A Rundown of the Top 25-Ranked 2023 Prospects
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The final update for the class of 2023 is finally here! There were 45 new additions to the rankings, taking the total ranked list from 285 to 330 with a total of 373 players listed overall. It is important to note that Colorado’s lists are prospect rankings and not player rankings.
An individual’s positioning within the prospect rankings is not a direct reflection of their status, value, or talent level as a player. Their positioning is significantly influenced by their recruiting, which is evident in the level of colleges the players have been offered from and the level of programs they have committed to attend.
Like most ranking lists, the class of 2023 saw significant movement throughout the ranks, including the addition of new players and familiar players raising their stock value as recruits.
The top four players remained the same, with Oregon commit Blake Purchase Blake Purchase 6'4" | 230 lbs | DL Cherry Creek | 2023 State CO (EDGE) staying in the number-one spot, followed by Arizona commit Brayden Dorman Brayden Dorman 6'5" | 200 lbs | QB Vista Ridge | 2023 State CO (QB), Oklahoma commit Joshua Bates Joshua Bates 6'3" | 280 lbs | OL Durango | 2023 State CO (OL), and BYU commit Ethan Thomason Ethan Thomason 6'8" | 325 lbs | OL Rocky Mountain | 2023 State CO (OL). Iowa commit Chase Brackney Chase Brackney 6'4" | 240 lbs | DL Cherry Creek | 2023 State CO (DL) has moved up and secured the fifth-ranked spot, while teammate and Kansas commit Logan Brantley Logan Brantley 6'2" | 200 lbs | LB Cherry Creek | 2023 State CO (LB/SS) landed sixth on the list.
One of the more significant jumps in the top 25 is Wisconsin commit Cole LaCrue Cole LaCrue 6'2" | 190 lbs | QB Broomfield | 2023 State CO (QB) moving from 37th overall and fourth in position to seventh overall and second in position. Ismael Cisse Ismael Cisse 6'0" | 175 lbs | WR Cherry Creek | 2023 State CO (Stanford WR), Hayden Moore Hayden Moore 6'4" | 195 lbs | LB Regis Jesuit | 2023 State CO (Michigan LB), and Andrew Metzger Andrew Metzger 6'4" | TE Regis Jesuit | 2023 State CO (Kansas St TE) close out the top 10, with Moore and Metzger moving up from the top 15.
Tai Faavae Tai Faavae 6'0" | 220 lbs | LB Fountain-Fort Carson | 2023 State CO (Washington St LB), Zachary Henning Zachary Henning 6'6" | 225 lbs | OL Grandview | 2023 State CO (Washington OL), Hank Zilinskas Hank Zilinskas 6'3" | 255 lbs | OL Cherry Creek | 2023 State CO (Colorado OL), Brandon Hills Brandon Hills 5'9" | 150 lbs | WR Vista Ridge | 2023 State CO (Washington St WR), and D’Andre Barnes D’Andre Barnes WR Regis Jesuit | 2023 State CO (Nebraska WR) close out the top 15 of the list. Barnes is the second player to land in the top 15 who was not there previously.
Walker Himebauch Walker Himebauch 6'2" | 210 lbs | LS Palmer Ridge | 2023 State CO (Kentucky LS) had the second-largest leap for players within the top 25. Not only did he move from outside the top 50, Himebauch is the highest-ranked specialist in the state. Florida International commit Rowdy Beers Rowdy Beers 6'5" | TE Valor Christian | 2023 State CO (TE) landed the 17th-ranked spot as a new addition to the list, making him the highest-ranked newcomer.
Rocky Shields Rocky Shields 6'3" | 255 lbs | DL Columbine | 2023 State CO (Washington St DL), Russ Woodward Russ Woodward 6'6" | 240 lbs | DL Evergreen | 2023 State CO (Army DL), and Silas Evans III Silas Evans III 6'1" | 175 lbs | ATH George Washington | 2023 State CO (Colorado St WR/ATH) close out the top 20. Colorado State commit Tanner Morley Tanner Morley 6'5" | OL Valor Christian | 2023 State CO (OL) is the only other newcomer to land in the top 25, securing the 21st spot in the overall rankings.
The 22nd and 23rd spots belong to Jackson St. Aubyn Jackson St. Aubyn 6'5" | 265 lbs | OL Palmer Ridge | 2023 State CO (Yale OL) and Tommy Poholsky Tommy Poholsky 6'1" | 175 lbs | QB Evergreen | 2023 State CO (Iowa QB), while Garrett Harstad Garrett Harstad 6'5" | 195 lbs | ATH Loveland | 2023 State CO (Kansas St ATH) is the player who made the most significant jump into the top 25. Harstad went from starting the year ranked 231st overall as a quarterback to landing the 24th overall spot and second-ranked in the ATH position group.
The top 25 for the class of 2023 closes out with New Mexico State commit Hudson Voggesser Hudson Voggesser 6'2" | 205 lbs | LB Loveland | 2023 State CO (LB/SS), who entered his senior year as the 28th player before finishing 25th overall.