GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — It’s been a long summer, but football is back.
With the help of 247 Sports’ Allen Trieu, WOOD TV8 is breaking down his list of the top ten seniors in West Michigan.
That list starts in Hudsonville, home of No. 10 Eli Vanderveen, a multisport athlete that can do it all.
“I think he has a lacrosse background or at least some other sports in his background and you can see that when you turn on the tape,” Trieu said.
“GLIAC (Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) schools are chomping at the bit to get him as a receiver, and we’ll see if anyone one else is interested as well,” said Trieu.
No. 9 is Mason McKenzie, who’s sizing up to be a special quarterback for Caledonia, despite what some scouts may think.
“This gets said a lot, but I think if he was just a little bit taller, we’d be talking about him having a bunch of D1 offers,” explained Trieu. “As it stands, someone is going to be lucky with him. He’s accurate, smart, has all the intangibles — I think he’s going to have a huge year.”
Speaking of huge, we are back to Hudsonville, with No. 8 Bradley Raredon who stands at 6’4. We’re not sure what position he’ll play in college, but he has options.
“(He’s) 205 pounds, can he play in the back part of the secondary, can also play wide receiver. With a guy like that you don’t know if he could even put on the weight and move to a linebacker position,” Trieu said.
At No. 7, we move to the line, where West Ottawa’s Cooper Terpstra plays with a mean streak.
“You turn the tape on and he’s looking to bury people,” said Trieu. “He plays the game the right way, he’s committed to GVSU, a school that has a had a lot of NFL scouts look at the o-line position. Cooper’s looking at a guard or center, but a rough and tumble classic midwestern offensive lineman there.”
No. 6 is on the other side of the line of scrimmage. East Kentwood’s Razah Townsend is a mauler heading to an edge-rushing factory.
“Western Michigan has done a good job developing that position, he’s committed to them, so I see him as that next level edge rusher,” projected Trieu. “6’4, he’s very long and looks the part of that position, that’s what Western wants.”
We have another big guy in at No. 5, but at 260 pounds, Ottawa Hills’ Keymarion Gibson has no interest playing on the line.
“This is a unique player here; he plays tailback for them at over 260 pounds. Schools tell him there’s a chance he could play a big powerful back,” said Trieu. “Once he gets into a college program certainly has the ability and frames to change his body around quite a bit.”
Kenowa Hills gets their guy at No. 4, Jaiden Acker. He’s a heavy weight as a defensive lineman and tight end, who has a D1 future on either end of the ball.
“He’s 6’4, 210 pounds so, still a lot of room to grow but he can play either tight end or d-lineman at the D1 level,” projected Trieu. “Army has offered him and that’s one of his top schools, but I think others could get involved.”
At No. 3 is St. Joseph’s Trey McGinnis — a hard runner who knows how to turn on the jets.
“Can absolutely fly. A sub-1,100-meter guy you can see that on the film. He can score any time he touches the ball, he does it as a kickoff return man, they hand it to him,” explained Trieu.
Speaking of quick runners, No. 2 is Jaylen Vinton of Mona Shores, who’s ready to make a name for himself.
“He’s maybe not a player that, outside of this area a lot of people know about, but you turn on the tape and he’s making plays on both sides of the ball,” said Trieu.
A lot of top talent, but there can only be one No. 1, and that’s Catholic Central’s Nathan VanTimmeren.
“A lot of scouts, including myself, went to games and found ourselves asking ‘who’s that number 11?’ 6’4, can play defensive end, can play tight end. Committed to Central Michigan and it sounds like tight end first. A player who gives them some options,” added Trieu.
That is Allen Trieu’s top ten, but there are dozens of others who will be playing on Saturdays. You will be seeing the best West Michigan has to offer throughout the season on Football Frenzy.
