except run forward and hit hard. His contact balance is ok, but if he can improve in that regard, he’ll be a lethal power RB. He already has a good build and had a good season last year. This offseason, he could take his game to the next level.
WR | William Jones-Terrell William Jones-Terrell 6'2" | 190 lbs | WR Chippewa Valley | 2026 State MI | Chippewa Valley | Hudl
Jones-Terrell has already garnered some early Power 5 attention, as he received an offer from Michigan State in December of 2022. Next season, I expect him to take off and solidify himself as a true Division 1 prospect. The first thing that stands out to me is the eye test. Even on film, you can tell that he has long limbs, is tall, and has amazing athletic potential. His film shows a great release, long stride, with some flashes of good hands. I hope to see him take off next fall.
G | Kaden Bruha | Romeo | Hudl
Kaden’s film is short, but it has a lot of promising aspects. He’s a true mauler in the run game with a good, powerful first step. He initiates contact and finishes his blocks. He’s also more agile than I had expected. In the few pass sets I saw in his film, he looked under control and reliable. The promising film alongside his measurables make for a great-looking prospect with potential to keep an eye on.
WR | Ronnie Hill Ronnie Hill 6'1" | 170 lbs | WR Sterling Heights Stevenson | 2026 State MI | Sterling Heights Stevenson | Hudl
Ronnie is a straight-up weapon in the red zone, excelling in 50/50 balls. His film shows several plays near the endzone where he runs a clean route, sometimes with a double move before he climbs the ladder and high points the ball. He’s a good route runner, fast, with obviously great hands. I would like to see more of his open-field ability. I think that’s an area where he can diversify his game a lot. He’s already received praise from his play in the Legacy 7on7 league, and I expect him to put up even better numbers next fall.
OL | Michael Dziadula | IKE | Hudl
Michael is a mauler, especially when he pulls. He’s an aggressive, decently agile, and powerful guard who seems to have that tenacity needed to play O-Line at a high level. He has a quick first step and is fast to get to his spot and deliver a big hit on an unsuspecting defender. With his size and pulling highlights alone, I could see some offers coming his way soon.