Best high school football seniors in the nation: These 20 are the class of the upperclassmen

Expect even more out of these junior superstars during their senior season this fall

This is their year.

The college commitment season is in full force this summer, but the 2023 high school football season is right around the corner, and it's the seniors' time to shine.

Here are 20 senior high school football players across the nation who should be the class of the upperclassmen this fall.

Micah Alejado, QB, Bishop Gorman (Nevada)

Alejado led Bishop Gorman to a 13-1 record and the Class 5A state championship during a record-breaking junior season. The Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year threw for 3,403 yards and a state-record 53 touchdowns with just two interceptions, completing 170-of-224 pass attempts. He also rushed for 335 yards and three touchdowns.

Gatlin Bair, WR, Burley (Idaho)

As a junior, Bair caught 73 passes for 1,073 yards and 18 touchdowns, drawing interest from college programs such as Alabama, Miami, Michigan, Nebraska, Oregon and TCU. He also excelled on the track as a sprinter, but he's been adamant that football will be his focus in college (after he takes a two-year Mission with the LDS church).

Elijah Brown, QB, Mater Dei (California)

Brown completed 184 of 270 passes (68%) for 2,785 yards, 31 touchdowns and only four interceptions in 2022 as a junior. He was the most consistent quarterback in California high school football last fall. The SBLive California All-State honoree enters his senior season with a 29-1 career record as a starter.

Sammy Brown, LB/RB, Jefferson (Georgia)

Linebacker will be his position at Clemson, but Brown was also a handful at running back last season, rushing for 1,449 yards and 21 touchdowns. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound athlete is also a tackling machine on defense, making a high of 21 in one game as a junior.

Colton Brunell, RB, Columbus (Wisconsin)

After an 1,800-yard, 26-touchdown regular season on the ground, Brunell kept rolling in the playoffs, leading his team to an undefeated season and a state championship as a junior. The 6-foot, 210-pounder rushed for another 1,100 yards and 17 TDs in the playoffs, including 186 yards and two touchdowns in the championship game win over Catholic Memorial.

Navi Bruzon, QB, Peoria Liberty (Arizona)

Bruzon earned Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year honors as a junior, as the 5-foot-11, 195-pound quarterback passed for 3,041 yards and 33 touchdowns, leading Liberty (11-1) to the Open Division state tournament semifinals. He also had 409 rushing yards and five touchdowns.

Jadyn Davis, QB, Providence Day (North Carolina)

As a junior, Davis was named North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year after throwing for 3,425 yards and 43 touchdowns while leading Providence Day to a state championship. He committed to Michigan live on ESPN in March.

Micah Ford, DB/QB, Toms River North (New Jersey)

As good as Ford has been at defensive back and quarterback, he's expected to be a running back at Stanford. As a run-first QB, he led Toms River North to a 14-0 record and the Group 5 state championship as a junior, rushing for 2,360 yards and 33 touchdowns while passing for 1,203 yards and 17 TDs. At free safety he made 77 tackles (nine for loss) picked off four passes and returned one for a touchdown. 

Kamarion Franklin, DE, Lake Cormorant (Mississippi)

Franklin earned SBLive Mississippi All-State honors as a junior after piling up 17 sacks, averaging more than two per game. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound pass rusher is one of the top-ranked uncommitted players in the nation and plans to graduate in December and start college in January.

Ethen Knox, RB, Oil City (Pennsylvania)

Knox was arguably the biggest breakout star in the country in 2022 as a junior, rushing for 3,702 yards with 42 touchdowns, plus making 63 tackles and six interceptions on defense. He broke NFL star Derrick Henry's high school record when he ran for his fifth 400-yard game of the season.

Jordan Marshall photo by Jeff Harwell

Jordan Marshall, RB, Archbishop Moeller (Ohio)

Marshall helped lead the Crusaders to the state semifinals by rushing for 1,961 yards and 30 touchdowns as a junior last season. The Michigan commit will enter his senior season at Moeller as the frontrunner for Ohio's Mr. Football award after being a finalist as a junior. 

Williams Nwaneri, DE, Lee's Summit North (Missouri)

Over the past two seasons, Nwaneri has been one of the nation's most dominant prospects, racking up 99 tackles, 17 sacks, 12 tackles for loss and 31 quarterback hurries. Oklahoma is considered the favorite for the 6-foot-6, 255-pound pass rusher's services in college.

Brayden Platt, LB/RB, Yelm (Washington)

Platt was named SBLive Washington's all-state two-way player of the year in 2022, rushing 132 times for 1,242 yards and 24 touchdowns while anchoring arguably Class 3A's best defense at inside linebacker. He also was one of the best track and field throwers in the nation as a junior.

Dylan Raiola, QB, Buford (Georgia)

Raiola completed 178 of 278 passes for 2,435 yards and 22 touchdowns with five interceptions for Chandler (Arizona) as a junior last season. He transferred to Pinnacle in January and again last month to Buford, which is just 40 miles away from the University of Georgia, where he committed to in May.

Ellis Robinson IV, CB, IMG Academy (Florida)

Robinson is a Connecticut native who started his high school career at Iona Prep in New York. After a strong sophomore season in which he picked off eight passes, the five-star prospect transferred to IMG Academy, where he started as a junior for one of the top teams in the country. Robinson committed to Georgia in February.

Julian Sayin, QB, Carlsbad (California)

Sayin was the most consistent quarterback at the 2023 Elite 11 Finals over the summer, beating out Raiola to earn MVP honors. The Alabama commit threw for 2,708 yards with 27 touchdowns and four interceptions in 12 games for Carlsbad last fall.

Colin Simmons, OLB/DE, Duncanville (Texas)

One of the country’s top uncommitted edge rushers, Simmons set a school record a season ago with 22.5 sacks (along with 33 tackles for loss). He was the District 11-6A co-MVP while playing for Duncanville’s 6A-I championship squad. Texas, LSU and Alabama are considered the favorites to secure the five-star defender. 

Jeremiah Smith, WR, Chaminade-Madonna (Florida)

Smith was a big target (6-3, 200 pounds) for Chaminade-Madonna's high-powered offense last season. Considered one of the top college prospects in the nation regardless of position, Smith finished with 58 catches for 1,073 yards and 20 touchdowns last season and is committed to play for Ohio State next year.

Bryant Wesco, WR, Midlothian (Texas)

A 6-foot-2, 170-pound receiver, Wesco caught 58 passes for 1,160 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior, averaging around 20 yards per catch. Also a standout triple jumper in track and field, Wesco committed last month to play football for Clemson in 2024.

Ryan Wingo, WR, St. Louis University (Missouri)

Wingo is one of the top-ranked wide receiver recruits in the nation, but he did more than just catch passes for St. Louis University last season. He had 41 catches for 785 yards for 12 touchdowns on offense, plus 44 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions on defense. He also was the team's punter (41.2 yards per kick), punt returner (30.5-yard average) and kickoff returner (41.2-yard average). 

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