Class of 2013

Tyler White  6-6  240  Sr  ATH  Plainwell
We’ve already featured him twice that season — with good reason, he can play and White’s best football is ahead of him. His first offer came over the weekend from Illinois, and he has committed to the Illini. He’s Plainwell’s second Big Ten recruit in as many seasons, as Jack Conlkin is a red-shirt freshman lineman at Michigan State.

Tristan Eickenroth  6-1  200  Sr  RB  Kingsley
He broke his arm in Kingsley’s week 1 win over St. Francis, and returned Friday in a loss to Glen Lake. Eickenroth is a GLIAC priority recruit because he brings size and 4.6 speed to running back or receiver. There may not be a player at his size and Northern Michigan who can turn the corner like Eickenroth. Great balance, vision, bounces off tacklers, he’s a legit runner. When he had two good arms, at least, he could come out of the backfield to catch passes in stride. With his feet back under him, Eickenroth will be a major factor as Kingsley plays for a playoff berth.

Greg Krusniak  6-7  230  TE  Greenville
Greenville’s best pure football player is 6-1, 240 pound senior nose guard Colt Harrington. Long term, given the physical dimensions of the college game, it could be Krusniak. The Yellowjackets certainly have a luxury in him at the high school level, a big target with soft hands. He plays a variety of roles, sometimes as a run blocker, often  lining up split wide. With 5.0 speed he’s not a threat to take it to the house, but he’s pretty smooth after the catch with a knack for making the first man miss and gets first downs or TDs in the red zone. The question with Krusniak as a basketball prospect has been his motivation and drive. With consistent effort in football, he’s a scholarship tight end because while he won’t wow you, he has too many tools to ignore. With the top two tight ends off the board, Plainwell’s Tyler White and GR Christian’s Zach Crouch to Illinois and Central Michigan respectively, Krusniak becomes that much more valuable a target.

Zach Hill  5-11  180  Sr  RB  Kalkaska
It’s somewhat fitting that in St. Francis’ first season after being ousted from the Lake Michigan Conference, the league is as egalitarian and competitive as ever (but even more, ironic that this is also the first year ever that TCSF has lost to more than one team from the LMC). Kalkaska has surprised many at 4-2. Hill shares both the offensive and defensive backfields with two 11th-grade junior prospects, 6-3, 185 Will Noble and 6-1, 220 Kaleb Hauser. Hill is the quickest and most explosive of the group, at out Traverse City combine he ran a 4.7 40 and 4.27 pro shuttle with a 30-inch vertical and 9-4 broad jump. He’s best running between the tackles and at this level can get tough yardage. That said, Hill may find it less crowded as a DB projecting to the next level.

2015 watch

Ethan Campbell  5-10  175  So  RB  Traverse City Central
Campbell had his coming out party in TC Central’s biggest game of the year, Friday’s win over TC West. Campbell played the defensive side of the ball for much of the year and hadn’t taken many reps at running back. With senior Nate Pupel sidelined due to injury, Campbell go the call and was nothing short of spectacular scoring four TDS four different ways — caught one, returned one, ran one and threw for one on a faked punt. Love his athleticism as he currently squats close to 500 pounds and notched a vertical jump of 31 inches at our July combine.

Zach McGuire  6-1  180  ATH  Traverse City West
He plays receiver and defensive back for TC West, with the desirable combination of size and speed to play on either side of the ball at the next level. As a receiver, McGuire runs good routes and catches the ball at its highest point. At corner, he often plays man coverage and has solid technique for someone his age. You can also see his athleticism on the basketball court, where McGuire will be a four-year varsity player.