Class A Position Units to Watch in 2023
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Get 30% off your first billing cycle with code: OscarGalindo30 in the coupon code area. Let’s start our look toward the 2023 season by checking out some position groups that look like huge strengths for their respective teams. Here are 5 schools…
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Let’s start our look toward the 2023 season by checking out some position groups that look like huge strengths for their respective teams. Here are 5 schools that boast some of the most talented position units.
Bellevue West Wide Receivers:
The Bellevue West receiver room has been a recruiting hotbed for several years, with many prospects going off to play at high-level college programs. The 2023 group will be no different, with two electric wideouts in Dae’Vonn Hall Dae’Vonn Hall 6'2" | 175 lbs | WR Bellevue West | 2024 State NE and Isaiah McMorris Isaiah McMorris 6'0" | 175 lbs | WR Bellevue West | 2024 State NE . Dae’Vonn started to gain power five attention after his freshman season and has been picking up offers since. Hall finished his junior season with 62 receptions for 974 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Even with double teams and extra attention from defenses, Dae’Vonn continued to make plays time after time. He is a very complete prospect with elite hands and route-running ability. McMorris lit up defenses and the stat sheet in his first year in the T-Bird offense. Isaiah had a record-breaking season with 90 receptions (state record) for 1,297 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. McMorris’ game-breaking speed and elusiveness made him a threat to make a big gain with every touch. These two will carry most of the attention, but the Thunderbirds have solid depth at receiver past Hall and McMorris. Junior Ben Goodwater Ben Goodwater 6'3" | 185 lbs | WR Bellevue West | 2024 State NE is a very underrated receiver that seems to have good chemistry with QB Daniel Kaelin Daniel Kaelin 6'3" | 195 lbs | QB Bellevue West | 2024 State NE and hauled in 18 catches for 272 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Freshman Araf Evans Araf Evans 6'1" | 180 lbs | ATH Bellevue West | 2026 NE Jr. stepped up and shined in the Bellevue West secondary, but with his receiver skills, I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw him getting snaps on both sides.
Dae’Vonn Hall Dae’Vonn Hall 6'2" | 175 lbs | WR Bellevue West | 2024 State NE | 2024 | 6’2″ 175 lbs
Isaiah McMorris Isaiah McMorris 6'0" | 175 lbs | WR Bellevue West | 2024 State NE | 2024 | 6’0″ 175 lbs
Ben Goodwater Ben Goodwater 6'3" | 185 lbs | WR Bellevue West | 2024 State NE | 2024 | 6’3″ 180 lbs
Araf Evans Araf Evans 6'1" | 180 lbs | ATH Bellevue West | 2026 NE Jr | 2026 | 6’0″ 183 lbs
Papillion-La Vista Running Backs:
The Monarchs backfield tandem of Payton Prestito Payton Prestito 5'10" | 185 lbs | RB Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State NE and Jordan Barrientos Jordan Barrientos 5'8" | 175 lbs | RB Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State NE might be one of the best RB duos in 2023. The two backs have different skill sets but do a great job complimenting each other. Payton will likely receive the bigger share of the carries as he did last year, carrying the ball 154 times for 1,178 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. Prestito is a tough back that doesn’t shy away from running downhill and fighting off contact. Barrientos is a great change of pace back that can also get it done through the air. Jordan rushed 91 times for 513 yards with three rushing touchdowns and added 11 receptions for 185 yards and a receiving touchdown. Jordan’s versatility and ability to catch out of the backfield make him hard to scheme against.
Payton Prestito Payton Prestito 5'10" | 185 lbs | RB Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State NE | 2024 | 5’10” 185 lbs
Jordan Barrientos Jordan Barrientos 5'8" | 175 lbs | RB Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State NE | 2024 | 5’8″ 175 lbs
Omaha Westside Linebackers:
Westside is running pretty deep in several position groups, but their linebacker core looks elite. The guy that gets all the headlines is sophomore Christian Jones Christian Jones 6'3" | 220 lbs | LB Omaha Westside | 2025 State NE , who has emerged as a 4-star prospect and holds Power 5 offers from Nebraska, Minnesota, Kansas, and others. Jones accumulated 60 tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and an interception. Christian’s arrival added an extra level of toughness and athleticism to an already talented group. Junior Teddy Rezac Teddy Rezac 6'3" | 195 lbs | ATH Omaha Westside | 2024 State NE moved from corner to linebacker before this season and made the transition look easy. Rezac racked up 62 tackles, four tackles for loss, two interceptions, a sack, and a forced fumble while also contributing 414 receiving yards and four touchdowns on offense. Rezac is an interesting prospect because of his versatility in where you line up and his football IQ to pick it up quicky. Inside linebacker Beau Ryan Beau Ryan 5'11" | 210 lbs | LB Omaha Westside | 2024 State NE is making a very strong case for as top inside linebacker going into 2023. His ability to blitz and penetrate the offensive line has been impressive to watch. Ryan was near the top in team tackles with 93 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss, five sacks, and a pick-six. With the departure of Curt Cubrich Curt Cubrich 5'11" | 185 lbs | LB Omaha Westside | 2023 State NE , watch out for Nick Anglim Nick Anglim 5'11" | 185 lbs | LB Omaha Westside | 2024 State NE to carve out a nice role for himself in 2023.
Teddy Rezac Teddy Rezac 6'3" | 195 lbs | ATH Omaha Westside | 2024 State NE | 2024 | 6’3″ 185 lbs
Beau Ryan Beau Ryan 5'11" | 210 lbs | LB Omaha Westside | 2024 State NE | 2024 | 5’11” 190 lbs
Nick Anglim Nick Anglim 5'11" | 185 lbs | LB Omaha Westside | 2024 State NE | 2024 | 5’11” 185 lbs
Christian Jones Christian Jones 6'3" | 220 lbs | LB Omaha Westside | 2025 State NE | 2025 | 6’3′ 215 lbs
Benson Wide Receivers:
One group that could cause headaches for opposing coordinators in 2023 is the Benson wide receiver group. The Bunnies are headlined by a dynamic trio of DJ Sterling DJ Sterling 6'0" | 160 lbs | ATH Omaha Central | 2024 State NE , Avry Harris Avry Harris 6'0" | 170 lbs | WR Omaha Central | 2026 NE , and DaShawn Prince DaShawn Prince 6'3" | 180 lbs | WR Omaha Central | 2026 State NE . I was very excited to see what this young group could do last season. However, various injuries kept them from playing together very much, with an early season injury to DaShawn Prince DaShawn Prince 6'3" | 180 lbs | WR Omaha Central | 2026 State NE keeping him out for most of the year. DJ hauled in 30 catches for 345 yards and five receiving touchdowns while also handling cornerback and return duties. As a senior leader, DJ should have a huge role at cornerback and as a returner as well. Avry Harris Avry Harris 6'0" | 170 lbs | WR Omaha Central | 2026 NE had a huge freshman season grabbing 32 receptions for 449 yards and eight receiving touchdowns. Avry used his excellent route running and speed to light up defenses this year. With DaShawn expected to be back next season, this group could be very tough to stop when firing on all cylinders.
DJ Sterling DJ Sterling 6'0" | 160 lbs | ATH Omaha Central | 2024 State NE | 2024 | 6’0″ 160 lbs
Avry Harris Avry Harris 6'0" | 170 lbs | WR Omaha Central | 2026 NE | 2026 | 5’11” 165 lbs
DaShawn Harris | 2026 | 6’3″ 175 lbs
Lincoln Southeast Offensive Line:
Long-time bookend tackle Gunnar Gottula Gunnar Gottula 6'6" | 270 lbs | OL Lincoln Southeast | 2023 State NE is headed off to play for the Huskers, so that will leave a big hole on the line. However, the Lincoln Southeast Knights look like they’ll be in more stable shape than one might think. The top player on the line is junior tackle Cooper Johnson Cooper Johnson 6'6" | 290 lbs | OL Lincoln Southeast | 2024 State NE , who continues to look like a top-tier prospect and will be ready to get after it in his senior year. Johnson is a tall 6’5″ 280-pound mauler with a great mix of strength and short-area quickness. Fellow juniors Stephen J Sullivan-Diaz Stephen J Sullivan-Diaz 5'9" | 230 lbs | OL Lincoln Southeast | 2024 State NE and Josh Dozler will be back to hold down the interior offensive line. Stephen is the starting left guard and has proven that he can make up for being “undersized” with his physical, mean blocking. Dozler will be back at center where he had a solid season anchoring the OL. Joining them on the interior line is sophomore Dane Newman Dane Newman 6'4" | 270 lbs | OL Lincoln Southeast | 2025 State NE , who started for the Knights and really impressed with his play. 4 of 5 returning starters on the offensive line, a more experienced Owen Baxter Owen Baxter QB Lincoln Southeast | 2024 State NE , and a hungry back like Cash Buettenback Cash Buettenback 6'0" | 195 lbs | ATH Lincoln Southeast | 2025 State NE could make for a great year offensively for Southeast.
Cooper Johnson Cooper Johnson 6'6" | 290 lbs | OL Lincoln Southeast | 2024 State NE | 2024 | 6’5″ 280 lbs
Stephen J Sullivan-Diaz Stephen J Sullivan-Diaz 5'9" | 230 lbs | OL Lincoln Southeast | 2024 State NE | 2024 | 5’9″ 230 lbs
Josh Dozler | 2024 | 5’11” 275 lbs
Dane Newman Dane Newman 6'4" | 270 lbs | OL Lincoln Southeast | 2025 State NE | 2025 | 6’3″ 260 lbs