All- Class of 2023 Team Offense (Off-Season)
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With coaches shifting their focus to the 2023 recruiting cycle, I thought it would be helpful to showcase the state’s top junior in an All Class of 2023 team. For the selection of the players, I picked players that had huge junior years and players that projected to be top prospects before the start of next year. These are players that have offers currently or I’m expecting them to blow up in the upcoming months. Additionally, I named this the offseason version because I do plan on revisiting this with a pre-season version once camps, 7v7s, and preseason workouts have concluded.
Here is your All-2023 team offense:
QB:
Zane Flores Zane Flores 6'3" | 190 lbs | QB Gretna | 2023 State NE | Gretna | 6’3″ 190 lbs
The 2023 class is filled with talented QBs, but Zane continues to hold a firm grasp on the title of QB1. Flores has been putting in a lot of work in the offseason to continue the impressive progress he’s made since his freshman year. Zane showed incredible accuracy by completing 70% of his passes for 2,885 yards, 26 touchdowns, and only seven picks. In his third year under center, Flores was highly efficient, posting a 114.2 passer rating while delivering big plays in clutch situations. Flores is calm, cool, and collected in the pocket and trusts his arm skills to deliver the ball anywhere on the field no matter the situation. One of the aspects where Zane has continued to grow in is his throw power, which seemed to be just fine as he pushed the ball downfield with no problem. His downfield connection with WR Joe Roll Joe Roll 5'10" | 175 lbs | WR Gretna | 2023 State NE was a tough one to stop during the 2021 season. Just because Flores is considered a pocket passer doesn’t mean he can’t tuck the ball and run, as we saw the shifty QB scramble for 216 rushing yards and added 10 touchdowns on the ground. After a tumultuous offseason, an angry and motivated Dragons team with Flores leading the way could come back even meaner than before.
RB:
CharMar Brown CharMar Brown 6'0" | 200 lbs | RB Creighton Prep | 2023 State NE | Creighton Prep | 6’0″ 200 lbs
Charmar gets the nod as the feature back on this All-2023 team. Brown burst out as one of the most well-rounded backs in the state. In his first year as the top back, Brown rushed for 1,067 yards, 6.9 ypc., 15 rushing touchdowns, 62 receiving yards, and a receiving touchdown. The Jr. Jays were playing smashmouth football, in which Brown was able to showcase his running skills. He can gash a defense with his speed and finesse as easily as he can run uphill and chip away at defenses. One of the most eye-popping traits of Charmar’s game is his balance and ability to pick up yards after contact. His vision allows him to find open running lanes and accelerate through them when running in between the tackles. Arm tackles and small defenders seem to bounce off of him, while big defenders are a step too slow to catch Brown. He is currently ranked as the top 2023 RB and should continue to prove this next year.
Carlos Collazo Carlos Collazo 5'9" | 200 lbs | RB Aurora | 2023 State NE | Aurora | 5’9″ 200 lbs
Collazo is another very well-balanced running back that can run with speed or power. This year, Carlos exploded onto the scene for the Huskies as he ran for 2,025 yards, 26 rushing touchdowns, and averaged 158 yards a game. Collazo has good vision and is very patient in the backfield, allowing his blockers to get into position before exploding through his gaps. He is a shorter back, but he generates a lot of power on his runs with driving knees and has the footwork to leave defenders crossed up. One very underrated aspect of Carlos’ game is his ability to catch and run as a running back. Collazo added 18 catches for 198 yards and 5 receiving touchdowns coming out of the backfield. He has solid hands and knows how to take advantage of all the open field given to him on screens and dump-off passes. Getting the ball in Carlos’ hands and letting him operate seems to be a pretty effective game plan.
WR:
Malachi Coleman Malachi Coleman 6'5" | 195 lbs | WR Lincoln East | 2023 State NE | Lincoln East | 6’5″ 175 lbs
Coleman was one of the most intriguing prospects to break out during the 2021 season. Malachi Coleman Malachi Coleman 6'5" | 195 lbs | WR Lincoln East | 2023 State NE had a massive impact on both offense and defense for the Spartans. Despite being in a loaded Spartan WR group, Malachi still had a phenomenal season with 561 receiving yards on only 17 receptions, averaging 33 yards a catch! Along with fellow wideout Cooper Erikson Cooper Erikson 6'4" | 215 lbs | WR Lincoln East | 2022 State NE , Coleman formed one of the toughest WR duos in the entire state. With Erikson taking the lion’s share of the targets over the middle, that opened up opportunities for Coleman to blow the top off of defenses and burning them deep with his 4.4 speed. Coleman’s incredible length and height make him a mismatch monster for anyone you line him up with. Coleman was also very successful playing a DE/EDGE role on defense. Coleman recorded 57 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 5 defended passes, 4 forced fumbles, and a FG block. He used his length and ability to bend the edge to beat tackles off the snap and make plays in the backfield. I believe 2021 was Malachi scratching the surface of the tremendous upside potential, and we should see an even meaner Coleman in 2022.
Kade McIntyre Kade McIntyre 6'4" | 195 lbs | ATH Archbishop Bergan | 2023 State NE | Archbishop Bergan | 6’4 185 lbs
Kade and the Knights were absolutely DOMINANT in 2021 en route to a state championship. Kade didn’t just get to enjoy the sweet taste of a state title victory but was able to do it while catching touchdowns from older brother Koa. Kade was able to haul in 37 receptions for 873 yards and scored 14 touchdowns while averaging 23.6 yards per catch. McIntyre, like Coleman above, is a tall, athletic receiver with a great vertical, blazing speed and a deep ball threat. On top of Kade’s length, he also has a stacked frame that allows him to be physical at the line of scrimmage, jamming corners and creating separation for himself. He’s aggressive at the point of the catch and has giant mitts to secure the ball. McIntyre was also a highly effective DE/LB player that tallied 63 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, and a fumble recovery. He is very explosive coming off the snap, and when combined with his strength, it can be overwhelming for offensive linemen. Kade should continue to gain recruiting momentum as he progresses through the offseason!
TE:
Benjamin Brahmer Benjamin Brahmer 6'6" | 210 lbs | TE Pierce | 2023 State NE | Pierce | 6’6″ 195 lbs
Nebraska-commit Benjamin Brahmer Benjamin Brahmer 6'6" | 210 lbs | TE Pierce | 2023 State NE continues to look like the premier TE in the 2023 class with his elite pass-catching ability and top-tier size. Coming off of a state championship in 2020, Brahmer ran through the competition in his junior year with 63 receptions, 1,119 receiving yards, and hauled in 14d touchdowns. Ben’s connection with QB Abram Scholthing is a huge reason the Bluejays found themselves back in the state championship game. Brahmer is a rangy pass-catcher who can snag anything within his general area, as he possesses a massive catch radius. Brahmer also has a great route tree and knows how to get open at all levels of the field. When the ball is in the air, Ben does an excellent job concentrating on the ball, catching with his hands, and securing it through contact. Even with Ben’s commitment, I’m still excited to see what the offseason has in store for Brahmer.
OL:
OT:
Sam Sledge Sam Sledge 6'4" | 270 lbs | OL Creighton Prep | 2023 State NE | Creighton Prep | 6’4″ 270 lbs
Sledge and our RB selection CharMar Brown CharMar Brown 6'0" | 200 lbs | RB Creighton Prep | 2023 State NE are bound to have enormous seasons in 2022. In year 3, Sledge continued to beat people up both on offense and defense and established himself as one of the top players in the 2023 class. Sledge is a technically sound tackle prospect with a great football IQ, power, and leverage to blow up defensive linemen. Sam shoots out of his stance and uses his momentum to deliver a powerful punch to the rusher. He is a very agile OL with quick feet and impressive lateral and short-area quickness. Knowing you have a smart tackle like Sam that can hold firm while setting the edge just as effectively as he can lead the charge on a pull play has to be a huge relief for offensive coordinators and RBs. He projects as an interior OL at the next level, but he is versatile and experienced enough to flourish wherever. Sam has kicked off his offseason to a hot start with offers from Nebraska and Kansas and will undoubtedly pick up a lot more along the way!
Mason Goldman Mason Goldman 6'6" | 255 lbs | OL Gretna | 2023 State NE (C/O 2023) | Gretna | 6’6″ 230 lbs
Mason Goldman Mason Goldman 6'6" | 255 lbs | OL Gretna | 2023 State NE is certified in the trenches. Gretna boasted one of the top offensive lines in the state, opening huge running lanes for RB Mick Huber Mick Huber 6'0" | 190 lbs | LB Gretna | 2022 State NE and maintaining a clean pocket for QB Zane Flores Zane Flores 6'3" | 190 lbs | QB Gretna | 2023 State NE , and Mason’s play at tackle was a huge factor. Goldman is a talented OT/DE prospect with lots of athleticism for someone his size. In pass protection, he uses his length to keep defenders at a distance and forces them to play themselves out of position. In the running game, he is always the first to bring the fight to the defense, shooting right out of his stance and putting his big hands on someone. He plays with violent hands and packs a mean punch and good placement when engaged on a defender. I watched Gretna in person during a sub-freezing, snowy, windy game, and Goldman did not ease up his effort throughout the 60 minutes. Mason is a very impressive dude!
OG:
Sal Nacarelli | Gross Catholic | 6’1″ 270 lbs
If you’re looking to run the ball, make sure you’re doing so behind big #61 Salvatore Nacarelli Salvatore Nacarelli 6'1" | 270 lbs | OL Gross Catholic | 2023 State NE . Sal is an underrated guard prospect with a very loud and physical play style. Nacarelli is a monster in the run game and will knock the cleats off of defenders in his way on a pulling play. Nacarelli and the Gross Catholic offensive line look to be one of the toughest going into the 2022 season. Sal positions his hands very well and has the strength to turn his opponent in whichever direction he chooses. Nacarelli has a strong lower body that he uses to set a sturdy anchor and then use his punch to stand up defenders. Sal also does an excellent job finishing his blocks and plays with a high motor. I predict Sal’s name to continue gaining traction as the season draws near.
Max Hogan Max Hogan 6'3" | 270 lbs | OL MIllard North | 2023 State NE | Millard North | 6’3″ 270 lbs
Hudl | Twitter
Even though Max’s season was cut short to 4 games, he still showed us a lot of what he can do in the trenches and looked to be playing a very high level. Right off the bat, Hogan has excellent size and agility for an interior lineman, and then he backs it up with his physical, mauling playstyle that has made him one of the top linemen in his class. Hogan plays really low and always keeps his feet chopping under him, using his leverage to drive opponents into the dirt. Max is a super aggressive lineman that loves to impose his will on defenders and served up several pancakes before going down with an injury. He is a player who should come back better than ever and will remind us of the dominant guard he is.
C:
Ben Reynolds Ben Reynolds 6'0" | 240 lbs | OL Elkhorn | 2023 State NE | Elkhorn | 5’10″ 230 lbs
I believe Ben is a player that will start making a big name for himself in the recruiting cycle. Reynolds is a talented center that may be on the smaller end but makes up for it with his speed. Not only is he very accurate with his snap placement, but he then is able to shoot out of his stance and make his way into the second level in a flash. There are several plays where he is 5-7 yards downfield, laying his hands on LBs and clearing lanes before the ball has been handed off. He maintains great pad level and is able to set a strong anchor when engaged in his blocks. It’s not just his hustle that makes Reynolds such a valuable C, but also the power and effort he puts into every block. Expect Reynolds to be even more polished after a productive offseason!
K:
Tristan Alvano Tristan Alvano 6'2" | 185 lbs | K Omaha Westside | 2023 State NE | Omaha Westside | 6’2″ 185 lbs
Alvano has not just developed into one of the top specialists in Nebraska but is starting to get national recognition. The Westside kicker has received a 5-star ranking and is the #5 kicker in the country. Tristan has come up huge in critical situations and even during terrible weather (semi-final game vs. Bellevue West). During his junior year, Tristan converted 49 of his 50 extra-point attempts while hitting on 11 of 14 field-goal attempts. Alvano is deadly accurate and has the range to go with it, boasting a career-long of 49 yards. This extends to kickoffs as well where Tristan kicked for 4,458 yards with 58 touchbacks on 78 attempts and an average of 57 yards per punt. Yea, Tristan can kick!
ATH:
Cole Ballard Cole Ballard 6'0" | 190 lbs | RB Elkhorn South | 2023 State NE | Elkhorn South | 6’0″ 185 lbs
There is a recurring theme with my selection for running backs; fast, tough to tackle backs with catching abilities out of the backfield. Ballard continues to impress as the Storm’s feature back with 1,208 rushing yards as a junior, also tacking on 23 touchdowns. He is an incredibly twitchy player that is always a cut or juke away from hitting the home-run play. Ballard is a fast individual, but his in-game speed seems to multiply, especially when he turns the corner and hits the open field. Ballard’s footwork and vision seem to run on a different wavelength, as Cole is constantly moving and chopping his feet while keeping his eye upfield looking for lanes to run through, moving faster than most people on the field. Ballard is an exceptional athlete with D1 talent and is starting to get looks from programs like Nebraska, Wyoming, North Dakota State, and Dartmouth to name a few.