2024 Rankings: Major Moves in the Top 25

For those new to the Prep Redzone Colorado scene and interested in a subscription, use code WESLEY30 for 30% off your first subscription!   The prospects from the class of 2024 are currently the primary focus for recruiting, putting the juniors on the clock for college programs. The updated rankings list provides us with a roster of many talented players with journeys to watch closely this fall.    An individual's positioning within the prospect rankings is not a reflection of their status, value, or talent level as a player. Instead, their positioning is significantly influenced by their status and potential as a recruit, which is evident in the level of colleges they have received offers from and the programs they have committed to attend.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/gage_ginther/status/1631088481551400960?s=20 </div></figure>   The top 25 of the junior class saw some significant changes within its ranks. Offensive linemen [player_tooltip player_id='381194' first='Gage' last='Ginther'] and [player_tooltip player_id='381193' first='Hayden' last='Treter'] leapfrogged those who were previously ahead of them and landed in the top two spots. Ginther is a tackle from Fossil Ridge who has emerged as the top recruited player in the state, earning close to 20 Division I offers that include a few SEC schools. Treter is another tackle from Cherry Creek who comes in at second with close to 15 D1 offers, including an SEC program.   [player_tooltip player_id='143622' first='Blake' last='Barnett'] from Erie is arguably one of the most exciting high school football players Colorado has seen in a while. Barnett comes in at third but make no mistake, the Kansas State commit has the potential to end his career as the Gatorade Player of the Year. Cherry Creek linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='251220' first='Angelo' last='Petrides'] comes in at fourth with five D1 offers and significant interest from elite programs. Petrides has been the top linebacker in the class since his sophomore season. Wrapping up the top five is [player_tooltip player_id='143630' first='Gabe' last='Sawchuk'] from Valor Christian who has held a handful of D1 offers since he was an underclassman. Sawchuk has been the top-ranked running back in the class since his freshman year, adding to the legacy of the Sawchuk name.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/AngeloPetrides2/status/1639017308684419072?s=20 </div></figure>   Cherry Creek offensive linemen [player_tooltip player_id='385132' first='Andre' last='Burton'] and [player_tooltip player_id='323104' first='Maxwell' last='Parrott'] come in at sixth and seventh. Burton and Parrott have over 15 D1 offers combined, giving the Bruins significant real estate in the top ten while continuing the trend of producing elite linemen. Coming in at eighth is Castle View's [player_tooltip player_id='696906' first='Jordan' last='Ochoa'], a rankings newcomer who has emerged as the top defensive lineman for the class. Ochoa is a highly sought-after defensive end who currently holds six D1 offers.   Closing out the top ten are teammates [player_tooltip player_id='146073' first='Alexander' last='Jordan'] and [player_tooltip player_id='381192' first='Asher' last='Weiner'] from Valor Christian. Jordan is a defensive end with an extremely high ceiling and offers rolling in with the expectation of receiving a Power 5 offer soon. Weiner is the quarterback for the Eagles who moved to Colorado with a couple of offers in hand. In his first year as QB1, Weiner helped lead his team to its third consecutive state championship appearance.   Grandview's [player_tooltip player_id='495453' first='Nkongolo' last='Wa-Kalonji'] is new to the list due to a clerical error that had him placed in the incorrect class, but his emergence as a sought-after EDGE player has landed him in the top 15. Broomfield's [player_tooltip player_id='334594' first='Landen' last='Davidson'] made one of the more significant jumps in the rankings. The offensive lineman entered last season just inside the top 100 before earning a handful of offers and securing the 12th overall spot.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/DavidsonLanden/status/1597411493464530944?s=20 </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='251219' first='Jackson' last='Cowgill'] from Erie is an underrated defense lineman who is on pace to be one of the biggest breakout prospects in the class. The 14th overall spot is held by Douglas County's [player_tooltip player_id='143646' first='Jake' last='Stonebraker'], who remains the number one-ranked ATH and recently committed to Kansas State. Coming in at 15 is [player_tooltip player_id='277533' first='Lincoln' last='Fa'apouli Jr'] from Fountain-Fort Carson, which gives the offensive linemen group the most players within the top 15 of the class.   ThunderRidge teammates [player_tooltip player_id='503779' first='CJ' last='Reese'] and [player_tooltip player_id='190262' first='Zachariah' last='Smith'] are two new additions to the top 20. Reese is the top-ranked wide receiver and newcomer to the rankings list who has seen a significant increase in recruiting value after a breakout junior season. Smith is the top-ranked tight end who elevated his spot from 82nd overall to 17th.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/CJREESE20/status/1639331589640556545?s=20 </div></figure>   Cornerback [player_tooltip player_id='146076' first='Will' last='Rosenmeyer'] from Rock Canyon and linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='381201' first='Omari' last='Bursey'] from Legacy have secured the 18th and 19th overall spots. Both players have seen substantial upticks in their recruiting. Rosenmeyer and Bursey are phenomenal prospects expectations emerging as Power 5 recruits. [player_tooltip player_id='381199' first='AJ' last='Guida'] is a talented linebacker from Mullen with a handful of D1 offers. Guida is easily one of the better backers in the state with the potential of landing a few more offers before his time is complete. [player_tooltip player_id='277534' first='Charlie' last='Eckhardt'] is a wide receiver from Arapahoe who has jumped from the 28th overall spot to the 21st. The talented receiver's increase in stock value has garnered him a few D1 offers, making him the final new addition to the top 25-ranked players.    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/omari_bursey/status/1637301234469339136?s=20 </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='220428' first='Carson' last='Caplan'] (IOL), [player_tooltip player_id='146052' first='Exodus' last='Johnson'] (DL), [player_tooltip player_id='143644' first='Mason' last='Cowgill'] (TE), and [player_tooltip player_id='218297' first='Liam' last='Szarka'] (QB) remain in the top 25, just not in the spots they held previously with the exception of Szarka. All four players possess elite qualities and the potential to finish their high school careers as prospects within the top 15-ranked positions.    A player's recruiting influences their position in the prospect rankings, but it is extremely rare for rankings to affect recruiting. There is no one solution for keeping every high school player from slipping through the cracks. A good way to help a kid raise their prospect value in addition to attending college camps, having well-structured film, and maintaining a proactive Twitter account is to<a href="https://prepredzone.com/prospect-index/claim-your-profile/"> claim or create a free player profile account with Prep Redzone</a>.

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