Offensive Stock-Risers: 2023 Wide Receivers

When the game of football started to move away from the run-only mentality and transition towards favoring the pass, the value of wide receivers started to take off. After all, there can’t be a completed pass without having someone to throw it to. In this list, there are six names of young wide receivers who have been working hard to ensure that they raise their stock value and make a name for themselves. Some of these players have already garnered quite a bit of attention, while others are rather new to the spotlight. Regardless of their current popularity status, each player is worthy of knowing. <img class="size-medium wp-image-38188 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2020/07/GunsDownDenver37-281x300.jpg" alt="" width="281" height="300" /> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="22764" first="Brandon" last="Hills"] | Vista Ridge | 5’9”, 150lbs | WR</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Hills, more commonly known as Bebe, has been rapidly raising his stock over the past year. He is a phenomenal athlete with excellent speed and top-notch playmaking abilities. He landed his first offer from Highlands University last summer, then had a fantastic sophomore campaign. His season ended with him recording 32 receptions for 610 yards and nine touchdowns. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Hill is one of many Team Full Gorilla players who consistently turn heads at national events.</span>   <a href="http://iframe%20src=’//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/8807499/5f963607bed74307502b617b’%20width=’640’%20height=’360’%20frameborder=’0’%20allowfullscreen/iframe"><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/8807499/5f963607bed74307502b617b" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></a>   <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="22762" first="Joshua" last="Gerlach II"] | Palmer Ridge | 6’2”, 190lbs | WR/FS</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">All Gerlach knows is hard work. He mostly saw the field as a safety during his sophomore season, but that was to be expected with the Bears’ depth at receiver. He caught three receptions for 67 yards as a receiver, and two interceptions for 97 yards as a defensive back. When he’s not playing or competing in national tournaments and combines, he’s training with Six Zero Academy, Ground Up Sports Performance, Colorado Wild Sports Academy, and Jenkins Elite. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Gerlach II possesses the athleticism and skill set that enables him to cover the field well, and he has the size that gives him a large catch radius. This player’s stock is about to skyrocket.</span> <a href="http://iframe%20src=’//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/5611895/5fd3bd769676920390cabd92’%20width=’640’%20height=’360’%20frameborder=’0’%20allowfullscreen/iframe"><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/5611895/5fd3bd769676920390cabd92" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></a> [caption id="attachment_56165" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="wp-image-56165 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2020/10/F595A476-B92B-4ADA-8B41-3F52B9EEC63F-300x240.jpeg" alt="Colorado Wild Sports" width="300" height="240" /> [player_tooltip player_id="242109" first="Rashad" last="Caldwell"] (right)[/caption]   <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="242109" first="Rashad" last="Caldwell"] | Denver South | 6’0”, 170lbs | WR</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Caldwell fits the “big body” field-stretching role that every passing scheme needs to have. During the offseason, he puts in work with Colorado Wild Sports Academy to develop as a player and sharpen his skills. He has great speed and strength that are complemented by his ability to make contested catches and power through one-man tackles for more yards. Through the first five games of the spring season, Caldwell recorded 23 receptions for a team-high of 430 yards and eight touchdowns.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Caldwell and the Ravens are heading into the spring playoffs as the number-one seed with a plethora of talent.</span> <a href="http://iframe%20src=’//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13030745/607c629390f9ad01e8959122’%20width=’640’%20height=’360’%20frameborder=’0’%20allowfullscreen/iframe"><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13030745/607c629390f9ad01e8959122" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></a>   <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="22761" first="Ismael" last="Cisse"] | Overland | 6’0”, 170lbs | WR</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Cisse is a versatile receiver who can line up outside or from the slot. He has a quick release, great speed, and reliable hands. He is a strong receiver who fights through contact and overpowers would-be tacklers as a downfield blocker.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Cisse has been steadily raising his stock since his high school career started. He puts in offseason work with Channel.4 Renovation, while also traveling to national 7-on-7 competitions with Team Full Gorilla. Cisse is an under-the-radar player whose name deserves to be circled.</span> <a href="http://iframe%20src=’//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/12862605/5fcd6e499a9c4d09e054d23d’%20width=’640’%20height=’360’%20frameborder=’0’%20allowfullscreen/iframe"><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/12862605/5fcd6e499a9c4d09e054d23d" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></a>   <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>Alonzo Ramirez | Arapahoe | 5’9”, 165lbs | WR/CB</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ramirez is a player who started to turn quite a few heads during his sophomore season. He completed the modified year with 11 catches for 107 yards and one touchdown, as well as seven carries for 63 yards. Ramirez is an athlete with great speed, disciplined eyes, and a high motor. He is an aggressive defender who uses his athleticism and physicality to make players. His ability to play his man then the ball as a corner makes him the epitome of a no-fly zone. Defensively, he recorded a pick-six and a forced fumble in addition to his multiple pass breakups. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ramirez is another Team Full Gorilla athlete who gets to compete nationally in 7-on-7 tournaments, continuously raising his stock value.</span> <a href="http://iframe%20src=’//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/4449763/5ff7ba574ba7f70ad066120c’%20width=’640’%20height=’360’%20frameborder=’0’%20allowfullscreen/iframe"><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/4449763/5ff7ba574ba7f70ad066120c" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></a>   <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>Kyair Johnson | Cherry Creek | 5’5”, 145lbs | WR</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Johnson is perhaps one of the more slept-on receivers on this list. Defenders tasked with matching up with him one-on-one have their work cut out for them. He is explosive off of the line and manages to maintain his speed and acceleration in and out of his breaks.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">His route running abilities make him an instant standout whenever he is on the field. Johnson sharpens his skills by putting in offseason work with Performance Empire and Colorado Wild Sports Academy. He may be an under-the-radar player now, but expect for that to change rapidly.</span>