Northern Michigan/Upper Peninsula All-Region Team

The 2017 Northern Michigan/Upper Peninsula All-Region squad is off-the-charts good -- I'd go to battle on the football field with this line-up any day. From top to bottom and at every level, this team is loaded with Division I college football talent. Every player on this list can play D-I football at some level (high, mid, low). While this area of Michigan churns out multiple D-I recruits every season, it's also the place where some of the Great Lakes State's most legendary and accomplished NFL players/coaches first started competing in football. Future NFL and professional players/coaches from the Northern Michigan/Upper Peninsula Region include C Dave Manders (Kingsford, MSU, NFL, arguably the greatest center ever produced by the state of Michigan, first Dallas Cowboy lineman ever selected to the Pro Bowl, played in two Super Bowls), TE Mark Brammer (Traverse City, MSU, NFL), WR Jeff Janis (Tawas, Saginaw Valley State, NFL), DE Anthony Zettel (West Branch Ogemaw Heights, Penn State, NFL), OG Heartley "Hunk" Anderson (Calumet, Notre Dame, NFL, succeeded Knute Rockne as Notre Dame head coach and later coached the Chicago Bears), DT-OG Ray Bray (Vulcan, WMU, NFL, original member of the Chicago Bears' "Monsters of the Midway" NFL championship teams of the 1940s), OT Jake Fisher (Traverse City West, Oregon, NFL), LB Max Bullough (Traverse City St. Francis, MSU, NFL), DE Bob Jurasin (Bessemer, Northern Michigan, CFL, enshrined in Canadian Football Hall of Fame), RB-QB Gene Ronzani (Iron Mountain, Marquette, NFL, succeeded Curly Lambeau as Green Bay Packers head coach), OG Len St. Jean (Newberry, Northern Michigan, NFL-AFL), QB Steve Mariucci (Iron Mountain, Northern Michigan, NFL, former head coach of the Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers and the University of California) and E Chuck Fairbanks (Charlevoix, MSU, NFL, former head coach of the New England Patriots, University of Oklahoma and University of Colorado, widely credited with co-creating the 3-4 defense).

Northern Michigan/Upper Peninsula 2017 All-Region-

WR-Jake Witt-6-7, 240-Ontonagon- Truly one of Michigan's best all-around athletes. All-State basketball player, committed to Michigan Tech for hoops, but, man...Once in a lifetime athlete from the rugged western U.P. A special talent, who is a Big Ten-level football recruit, if he decided to take that route. Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, where are you on this guy? Take a look. U.P. Dream Team pick.
TE-Cooper Twardzik-6-4, 250-Calumet- A man among boys at times. Dominating DE as well as talented TE. From same small U.P. Keweenaw Peninsula hometown as Notre Dame and college football legend George Gipp of "Win one for the Gipper" fame. U.P. Dream Team selection.
OL-Ryan Hayes-6-7, 270-Traverse City West- One of the best LT prospects in the nation. Verbal to U-M.
OL-Sam Sherwin-6-5, 265-Traverse City Central
OL-Jacob Kochanny-6-4, 270-Cadillac
OL-Matt Stefanski-6-4, 305-Frankfort
OL-Austin Musser-6-6, 265-Harrison-Runs a reported 4.7 40. Could be DL at next level.
WR-Jake Lee-6-5, 180-Petoskey-Set school record for catches. Difficult match-up with size and length.
QB-Cade Peterson-6-5, 200-Maple City Glen Lake-My No. 2-ranked QB prospect in the state of Michigan. Verbal to D-II national powerhouse Grand Valley State (multiple national titles and multiple current NFL players).
FB-HB-Jayce Brockhagen-5-11, 245-Iron River West Iron County-This kid is one of my favorite sleepers statewide. He is "The Bus" (in honor of Detroit Mackenzie, Notre Dame and NFL Hall-of-Famer Jerome Bettis' famous nickname) of the Upper Peninsula. He's an old-school, throw-back-type player who punishes opposing defenders. I love players like that -- every team needs a guy like this in its line-up. U.P. Dream Team selection.
TB-Griffin Kelly-6-1, 185-Frankfort

K-Gabe Pickett-6-0, 190-Traverse City Central-Hit 42-yard FG and has blasted multiple KOs out of the end zone.

DE-Andrew Kraatz-6-6, 250-Standish-Sterling-Long, lanky D-end, with good mobility. Verbal to Army.
DT-Kyle Seeley-6-2, 290-Manistique-Played on an 0-9 team, but was so talented he still stood out. U.P. Dream Team selection.
DT-Devin Koscielniak-6-7, 325-Johannesburg-Lewiston-One of the largest players in the state of Michigan. Unblockable at times. Will be two-time All-Stater. A true giant of the north.
DE-Kamron Wheeler-6-3, 245-Oscoda-Reportedly runs a 4.8 40..
LB-Devon Mills-6-0, 220-Lincoln-Alcona
LB-Jacob Ager-6-1, 230-Boyne City-A human tackling machine.
LB-Ryan Lints-6-0, 225-Traverse City St. Francis- Four-year starter at perennial powerhouse northern Michigan program.
DB-Ethan Mileski-6-2, 190-Menominee-As good of a lockdown DB as there is in the Northern Michigan/Upper Peninsula area. U.P. Dream Team selection.
DB-Scout Wunder-5-11, 175-Escanaba-U.P. Dream Teamer.
DB-Darin Johnson-5-10, 180-Gladstone-U.P. Dream Team pick.
DB-Charlie May-6-2, 185-Gaylord

P-Joel Wilson-6-5, 205-Petoskey-Also talented QB. Outstanding all-around athlete.

At Large: WR-Jeff Rahilly-5-11, 180-Newberry (in case I needed to go to a three WR set)
At Large: DB-Matt Loney-6-3, 180-Frankfort (In case I needed to go nickel coverage)

-- Quick glance at a few of the top underclassmen in the Northern Michigan/Upper Peninsula Region- (all are D-I prospects)

OL-Bruin French-6-4, 295-Jr.-Clare
OL-Bryant Schram-6-3, 285-Jr.-Iron River West Iron County
LB-Odin Soffredine-6-1, 210-Jr.-Traverse City West
TE-Jack Sherwin-6-4, 230-Jr.-Traverse City Central
RB-DB-Montell Glover-5-11, 190-Jr.-Stephenson
WR-DB-Gabe Whitmore-6-2, 170-Soph.-Petoskey
RB-Slot-Phillip Jones-5-8, 165-Jr.-Reed City
WR-P-Ethan Martysz-6-0, 175-Jr.-Marquette
C-DT-Zac Cramer-6-3, 305-Jr.-Alpena
DT-Anthony Pelton-6-3, 240-Jr.-Reed City
WR-DB-Drew Peterson-6-2, 185-Jr.-Maple City Glen Lake
RB-Elijah Lewis-5-11, 165-Jr.-Pine River
QB-Tobin Schwannecke-6-3, 180-Jr.-Traverse City Central
LB-FB-HB-Hugh Brand-6-3, 235-Jr.-Harrison
OL-Bryce Neff-6-4, 270-Jr.-Gaylord