Vote: Who is the top pass catcher in Minnesota high school football?

Read through the nominees and vote for who is the best entering the 2023 season

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Minnesota high school football: looking ahead to the top games each week

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Let’s take a closer look at some of the top returning pass catchers in high school football for the 2023 season in Minnesota.

Plenty of worthy names are on this list, so be sure to read through the nominees and vote in our poll for who you think will be the top returning pass catchers for the upcoming season.

Voting will close on August 25 at 11:59 p.m.

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 who may not be mentioned in our poll.

If you are a coach and you'd like to add a nominee before the poll closes, please email butler@scorebooklive.com.

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Carter Holcomb, senior, Rochester Mayo

Holcomb’s brother Luke — now a Washington State Cougar — broke all of Rochester Mayo’s receiving records and is in the state’s record book, too. Now Holcomb is making his own marks. Entering his fifth season on varsity, he is a three-time all-district and all-area player, as well as an all-district Offensive Player of the Year and first team all-state receiver. He was voted Scorebook Live’s Offensive Player of the Year last season as well. 

“Carter is the most experienced and most productive receiver in the state and most likely in state’s history with another productive season,” coach Donald Holcomb said. 

Holcomb runs a 4.5 40-yard dash and can easily dunk at the height of 5-foot-9. He was third in the state in catches (72), second in yards (1,257) and first in touchdowns (18) last season and holds offers from Washington State and St. Thomas.

Jalen Smith, senior, Mankato West

A 3-star Minnesota commit and both an all-district and all-city player, Smith was both the Scarlets No. 1 wideout, and cornerback, during a 12-1 season in 2022. 

On offense, he was Mankato West’s “go-to guy when we needed a big play or drive extended,” coach JJ Helget said. 

Defensively, he routinely shadowed the opposition’s top threat in man coverage and didn’t surrender a single touchdown all season. Smith, with his blinding speed — he ran

a 10.87 100-meter dash this spring — will be a nightmare matchup once more in 2023.

Photo by Jeff Lawler

Carter Olson, senior, Springfield

After 92 catches for over 1,200 yards two years ago, Olson collected 99 catches for 1,264 and 11 touchdowns last season — leading the state in both catches and yards. He’s a two-time all-district and area player who won a Receiver of the Year honor and helped drive Springfield to a Class A runner-up finish. 

“Carter is a threat on all three levels of the field,” coach Adam Meyer said. “He is extremely tough to tackle in the open field. He is also very good on contested catches down the field and has a great feel for finding open space. He has been our go-to receiver when we need a first down or big play the last two seasons and we are expecting him to complete his career with another successful senior season this year.”

Brayden Sturm, junior, Springfield

Sturm complements Olson excellently with his “knack for the big play.” Also an elite defensive back, Sturm turned in 28 catches and 423 yards as a sophomore. He is an all-district and area player. 

“As a sophomore, he was tasked with playing both ways most of the year and responded by stepping up in a huge way on his way to an all-district season,” Meyer said. “Brayden will be looked to even more this season, especially offensively, as he is one of the top returning players in the area.”

Gabriel Swedenburg, senior, Hillcrest Lutheran Academy

Swedenburg was one of the more productive juniors state-wide in 2022. In nine games, he hauled in 67 catches (tied for No. 6 in state) for 944 yards (No. 7 in state) and 11 scores (tied for No. 10 in state). He eclipsed 120 yards on four occasions. 

Swedenburg is an impact defender in the secondary, too. He added 51 tackles and an interception from the cornerback position.

Tyler Nystrom, senior, Mounds View

Nystrom was a reception magnet as a junior, hauling in 70 catches — the fourth best mark state-wide. In 10 games, the rising-senior added 693 yards and six touchdowns. Nystrom went for seven-plus catches in five games.

Conner Martens, senior, Nicollet

Martens was a bright spot amidst a two-win season last year. The rising-senior caught eight-plus balls on four occasions and finished the season with 64 catches (No. 8 in state), 980 yards (No. 4 in state) and ten touchdowns at 15.3 yards per reception. 

The 6-foot-2, 160-pounder was also a standout defensively, collecting 54 tackles and five interceptions at cornerback.

Khijohn Cummings-Coleman, senior, Coon Rapids

Cummings-Coleman is the state’s top uncommitted senior, according to 247Sports. The 10th ranked player in the state, the 3-star has offers from schools such as Kansas, Iowa State, Iowa, Army and Central Michigan. 

Last season, the wideout caught 57 balls for 962 yards and 11 touchdowns, while adding 188 yards and two scores on the ground.

Juriad Hughes, senior, Irondale

Hughes is ranked just behind Cummings-Coleman in the state’s 2024 class and, like him, remains uncommitted. 

Hughes, a 6-foot-1, 170-pounder, holds offers from Colorado State, Kent State and Northern Iowa. Last season, in an offense that featured multiple faces at quarterback, Hughes 25 passes for 429 and four scores. 

He was the team’s leader in receiving yards and touchdowns.

Luke Guggenberger, junior, Benilde-St. Margaret’s

Guggenberger is a massive target at 6-foot-4, 180 pounds, In 2022, with one of the state’s top yardage quarterbacks in Nirvaan Yogarajah behind center, the wideout put up 57 catches for 817 yards and six touchdowns. He was top-15 state-wide in both catches and receiving yards.

Brady McPherson, senior, Orono

A two-way starter for the last two seasons, McPherson plays tight end and defensive end. A three-sport athlete (football, wrestling, baseball), he was a sophomore on Orono’s state semi-final team. 

Despite being an all-district football player last season, he was a 2021/22 wrestling captain and all-conference honoree and was the school’s baseball player of the year.

Caden Sheff, senior, Barnum

Sheff, a four-year defensive starter, who has led the team in tackles three-straight seasons, also developed into the Bombers’ “most dynamic playmaker” last season, coach Robert Minkkinen said. “Caden is an extremely hard worker and he provides a good combination of speed and strength while playing with a high motor.” 

The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder recorded 1,122 all-purpose yards and 18 total touchdowns between running back and receiver last year, and at linebacker, led the defense with 77 tackles to go along with three tackles for loss, a sack, and pair of forced fumbles for the 8-3 Bombers.

Carlos Beckstrand, senior, Barnum

Beckstrand plays all over the field for the Bombers at wideout, running back, outside linebacker, and defensive back. 

“Carlos might be our most competitive athlete and he plays much bigger than his size,” coach Minkkinen said of the 5-foot-9, 150-pounder. 

On offense, he “runs with an edge once the ball is in his hands, and has natural vision running the ball.” 

He ended the year with 1,012 all-purpose yards and 12 total touchdowns. He is extremely versatile on both sides of the ball and should be a two-way star in 2023.

Hunter Fox, senior, Orono

Fox is Orono’s top wide receiver. Fox, an honorable mention all-district player last season, doesn’t get ample touches due to the program’s ground-focused offense, but makes the most of them and does his job “without hesitation,” coach Joe McPherson said. 

“He is an all around receiver for us (both blocking and running routes). He has made some big catches for us over the last two years.”

Max Mogelson, senior, Two Rivers

A 6-foot-4, 265-pounder, Mogelson is a two-time conference and all-district player. He’s also an all-conference player in basketball and baseball, and, like football, started as a freshman in both — something coach Thomas Orth said he’s never seen in his 34 years. 

Mogelson accepted a full-ride offer from UNLV last season after years of dominant play at tight end and along the defensive line. 

“He is impossible to block or cover 1-on-1,” Orth said. “He also provides great leadership for the football program and the school community.”

Jayce Kiehne, senior, Fillmore Central

Kiehne is a special talent at wideout for Chris Mensink’s group. He was Fillmore Central’s second leading receiver with eight touchdowns his sophomore year and then put up five through four weeks last season before a broken collarbone ended his season prematurely. 

With 868 career receiving yards, he’s eighth all-time in school history entering his final year. He was all-district his sophomore year, and an honorable mention last year. 

“Jayce is a special talent,” Mensink said. “He has a rare combination of speed and size at 6-foot-3. He is a versatile athlete with amazing hands. He is physical as well, making him the complete package. He is primed for a great senior campaign.”

Teshe Loer, senior, Deer Creek

Loer won offensive MVP of his district this season after a 70-catch, 727-yard, nine-touchdown outing. Also a large contributor as a sophomore, Loer’s performance has coach Kyle Petermeier expects an even bigger senior campaign. 

“He is a great role model to our young kids in our school who look up to him,” Petermeier said. “To our football program, he is as important as it gets. He sets the tone for hard work, leadership, and preparation. He is a focal point of our team and we expect a lot out of him. He is a great team player that does what it takes to win, and he plays a big role in our success as well.”

Alex Lea, junior, Blooming Prairie

Lea plays all over the field for Chad Gimbel’s program, seeing time at wideout, running back, h-back and linebacker. 

An all-district member last season, Lea turned in 34 receptions for 528 yards and three touchdowns, adding 428 yards and another trio of scores on the ground. Versatile and athletic with a standout motor, Gimbel called Lea the “heart and soul” of the team coming off just his sophomore campaign. 

“Offensively, he does it all,” he said.

Emmanuel Karmo, junior, Robbinsdale Cooper

Karmo is one of just two ranked players in Minnesota’s class of 2025, according to 247Sports, to this point. Karmo has become a two-way standout for the Hawks early in his career, operating at both the wideout and linebacker positions. 

The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder turned in 74 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception on defense, while adding 242 yards through the air, where he led the team with four touchdowns. 

The 3-star has several Power Five Division I offers.

Ai’Jhon Douglas, junior, Harding-Humboldt

Douglas became a focal point as a sophomore last season, playing wideout and cornerback while returning both kicks and punts. 

Douglas scored three touchdowns through the air, three as a returner and recorded a pick-six, too. An all-district player, Douglas is receiving Division I and II looks and coach Andre Creighton expects a break out year in 2023. 

“Ai'Jhon was a spark plug for our team last year,” he said.

Tate Nelson, junior, Two Harbors

A standout defensive back and elite athlete (Class A 100-meter state champion), Nelson averaged 9.7 yards per carry as a running back, while also leading the team in receptions when split out wide. 

Coach Tom Nelson expects a breakout year from the all-around weapon as he enters his junior year. 

Nelson was also a runner up in 200-meter, has a school-record and state champion-sealing long jump and a 35-inch vertical leap.

Tanner Schmidt, senior, Stillwater

The Ponies marched their way to the Class 6A quartefinals last season largely on the back of senior quarterback Max Shikenjanski, who threw for 2,294 yards and 26 touchdowns. 

Schmidt was the top beneficiary of the quarterback’s exemplary season. Schmidt, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound wideout, proved to be the team’s top threat, averaging a ridiculous 20-yards per catch. Schmidt totaled 779 yards and nine touchdowns in 2022.

Joseph Hoheisel, senior, Stillwater

Not to be outdone by Schmidt, Hoheisel recorded a team-high 44 catches for 610 yards, tying Schmidt for the team lead with nine touchdowns. 

Hoheisel brings excellent size at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, and alongside Schmidt, could form one of the top senior wideout duos in 2023.

Jaylen Gayles, senior, Cretin-Derham Hall

Gayles, a 6-foot, 175-pound wideout, recorded 28 receptions last season and two touchdowns, but after departures on the depth chart, Cretin-Derham Hall coach Steve Walsh believes Gayles has a big senior season in store. Gayles is being recruited at the Division II level.

Monteff Dixon Jr., junior, Cretin-Derham Hall

Walsh put it simply: Dixon Jr. is a “big target.” The 6-foot-4 tight end and Division I recruit, is another offensive weapon that could pop this year for Cretin-Derham Hall. 

Dixon Jr. uses his height on the hardwood, too, playing for the school’s basketball team.

Blake Femrite, senior, Spectrum

Coach Dave Hamlin is new to the Spectrum program, but Femrite’s made a great first impression. 

He was an all-district player last year and is “should be one of our strongest players this year, according to Hamlin. Femrite will be a senior captain.

Simon Seidl, senior, Hill-Murray

Seidl is a top athlete, and he is committed to the University of Minnesota. He can high-point any pass, and he will be the Pioneers' top playmaker. 

Adam Molitor, senior, Totino-Grace

Molitor is a towering 6-foot-7, and he is a 2-star prospect, according to 247sports.

Deontae Flemino, senior, East Ridge

Flemino had 44 receptions last season for the Raptors' potent pass attack. He will become prominent quarterback Tanner Zolnosky's No. 1 target this season. 

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