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MaxPreps 2013 Preseason Mr. Football from each state

July 25, 2013 by MaxPreps, AZPreps365


Photo by Vincent Carchietta

Paramus Catholic's Jabrill Peppers is one of the top high school football players in the country. He's also our Preseason Mr. Football from New Jersey.

With the 2014 high school football season set to begin in just a few weeks, MaxPreps takes a look at the Preseason Mr. Football in each state. Players selected are not necessarily the No. 1 recruit in the state, but they are among the top recruits and/or candidates for All-State and All-American honors.

Preseason High School Mr. Football in Each State

Alabama
Marlon Humphrey, Hoover, CB, 6-0, 180
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The son of former NFL running back Bobby Humphrey, Marlon was an all-state selection last year and is also one of the nation's top track athletes. He has yet to make a college choice.

Alaska
Lance Wright, North Pole, WR, 6-3, 190

An all-state selection last year, Wright caught 45 passes for 1,017 yards and 14 touchdowns. He'll play at Rice next season.

Arizona
Kyle Allen, Desert Mountain (Scottsdale), QB, 6-3, 195
Photos / Video

Photo by Richey Miller

Josh Frazier, Har-Ber

Quite possibly the top quarterback prospect in the class of 2014, Allen will play at Texas A&M next season. He threw for 3,119 yards and 36 touchdowns as a junior.

Arkansas
Josh Frazier, Har-Ber (Springdale), DL, 6-4, 323
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Considered one of the nation's top defensive line prospects, Frazier has narrowed his choices to Arkansas, Texas A&M, Auburn, Alabama and Southern Cal. He was an all-state choice as a junior.

California
Keller Chryst, Palo Alto, QB, 6-4, 230
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The son of San Francisco 49er quarterbacks coach Geep Chryst, Keller was a first team San Jose Mercury News All-Area member after throwing for 2,489 yards and 28 touchdowns. He's committed to Stanford.

Colorado
Christian McCaffrey, Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch), 6-0, 205
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The son of former Denver Bronco Ed McCaffrey, Christian earned Colorado state player of the year honors last season after rushing for 1,264 yards and 22 touchdowns and catching 51 passes for 643 yards and 14 touchdowns. He'll play at Stanford next year.

Connecticut
Arkeel Newsome, Ansonia, RB, 5-8, 180
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A three-time all-state selection already, Newsome could finish his career with over 10,000 career rushing yards. He already has 6,818 career rushing yards after running for 2,245 yards last season. He'll stay at home and play for Connecticut next season.

Delaware
Chris Godwin, Middletown, WR, 6-3, 195

The Gatorade state player of the year as a junior, Godwin will play at Penn State next season. He caught 39 passes for 741 yards and 11 touchdowns and also earned all-state honors as a sophomore.

District of Columbia
Jalen Tabor, Friendship Collegiate Academy, CB, 6-2, 185
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An All-Met pick by the Washington Post, Tabor reportedly did not allow a single completion during his junior season.

Florida
Sony Michel, American Heritage (Plantation), RB, 5-11, 205
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Photo by Dennis Carter

Deshaun Watson, Gainesville

Headed to Georgia, Michel played through a knee injury last season but still managed to rush for 1,262 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Georgia
Deshaun Watson, Gainesville, QB, 6-3, 195
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One of the top combo quarterbacks in the country, Watson led Gainesville to a state championship as a junior by completing 305 of 404 passes for 4,021 yards. Headed to Clemson, Watson also rushed for 1,420 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Hawaii
Jordan Hoiem, Baldwin (Wailuku), LB, 6-4, 220

Sidelined for the early part of the season last year with a foot injury, Hoiem still landed a scholarship from Oregon, where he will attend next year.

Idaho
Chase Blakley, Coeur d'Alene, TE, 6-4, 240

The Washington commit caught 51 passes for 598 yards and seven touchdowns last year for the Class 5A state runners-up.

Illinois
Nic Weishar, Marist (Chicago), TE, 6-5, 215

Named to the MaxPreps Junior All-American team, Weishar caught 89 passes for 1,034 yards last season. He's headed to play at Notre Dame.

Indiana
Justin Brent, Speedway, WR, 6-3, 195
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One of the top basketball players in the state, Brent will play wide receiver at Notre Dame next year. He caught 54 passes for 992 yards and 13 touchdowns last year.

Iowa
Allen Lazard, Urbandale, WR, 6-4, 190

Headed to Iowa State, Lazard set a national record last year by returning two interceptions for touchdowns in the same quarter. He also caught 40 passes for 928 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Kansas
Braden Smith, South (Olathe), OL, 6-6, 282
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Smith has been considered one of the nation's top recruits since his impressive freshman season. He made the all-state team the past two seasons and is still weighing his college choices among the likes of Notre Dame, Alabama, Stanford, Texas and Florida, to name a few.

Kentucky
Matt Elam, John Hardin (Elizabethtown), DL, 6-6, 350

Photo by Roddy Johnson

Leonard Fournette, St. Augustine

One of the nation's top line recruits, Elam made headlines recently when he received 182 letters from the Kentucky coaching staff – all on the same day. He earned second team all-state honors as a junior.

Louisiana
Leonard Fournette, St. Augustine (New Orleans), RB, 6-2, 230
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The Large School Player of the Year by the New Orleans Times Picayune, Fournette rushed for 2,100 yards and 31 touchdowns last year. He has yet to commit to a college choice. Named by 247.com as the nation's No. 2 overall recruit.

Maine
Andrew Libby, Thornton Academy (Saco), RB, 6-0, 205
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Named the state player of the year after leading his team to the Class A state title, Libby rushed for 1,092 yards and 23 touchdowns and scored a total of 188 points.

Maryland
Damian Prince, Bishop McNamara (Forestville), OL, 6-7, 305
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Prince earned All-Met honors from the Washington Post last season. He has yet to choose a college, but he has virtually all of the top teams in the country looking at him.

Massachusetts
Troy Flutie, Natick, QB, 6-0, 170
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The nephew of Boston College great Doug Flutie, Troy was All-Scholastics last year after throwing for 3,168 yards and 35 touchdowns and rushing for 1,000 yards. He will follow in the footsteps of his uncle and father, Darren, by playing at Boston College.

Michigan
Drake Harris, Christian (Grand Rapids), WR, 6-2, 175
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Named the state player of the year as a junior, Harris led Christian to a state championship and caught 91 passes for 2,015 yards and 25 touchdowns. He's headed to Michigan.

Minnesota
J.C. Hassenauer, East Ridge (Woodbury), C, 6-3, 295

Considered a rising talent, Hassenauer has committed to play for Alabama.

Mississippi
Roderick Taylor, Callaway (Jackson), OL, 6-4, 315

Photo by Nancy Winkelmann

Andy Bauer, DeSmet Jesuit

Ranked No. 1 in the state by 247, Taylor earned all-state second team honors by the coaches association as a junior.

Missouri
Andy Bauer, DeSmet Jesuit (St. Louis), OL, 6-5, 300
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A Class 6 all-state first team selection as a junior, Bauer has committed to play at Mississippi.

Montana
Dallas Cook, Butte, QB, 6-4, 210

Threw for 521 yards in one game last year for Butte and led his team to a state championship. Named the state player of the year, Cook threw for 3,613 yards and 32 touchdowns.

Nebraska
D.J. Forster, Lincoln Southeast, OL, 6-3, 310

Named to the Lincoln Journal Star Super State team as a junior, Forster has already committed to play for Nebraska next season.

Nevada
Tyrell Crosby, Green Valley (Henderson), OL, 6-4, 300
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Earned first team all-state honors last season and will play for Oregon next season.

New Hampshire
Trevor Knight, Nashua South, QB, 6-0, 175
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A first team all-state pick as a junior, Knight has committed to play at University of New Hampshire. Last year he rushed for 1,180 yards and 18 touchdowns and threw for 1,780 yards and 13 scores.

New Jersey
Jabrill Peppers, Paramus Catholic, ATH, 6-1, 210
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The Player of the Year in New Jersey by MSGVarsity, Peppers is considered the No. 3 overall recruit in the nation by 247Sports.com. He's headed to Michigan.

New Mexico
Cassius Corley, Grants, QB, 6-1, 185

A dual-threat quarterback, Corley is also a track standout who has committed to play at New Mexico State.

New York
Curtis Samuel, Erasmus Hall (Brooklyn), WR, 6-0, 185
Video
Photo by Keith Coward

Elijah Hood, Charlotte Catholic

Named the New York Daily News City Player of the Year as a junior, Samuel rushed for 1,047 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior.

North Carolina
Elijah Hood, Charlotte Catholic, RB, 6-0, 200
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The Player of the Year by the Charlotte Observer, Hood was one of the leading rushers in the nation last year as a junior with 3,309 yards on 278 carries with 47 touchdowns. He'll play for Notre Dame next year.

North Dakota
Chase Montplaisir, Shanley (Fargo), QB, 6-2, 210

Earned state player of the year honors as a junior after completing 109 of 193 passes for 2,336 yards and 25 touchdowns.

Ohio
Dante Booker, St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron), LB, 6-4, 215
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Named the Ohio Division III defensive player of the year, Booker led St. Vincent-St. Mary to a state championship and registered 72 tackles and six sacks. He'll play at Ohio State.

Oklahoma
David Cornwell, Norman North, QB, 6-5, 235

A Florida transplant, Cornwell played at Jones last season, but he will play at Norman North this year. He has already committed to Alabama after throwing for 2,742 yards and 27 touchdowns at Jones.

Oregon
Jake Lacoste, West Albany, RB, 5-10, 180
Video
One of the leading rushers in the state last year, LaCoste was the Class 5A state player of the year after rushing for 2,876 yards and 38 touchdowns on 312 carries.

Pennsylvania
J.J. Cosentino, Central Catholic (Pittsburgh), QB, 6-4, 218
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Only threw for 552 yards last year, but he is considered the next great QB to come out of the state of Pennsylvania. He has already committed to play at Florida State.

Rhode Island
Randolph Zleh, Mt. Pleasant (Providence), RB, 5-10, 185

Photo by Keith Coward

Shuler Bentley, Byrnes

Led Mt. Pleasant to its third straight state title last year with four touchdowns in the championship game. An all-state selection, Zleh rushed for 1,621 yards and 24 touchdowns last year.

South Carolina
Shuler Bentley, Byrnes (Duncan), QB, 6-1, 197
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Among the leading passers in the country for most of the season, Bentley completed 299 of 462 passes for 4,718 yards and 59 touchdowns as a junior. He has committed to play at Old Dominion.

South Dakota
Caden Quintanilla, Lincoln (Sioux Falls), RB, 5-9, 170

The only junior skill position player to earn all-state honors last year in the 11AA division, Quintanilla was also in the running for state player of the year honors.

Tennessee
Jalen Hurd, Beech (Hendersonville), RB, 6-3, 208
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The leading rusher in the nation for most of the first half of the season before an injury knocked him out of a couple of games, Hurd still ran 317 times for 3,357 yards and 43 touchdowns last year. He's committed to Tennessee.

Texas
Tony Brown, Ozen (Beaumont), DB, 6-0, 190
Video
One of the top hurdlers in the nation, Brown is also a highly-sought after cornerback, earning Class 4A all-state honorable mention and Super Gold first team honors as a junior. He was ranked No. 3 by Tom Lemming for the class of 2014 in December.

Utah
Austin Kafentzis, Jordan (Sandy), QB, 6-1, 195
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Only a junior, Kafentzis was the state player of the year by the Deseret News as a sophomore after throwing for 2,860 yards and 31 touchdowns and rushing for 1,689 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Vermont
Patrick McGrath, Hartford (White River Junction), DL, 6-1, 260

A teammate of the state's top player in 2012, Michael Dulac, McGrath could be the state's top player in 2013. A three-year starter, McGrath was a force on one of the state's top defensive units while earning all-state honors.

Virginia
Quin Blanding, Bayside (Virginia Beach), WR, 6-2, 200
Video
Photo by Jeff Napier

Budda Baker, Bellevue

Virginia is home to two of the best defensive linemen in the country in Da'Shawn Hand of Woodbridge and Andrew Brown of Oscar Smith, but we're going with wide receiver Quin Blanding. All-state as a defensive back and All-Tidewater as a receiver, Blanding caught 55 passes for 1,035 yards and intercepted five passes with 111 tackles. He'll play at Virginia next year.

Washington
Budda Baker, Bellevue (Wash.), DB, 5-10, 175
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Helped lead Bellevue to a state championship last year, Baker was an all-state pick by the Seattle Times and returned two interceptions for touchdowns. He's looking at all of the Pac-12 schools as well as Boise State.

West Virginia
Amanii Brown, Morgantown, OL, 6-5, 265

The top recruit in West Virginia has already committed to play for the Mountaineers next season.

Wisconsin
Jaden Gault, Monona Grove (Monona), OL, 6-6, 281

Already committed to play for Wisconsin, Gault could be the latest in a long line of talented Badger linemen. He was an all-state choice as a junior for Monona Grove.

Wyoming
Taven Bryan, Natrona County (Casper), OL, 6-5, 250

Bryan may be one of the best recruits in state history. The Florida commit could find a spot on the offensive or defensive line for the Gators.