Mid-Season Studs: Ten Top Skills Players

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The 2021-22 football season has reached its midway point, giving us a good look at ten of the top 11-man skill position players throughout the state.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Many of the names on this list are of players who have built strong reputations for themselves during past seasons, whereas the others are at the beginning stages of building their legacies. </span> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="22753" first="Sam" last="Beers"] | Air Academy | 5’10”, 190lbs | 2023 RB/P</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Beers is a tough and powerful running back who has found himself at the top of a few lists halfway through the season. He has 96 carries and leads the state in rushing yards (975) and touchdowns (16). He has 13 extra points and 17 punts for a total of 633 yards (3rd), with a 62 yard boot being his longest. With his touchdowns and extra points combined, Beers has scored a state-high of 109 total points through five games so far.</span> [embed]https://twitter.com/TaylorKilgore33/status/1436565916901249026?s=20[/embed] <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="43678" first="Kylan" last="Wilson"] | Chaparral | 5’11”, 195lbs | 2022 ATH</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Wilson is a phenomenal do-all athlete who fills multiple roles for his team on both sides of the ball. As a QB, he has completed 36 of his 67 pass attempts for a total of 559 yards, seven touchdowns, and just one interception. As a runner, Wilson has totaled 742 rushing yards (third in state) and 12 touchdowns on 97 carries.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Defensively, he has a statline of 43 total tackles, two interceptions, two pass breakups, one fumble recovery, and one field goal block. Wilson is also the punter for his team and has booted 587 yards off of 16 punts, four of which were pinned within the opponent’s 20 yard line. </span> <a href="http://iframe%20src=’//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/12595680/614e01d564df48094c70637e’%20width=’640’%20height=’360’%20frameborder=’0’%20allowfullscreen/iframe"><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/12595680/614e01d564df48094c70637e" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></a> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="22763" first="Isacc" last="Gomez"] | Thornton | 6’0”, 155lbs | 2023 WR/DB</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Gomez is a two-way stud who is just as sure-handed on defense as he is on offense. From his defensive back position, he is currently leading the state in interceptions with a total of six picks through five games. He has also recorded 23 tackles, five pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery that he returned for a touchdown.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">On the other side of the ball, Gomez has accounted for 384 receiving yards and three touchdowns from 29 receptions. His athleticism makes him a very dangerous returner who has netted 363 kick return yards and two touchdowns from 12 attempts. </span> <a href="http://iframe%20src=’//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13012718/614e5cce02bc970274379af4’%20width=’640’%20height=’360’%20frameborder=’0’%20allowfullscreen/iframe"><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13012718/614e5cce02bc970274379af4" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></a> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="153694" first="Josh" last="Dunn"] | Broomfield | 6’4”, 190lbs | 2022 WR/DB</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Through the first five weeks of the season, Dunn has worked his way onto the stat board as the state’s leader in receiving yards. He has tallied 723 yards and seven receiving touchdowns from 36 receptions. As a defender, Dunn has accounted for 14 total tackles and one fumble recovery. Dunn is a big receiver who is difficult to cover because of his size, strength, and athleticism.</span> <a href="http://iframe%20src=’//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11435031/614761c3f55fe20a0c9eeb2c’%20width=’640’%20height=’360’%20frameborder=’0’%20allowfullscreen/iframe"><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11435031/614761c3f55fe20a0c9eeb2c" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></a> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="150210" first="Noah" last="Triplett"] | Dakota Ridge | 5’9”, 180lbs | 2023 RB/WR</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Triplett has been an absolute stud for the Eagles this season. He has rushed 73 times for a total of 504 yards and 12 touchdowns, and he has caught 14 passes for 236 yards and three touchdowns. Triplett’s speed and shiftiness make him tough to catch and difficult to bring down, skills that have helped him reach the end zone a total of 15 times (2nd) for a second-high of 90 total points scored.</span> <a href="http://iframe%20src=’//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/5569477/614776c54bb2c40bf0e1eb8c’%20width=’640’%20height=’360’%20frameborder=’0’%20allowfullscreen/iframe"><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/5569477/614776c54bb2c40bf0e1eb8c" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></a> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="242109" first="Rashad" last="Caldwell"] | Denver South | 6’0”, 180lbs | 2023 WR</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Caldwell was once referred to as “baby Julio” and has since made sure to back up the nickname with his unstoppable playing style. The big-bodied receiver has caught 30 passes for a total of 708 yards (2nd) and nine touchdowns. He has at least 100 receiving yards in four out of five games so far. In the one game where he didn’t hit triple-digit receiving yards, he had two touchdowns from only three receptions.</span> <a href="http://iframe%20src=’//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13030745/614ec4dd64df48094c715294’%20width=’640’%20height=’360’%20frameborder=’0’%20allowfullscreen/iframe"><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13030745/614ec4dd64df48094c715294" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></a> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>Diego Cearns | Eaglecrest | 5’10”, 165lbs | 2023 ATH</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Cearns is another outstanding athlete who has been making a name for himself this season. He is the fourth-leading rusher in the state with a total of 730 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He also has 19 receptions for 165 yards, 87 kick return yards, and a punt returned for a touchdown. Cearns is currently the 5A Centennial League rushing leader who is averaging nine yards per carry.</span> <a href="http://iframe%20src=’//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/8278867/614f843fc11a2c04544625d4’%20width=’640’%20height=’360’%20frameborder=’0’%20allowfullscreen/iframe"><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/8278867/614f843fc11a2c04544625d4" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></a> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="22764" first="Brandon" last="Hills"] | Vista Ridge | 5’9”, 160lbs | 2023 WR</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Hills is an electric athlete who possesses the ability to make a huge play anytime the ball is in his hands. He has caught a total of 22 passes for 401 yards and seven touchdowns. As a returner, Hills has 183 kick return yards and one touchdown from four attempts, and he has 156 punt return yards and two touchdowns from five attempts. </span> <a href="http://iframe%20src=’//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/8807499/6147ded30c5e660be46e7bc5’%20width=’640’%20height=’360’%20frameborder=’0’%20allowfullscreen/iframe"><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/8807499/6147ded30c5e660be46e7bc5" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></a> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>Blaine Peebles | North Fork | 6’1”, 175lbs | 2022 ATH</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Peebles is another player who wears many hats for his team. He has nine receptions for 148 yards and one touchdown as a receiver, along with 135 yards and two touchdowns off of seven carries. He has returned only two kicks, yet he has a total of 130 kick return yards and one touchdown.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Peebles has proven himself to be a tough defender to get around, accounting for 15 total tackles, four pass breakups, one fumble recovery, and an interception that he returned for a touchdown.</span> <a href="http://iframe%20src=’//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11454618/61527f9790ef3107f4264aaa’%20width=’640’%20height=’360’%20frameborder=’0’%20allowfullscreen/iframe"><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11454618/61527f9790ef3107f4264aaa" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></a> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="211529" first="Zak" last="Cobb"] | Peyton | 6’1”, 210lbs | 2022 ILB/T</b></span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Cobb is the one player on the list who plays on the line in addition to playing as a backer, but he currently leads the state in tackles with a total of 82 from his linebacker position. Four of his tackles were for losses, he’s deflected two pass attempts, and he has forced and recovered a fumble. Defensively, Cobb is a disruptive player with a nose for the football.</span> <a href="http://iframe%20src=’//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/10563338/614f8404041df70a103c819f’%20width=’640’%20height=’360’%20frameborder=’0’%20allowfullscreen/iframe"><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/10563338/614f8404041df70a103c819f" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></a>