Midwest Spotlight: Who is the next great …… ?

Rivals national recruiting analyst Greg Smith looks at five Midwest prospects who are going to be the next big thing in college football.

Each year around the country we see legacy prospects commit to programs with which they have some family tie. There was no stronger legacy in the Midwest this year than Epenesa who committed to Iowa back in August.

It’ll be fascinating to see if Epenesa can hit the field early for the Hawkeyes. He’s clearly got the bloodlines and will have a great understanding of what it takes to play in Iowa City. The depth chart will be wide-open next year on the defensive line, too. We could be hearing his name on Saturdays sooner than later as he begins his own legacy.

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One thing we know about Michigan football is that the team will always field a good offensive line. It was certainly that way under the departed Jim Harbaugh. It looks like it’ll remain that way under former offensive line coach and now head coach Sherrone Moore.

Gach has been a prospect on the rise for us recently. He’s a strong lineman with great athleticism that plays with a mean streak. Gach has all the tools to be the next great one in Ann Arbor.

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The Indiana native might get lost in the shuffle right now in the Miami recruiting class. The team is on fire and coach Mario Cristobal has his sights on flipping some top targets. But the four-star tight end has a chance to be the next great tight end that Miami produces.

Schott is healthy now and you can see his full range of skills on display. He’s got good speed, hands and body control making him a dangerous receiving threat. Schott will be fun to keep an eye on through his career.

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It’s been a rare occurrence that Ohio has produced a big-time quarterback. It’s even more rare that those prospects get recruited by Ohio State. Ohio native Drew Allar does currently start for Penn State so he might have something to say about this category. However, I’m calling my shot now that in a few years we’ll be talking about St. Clair as the guy who paved the way for more Ohio quarterbacks to get looks.

He’s got every tool you look for in a big-time quarterback, which is why he’s the No. 1 prospect in the Rivals250. When he gets to college, we know he’ll have a bevy of elite pass catchers and running backs at his disposal.

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The four-star defensive lineman from Omaha (Neb.) North High School is quite the accomplished wrestler. He’s a three-time state champion and has never lost on the mat in high school. He’s a one-man wrecking crew on the defensive line on Friday nights.

The obvious comp is Terry with current Nebraska defensive lineman Nash Hutmacher. Hutmacher was also dominant on the mat in high school and also competed in college. Terry plans to stick with football but the door is open should he want to explore both in college.

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