Central WI Studs and Stars: Class of 2026

Time to journey into the middle of Wisconsin to find the talent within the region. In this series we are going to work within a circle of cities. The outline will be Mosinee to the north, west to Marshfield, south to Wisconsin Rapids and east to Iola/Scandinavia. This area of talent has so many schools to dive into. You have those four outline schools plus Stevens Point, Stratford, and Auburndale. This area has so many schools to easily get to within an hour of each other for college recruiters. So let's see what the draw to the area includes!    It is hard not to be a massive fan of [player_tooltip player_id='1251526' first='Jensen' last='Rice']. The small school athlete has been blessed with and developed elite athletic tools. He literally checks every box. His speed is a mismatch, especially in the open field where he can hit that second gear. The junior has the body control and quick feet to play with outstanding short area agility and burst. He can make you miss in a phone booth and create space in tight quarters that he uses to create big plays out of nothing. His instincts on top of the athletic prowess boost the impact of those tools even further. Rice has the talent to play either side of the ball at the next level, and has recently earned his first D1 offer from Army. Tap into the highlights of the best player from this central WI region.      The 6'1" 205 lbs junior LB out of Wisconsin Rapids is a very intriguing recruit. He is slightly undersized for the position, but plays the position so well. Sawyer brings the mentality and physicality to the position. He is a hard tackler, quick to read and move to be in position to make plays. The junior is a hunter at the second level who triggers quickly vs the run and closes even quicker. Sawyer also does well running through the front seven, laterally or downhill, while staying clean. On top of it all, the 2026 LB has the range to easily sprint to the sideline after the football. Sawyer is a kid to know in this school, in this region, and at his position overall.      Stratford will be looking for a third straight State Championship this fall, and a '26 who will be a key piece to that success is [player_tooltip player_id='1610195' first='Coltan' last='Breit']. The junior WR/DB already has been contributing heavily on both sides of the ball. Coltan is a prototypical example of the small school, big time talent. The junior can quickly take the top off the defense at WR and easily track the ball and run underneath it deep downfield. Coltan checks every box athletically from that speed to his acceleration and release off the line, and hand-eye coordination to make plays on the ball in traffic on both sides of the ball. That agility, burst, and change of direction shine on defense as well as offense. Plus he isn't afraid to drop the hammer on receivers as a tackler. Versatility. Raw talent. Check this kid out.      Another outstanding small school talent from central WI is OT and State Champion [player_tooltip player_id='1574367' first='Drew' last='Gage']. Drew is now up to 6'4" 265 lbs and towers over the majority of his opponents. His budding frame looks the part of a next level OL. The mean, nasty, finish with violence play style shows up throughout his game. The junior OT has developed impressive foot quickness, balance, and agility that gives him the talent to quickly win the leverage battle and the body positioning battle. If keeping himself between the ball and defender on every snap wasn't enough, Drew also has the power within his big frame to overpower and bury defensive linemen. Get this kid on your radar and invited out to summer camps.      Do not sleep on the junior DB/WR out of Stevens Point. The 5'11" 165 lbs athlete has the athleticism to shine on both sides of the ball. Turn on the tape and you see a kid that has the speed to create separation with his deeper routes. Jonathon also has the quick twitch agility to be able to press receivers at the line in man coverage. In zone coverage we see more of his range as he can close quickly and grab INTs with his excellent ball skills. The junior also shows off a strong sense of awareness at DB while trading off receivers with other DBs. I really like the tools this kid has to build on this offseason.      Mosinee is home to a very exciting multi-sport athlete. Treve Stoffel is a 6'4" 190 lbs dual threat QB and safety on the gridiron. The big athlete has a live arm that allows him and the offense to stretch the field with vertical passing. He easily can drive it deep to a receiver or let it fall in a bucket. Even more impressive, and more developed, than the arm talent is his athleticism. Even with that big frame, Treve still possesses the burst and agility to win between the tackles. He is at his best when he can attack the edge and really let the top end speed and long strides pull away from the rest of the athletes on the field. The big play offensive weapon also shines at safety where that athleticism and football IQ allow him to close quickly, deliver big hits or make plays on the ball. There is a lot to like from the size, athleticism, versatility, and production.      We wrap up this article with another standout athlete and State Champion out of Stratford. Brooks did a lot of his damage and impact on the offensive side of the ball. I love the way Brooks runs the rock. He wins with his outstanding contract balance, power, and leg drive. So many of his best runs come from broken tackles, and bouncing his way through the front seven where he leaves a wake of failed tackle attempts. Brooks does a great job of keeping his feet moving and always getting downfield. Check out the physical athlete.

Time to journey into the middle of Wisconsin to find the talent within the region. In this series we are going to work within a circle of cities. The outline will be Mosinee to the north, west to Marshfield, south to Wisconsin Rapids and east to Iola/Scandinavia. This area of talent has so many schools to dive into. You have those four outline schools plus Stevens Point, Stratford, and Auburndale. This area has so many schools to easily get to within an hour of each other for college recruiters. So let's see what the draw to the area includes!