Vote: Who was Connecticut’s top junior football player of 2023?

We give you 12 candidates to choose from

The 2023 high school football season is complete and we are going around the East Coast, reflecting on the last few months.

One of the big questions is what returning upperclassmen on the scene made the biggest impact to a football program or state even? That’s where juniors that saw extensive playing time come into the mix.

That’s why we ask the question: Who was the top junior football player of 2023?

We will go state-by-state along the East Coast and once that voting is done, do a final poll including all the juniors that won going head-to-head.  

We’ve selected 12 worthy candidates and ask you the fan to vote for who you think topped them all.

Voting will end on February 28th, 2024.

Editor’s note: Our corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. This poll is specifically for fans to vote on the players that have been nominated and in no way discredits any other player that may not be mentioned in our poll. 

Here are the nominees: 

Nick Conlan, QB, West Haven: The junior quarterback completed 137-of-226 passes for 2,067 yards and 23 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Conlan also rushed for 756 yards and eight touchdowns. 

Drew Caouette, QB, Holy Cross: Caouette was highly efficient for Holy Cross in 2023. The signal caller completed 153-of-227 passes for 1,863 yards and 23 touchdowns. 

Ethan Nedinsky, QB, Maloney: The Spartans’ quarterback was another quarterback that had a very efficient season as a junior. The signal caller completed 109-of-178 passes for 1,683 yards and 26 touchdowns to just five picks. 

Tommy Hansen, RB/LB, North Branford: Hansen not only performed on offense, but defense as well. Hansen at tailback has pushed for 1,760 yards on 268 carries and scored 20 touchdowns. At linebacker, Hansen made 65 tackles. 

Amir Knighton, RB/LB, Rockville: Knighton was another athlete that made plays on both sides of the ball. The junior rushed for 1,594 yards and scored 24 touchdowns. Knighton on defense compiled 36 tackles and picked off two passes. 

Drayvn Roberts, QB, East Hartford: Roberts was a dual-threat quarterback for East Hartford in 2023. The signal caller completed 84-of-159 passes for 1,507 yards, 20 touchdowns and just four picks. Also rushed for 1,222 yards and 19 touchdowns. 

Joe Mugovero, WR, Manchester: Leading the state in the receiving department as a junior was Mugovero. The pass catcher hauled in 61 passes for 1,055 yards and scored 13 touchdowns. 

Jayden Taylor, WR, Newtown: Taylor was another wide receiver that was a difficult cover for opposing secondaries. The junior caught 58 passes for 978 yards and found paydirt 16 times. 

Will Black, OT, Choate Rosemary Hall: The 6-foot-7, 295-pound offensive tackle was one of the best in all of the New England region. Black is a Notre Dame commitment. 

Adam Shovlin, DL, St. Thomas More: Not many defensive lineman could create and cause havoc like Shovlin did in 2023. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound lineman is heavily sought after, with offers from Boston College, Connecticut and Duke. 

Nicholas Fox, LB, Masuk: The tackling machine was everywhere on the field for Masuk. Fox totaled 162 tackles, 25.5 for loss and also rushed for 117 yards on offense. 

Ryan Kinik, DB, Shelton: Kinik was another one of the state’s leading tacklers among juniors. The 5-foot-8, 170-pound defensive back made 143 tackles, 19 for loss, two sacks, three interceptions and broke up 14 passes. 

-- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @sbliveconn