Michigan high school football: Meet the Detroit Free Press 2023 Dream Team
The following is the Free Press' Dream Team for the 2023 Michigan high school football season:
Offense
WR Tashi Braceful
School: Southfield A&T
Vitals: Senior, 6 feet 2, 175 pounds.
Stats: 1,730 receiving yards, 14 TDs.
The buzz: The top target for a prolific offense, Braceful made big catches in big moments. His state finals performance included 10 passes for 152 yards and a first-half touchdown in Southfield’s 36-32 upset of Belleville. Goes up strong and has a big catch radius. Committed to Toledo.
OL Andrew Dennis
School: Mount Pleasant
Vitals: Senior, 6-5, 275.
Stats: A big reason the Oilers scored 30 or more points in seven of their games and 40 points four times was because of Dennis, a three-year starter who anchored the run game and pass protection.
The buzz: A versatile lineman who can play multiple positions, Dennis is a multi-sport athlete who throws shot put in track and also has played baseball and hockey growing up. He is committed to play in college for Illinois.
OL Ryan Ross
School: Warren De La Salle
Vitals: Senior, 6-3, 305.
Stats: Anchored the line that went all the way to Ford Field, earning state runner-up.
The buzz: The four-year starter became one of the most dominating one-on-one blocker in program history. Committed to play interior line at Ferris State.
OL Avery Gach
School: Birmingham Groves
Vitals: Junior, 6-6, 290.
Stats: 70 pancake blocks.
The buzz: The top lineman prospect in the state from the class of 2025, Gach has been a starter since his freshman year — only the fourth in Groves history (and first lineman). A motivated force, Gach plays through the whistle and is not happy unless he’s completed the block.
OL Aiden Pastoriza
School: Jackson Lumen Christi
Vitals: Senior, 6-6, 255.
Stats: Pastoriza played offensive tackle and helped spearhead the rushing attack for Lumen Christi. He also ended up with 66 tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery on defense.
The buzz: An anchor on both sides of the ball for a Lumen Christi team that won the Division 7 state title, Pastoriza is committed to Cincinnati.
OL Gabe VanSickle
School: Coopersville
Vitals: Senior, 6-5, 310.
Stats: Cooper helped anchor an offensive line that helped Coopersville amass 265 rushing yards a game and more than 4,000 total yards on the season.
The buzz: VanSickle recently flipped from Northwestern to Ohio State after getting a scholarship offer from the Buckeyes.
WR Nick Marsh (captain)
School: River Rouge
Vitals: Senior, 6-3, 207.
Stats: Wound up with 41 receptions for 718 yards and eight TDs, while also carrying the ball 46 times for 412 yards and six TDs. Added 314 yards in kick returns with a touchdown and also threw a TD pass.
MORE FROM McCABE: River Rouge receiver Nick Marsh a star on and off field: 'I haven’t met a better person.'
The buzz: Marsh has committed to Michigan State and is expected to enroll there in January. Ranked by 247sports.com as the No. 3 player in the state and 19th-ranked receiver nationally, Marsh is categorized as phenomenal kid who meant a great deal to the program not only as a person, but also the type of attitude, energy, work ethic and leadership skills that he brought day in and day out.
WR Braylon Isom
School: Saginaw Heritage
Vitals: Senior, 6-3, 195.
Stats: 82 catches for 1,617 yards and 26 touchdowns.
The buzz: It was a monster season for Isom, who will continue to play in college after committing to Miami (Ohio) in April.
QB Isaiah Marshall (captain)
School: Southfield A&T
Vitals: Senior, 6-0, 205.
Stats: 3,114 yards passing, 39 passing TDs, 1,507 yards rushing, 16 rushing TDs.
The buzz: Paced Southfield A&T to its first Division 1 state title. He completed 20 of 31 passes for 281 yards and two TDs, and ran for 134 yards, which included the game-winning touchdown with 47 seconds left. Will enroll early at Kansas.
RB Destin Piggee
School: Muskegon
Vitals: Senior, 5-6, 170.
Stats: 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns, had 200 receiving yards and more than 400 return yards on punts and kickoffs.
The buzz: Someone who played way bigger than his size, Piggee was a threat to score every time he touched the ball for Division 2 state champion Muskegon.
RB Billy Roberson
School: Lake Orion
Vitals: Senior, 5-11, 185.
Stats: 1,595 yards gained, averaged 7.5 yards per carry, 26 TDs.
The buzz: Lake Orion’s all-time leading rusher, Roberson was a threat to score every time he touched the ball. The three-year starter also blocked well. Top skills are speed, power, field vision and character. Considering offers from Howard and several MAC schools.
K/P Braeden Chiles
School: Brighton
Vitals: Senior, 6-1, 225.
Stats: 5-for-7 on field goals.
The buzz: Booted a school-record 53-yarder against Northville in September. He also played defensive end and saw a few snaps on offense for Brighton.
Defense
DL Callen Campbell
School: Sault Ste. Marie
Vitals: Senior, 6-4, 255.
Stats: Eight sacks, 12 quarterback hurries, five batted passes, eight tackles for loss and an interception return for a touchdown.
The buzz: The all-time sacks leader and a four-year starter at Sault Ste. Marie, Campbell is committed to Northwestern.
DL Brady Prieskorn
School: Rochester Adams
Vitals: Senior, 6-6, 225.
Stats: 33 receptions, 665 yards, 8 TDs.
The buzz: Prieskorn is the type of tight end prospect that college scouts crave — a big, athletic guy who runs great routes. He also has big hands, blocks well and is very coachable. Committed to Michigan.
DL Brandon Davis-Swain
School: West Bloomfield
Vitals: Senior, 6-3, 260.
Stats: 91 tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss, 19 sacks.
The buzz: Power, size, strength, coordination, athleticism – Davis-Swain was used all over the field. In addition to being one of the state’s top pass rushers, he scored eight TDs on offense and racked up 465 total yards as a RB/TE. Decommitted from Notre Dame in favor of Colorado.
DL Stone Chaney
School: Novi Detroit Catholic Central
Vitals: Senior, 6-5, 215.
Stats: 64 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, nine sacks, one interception.
The buzz: A captain and three-year varsity player, Chaney made everyone around him better. A fierce competitor who is at his best against elite opponents, Chaney is entertaining offers from MAC schools, Division II schools and service academies.
LB Jeremiah Beasley (captain)
School: Belleville
Vitals: Senior, 6-2, 220.
Stats: Posted 120 tackles, including 57 solos, to go along with five sacks. Averaged just over 10 yards per carry with 893 yards rushing on 86 attempts and 14 TDs.
MORE FROM McCABE: Belleville's Jeremiah Beasley honed on both sides of the ball by star athletes in family
The buzz: The Michigan commit, ranked No. 6 senior in the state by 247sports.com, proved to be a great leader who excelled as a running back as well as a linebacker. As a running back he displayed great vision and a low center of gravity.
LB Carter Herriman
School: Davison
Vitals: Senior, 6-1, 210.
Stats: 131 tackles, 10 for loss, 3.5 sacks.
The buzz: A tackling machine for the Cardinals, which reached the Division 1 semifinals. Also vital to Davison's rushing attack. A hard-nosed player committed to Miami (Ohio).
LB Derek Pennington Jr.
School: Caledonia
Vitals: Senior, 6-2, 230.
Stats: 89 tackles, 22 for loss; also saw some time at tight end on offense.
The buzz: Fast, rangy and physical, Pennington was one of the state’s best linebackers the last two seasons. He will continue to play in college for Western Michigan.
DB Ty Hudkins
School: Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central
Vitals: Senior, 6-1, 185.
Stats: Hudkins didn’t get a lot of passes thrown his way, so teams knew to shy away. He finished with an interception and 11 tackles. On offense, Hudkins caught 41 passes for 695 yards and seven touchdowns.
The buzz: One of the best two-way players for the Division 3 state champions, Hudkins has committed to Purdue.
DB Desman Stephens
School: Clarkston
Vitals: Senior, 6-2, 215.
Stats: 83 tackles, 29 solo tackles, 13 tackles for loss, three interceptions.
The Buzz: Stephens filled the stat sheet as a defensive back, linebacker, running back, wide receiver, kick returner and punt returner. He had 1,442 all-purpose yards and even threw a touchdown pass. Coach Justin Pintar calls Stephens “super-gifted with physical traits and athleticism” and lauds his football IQ. Committed to USC.
DB Corey Sadler
School: Cass Tech.
Vitals: Sophomore, 5-10, 170.
Stats: Sadler registered 27 tackles, five pass breakups and an interception return for a touchdown on defense for the Technicians. Also the team’s quarterback, he threw for 481 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for 547 yards and five touchdowns.
The buzz: Sadler rarely left the field, given he also returned kickoffs and punts. He should be one of the state’s best players over the next two years.
DB Jacob Oden
School: Harper Woods
Vitals: Senior, 6-1, 195.
Stats: 56 tackles, four interceptions, 14 pass breakups. Also added seven TDs with 47 catches at WR.
The buzz: Committed to play at Michigan. Oden’s overall "coach on the field" title helped lead his team to the school’s first ever football state championship. Even at DB position, tackles like a LB.
Coach Shane Fairfield
School: Muskegon
The buzz: The Big Reds are always a threat to win a state title, but entered this year not having won one since 2008. That changed when Muskegon dethroned two-time defending champion Warren De La Salle in the Division 2 state championship game, which finished off a 12-2 season.
Free Press staff reports contributed.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan high school football: Meet the Free Press 2023 Dream Team
