Five Northern Michigan Gems

Northern Michigan may not be as densely populated as other areas, though there are still gems to be found- you just have to look a little harder. This article is all about those unsung guys. Over the next couple of days, I'll be talking about 20 potential college prospects north of Bay City. Here's my first 5!    Like teammates Pierce and Pavel, I think Ford could find some success this offseason.   Ford projects as a pro-style QB in college. Last season, he completed 64% of his passes on 121 attempts for 1128 yards. Ford's Junior Season tape shows a number of really nicely-placed throws to receivers running in full stride. As long as Ford has his feet set, he has the accuracy to complete any pass. Ford does need to work on his accuracy under pressure, though. When under pressure, Ford tends to throw ill-advised balls or he begins scrambling without looking downfield at all.   Some things to clean up, but with good showings at offseason camps, Ford could be a college prospect. Either way, he's one of the best pro-style passers in Northern Michigan.     Austin is great as a physical outside receiver. His Junior highlights show a ton deep 50/50 Ws.   0:35 is a decent 10-yard comeback leading to a TD, but other than that, there isn't that much WR film other than fades. 1:12 is one of the best 50/50 wins with a great catch with a DB right in his face. As a physical deep threat, Austin has some real value. Though I definitely want to see a larger variety of routes this offseason. Looking forward to seeing more from Austin in the coming months.     Tyler is a perfect fit for the St. Francis offense. I know that St. Francis likes tough, physical players, and that's exactly how I'd describe Tyler.   The bulk of his highlights show QB runs, most designed, some improvised. A big theme with all of these runs is effort. Tyler rarely goes down on first contact, always running as hard as he can, and he's always finding a way to get a few extra yards. Plus, there are moments where he's able to slash past defenders who are over-pursuing.   Although there aren't a ton of passing highlights, the existing highlights show promise. His baseball background shines through- <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/23492642/66d864fecb6701d67cfdce0f">0:55</a> shows a perfect pass out to the flat. 1:19 shows a good pass to a wide-open receiver over the middle of the field. If he's able to show more promise at offseason camps, he could be recruited as a Quarterback.     A very stout defender. I am impressed with Colton's Junior Highlights.   Colton's tape kicks off with a great read + attack on an outside run. Great job dipping past the tackle, then absolutely stuffing the outside run. One recurring theme of Colton's tape is that he never allows an inch in the run game. He sometimes hits way too high, but has vice-grip hands, never stops his feet, and stops the ballcarriers right in their tracks.   Really high-effort linebacker who excels in stuffing the run. Very rarely do I see linebackers as effective as Colton. He flat-out does not allow ball carriers to earn extra yards. Depending on Colton's size, he could be a college prospect.     Munger is simply too big and too strong for a lot of the competition he faced during the 2024 season.   <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/18557269/675df6db904110b98ae10e25">0:24</a> is a great example of this. Mark is popped by the center and tackle, but he stays his ground and makes an easy tackle. 0:38 is another example. Hit, doesn't move an inch, and has a free ride into the backfield. Mark also has a handful of great offensive highlights. He isn't moved when playing defense, but sure as heck moves people when playing offense. 1:02 is a textbook double-team, then 1:27 is a solid second-level block.   Another physical football player from Northern MI. Mark should have a phenomenal senior season.

Northern Michigan may not be as densely populated as other areas, though there are still gems to be found- you just have to look a little harder. This article is all about those unsung guys. Over the next couple of days, I'll be talking about 20 potential college prospects north of Bay City. Here's my first 5!