Charlevoix's Swanson, Greensky make it official with CMU and NMU football

CHARLEVOIX — Landon Swanson and Brayden Greensky have spent much of their football careers together in Charlevoix.

While their final season as Rayders has long since ended, the two got one more day to celebrate their accomplishments on the field and where the sport has taken them.

Wednesday came as a highlight for both of those pieces for Swanson and Greensky, as they made things official with their next teams within the sport on National Signing Day.

Greensky signed a National Letter of Intent to continue his career at Northern Michigan University, while Swanson signed as a preferred walk-on with Central Michigan University.

Both players earned AP Division 7-8 All-State recognition this season, with Swanson recognized as a linebacker and Greensky earning the honors as a three-year starter along the offensive line.

For Swanson, the hard work has paid off from all the early mornings and late nights and he’s excited to be in a place he feels he can continue to push himself.

"I have always strived to be the best,” Swanson said. “The best player and the best person I can be which is why CMU felt right for me because I know that they will push me to be the best player I can be on and off the field.”

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Charlevoix head coach Don Jess saw more than anyone the work that Swanson, all 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, put into making an opportunity at the next level happen.

“Landon has worked extremely hard over the years to get to this point,” said Jess. “No mater what season it is, you'll find him in the weight room three days a week at 6:15 a.m. pushing himself to the max. He has tremendous character and leads by example. There's a reason he was a two-time team captain, two-time all-stater and Conference MVP. CMU is getting a good one.”

He closed his Rayder career as the career leader in tackles, while racking up 150 stops alone his final season. He also scored 11 touchdowns on the offensive side.

While he was part of a class that helped push the Rayder program to new heights and five straight playoff runs, Swanson is glad that coming from a small Northern Michigan town didn’t hold him back and the eyeballs on him.

“When I got the text that I was going to be a Chippewa I was more than excited to have been given this opportunity to play at a D1 level,” he said. “Coming from a small town, it seemed so crazy to me that this was even possible, but I know that I have worked my butt off to be in this position and will continue to work as hard as I can throughout my football career.

“Also, none of this would've been possible without my coaches, teammates and family who have supported me throughout my career and made me who I am today.”

While Swanson was an already established star and all-state player entering the season, Greensky, 6-foot-3, 270 pounds, reshaped his career with a standout final campaign that put him on the map to college coaches.

“Brayden had a great career at CHS,” said Jess. “He worked very hard in the offseason and set his goals high to become a college football player. Brayden was a team captain this season and dominated on the offensive line and received Offensive MVP of the conference.”

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He anchored a strong offensive line in Charlevoix from the tackle position, helping the Rayder offense bring in over 3,300 yards on the ground.

He’s excited to be heading to a place he feels comfortable and to be led by a coaching staff that’s equally excited to have him.

“I chose NMU because it offers a great balance of academic excellence and a vibrant campus community,” Greensky said. “It’s in the perfect location, and the coaching staff was great, and I’m 100 percent into what they’re building. I'm thrilled to be heading up and can't wait to make the most of this opportunity.”

Contact or send game stats/info to Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DrewKochanny, and Instagram, @drewkochanny

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Charlevoix's Swanson, Greensky ink with Central Michigan and NMU