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Preseason top 11-25 player list: Three juniors are selected including two from top-ranked Orchard Lake St. Mary’s
11. Josh Ross, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, 6-1, 225, LB/RB: The first junior to make our list, Ross has started every game in high school. A young junior, Ross will turn 16 on Halloween. He has been offered a scholarship by a plethora of schools including Michigan, Michigan State and Notre Dame. Few players take on ball carriers with the strength and determination that Ross does. And he’s a leader.
12. Michael Jordan, Plymouth, 6-6, 303, OT: One of the top-rated offensive tackles in the Midwest, Jordan committed to Ohio State. Big and strong, Jordan is fundamentally sound particularly in pass-blocking technique. He’s been timed in the 40-yard dash at 5.33 seconds.
13. Stefan Claiborne, Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 6-2, 175, WR/FS: Claiborne is a four-year starter and remains uncommitted. He has been offered a scholarship by Cincinnati, Illinois, Iowa and a handful of Mid-American Conference schools. It’s quite possible Claiborne won’t commit until after the season. Last season he had 10 TD receptions, he led the team in tackles and blocked seven kicks (punts, extra point or field goal tries).
14. Demetric Vance, Detroit Cass Tech, 6-1, 205, SS/WR: A three-year starter, Vance will likely be the only Cass Tech player to start on both sides. His coach, Tom Wilcher, calls him a “ball hawk”. Vance is athletic and has tremendous cover skills. He committed to Michigan State.
15. Jacob Cerny, Traverse City West, 6-5, 285, OT/DT: A three-year starter on offense, Cerny will play on defense for the first time this season. He committed to Illinois. West coach Tim Wooer said Cerny is being recruited to play left tackle. “He has good feet and good leverage,” Wooer said.
16. Kahlee Hamler, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, 5-10, 160, WR/DB/KR: Another junior to make our list, Hamler wont’s garner the statistics other receivers will, as St. Mary’s prefers to run the ball, but few receivers can stretch a defense like Hamler. Consistently timed at 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash, Hamler is also a terrific cornerback. He has been offered a scholarship by Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Louisville and West Virginia among others.
17. Lavert Hill, Detroit King, 5-10, 175, DB/WR: One of the top cornerbacks in the Midwest, Hill committed to Penn State. He runs the 40-yard dash at 4.4 seconds. Hill is a speedy, lockdown defensive back, Hill transferred from Detroit Cass Tech to King after spending three seasons with the Technicians.
18. Donovan Peoples-Jones, Detroit Cass Tech, 6-3, 195, WR/FS/KR: The third junior on our list, Peoples-Jones is coming off a fine sophomore season that saw him become one of the top two-way players in the Detroit Public School League. “He’s a tremendous athlete with a high skill set,” coach Thomas Wilcher said. “He has great hands and a sense for the all.” Wilcher said Peoples-Jones has received scholarship offers from 25 Division I schools.
19. Hunter Broersma, Muskegon Mona Shores, 6-2, 187, WR/DB/KR: A three-year starter on offense and defense, Broersma is a multi-sport athlete and a playmaker for coach Matt Koziak. Broersma runs the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds and has tremendous hand-eye coordination. “He never catches the ball with his body,” Koziak said. Broersma committed to Western Michigan.
20. Cedric Boswell, Birmingham Groves, 5-11, 175, RB/DB: Boswell is one of the state’s top 100-meter runners (finished second, 10.72 seconds, at the Division 1 final last spring) and he rushed for 1,300 yards as a junior. This, in a nutshell, is why he was offered a scholarship by Iowa, and subsequently committed. Coach Brendan Flaherty said Iowa recruited Boswell as a defensive back.
21. Cedric Lattimore, Detroit East English Village Prep, 6-5, 250, DE/DT/TE: Lattimore continues to improve upon his ability to read defenses and on his understanding of the game. He has good speed for a player his size and could bulk up once he gets to college and become a fulltime down lineman. Recruited by Division I schools for basketball, Lattimore committed to Iowa for football.
22. Brandon Randle, Battle Creek Central, 6-2, 215, LB/RB: Randle will likely play linebacker in college but last season he accounted for over 500 yards in all-purpose yards. He had 50 tackles on defense. He was offered a scholarship by Indiana, Minnesota and North Carolina State but committed to Michigan State in June. He also competes in track and field.
23. Chauncey Ghostin, Detroit East English Village Prep, 6-5, 245, DE/OT: Ghostin is perhaps more valuable on defense for coach Rod Oden because of his speed. Like his teammate, Lattimore, Ghostin is a terrific athlete. What sets Ghostin apart from other players with his skill set is his tremendous work ethic. Ghostin committed to Iowa.
24. Nolan Eriksen, Clarkston, 5-9, 195, RB/KR: Eriksen also competes in track but missed this past spring after suffering a hamstring injury. Coach Kurt Richardson said Eriksen has recovered and is ready to go. He rushed for over 1,500 yards last season and had 172 yards and three TDs in the Division 1 final. “He’s old-fashioned,” Richardson said. “He doesn’t care what apparel he wears. He just plays football.” Eriksen remains uncommitted.
25. Navon Mosley, West Bloomfield, 5-11, 180, WR/FS: Mosley has played many positions as a varsity player but this season coach Ron Bellamy said he will limit Mosley to two. “He has great range at safety and is a game-changer on offense,” Bellamy said. Mosley committed to Purdue.
