2027: Lynch and Smith Lead Team Red Over Team White

Follow Duluth, GA- The 2025 Football Hotbed Freshman All-American game was an amazing display of elite talent by the graduating class of 2028. The stars of a battle between two evenly divided teams were clearly Trinity, Florida’s wide receiver Luke Wilson and St. Albans, West Virginia quarterback Peyton Grigsby.  The two connected for three total touchdowns to give their “Team White” squad the victory over “Team Red” by a score of 18- 8. Wilson got the scoring started with a reception thrown by Grigsby that was an absolutely ‘dart’ of a throw in between triple coverage to outpace defenders. Overall, Grigsby passed for 269 yards and three touchdowns.  Most of that yardage came via Wilson.  Both players earned MVP honors at June’s National Middle School Invitational Showcase at the University of Miami and had some familiarity because of their participation and it showed. Team White totaled 334 yards in offense with two turnovers that were forced by Team Red. Team Red was led by athlete Michael McDuffie of Fort Lauderdale’s Calvary Christian Academy and quarterback Ryan Brochu of York, South Carolina. Red’s lone score came on a TD pass and great run after the catch by Naples, Florida wide out Jack Crifasi IV.  McDuffie was the game’s defensive MVP with several pass break ups, and he also ran the ball very effectively on the ground. game day mvps overall mvp - luke wilson, 2028 wr, trinity, fl Luke Wilson of Clearwater Central Catholic high school was an easy MVP selection.  He paced Team white’s offensive explosion with three touchdowns and tons of “yards after the catch” that made the opposing defense see “red” all day.  A performance like that, in 24 degree weather, for a kid from Southwest Florida is about as memorable as one can get.  Shades of Xaiver Restrepo, a University of Mimai Hurricane heading toward the NFL Draft this April. Wilson took the game seriously and approached it as a real launching pad for this career and that’s exactly why he did so well. He validated his National Middle School Invitational Showcase MVP award in June by grabbing a second consecutive MVP award on the Football Hotbed Platform. Defensive MVP- Michael Mcduffie- 2028 ATh, Ft. Lauderdale, FL McDuffie got it done on defense as the MVP but also on the ground. The stat line for Michael McDuffie says it all, 4 tackles with 4 pass break ups (PBU’s) and offensive production that kept his team in the game. With his size and speed combination, McDuffie has Division I talent.  He could settle in on either side of the ball but he’d be better suited at safety in our opinion because of how rare big safeties with speed and range are. It could make him a national recruit. Already listed at 5’10, 185 pounds as a freshman with room to grow is a great foundation upon which to build over the next three seasons.  Lineman mvp- Landon suttle , 2028 OL, Mt holly, nc The metro Charlotte native Landon Suttle played the entire game at both offensive and defensive line.  He had a strong base on offense, using his length and 6’3 frame to push defenders wide giving Grigsby the needed time to throw for over 300 yards. As a left tackle prospect, he shows the ability based on the athleticism we saw to move inside if he has too.  He’s already a recruitable size with room to grow. Standouts that didn't earn mvp honors Justin Harris of Shiloh, may end up being the best player in the game down the line. Peyton Grigsby gave me Manziel vibes Jack Crifasi IV was fast and made a big play. Played well at DB also. #51 Kayden Johnson 2028 played well on both OL & DL turn on the tape: #TurnONTheTape #TurnONTheTape look at this absolutely 🎯 by 2028 QB Peyton Grigsby from West Virginia in our @FootballHotbed Freshman All-American game breaking through triple coverage. Grigsby was also a @Future4QB finalist last June. #PutHimONTheBoard @grigsby_peyton7 pic.twitter.com/WTtLCR0Urd— Brandon Odoi (@Brandon_Odoi) February 6, 2025 #TurnONTheTape for Jarmell Sine of Boynton Beach, FL. He's a 6'2 WR in the 2028 class. Made an absolutely fabulous catch during our @FootballHotbed freshman game. See it below. @Offdata_mel #hotbedworld pic.twitter.com/9AxXqiYnQp— Brandon Odoi (@Brandon_Odoi) February 7, 2025 #TurnONTheTape watch 2028 @FootballHotbed Freshman All-American @RyanBrochu5 throw accurately under duress and hit his WR in stride for the TD. Just good ball all around. #hotbedworld pic.twitter.com/L3Otwdf9YG— Brandon Odoi (@Brandon_Odoi) February 6, 2025 watch: Full game on youtube

Follow Duluth, GA– In the coldest game ever played (28 degrees at its conclusion) in Football Hotbed National Showcase history, Team Read, paced by the outstanding performance by 2025 TE Matis Gibson, won a defensive battle 14-6 over Team White in our fifth annual Senior Bowl presented by the Portal Media Group.  The game’s scoring began when RL Ward, III, intercepted a Deron Benson pass and took it 35 yards for a pick-six.  The extra point attempt failed putting Team Red up 6-0.  After several stalled drives, punts and interceptions, both teams failed to move the ball much.  Team White did have great success on the ground running behind Frank Vomero, Jr. who racked up 110 yards on the ground in an losing effort. However, penalties and an inability to convert on third downs led to no points. The Red team found the most success through the air.  Miami’s Gabriel Fraga hooked up with Gibson to the tune of 109 yards in the air and a touchdown.  Gibson, a former quarterback, also attempted a pass on offense.Walking away with his first MVP award in three tries, Gibson put together his best performance in three outings at the Football Hotbed National High School Showcases.  He played H-back as a sophomore, quarterback as a junior last year and starred as a senior.  He currently holds three offers.The lineman MVP of the game award went to Ocala, Florida’s Bernard Little. He provided consistent pressure for Red’s dominant defense that didn’t surrender a point until seven seconds left in the game. The defensive MVP award went to Jonesboro, Georgia’s Jayden Howard who had two interceptions on the night in a losing effort.  Each Football Hotbed Senior Bowl MVP received a brand-new HP Google Chromebook for use in college and beyond.   watch a replay of the game via youtube

Follow freshman All-American Game The National High School Showcases is one of the nation’s best showcase platforms athletes can use to pad their college football recruiting resume. We are thankful to celebrate the 9th annual National High School Freshman All-American Game this January.   No matter where you play football, and no two areas are alike, one thing college scouts want to see is an elite skill set, size, strength and speed. The National High School Showcases blends a group of elite athletes along with those striving to prove they can play at the next level. For these reasons, the game is one of the most competitive all-star platforms around and routinely comes down to the last possession because teams are evenly built based on a draft after a mini camp. Our uniqueness is the brand we’ve establish with this game where it ensures the athletes desired competition and exposure are obtained. We invite athletes who first “want to compete at a high level” and secondly, want to be recognized for their talents. The Football Hotbed platform is rooted in rich media, photographs and videos as well as live streaming quality footage during these games to ensure those athletes that perform at their best, truly get the recognition they deserve. In the past, athletes have used this game as an additional opportunity to earn game film (as the game is recorded and film uploaded to Hudl). This generally works well when an athlete lacks enough plays at a position, has made a position switch, and needed additional film or missed time during the season due to injury. This will be crucial to filling in the gaps in a student-athletes resume due to any of the reasons previously stated.The game is also used as a national platform for athletes who may be underexposed to receive additional attention for recruiting services, particularly college football coaches. Each one of the three grade-level games: Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior Showcases are live-streamed to an international audience on Football Hotbed and there’s also a recap of each game and the top players on our website, Footballhotbed.com. Each game also will have a photo album of over 100 photos a piece and a highlight posted to social media. It’s the most exposure of any game played in high school football athletes who are not yet seniors and eligible for All-American Bowls.Our hope is that each participant takes something away from the experience, the competition in practice and on game day, and especially the college visits which help to acquaint each athlete with the knowledge of precisely what it takes to play college football at varying levels across the NCAA Division’s I and II. This is our eighth annual event. In past years, we have visited the University of Alabama, Georgia State University, Auburn University, the University of Georgia, West Georgia University, the University of Tennessee, South Carolina, Mercer University, Clemson University, and Georgia Tech. Video highlights of the games and college visits are below to help you gain the experience of what it is like to participate in this event. Football Hotbed has become the go-to source for up and coming football athletes looking to build their own personal brands. Through their various events and platforms, Football Hotbed provides a level of exposure that is unmatched in the industry. This exposure has translated into real results, with over 100 Division One NCAA athletes emerging from the Football Hotbed program.The success of Football Hotbed can be attributed to their unique approach to athlete development. Rather than focusing solely on physical training and skill development, Football Hotbed places a heavy emphasis on building personal brands and developing the off-field skills necessary for success at the next level. This approach has proven to be incredibly effective, with Football Hotbed athletes consistently standing out both on and off the field.Overall, Football Hotbed has established itself as a leader in athlete development and personal brand building. Their commitment to excellence and innovative approach to athlete development make them a valuable resource for any aspiring football athlete looking to take their game to the next level.PLEASE NOTE:  Each athlete is responsible for each of the following: A. Registration for the game, B. Travel to and from the game and to practice, C. Meals & Lodging.WHAT TO BRING?: Each athlete should bring their own: 1. Helmet, 2. shoulder pads, 3. practice jersey and pants, 4. Pads for lower body (girdle, including knee pads which are mandatory), 5. mouthpiece.  Questions? Contact 888-879-3396 or email info[at]footballhotbed.com click below to nominate your athlete Freshman All-American Game Nomination prominent alumni- Jeremiah smith, wr, ohio state university J.J. Mccarthy, QB, University of michigan rueben bain, jr., de University of Miami