Best high school football athletes in the nation entering the 2023 season

Expect these 20 players to stand out at multiple positions this fall

Summer is waning and fall is approaching, so it's time to start getting excited for the 2023 high school football season.

Several of the nation's top teams start their season in less than a month, and SBLive Sports is highlighting some of the best players in the nation heading into the fall season.

Over the next few weeks we'll be taking a position-by-position look at some of the best of the best in high school football. We started with the defensive backs, moved on to quarterbacks and now it's the Swiss Army knives' turn — the athletes.

Kobe Black, sr., Connally (Texas)

Black, a five-star senior, holds offers from nearly every college football superpower. He was an all-district performer at wide receiver and cornerback as a junior, notching 36 tackles, nine pass breakups and two interceptions while compiling 642 yards of total offense and 11 touchdowns. 

KJ Bolden, sr., Buford (Georgia)

Bolden projects as a defensive back in college, but the five-star recruit will likely be one of the top receiving targets for new quarterback Dylan Raiola this season. Bolden started both ways as a junior and ran legs on Buford’s runner-up 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams at the Class 7A state track and field championships. 

Terry Bussey, sr., Timpson (Texas)

Bussey did a little bit of everything last season for Class 2A Timpson, piling up 2,177 yards and 26 touchdowns passing, 2,596 yards and 46 touchdowns rushing while recording 115 tackles with five interceptions on defense. The reigning 2A offensive player of the year is a five-star recruit with numerous suitors. 

Courtney Crutchfield, sr., Pine Bluff (Arkansas)

A three-sport star who also excels in basketball and track, Crutchfield is a four-star wide receiver recruit who committed to Arkansas in April. He plays on both sides of the ball for Pine Bluff, catching nine touchdowns to go along with 30 tackles, three forced fumbles and two interceptions as a junior. 

Witt Edwards, sr., Wagoner (Oklahoma)

Edwards picked off a pass and had a touchdown reception as Wagoner captured the Class 4A title with a 24-21 over Cushing. The 6-foot-6 freak athlete is a four-star recruit who can play receiver, tight end, outside linebacker and defensive end. Earlier this year, he placed third in the 215-pound bracket at the state wrestling championships. 

Dierre Hill Jr., jr., Vashon (Missouri)

Whether out of the backfield, as a receiver or in the return game, Hill is a threat to take it the house on every play. Last season the 6-foot athlete (who also stars in basketball) amassed 1,120 rushing yards, 154 receiving yards and 766 yards in the return game with 24 total touchdowns. He holds D1 offers in football and basketball.

Bo Jackson, jr., Villa Angela-St. Joseph (Ohio)

Sharing a name with one of the greatest all-around athletes in history, the younger Bo Jackson has also proven to be a versatile performer for Villa Angela-St. Joseph. The four-star recruit is an impact player at running back, receiver and safety. 

Brauntae Johnson, sr., North Side (Indiana)

Johnson averaged nearly 21 points per game during his junior basketball season, but the North Side phenom’s future is on the gridiron. The four-star Notre Dame commit caught 69 passes for 1,081 yards and 16 touchdowns last fall while compiling 23 tackles on defense. 

Demello Jones, sr., Swainsboro (Georgia)

A four-star Georgia commit, Jones played quarterback, receiver and cornerback during his junior season for Swainsboro. He finished with 44 tackles, six pass breakups, 1,279 rushing yards, 382 receiving yards and 27 total touchdowns for a team that went 13-1 overall. 

Quinton Martin, sr., Belle Vernon (Pennsylvania)

Martin scored the only offensive touchdown as Belle Vernon defeated Neumann-Goretti, 9-8, in last season's Class 3A title game. The four-star Penn State commit finished his junior year with 1,703 yards of total offense, 22 tackles, four interceptions and 31 total touchdowns. 

Jaylen Mbakwe, sr., Clay-Chalkville (Alabama)

Mbakwe, a longtime Alabama commit and five-star recruit, is a factor on offense, defense and special teams. In eight games as a junior, Mbakwe showcased his coverage abilities while catching five touchdowns and throwing another. 

Thomas Meyer, jr., Clear Lake (Iowa)

The 6-foot-5 Meyer, a four-star recruit for the Class of 2025, piled up 10 tackles for loss on the defensive line while catching 28 passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns at tight end as a sophomore. He is also a productive basketball player who averaged 14.6 points and 7.2 rebounds during the winter.

DJ Pickett, jr., Zephyrhills (Florida)

The five-star prospect was a two-way terror for Zephyrhills as a sophomore. He had 43 catches for 886 yards and 12 touchdowns while putting up an impressive defensive stat line of 39 tackles, three pass breakups and four interceptions, returning one for a TD. 

Brayden Platt, sr., Yelm (Washington)

One of the best track and field throwers in the country, Platt is also a four-star football recruit who has narrowed his recruitment list to Oklahoma and Oregon. The 6-foot-2, 240-pounder plays running back and linebacker for Yelm, which captured its first state title last fall.

Amari Sabb, soph., Glassboro (New Jersey)

Sabb shined during his freshman season for Glassboro, running for 765 yards while recording 22 pass breakups and four interceptions on defense. He finished with nine total touchdowns and already holds several major offers, including Georgia, Michigan and Oregon. 

Ansu Sanoe, soph., Lakeridge (Oregon)

Much like Amari Sabb, Sanoe was a freshman difference-maker who picked up offers from Georgia, Oregon and others after breaking onto the scene. He had 123 total touches on offense as a freshman, finishing with 729 yards and nine touchdowns. He could also be a factor on defense this year. 

Lamason Waller, jr., Sultana (California)

A four-star recruit, Waller led Sultana in receiving last season with 64 catches for 1,057 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also rushed for a pair of TDs, returned kicks and compiled 36 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery on defense. 

Peyton Waters photo by Nick Koza

Peyton Waters, sr., Birmingham (California)

The four-star Washington commit stayed busy during his junior season for Birmingham. Waters finished with 1,077 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns, 491 rushing yards and 11 TDs, 51 tackles and four interceptions. He also scored a pair of defensive TDs, ran a punt back for a score and even averaged 37.2 yards as a punter. 

Noreel White, sr., St. Martin (Mississippi)

White is a true athlete who plays quarterback, running back, receiver, cornerback and safety for St. Martin. As a junior, the four-star Arkansas commit had 47 tackles and a pair of interceptions while putting up more than 1,000 yards of total offense and 13 touchdowns. 

Jordan Young, jr., Monroe (North Carolina) 

Last but not least, Young was another player who starred on offense, defense and special teams a season ago. The four-star recruit had 640 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, seven interceptions and blocked a punt as a sophomore.