2023 Offensive Stat Leader Predictions
In this article:
Use code Johnson30 for a new Prep Redzone subscription! We are one month away from kicking off Week One of the Wisconsin HS football season! Here at PRZ WI we are diving into rankings updates for the Classes of 2024-…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingUse code Johnson30 for a new Prep Redzone subscription!
We are one month away from kicking off Week One of the Wisconsin HS football season! Here at PRZ WI we are diving into rankings updates for the Classes of 2024- 2026. Along with that process, it is also time to start previewing the season. We begin by predicting who will lead every statistical category, and why. We will be providing our Top 3 picks for every category. We are focusing on offense in today’s article. Who will light up the scoreboard and stat sheet through the air, on the ground, and receiving?
Passing Leaders
Jack is the most productive QB returning to the field based off 2022 numbers. The big, strong armed QB should shoulder a large portion of the offensive output for Burlington once again. In 2022, Sulik averaged 34 pass attempts a game, and with the overall talent Burlington returns we should see them in the running for a playoff berth. Playoffs count towards season long stats, so it is key to make it to the postseason if a player is going to lead the way in a statistical category. Sulik has the best combination of individual talent, team talent, and opportunity/workload making him our first choice to lead the way passing in the state of WI.
Another athlete who looks poised for a monster season is West De Pere’s Duke Shovald Duke Shovald 6’1″ | 190 lbs | QB West De Pere | 2024 State WI . He averaged just under 20 pass attempts per game, but his decision making and accuracy maximize those attempts. He completed 63.3% of his passes last year, and he will have his multiple of talented receiving options back with him to work with. A key contributor to Duke finishing 10th in passing last year was his 14 game schedule. West De Pere looks poised for another playoff run, and leading the way will be the poised passer.
Highlights
In his short HS career Brayln has proven he can produce monster numbers. As a freshman he finished 11th in passing yards. He averaged just under 27 pass attempts per game, and the most exciting part is that he returns every teammate who caught a pass from him in 2022. Brayln has been putting in the work too. I saw him at the Minnesconsin Mega Camp where he impressed me with his smooth mechanics and accuracy. When he and his team takes the field next month get ready for some big time numbers as they look to return to the playoffs, and make a deep run.
Rushing Leaders
The sky is blue, grass is green, Colton Brunell Colton Brunell 6’1″ | 205 lbs | ATH Columbus | 2024 State WI is going to run all over defenses across WI this fall. Colton is coming off a season where he lead the state with over 2800 rushing yards while leading his team to a State Championship. Colton averaged just under 23 attempts a game in 2022, and should reach similar numbers this fall. Columbus will need to replace some excellent OL talent to help lead the way, but with the speed, power, vision, and balance that Colton plays with, and the workload that is sure to be there, Brunell has to be the top choice to lead the state in rushing once again. He is also within about 1,800 yards of the career rushing record for the state. Something to watch closely.
Koehler is another big, powerful back who shouldered a huge workload while leading his team to a State Championship. Kilty finished 10th in rushing yards while averaging just over 21 carries a game. Stratford loves to pound the ball with their big back and play tough defense up front. Kilty is a key piece to both of those things. Kilty could find himself in the running for PRZ WI Player of the Year with the ovearll stats he puts up. Not only will he have the workload to again push for the top rushing output in the state, but he is also the top returning tackler, and receiver on the team. He embodies the due it all type athlete.
Highlights
Jayden finished right behind Kilty at 11th in rushing yards in 2022, but on a game by game basis he was a more productive ball carrier. Jayden is an explosive back, and with the amount of carries he gets it adds up to big total numbers, and equally impressive averages. In 2022 he averaged 150+ rushing yards per game on only 17 carries per game. Gordon averaged nearly 9 yards per carry. Jayden also has a key part to the equation of leading a statistical category. A team with the talent to play deep into November. SJCA is one of the top rosters in the state, so Gordon should have plenty of weeks to pile up the stats, and wins. It is a perfect storm of talent and opportunity.
Receiving Leaders
Tommy is the most productive returning receiver in WI. He and QB Jack Sulik Jack Sulik 6’4″ | 195 lbs | QB Burlington | 2024 State WI paired up for 69 receptions, 1,186 yards, and 19 TDs. All in 12 games, giving Tommy an average of 98 receiving yards per game, and 17.2 yards per reception. If Tommy can repeat those averages in 2023 he will be well on his way to being the #1 receiver in catches and yards. As mentioned above with Sulik, Burlington leans on the passing game, and they are returning the talent to form the most productive duo in the state. The speedy WR is going to force the next level to not sleep on him when he puts up another monster year.
Collin proved in 2022 that he can be a go to WR, and that he is going to come down with the ball even when the defense, and the entire stadium, knows it is going to him. Collin put up one of the best stat lines in 2022 going 69-1,031-13. What is more impressive is how much of the ovearll passing game he was responsible for. He had 3.5 times more receptions than anyone else on his team and more than 4 times the receiving yards. Collin also had 10 more receiving TDs than the next man. The physical WR is one of the best at going and getting the football in traffic, and should provide us with many more highlight reel catches as he makes a run at the top spot in the category.
Mekai might be a sleeper pick because he only had 37 receptions in 2022. However, nobody did more with their opportunities. Ward averaged an insane 25.2 yards per reception. Mekai is elusive with the ball in his hands, and he has the speed to get behind the defense for the big plays. Even with his 37 catches, Ward finished 14th in receiving yards. With more opportunities we could see him be at the top of the charts. He also plays for a team that could make a solid run this year, so he should get those coveted postseason games to add to his totals. Keep an eye on Ward. The tape is going to be fun to watch, and the numbers should be special.