New Jersey’s Under-the-Radar Football Players

There is no secret that New Jersey produces a ton of high school talent on the gridiron year after year. While many players go on to compete at major Division I programs in the state, there are also a bunch of players who produce and don’t get the spotlight. Here is a list of some under-the-radar players you should keep an eye on for the 2020 season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="27885" first="Jahmir" last="Dooley"], West Side High School:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="27885" first="Jahmir" last="Dooley"] enters his senior season with the West Side Roughriders out of Newark following a productive junior campaign where he rushed for 954 yards and 11 touchdowns. Dooley ran for over 100 yards in six games, including a 153-yard, two-touchdown performance in a 51-0 shutout of Nutley last October. Dooley has showcased his ability to find openings, and his strength is an asset. He is an FBS-level talent that has been overlooked in the Garden State. Expect a strong season out of Dooley once the 2020 season opens up. <strong>Cookie Desiderio, Somerville High School:</strong> Cookie Desiderio is a player everyone needs to keep on their radar. The elusive senior running back had a strong year for the Pioneers in 2019, finishing with 1,516 yards on 204 carries with 23 scores. Desiderio ran for a season-best 228 yards in a 37-7 win over Absegami last November, and he had a four-touchdown performance in a win over Cranford in a Somerville victory over Cranford this past September. Desiderio is a strong playmaker that is capable of breaking tackles and finding holes. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="27942" first="Teddy" last="Gouldin"], Bernards High School:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="27942" first="Teddy" last="Gouldin"] enters his senior year with the Bernards Mountaineers as a quarterback with tons of potential. Gouldin has received college interest, and it’s easy to see why. The Bernards QB has all the tools. He is a prolific passer, he is calm in the pocket and he can make plays happen on the ground. He is comfortable with the Mountaineer offense and he makes good decisions, an essential attribute for a quarterback. Expect Gouldin to continue to light it up in his last year of high school as a third-year starter. <strong>Chad Martini, Watchung Hills High School:</strong> Chad Martini enters his senior year as quarterback at Watchung Hills. If you want a quarterback with size and the ability to throw a good deep ball, look no further than Martini. Martini, who is also on the school’s basketball team, has great size at 6-foot-6. He is experienced and Watchung Hills head coach Rich Seubert, former New York Giants lineman, has been a great teacher for Martini. The talented QB has shown improvement in every year and he’ll be ready to try to take the Warriors back into the state playoffs this season. <strong>Hunter Sloan, Blair Academy:</strong> Hunter Sloan is a two-way player that has experience and is very coachable. He has added muscle and size and looks to lead Blair in his senior campaign. Sloan has received interest from Ivy League Schools and he has visited some major programs. <strong>Zach Schneider, Kingsway High School:</strong> Zach Schneider has been a two-way starter the last two years. He can make tons of plays on the defensive side of the ball at linebacker, forcing turnovers and making sacks. Schneider plays in the backfield on offense, and he is a capable pass-protector and someone who can catch the ball and make plays. <strong>Trewth Nelson, Clearview High School:</strong> Trewth Nelson has tremendous upside at cornerback. Nelson makes tons of plays on defense. He is known to make tackles for loss and breaks up passes. Expected to compete at the Division II level after the season, Nelson looks to have a statement year for Clearview. [caption id="attachment_44034" align="alignnone" width="200"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-44034" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2020/08/190905-spl-spt-bernfbgouldin-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /> Photo: Richard Mariani, <a href="https://www.newjerseyhills.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">New Jersey Hills Media</a>[/caption]