Best High School Football Player in Every State for 2021
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There was never a year like 2020 in the history of high school football across the United States. Some states were able to play a full season, some were able to play just a handful of games, and some weren't allowed to play at all.
That didn't stop the high school football recruiting cycle from pressing forward, and from the farmland to the beaches, players still kept dreams alive of playing college football and the NFL.
So how do we determine who the best player is in all 50 states and the District of Columbia? Simple. Imagine we've got the No. 1 draft pick to build a team in every state. These are the players we would take with that pick.
Note: These are the best high school football players heading into the 2021 season, meaning only the classes of 2022, 2023 and 2024 were considered.
Alabama: Jeremiah Alexander, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker
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High school: Thompson High School (Alabaster, Alabama)
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 235 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, LSU
Accolades: 247Sports No. 1 Defensive End (2022), Class 7A Lineman of the Year (2020), two-time Class 7A state champion (2019, 2020)
Bottom Line: Jeremiah Alexander
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Jeremiah Alexander is the top defensive end recruit in the Class of 2022 after lighting up the competition in 2020. He led Thompson High to an unbeaten season while racking up 106 tackles, 29 tackles for loss and eight sacks.
Alexander decomitted from Alabama in October 2020 but kept the Crimson Tide among his top six schools, which are all in the SEC.
There's not much doubt Alexander will be a dominant player on the next level. It's just not clear what position he'll be playing.
Alaska: Sebastian O'Farrell, Linebacker
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High school: Robert Service High School (Anchorage, Alaska)
Height/weight: 6-foot, 220 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: None
Accolades: Division I All-State (2019)
Bottom Line: Sebastian O'Farrell
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High school football is different in Alaska only since they're forced to start and finish their season much earlier than the rest of the country because of the cold weather.
What's not different is a player like Service High linebacker Sebastian O'Farrell, who was an All-State pick as a sophomore in 2019, when he was second in the state with 129 tackles and led his team to a Division I state runner-up finish.
O'Farrell will try to be the second person in his family to earn Alaska Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2021. Older brother and Eastern Washington University linebacker Connor O'Farrell won it in 2019.
Arizona: Anthony Lucas, Defensive Tackle
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High school: Chaparral High School (Scottsdale, Arizona)
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 285 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Arizona State, Arizona, Notre Dame, UCLA, Alabama, Auburn
Accolades: 247Sports No. 9 Defensive Tackle (2022)
Bottom Line: Anthony Lucas
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Anthony Lucas has spent his entire high school career as one of the most sought-after defensive line prospects in the nation — something to take into account as far as maturity and dealing with pressure when he eventually picks a school.
Lucas is a three-sport athlete, which speaks to his athleticism for someone his size. At 6-foot-5 and 285 pounds, he's not far from having NFL size as a defensive tackle.
SEC schools have begun to push hard to bring Lucas into the fold, and it will be interesting to see him if they can draw him away from the Pac-12 schools who have been in on his recruitment from the start.
Arkansas: Joseph Himon, Running Back
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High school: Pulaski Academy (Little Rock, Arkansas)
Height/weight: 5-foot-9, 175 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Kansas, Louisiana Tech, Louisville, Memphis, Miami, Missouri, New Mexico, Vanderbilt
Accolades: MaxPreps Arkansas Player of the Year (2020), two-time Class 5A state champion (2019, 2020)
Bottom Line: Joseph Himon
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Pulaski Academy's Joseph Himon jumped onto recruiting radars in 2020, leading his team to an undefeated season and Class 5A state championship.
Himon, who is just 5-foot-9 and 175 pounds, put together one of the greatest seasons in Arkansas high school football history in 2020 — 1,925 rushing yards to go with 80 receptions for 1,068 yards and 32 total touchdowns. Pulaski Academy is 25-2 over the last two seasons.
Himon already has a handful of Power Five offers, including Miami, Kansas and Vanderbilt.
California: Domani Jackson, Cornerback
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High school: Mater Dei High School (Santa Ana, California)
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 185 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: USC (committed)
Accolades: 247Sports No. 6 Overall (2022), MaxPreps All-American (2019), CIF Southern Section runner-up (2019)
Bottom Line: Domani Jackson
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Securing a commitment from Mater Dei star cornerback Domani Jackson could end up being the biggest recruiting coup of Clay Helton's tenure at USC.
It's not just that Helton and the Trojans got the No. 1 college prospect in California to stay in-state. Jackson is the fastest high school player in the country with a recorded, 4.21-second 40-yard dash time.
In his lone season as a full-time starter in 2019, Jackson led Mater Dei to the CIF Southern Section championship game, finishing with 48 tackles, nine pass breakups and one interception return for a touchdown.
Colorado: Gavin Sawchuk, Running Back
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High school: Valor Christian High School (Highlands Ranch, Colorado)
Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 175 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Michigan, Stanford
Accolades: Polynesian Bowl (2022), 247Sports No. 4 Running Back (2022)
Bottom Line: Gavin Sawchuk
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Valor Christian's Gavin Sawchuk reminds a lot of people of another big-time running back to come out of Colorado in the last decade — former Stanford All-American and NFL All-Pro Christian McCaffrey.
Sawchuk rushed for 1,786 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2019 and added 1,239 yards and 17 touchdowns in just eight games in 2020.
Wherever Sawchuk ends up, expect that program to try and put the ball in his hands from the first time he steps on the field.
Connecticut: Wilfredo Aybar, Defensive End
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High school: Cheshire Academy (Cheshire, Connecticut)
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 240 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Ohio State, Florida State, Florida, Miami, Michigan, Oregon, Notre Dame
Accolades: 247Sports No. 9 Defensive End (2022)
Bottom Line: Wilfredo Aybar
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Wilfredo Aybar is listed as a defensive end, but it's not a stretch to think he should be listed as an "Athlete" for the Class of 2022. At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, he could play up to five positions if we use our imaginations.
Cheshire Academy wasn't able to have a season in the fall of 2020, but Aybar was a standout at several 7-on-7 events and has already been elected a team captain for 2021.
Aybar is a Top 30 player in the country for the Class of 2022 and has a chance to supplant Bristol Central's Aaron Hernandez as the top-rated recruit to ever come out of Connecticut.
Delaware: Kevin Ignudo, Running Back
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High school: Howard High School (Wilmington, Delaware)
Height/weight: 5-foot-8, 165 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: None
Accolades: MaxPreps Delaware Player of the Year (2020), Division II state champion (2020), DIFCA All-State (2020), Delaware Offensive Player of the Year (2020)
Bottom Line: Kevin Ignudo
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Kevin Ignudo led Howard High to an undefeated season and the Division II state championship in 2020 when he rushed for 1,212 yards and 21 touchdowns in just seven games. He was also one of the best kick return specialists in the state.
No one was better than Ignudo in a 42-6 win over Archmere in the state championship game, when he rushed for 182 yards and three touchdowns to go with two interceptions.
Ignudo is undersized at just 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds, but expect him to make an impact at the next level.
District of Columbia: Joshua Thompson, Cornerback
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High school: St. John's High School (Washington, D.C.)
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 190 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Michigan, Michigan State, Stanford, Arizona State, Boston College, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Tennessee
Accolades: 247Sports No. 1 District of Columbia (2022)
Bottom Line: Joshua Thompson
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St. John's High star Joshua Thompson is built like a prototype Power Five cornerback at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds and grabbed headlines recently with an offer from Michigan State.
Thompson missed out on his junior football season but still has a boatload of offers and could rise even higher up the recruiting lists with a big senior season in 2021.
Thompson is blazing fast. He ran the 55-meter dash in 6.86 seconds at an indoor track meet in December 2020.
Florida: Shemar Stewart, Defensive End
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High school: Monsignor Pace High School (Miami Gardens, Florida)
Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 250 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: LSU, Clemson, Georgia, Miami, Texas A&M,
Accolades: 247Sports No. 4 Overall (2022), ESPN No. 3 Overall (2022)
Bottom Line: Shemar Stewart
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If you want to understand how elite a prospect Shemar Stewart is considered, he's the highest-rated player to come out of Miami-Dade County in almost 20 years. If you know anything about the talent in that area, that's saying something.
Stewart is the perfect pass-rushing defensive end at 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds and had 15 sacks in 10 games in his breakout season in 2019.
Stewart, who also has a 3.0 grade point average, told The Miami Herald that he likely won't commit to a college until National Signing Day in February 2022.
Georgia: Travis Hunter, Cornerback/Wide Receiver
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High school: Collins Hill High School (Suwanee, Georgia)
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 170 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Florida State (committed)
Accolades: MaxPreps Georgia Player of the Year (2020), 247Sports No. 5 Overall (2022)
Bottom Line: Travis Hunter
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Even at a Power Five school, Travis Hunter could take snaps on both sides of the ball. On defense, he's a shutdown cornerback who had 51 tackles and eight interceptions, and on offense, he had 137 receptions for 1,746 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2020.
Hunter, who is committed to Florida State, is a top five national prospect and led Collins Hill High to the state championship game for the first time in school history as a junior.
Everything about Hunter seems to indicate he'll be a multiyear starter at a Power Five school and eventually be a first-round NFL draft pick.
Hawaii: Tevarua Tafiti, Linebacker/Defensive End
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High school: Punahou School (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 225 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Notre Dame, Cal, Stanford, Virginia, Utah, Boise State, Wisconsin, Washington
Accolades: Hawaii Prep World All-State (2019), 247Sports No. 1 Hawaii (2022)
Bottom Line: Tevarua Tafiti
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Missing all of his junior season did little to impact Punahou School linebacker Tevarua Tafiti's recruiting stock.
Tafiti made the prestigious Hawaii Prep World All-State team as a sophomore in 2019 when he racked up 60.5 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and three pass deflections.
Tafiti already seems very comfortable on the big stage. He had three sacks in a nationally televised, 45-0 road win over Long Beach Poly in 2019. His only public showcase in 2020 was at the PTP Sports National Showcase in October, where he took home camp MVP honors.
Idaho: Cameren Cope, Defensive End
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High school: Coeur d'Alene High School (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 210 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Montana Tech
Accolades: SB Live All-State (2020), Class 5A All-State (2020)
Bottom Line: Cameren Cope
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Coeur d'Alene High's Cameren Cope had a breakout season in 2020 with 12.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss on the way to all-state honors.
Cope led Coeur d'Alene all the way to the Class 5A state semifinals in 2020 and also made an impact playing tight end, where he had 24 receptions for 324 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
At 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, a school could take a chance on Cope as a project that could make an impact down the road.
Illinois: Kaleb Brown, Athlete
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High school: St. Rita of Cascia High School (Chicago, Illinois)
Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 177 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Ohio State, Michigan, Alabama, Duke, Boston College, Illinois
Accolades: 247Sports No. 8 Wide Receiver (2022), Army All-American Bowl (2022)
Bottom Line: Kaleb Brown
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Kaleb Brown led St. Rita's in receiving and rushing as a sophomore in 2019, when he jumped onto recruiting boards as an elite prospect to play slot wide receiver for a Power Five school.
Brown actually played running back as a sophomore, but that was more about making sure he had the ball in his hands as much as possible. He also threw a touchdown pass and had a kickoff return for a touchdown.
Brown is an exciting athlete and led St. Rita to a Class 5A state runner-up finish in 2019.
Indiana: Dasan McCullough, Athlete
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High school: Bloomington South High School (Bloomington, Indiana)
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 220 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Ohio State (committed)
Accolades: MaxPreps Kansas Player of the Year (2020), 247Sports No. 7 Athlete (2022)
Bottom Line: Dasan McCullough
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Dasan McCullough would have been the best player in Kansas by a long shot, but the son of Kansas City Chiefs running back Deland McCullough transferred from Blue Valley High to Bloomington South High when his father was hired as an assistant coach at the University of Indiana.
Dasan was everywhere in 2020 with 75 tackles, four interceptions and four forced fumbles. He will likely play outside linebacker on the next level.
He committed to Ohio State in August 2020.
Iowa: Xavier Nwankpa, Safety
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High school: Southeast Polk High School (Pleasant Hill, Iowa)
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 190 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Penn State, Texas, Notre Dame, Iowa State, LSU, Ohio State, Arizona State, Wisconsin, Iowa, Clemson, Missouri, Nebraska
Accolades: Des Moines Register All-State (2020), 247Sports No. 1 Safety (2022), Adidas All-American (2022), Class 4A state runner-up (2020)
Bottom Line: Xavier Nwankpa
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There are just a handful of safety prospects in recent years with as much potential as Southeast Polk High's Xavier Nwankpa, who is the top-rated player at his position in the Class of 2022.
Nwankpa could easily play cornerback as well as safety — he's 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds — and led Southeast Polk to a state runner-up finish in 2020.
Nwankpa's father, Frank Nwankpa, was a track and field star at Iowa State, which made his son's list of the final 12 schools he's considering.
Kansas: Dylan Edwards, Running Back
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High school: Derby High School (Derby, Kansas)
Height/weight: 5-foot-8, 165 pounds
Graduation year: 2023
College offers: Kansas State, Memphis, Iowa State, Tennessee Tech
Accolades: Class 6A All-State (2020), two-time Class 6A state champion (2019, 2020)
Bottom Line: Dylan Edwards
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Class of 2022 star Dasan McCullough's move from Kansas to Indiana opened up a spot for someone in the Sunflower State, and it's easy to see that's Derby High running back Dylan Edwards.
Edwards was the fourth-leading rusher on Derby's Class 6A state championship team in 2019, then helped them repeat as state champs in 2020 when he rushed for 1,833 yards and 25 touchdowns to go with 16 receptions for 204 yards.
Edwards is the son of former Kansas State running back Leon Edwards, and Derby's head coach, Brandon Clark, also played for Kansas State. Dylan also ran an officially timed 4.41-second 40-yard dash at a camp last summer.
Kentucky: Gavin Wimsatt, Quarterback
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High school: Owensboro High School (Owensboro, Kentucky)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Kentucky, Ole Miss, Louisville, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, Oregon, West Virginia, Rutgers, Cincinnati
Accolades: Kentucky Football Coaches Association Class 5A Player of the Year (2020), 247Sports No. 3 Dual Threat Quarterback (2023), Louisville Courier Journal All-State (2020), Owensboro Times Offensive Player of the Year (2020)
Bottom Line: Gavin Wimsatt
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What's not to like about Owensboro High superstar quarterback Gavin Wimsatt?
The dual-threat quarterback from Kentucky is one of the best signal-callers in the nation from the talented Class of 2022 and has the perfect size and skill set to be a multiyear starter for a Power Five program.
Wimsatt has thrown for over 2,000 yards and rushed for over 400 yards each of the last two seasons, including leading Owensboro to a 12-1 record and state runner-up finish in 2020.
Louisiana: Arch Manning, Quarterback
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High school: Isidore Newman School (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 200 pounds
Graduation year: 2023
College offers: Ole Miss, Alabama, Texas, Duke, LSU, Tennessee
Accolades: 247Sports No. 1 Pro Style Quarterback (2023)
Bottom Line: Arch Manning
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Expect the hype to build over the next few years as Isidore Newman quarterback Arch Manning inches closer to choosing a college.
The nephew of NFL legends Peyton Manning and Eli Manning and the grandson of Hall of Famer Archie Manning, Arch Manning was the first freshman starter in Isidore Newman history — where both Peyton and Eli played. Arch also threw for 4,330 yards, 55 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in his first two seasons, while completing 68 percent of his passes.
The Arch Manning coverage will get ridiculous over the next few years. Read this fantastic piece by 247Sports recruiting guru Steve Wiltfong to cut through the noise.
Maine: Jaxon Gross, Running Back
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High school: Bucksport High School (Bucksport, Maine)
Height/weight: 6-foot, 215 pounds
Graduation year: 2023
College offers: None
Accolades: Class D state runner-up (2019)
Bottom Line: Jaxon Gross
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Jaxon Gross only got to play 7-on-7 as a sophomore in 2020 but showed plenty in his freshman season in 2019 to make this list.
Gross led Bucksport High, one of the smaller 11-man teams in the state, all the way to the Class D state championship game and was one of the lone bright spots in a 28-8 loss to Lisbon with 35 carries for 210 yards and one touchdown while running behind older brother and senior offensive lineman David Gross.
Gross will have two more seasons to try and bring the Golden Bucks their first state title since 2004.
Maryland: Jason Moore, Defensive End
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High school: DeMatha Catholic High School (Hyattsville, Maryland)
Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 255 pounds
Graduation year: 2023
College offers: Alabama, Florida, LSU, Maryland, Michigan
Accolades: 247Sports No. 6 Defensive End (2023), Army All-American Bowl (2023)
Bottom Line: Jason Moore
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There's so much to love with DeMatha Catholic defensive end Jason Moore, who is one of the handful of Class of 2023 players to make this list.
Let's start with Moore's work ethic. DeMatha defensive coordinator said Moore "gets better every 16 minutes," which is a pretty great quote in and of itself.
We'd like to point out one thing for all of the college coaches out there salivating at the thought of having Moore on the field in a few years. He's 6-foot-6 and also a high school basketball star, so if he grows two more inches we can start thinking of him as one of the nation's top high school hoops recruits.
Massachusetts: Ty Chan, Offensive Tackle
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High school: Lawrence Academy (Groton, Massachusetts)
Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 275 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Notre Dame (committed)
Accolades: 247Sports No. 1 Massachusetts (2022), ESPN Top 300 (2022)
Bottom Line: Ty Chan
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If you can count on Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly to do one thing year in and year out, it's getting the best players from his home state of Massachusetts.
Kelly and the Irish already have a commitment from Lawrence Academy offensive lineman Ty Chan, who could move from tackle to guard on the next level.
One thing that does catch our eye about Chan is he transferred to Lawrence Academy after playing his first two seasons at Lowell High, in order to reclassify as a sophomore.
Michigan: Will Johnson, Cornerback
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High school: Grosse Pointe South High School (Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 190 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Michigan (committed)
Accolades: AP Division 1-2 All-State (2020), 247Sports No. 11 Overall (2022)
Bottom Line: Will Johnson
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Take a good look at Grosse Pointe South cornerback Will Johnson, because this is what a future NFL cornerback looks like in high school.
Grosse Pointe South only played seven games in 2020, but Johnson was as dominant as he's ever been. He committed to play for Michigan after the season — the same place his father, Deon Johnson, played, defensive back in the early 1990s.
The younger Johnson is already projected as a first-round NFL draft pick and compares favorably to New England Patriots All-Pro Stephon Gilmore.
Minnesota: Lucas Heyer, Offensive Tackle
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High school: Hill-Murray School (Maplewood, Minnesota)
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 307 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Michigan, Minnesota, Arizona State, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa State, Tennessee, Nebraska, Penn State, Stanford
Accolades: Metro East Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year (2020), 247Sports No. 1 Minnesota (2022), Minneapolis Star Tribune All-Metro Team (2020)
Bottom Line: Lucas Heyer
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Lucas Heyer only got to play in six games in 2020, but it was enough to solidify his status as a top-level recruit for Power Five programs.
Heyer dominated competition in those six games, earning Metro East Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year and Minneapolis Star Tribune All-Metro honors.
Heyer seems bound for a Big Ten program then the NFL. He's got the size at 6-foot-5 and 307 pounds to be a starter at guard or tackle as a true freshman.
Mississippi: Zxavian Harris, Defensive Tackle
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High school: Germantown High School (Madison, Mississippi)
Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 315 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas
Accolades: Mississippi Association of Coaches All-State (2020), 247Sports No. 8 Defensive Tackle (2022)
Bottom Line: Zxavian Harris
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Someone as big as Zxavian Harris shouldn't be able to move like he does, but the 6-foot-6, 315-pound defensive tackle has 110 tackles and 12.5 sacks in the last two seasons. That's with two less games played in 2020.
Harris has his pick of big-time Power Five programs to play for but seems bound for SEC stardom, with the only question being what position he'll play at the next level.
If Harris wants to make tens of millions of dollars and play in the NFL for 15 years, hopefully someone convinces him to move to offensive tackle full time.
Missouri: Kevin Coleman, Wide Receiver
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High school: St. Mary's High School (St. Louis, Missouri)
Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 170 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, Arizona State, Florida State, Oregon, Texas
Accolades: Class 6 All-State (2020), 247Sports No. 15 Overall (2022)
Bottom Line: Kevin Coleman
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St. Mary's High wide receiver Kevin Coleman's list of final colleges he's considering reads like a who's who of Power Five conference with schools from the SEC, Big Ten, Pac-12, ACC and Big 12 all making the cut.
Coleman is the type of player who is a plug-and-play. He can help a team immediately in their return game and likely catch passes in a slot offense.
Coleman had over 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons, including 1,512 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2019. In just four games in a shortened season in 2020, he had 12 touchdown receptions.
Montana: Caden Dowler, Safety
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High school: Billings West High School (Billings, Montana)
Height/weight: 6-foot, 195 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Northern Colorado, Montana State
Accolades: Class AA All-State (2020), 247Sports No. 1 Montana (2022)
Bottom Line: Caden Dowler
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Caden Dowler was an All-State pick in 2020 at safety while twin brother Taco Dowler was an All-State pick on offense at Wide receiver.
The duo will get another shot at winning a state championship in 2021 as seniors. They led Billings West High to a state runner-up finish in 2020, losing to Missoula Sentinel High in the championship game.
Caden Dowler does a little bit of everything for Billings West, making All-State not just at safety but also at wide receiver, return specialist and long snapper.
Nebraska: Will Hubert, Defensive End
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High school: Papillion-La Vista High School (Papillion, Nebraska)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 230 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: North Texas, Columbia, Penn
Accolades: Omaha World-Herald All-Nebraska (2020)
Bottom Line: Will Hubert
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Will Hubert had a breakout season for Papillion-Las Vista High in 2020 with 42 tackles for loss and 20 sacks, leading the state in both categories.
Hubert has good size at 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds but is kind of a tweener when it comes to a position for the next level. Can he grow into being a defensive end, and is he fast enough to play linebacker?
It will be interesting to watch Hubert in 2021 make a play for Power Five offers in the Midwest, where Nebraska, Kansas State and others could come calling.
Nevada: Cyrus Moss, Defensive End
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High school: Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 220 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Oregon, Alabama, Notre Dame, Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Boise State, Cal, Clemson, Colorado, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan State, Penn State
Accolades: 247Sports No. 4 Defensive End (2022)
Bottom Line: Cyrus Moss
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Cyrus Moss is an intriguing national prospect out of powerhouse Bishop Gorman High, where the Gaels have won three national championships in the last decade.
Moss has offers from virtually every major Power Five program but not a big sample size to look at as far as game film. The last time he played in a game was in a 2019 Class 4A state championship loss to Liberty High.
We'll get a great look at exactly how much Moss has progressed when Bishop Gorman takes on Miami Central High in Naples, Florida, on Sept. 4, 2021.
New Hampshire: Jackson Paradis, Running Back
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High school: Tilton School (Tilton, New Hampshire)
Height/weight: 6-foot, 225 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Army, Navy, Colorado State, Kent State, Marshall, Massachusetts, New Hampshire
Accolades: 247Sports No. 1 New Hampshire (2022)
Bottom Line: Jackson Paradis
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Jackson Paradis seems on the verge of securing an offer from a Power Five program. He's got elite speed with a 4.56-second 40-yard dash and has the size to be a blocking back as well.
Paradis had his sophomore season cut short by an ankle injury, and Tilton School only played two games in 2020, but over his last eight games, he has approximately 1,200 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.
His work ethic is also outmatched — even on this list of alpha dogs. He's already well known for driving an hour to Tilton every morning to participate in 6 a.m. workouts.
New Jersey: D.J. Samuels, Defensive Tackle/Defensive End
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High school: Bergen Catholic High School (Oradell, New Jersey)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 240 pounds
Graduation year: 2023
College offers: Syracuse, Virginia, Rutgers, Boston College, Temple
Accolades: USA Today All-New Jersey (2020), NJ.com All-State (2020), All-United Red Division (2020)
Bottom Line: D.J. Samuels
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D.J. Samuels started his sophomore season in 2020 as the backup to the state's No. 1 recruit, Ole Miss signee Tywone Malone.
After an injury to Malone, Samuels stepped in, dominated and made his own case as an elite recruit. In just half of a season, Malone had 15 tackles for loss and a staggering 10.5 sacks with just 24 tackles.
Expect Samuels to make a huge leap up the boards when the next round of 2023 recruiting rankings come out.
New Mexico: Lucas Lucero, Free Safety
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High school: Rio Rancho High School (Rio Rancho, New Mexico)
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 185 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: None
Accolades: MaxPreps New Mexico All-State (2019), Class 6A state runner-up (2019)
Bottom Line: Lucas Lucero
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Lucas Lucero rebounded from a rough start to his sophomore season in 2019, his first year as a starter, turning himself into one of the most feared defensive backs in the state.
Lucero racked up 61 tackles, three interceptions and one forced fumble in 2019 and had a reputation for delivering big hits as Rio Rancho advanced to the Class 6A state championship game after opening the season 0-2.
Lucero will get a big chance to show FBS and FCS schools what kind of a player he is in 2021. Expectations will be high for the player and team alike.
New York: Moses Walker, Linebacker
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High school: Erasmus Hall High School (Brooklyn, New York)
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 200 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
FBS offers: Rutgers, Syracuse, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Miami, LSU, Nebraska, West Virginia, William & Mary Maryland, Louisville, Boston College
Accolades: 247Sports No. 1 New York (2022), Rivals No. 15 Outside Linebacker (2022)
Bottom Line: Moses Walker
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There's not a lot of great high school football talent that comes out of New York, but Erasmus Hall High in Brooklyn has another star on tap in linebacker Moses Walker.
Walker's main assets are his speed and strength. He's a bit undersized at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds for a linebacker. It raises the interesting prospect of Walker possibly moving to a safety/rover position at a Power Five program.
To do so, he'll have to improve his man-to-man pass coverage, something he's a year behind on after there was no high school football in New York in 2020.
North Carolina: Malaki Hamrick, Linebacker/Defensive End
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High school: Shelby High School (Shelby, North Carolina)
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 205 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: North Carolina (committed)
Accolades: MaxPreps North Carolina All-State (2020), two-time Class 2AA state champion (2018, 2019), 247Sports No. 10 Outside Linebacker (2022)
Bottom Line: Malaki Hamrick
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Getting a commitment from Shelby High's Malaki Hamrick was a recruiting home run for University of North Carolina head coach Mack Brown.
Hamrick has been the key player on back-to-back state championship teams for Shelby the last two seasons but still managed to take his game to another level in 2010 with 129 tackles, 19 sacks, 39 tackles for loss and two blocked punts.
Hamrick's evolution on the field will be one of the great storylines to watch for players on this list in 2021. What will he do for an encore?
North Dakota: Carson Hegerle, Athlete
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High school: West Fargo High School (West Fargo, North Dakota)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 190 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Army, Nevada, North Dakota, North Dakota State, South Dakota, South Dakota State, Utah State
Accolades: Two-time NDHSCA All-State (2019, 2020), 247Sports No. 50 Athlete (2022)
Bottom Line: Carson Hegerle
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Carson Hegerle is one of a handful of players on this list who seem on the cusp of landing some Power Five offers. He's an elite athlete who could play wide receiver or safety at the next level.
Hegerle jumped onto the board in recruiting rankings early in 2021 when 247Sports named him the No. 50 overall "Athlete" in the country and gave him a three-star rating.
Hegerle is also a basketball star for West Fargo — and likes to play above the rim.
Ohio: Gabe Powers, Linebacker
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High school: Marysville High School (Marysville, Ohio)
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 235 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Ohio State (committed)
Accolades: MaxPreps Ohio All-State (2020), 247Sports No. 2 Outside Linebacker (2022), OSPWA Central District Division I Defensive Player of the Year (2020)
Bottom Line: Gabe Powers
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One of the top linebacker prospects in the country, Ohio State commit Gabe Powers will be the second of his three brothers to play Division I. Older brother Mike is a linebacker at West Virginia.
Powers only played eight games as a junior in 2020, but his stats showed a dominant player — 61 tackles, four sacks, four forced fumbles and an interception.
The knock on Powers in the past has been that he's too skinny. He's already put on extra 20 pounds of muscle since the end of his junior season and was up to almost 240 pounds by February 2021.
Oklahoma: Braylin Presley, Running Back
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High school: Bixby High School (Bixby, Oklahoma)
Height/weight: 5-foot-8, 165 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Oklahoma State, Baylor, Louisville, Memphis, Kansas
Accolades: The Oklahoman All-State (2020), MaxPreps Oklahoma Player of the Year (2020), 247Sports No. 31 Athlete (2022). Class 6A Division II All-State (2020)
Bottom Line: Baylin Presley
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There might be higher-ranked recruits in Oklahoma, but for our money, the best player in the state is Bixby High running back Braylin Presley.
Presley led Bixby to its third consecutive Class 6A-II state championship in 2020 and earned MaxPreps Oklahoma Player of the Year honors.
The numbers don't lie for Presley. Playing against elite competition, he racked up a staggering 2,471 yards of total offense and 35 touchdowns. Presley seems like the perfect player for Oklahoma State's wide-open offense because he has the ability to play in the backfield and as a slot wide receiver.
Oregon: Drew Savaiinaea, Defensive End
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High school: The Dalles High School (The Dalles, Oregon)
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 280 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Oregon, Washington, Cal, Washington State, UCLA, Oregon State
Accolades: 247Sports No. 5 Oregon (2022),
Bottom Line: Drew Savaiinaea
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There haven't been high school sports in Oregon since March 2020, but Drew Savaiinaea will get two seasons in 2021 with six scheduled games in the spring and a full schedule in the fall.
Savaiinaea grew up in The Dalles but played his first two seasons of high school football at Eastside Catholic in the Seattle suburbs. He dominated his only public showing in 2020 as the best defensive lineman at the Pacific Northwest Stack Sports Regional Showcase in Portland in the fall.
Savaaiinaea seems like he could be an interior defensive lineman on the next level.
Pennsylvania: Nicholas Singleton, Running Back
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High school: Governor Mifflin High School (Shillington, Pennsylvania)
Height/weight: 6-foot, 210 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Penn State, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Alabama
Accolades: MaxPreps Pennsylvania All-State (2020), 247Sports No. 5 Running Back (2022)
Bottom Line: Nicholas Singleton
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Governor Mifflin star Nicholas Singleton is one of the fastest high school football players in the country. His 40-yard dash time is in the 4.4-second range, and he's sub-11.0 seconds in the 100-meter dash. He also ran for approximately 1,300 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2020.
Singleton has great size, at 6-foot and 210 pounds, and the ability to break tackles and run for yards after contact.
Add in that he plays in one of the best states for high school football in the country, and you have a player that's catnip for Power Five programs.
Rhode Island: Brandyn Durand, Defensive Line
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High school: Bishop Hendricken High School (Warwick, Rhode Island)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 230 pounds
Graduation year: 2023
College offers: Kentucky (committed, baseball)
Accolades: RIIL All-State (2019), RIIL Division I champion (2019)
Bottom Line: Brandyn Durand
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Brandyn Durand isn't just the best football player in Rhode Island. He's also the best baseball player as well.
Durand was an All-State defensive lineman for powerhouse Bishop Hendricken, but his future lies on the baseball diamond, where his size, speed and power make him one of the more intriguing catcher prospects in the nation.
Durand, who is committed to play baseball at Kentucky, may never make it to college at all if he gets picked high enough in the 2023 MLB draft.
South Carolina: Jaleel Skinner, Tight End
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High school: Greer High School (Greer, South Carolina)
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 215 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Clemson, Florida, South Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma, Michigan
Accolades: SCFCA All-State (2020), Under Armour All-American (2020), 247Sports No. 3 Tight End (2022)
Bottom Line: Jaleel Skinner
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Jaleel Skinner could change the prospects of many Power Five schools by signing. He's a flex tight end/jumbo wide receiver who has size and athleticism at 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds.
Skinner will obviously have to put on some weight to be a tight end at the next level, but he seems like an NFL prospect already — a player who could be like Jared Cook or Jimmy Graham on that level.
If you're studying up on Skinner, make sure you check out his high school basketball highlight reel as well. The dude is trying to rip the rim off.
South Dakota: Aiden Brink, Offensive Line
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High school: Washington High School (Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 270 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Wayne State
Accolades: Class 11-AAA All-State (2020)
Bottom Line: Aiden Brink
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South Dakota has a history of putting out high level college offensive linemen, and we don't expect Sioux Falls Washington High star Aiden Brink to be any different.
Brink doesn't have any FBS or FCS offers yet but could fit the right system as a guard. He's already 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds, which means he could probably pack on another 20-30 pounds of muscle and keep his mobility.
This seems like the perfect player to take the field for in-state schools like South Dakota and South Dakota State.
Tennessee: Walter Nolen, Defensive Tackle
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High school: St. Benedict High School (Cordova, Tennessee)
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 300 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Michigan, LSU, Florida, Oregon, Tennessee, Auburn, USC
Accolades: 247Sports No. 2 Overall (2022), Memphis Commercial Appeal All-Metro (2020)
Bottom Line: Walter Nolen
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Walter Nolen is the top defensive prospect in the nation for the Class of 2022. You can only watch and shudder at Nolen's highlight film. It would be a nightmare to face him as an offensive lineman.
Nolen was dominant for Olive Branch High as a sophomore in 2019, leading them into the second round of the Class 6A state playoffs in Mississippi with 92 tackles, 26 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.
St. Benedict's is Nolen's third high school in three different states. He was also briefly enrolled at IMG Academy in Florida.
Texas: Quinn Ewers, Quarterback
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High school: Southlake Carroll High School (Southlake, Texas)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds
Graduation year: 2023
College offers: Ohio State (committed)
Accolades: 247Sports No. 1 Overall (2022), Rivals No. 1 Overall (2022)
Bottom Line: Quinn Ewers
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No conversation about Southlake Carroll High quarterback Quinn Ewers can start without pointing out that once again Ohio State stepped into Texas and stole a top recruit away — in this case the No. 1 overall recruit in the country. And it hurt even more in this case because Ewers was committed to the University of Texas at one point.
Folks, this is what a future NFL quarterback looks like. He's already projected as a top 10 selection and compares favorably to former Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, who will be a top-five pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
There's nothing Ewers can't make happen with the ball in his hand.
Utah: Lander Barton, Linebacker
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High school: Brighton High School (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 215 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Utah
Accolades: MaxPreps Utah All-State (2020), 247Sports No. 1 Utah (2022)
Bottom Line: Lander Barton
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Rarely do we find players who could play on all three levels of a defense, but that's what we have in Brighton High linebacker Lander Barton, the top overall prospect in Utah for the Class of 2022.
Barton can rush the passer off the edge, cover the middle of the field as a linebacker and drop into pass coverage. As a junior in 2020, he racked up 123 tackles, five sacks and two interceptions and is the top target for the University of Utah.
Vermont: Hayden Gaudette, Fullback/Middle Linebacker
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High school: Mount Anthony High School (Bennington, Vermont)
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 240 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: None
Accolades: Two-time state wrestling champion (2019, 2020)
Bottom Line: Hayden Gaudette
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Hayden Gaudette finished second in the state in tackles and third in the state in touchdowns as a sophomore in 2019 and was ready for a breakout season as a junior but only got to play 7-on-7, where he still dominated and was named one of Mount Anthony High's captains for 2021.
Gaudette, 6-foot-1 and 240 pounds, could easily translate to a FBS or FCS fullback with a big senior season, but his future might not be on the gridiron. Gaudette is already a two-time state wrestling champion and will try for a third (hopefully) in 2022 after losing his junior year in that sport as well.
Virginia: Shawn Murphy, Linebacker
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High school: Unity Reed High School (Manassas, Virginia)
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 220 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Florida, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Virginia
Accolades: MaxPreps Virginia All-State (2020), two-time Class 6 All-State (2019, 2020), 247Sports No. 1 Inside Linebacker (2022)
Bottom Line: Shawn Murphy
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At the point where Shawn Murphy eventually steps on the field for a Power Five program, we're guessing it will be as a starting linebacker — middle or outside — and that it will be as a true freshman.
To be clear, you absolutely do not want to see Murphy lining up on the ball opposite you as a high school quarterback in 2021. Here's a message to high school football offensive coordinators in Virginia: The top linebacker for the Class of 2022 could ruin your season in a hurry.
Washington: Jayden Wayne, Athlete
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High school: Lincoln High School (Tacoma, Washington)
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 240 pounds
Graduation year: 2023
College offers: Arizona State, Cal, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington, Washington State, Colorado, Arkansas, LSU, Tennessee, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Duke, Virginia
Accolades: 247Sports No. 2 Overall Athlete (2023), Adidas All-American (2019)
Bottom Line: Jayden Wayne
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Jayden Wayne had his junior season wiped out in 2020, but football fans should understand they'll get plenty of chances to see him play over the next decade.
At 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, you could make a good argument Wayne is as ready as any high school football player in the country to join a Power Five roster and make an immediate impact.
Wayne can dominate on both sides of the ball as a pass rusher or tight end, and our guess is he's going to get paid millions of dollars to do one of those things soon.
West Virginia: Trey Dunn, Quarterback
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High school: South Charleston High School (South Charleston, West Virginia)
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 190 pounds
Graduation year: 2023
College offers: Charleston
Accolades: Class AAA All-State (2020), Coalfields & Co. No. 1 Overall QB (2021)
Bottom Line: Trey Dunn
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Trey Dunn's improvement from his freshman to sophomore season at South Charleston High was one of the biggest stories in West Virginia High School football in 2020. He cut his interceptions from 12 to 4 and improved his touchdown pass total from 14 to 23.
By the end of the season, Dunn was the best quarterback in West Virginia's largest division, Class AAA, and with almost 4,000 yards passing through his first two seasons, he could be among West Virginia's top 10 career passers by the end of his career.
Wisconsin: Joe Brunner, Offensive Line
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High school: Whitefish Bay High School (Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin)
Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 305 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: Wisconsin, Arizona State, Cal, Florida State, Illinois, Iowa, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, Penn State (offers)
Accolades: Two-time AP All-State (2019, 2020), 247 Sports No. 7 Offensive Tackle (2022)
Bottom Line: Joe Brunner
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Joe Brunner is another elite offensive line prospect to come out of Wisconsin, and at 6-foot-6 and 305 pounds, he could be dominating on Saturdays and Sundays in the near future.
The Whitefish Bay High star and No. 1 prospect in the state has his pick of colleges and is already a two-time All-State selection. Brunner also was named the North Shore Conference Lineman of the Year in 2020.
And just think, he's got another full year to listen to friends and family pressure him to play for the University of Wisconsin.
Wyoming: Isaac Schoenfeld, Tight End
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High school: Rock Springs High School (Rock Springs, Wyoming)
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 220 pounds
Graduation year: 2022
College offers: N/A
Accolades: Star Tribune Super 25 (2020), Class AAA All-State (2020)
Bottom Line: Isaac Schoenfeld
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Imagine the FBS offers that would already be in Isaac Schoenfeld's lap if he played in one of the many football-crazy states as a 6-foot-5, 220-pound tight end.
Schoenfeld had a breakout campaign as a junior with 37 receptions for 610 yards and 10 touchdowns along with 168 rushing yards on the way to all-state honors.
Hopefully, Schoenfeld will see some offers roll in this spring and summer as he heads into his senior season — specifically from the University of Wyoming and head coach Craig Bohl.
Related:Best High School Football Stadium in Every State