West Michigan ’27s Ready For Huge Season

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>West Michigan has always had gems, and recently college coaches have taken note. If you look at teams like Ferris State and Grand Valley, their rosters are constructed around home-grown guys in the area. Below are some of the next ones up in the area that are in for big junior years. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1028165"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6806f08ba6887"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Just mere minutes north of the Indiana border, [player_tooltip player_id='1028165' first='Landon' last='Hall'] is the hidden gem of all hidden gems in this state. In his 10 games in 2024, Hall put up 2,323 yards and notched 19 touchdown passes. Hall is a top 5 QB in this class despite being under-recruited. D1 schools should be on notice.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>First of all, he has all of the measurables. He's able to stand in the pocket and distribute the ball efficiently. His arm strength is good and his decision making is far beyond most high school quarterbacks. He makes back shoulder throws, deep balls, slants and comebacks all look incredibly easy. Short, intermediate and deep throws are all well within his wheelhouse. A true gem that should have a real shot at the D1 level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1573500"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6806f08ba68e6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1573500' first='Cameron' last='Payne'] is one of the hardest runners we have in this state. A true tough-nosed guy that can churn out the difficult yardage. When I got the opportunity to see him in the semi-finals and state finals last season, he was a steady and consistent yards getter for his team. He was even able to salt the game away against East Lansing in the semi finals, grinding out tough yards even when the whole stadium knew who was getting the ball. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Payne is an absolute ox. Strong legs and core allows him to run behind his pads and punish tacklers. He possesses good contact balance which allows for plenty of yards after contact. Payne even has the ability to hit defenders with a dead leg or spin move in the hole, making him insanely difficult to track down. Payne will likely be the focus of the offense of the Byron Center offense with the departure of guys like [player_tooltip player_id='899559' first='Landon' last='Tungate']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1327723"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6806f08ba6934"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1327723' first='Andrew' last='Willemsen'] is another kid that will likely surprise some folks this season, but he's not sneaking up on us here at Prep Redzone. Andrew was one of the best athletes in attendance at our camp and his highlights back up everything we saw from him. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He has some blazing quickness and abrupt change of direction. He's balanced and has the ability to make defenders miss or just flat-out beat a defender down the sideline. He's been working on developing his versatility and becoming an every-down back, which is no easy feat in the OK-Red. Watch out for a big season out of this productive back. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1173539"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6806f08ba6981"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1173539' first='Braylon' last='Jefferson'] has made the transition out of Hudsonville and over to Grand Rapids Northview, making him an incredibly interesting storyline to follow this season. An up and coming QB taking the helm for an up and coming school who just went 9-1 with their only loss coming to eventual state runner-up; Byron Center. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jefferson has a ton of great traits that makes him so impactful. His ability to scan the field and make quick and confident moves is well above average. He has good arm strength and is able to fit it into tight windows, undoubtedly repped over and over in his 7 on 7 career. On top of his arm, he has lively legs and is able to manipulate the defense with his legs just as effectively. It will be a learning curve for him as he takes the helm, but the tools are there for a lot of success. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1529533"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6806f08ba69ca"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1529533' first='Luke' last='Brodnicki'] jumped up to our #1 defensive lineman in this class, and it's pretty easy to see why. Hudsonville has started to pump out a ton of talent, and it looks like Luke could one with the highest ceiling. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brodnicki is a high motor guy who is able to own his gaps and shed blocks to be a run stuffer inside. He fires off low and gets a great first step, putting him in great position against slower offensive linemen. He shows the capability to utilize a strong punch and a few solid moves to break through the line and live in backfields. He has the size, strength and drive to be a highly sought after prospect in this class. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->