Class of ’23 Rankings Update: Climbing the Ranks

We’re moving along with continued coverage of the Class of ’23 December update. In the last piece we focused on the newest additions to the rankings, but we’re switching gears in this one to highlight the current prospects that climbed the ranks this past season. Many prospects from the previous updates made compelling cases to be moved up, which led to some major changes in this update. However, these nine prospects below left zero doubt this past season, and they were rewarded with a higher rank to match their level of play. Take a look at their latest position in the Class of ’23 rankings. [player_tooltip player_id="87678" first="Miles" last="Wash"] – Derby, 5’11”, 205, LB Being a dominant football player must run in the Wash household. Most folks around the state know of Miles’ older brother Lem. But it’s time for them to recognize Miles as one of the top players in the state. He was highlighted during the summer as a player to have a potential breakout year, and he delivered in a big way. The junior earned 1st Team 6A All-State honors and was a 1st Team All-AVCTL DI selection. Wash climbs all the way to No. 13 after racking up 127 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, six sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception. Wash has everything a defensive coordinator could dream about. He takes the right angles and doesn’t over-pursue, can quickly identify plays, and can play sideline-to-sideline. The backer possesses the strength to take on offensive linemen and the speed to matchup with running backs and tight ends in coverage. [player_tooltip player_id="166973" first="LJ" last="Phillips"] – Wichita NW, 5’9”, 200, RB The Grizzlies had an absolutely elite rushing attack this past season, and it was headlined by Phillips’ big year. After being a complementary back as a sophomore, Phillips took over as the feature back this season and put up some serious numbers. Phillips went on to rush for 1,982 yards on 134 carriers with 26 touchdowns. He was recognized as one of the top backs in Class 5A as he picked up 1st Team 5A All-State honors, and was a 1st Team All-City League selection. Even in an offense that split carriers three ways, Phillips showed that he can be affective on limited touches. All he needs is a small crease and one cut and then he’s off to the races. A few underrated aspects of his game are his skills as a receiving back, and his willingness to block. His standout year brings him up to No. 14 and he’s now the 3rd ranked back in the class. [player_tooltip player_id="166977" first="Jackson" last="House"] – St. James Academy, 6’0”, 180, QB Next up is one of the rising arms from not only Class 4A, but throughout the state as well. House took over as the lead signal caller this year, and although the Thunder’s season started out bumpy; House helped lead St. James to their second straight state title. He ended the year completing 208 of his 353 passes for 2,856 yards with 25 touchdowns and rushed for 794 yards with seven scores. House was recognized as the Frank Fontana award winner and earned a 4A All-State Honorable Mention selection. The lefty displayed a lot of confidence for a first-year starter. House showed he can make throws on the run going to his left and right, and he can squeeze the ball into tight windows. He also does a great job of identifying mis-matches in his pre-snap read and gets the ball to his playmakers in a hurry. [player_tooltip player_id="122461" first="Nash" last="Money"] – Wellsville, 5’9”, 170, RB Earlier this year Money was featured as a back primed for a big season, and in that article it was predicated that he could pick up a 2A All-State selection during the ’21 season. Well, he lived up to that hype, as he went on to earn a 1st Team 2A All-State selection and was named the 2A District 2 Offensive MVP. Money turned 192 carries into 1,561 yards with 30 scores and caught 11 passes for 140 yards and one touchdown. This catapults him into the Top 50 and he’s now the 7th ranked running back in the class. Money is a back that excels at reading his blocks and is difficult to catch once he hits the open the field. Although he isn’t an imposing figure, he’s still capable of running between the tackles and can rack up yards after contact. Money’s recruitment should begin to heat up next year, as he’s already received some interest from a few programs. [player_tooltip player_id="122942" first="Grady" last="Seyfert"] – Beloit, 6’2”, 270, DL Seyfert’s incredible junior campaign takes him from outside of the Top 100 all the way to No. 48 in the class. The dominant defensive tackle was named the Class 2A Defensive Player of the Year after racking up 75 total tackles, 25 tackles for loss, and five sacks. He played a major role in the Trojans’ run at a state title appearance and was a big reason their defense only surrendered 15 points per game this year. He was an absolute force in the trenches this season. Seyfert fought through double teams, holds, and cut blocks and would still end up in the backfield. That’s just a testament to how relentless the young man is. His combination of athleticism and ruthlessness make very difficult to block. [player_tooltip player_id="35681" first="Tre" last="Richardson"] – Highland Park, 5’10”, 160, ATH There might not have been a player that meant more to their team than Richardson this past season. Highland Park may have had their struggles this year, but Richardson was on pace for a special season. Through only six games the junior amassed nearly 1,700 all-purpose yards and found the end zone 23 times. This led to him picking up a 5A All-State Honorable Mention selection for receiver and a 1st Team 5A All-State selection as a returner. He’s without a doubt one of the best all-around athletes in the state. Whether Richardson is catching passes, taking handoffs, or returning kicks; he’s always a threat to take it to the house. He lands just outside the Top 50 in this update and is now the 7th ranked athlete in the class. [player_tooltip player_id="122941" first="Kaleb" last="Green"] – Wellsville, 6’1”, 220, DL Seyfert wasn’t the only defensive lineman out of the 2A ranks to have a phenomenal year. Green also had a Defensive Player of the Year caliber season. He racked up 43 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and 13.5 sacks during the ‘21 season. He’d go on to earn a 1st Team 2A All-State selection, and is now the 7th ranked defensive linemen in the class and 51st ranked prospect overall. Two of the biggest takeaways from Green’s film is his quickness coming off the edge, and the use of his hands. He fires off the ball and makes it difficult for tackles to even get a hand on him. Even if they do, Green does a great job of swatting their arms away. Once he gets in the backfield, he has the motor to chase down ball carriers. [player_tooltip player_id="169610" first="Remy" last="Stull"] – Hays, 6’0”, 180, DB With the Hays football program graduating some talented players in the spring, Stull could become their next top prospect in 2022. Before the ’21 season started, we highlighted Stull as a defensive prospect that could make some noise this year, and he did just that. The junior took home a 5A All-State Honorable Mention nod and was a 1st Team All-League selection. When you turn on his film, it’s pretty clear that Stull has next level talent. He can cover ground in a hurry, can jump with anybody, and can line up at multiple spots on defense. Stull is easily the hardest hitting defensive back in the class as well. In this update, Remy goes from being outside of the Top 100 to No. 63 and is now the 5th ranked defensive back in the class. [player_tooltip player_id="126753" first="Mason" last="Thrush"] – Maize, 6’3”, 275, OL The Maize Eagles had an unbelievable run during the ’21 campaign, and they had one of the most explosive offenses in Class 5A. That wouldn’t have been possible without Thrush and the rest of the hogs up front. He picked up an All-AVCTL DI Honorable Mention nod for his play at right tackle. Thrush moves inside the Top 100 in this update and now sits at No. 84 in the class. The junior showcased some strong play in both the run and passing game this season. In the run game, Maize used him as a pulling tackle, and he’d set the edge when plays came to his side. While pass blocking, he’d display great hand placement and he proved that he could win one-on-one matchups.