Player Rankings Historical Best: No. 1 Dutch Fork

Jed Blackwell July 2, 2024 @ 07:55 PM

It shouldn't be much of a surprise that the team at the top of our historical player rankings is the team that's been at the top of the state for most of the past decade.   The Dutch Fork Silver Foxes, winners of eight state titles since 2013, have placed 34 players in the Prep Redzone rankings since 2021, the most of any team in the state.   They've done it in bunches, with at least three players ranked in each historical class. They've done it across the board, with players ranked at nine different positions and at spots from No. 4 to No. 300. And they're doing it currently, with nine guys ranked in the 2025 Class.   Here's a look at some of the players from Dutch Fork who put the Silver Foxes at the top of the list.   STAR POWER   Dutch Fork has had six players ranked in the Top 35, with two of them in single-digits. Three Clemson football commits helped lead the way. Will Taylor led the 2021 group as the No. 25-ranked receiver, while WR Antonio Williams was the No. 5-ranked player in 2022 and RB Jarvis Green was ranked No. 4 in 2023. Landon Danley was another standout in the 2023 class, part of a LB group that included No. 33 Chandler Perry. And currently, DL [player_tooltip player_id='1012706' first='Josh' last='Smith'] is ranked No. 16 in the 2025 Class. Smith (pictured) plays off the edge like he's shot out of a cannon, with an elite first step and malicious intent once he gets to the ball.    PLENTY OF DEPTH   The Silver Foxes have placed nearly as many players in the rankings below 200 as they have at the top, and all of them have contributed. Just take 2024, for instance. In a year that Dutch Fork struggled on offense, particularly early in the year, the team had just one ranked offensive senior, WR Jacob Hamilton at No. 273. However, five defensive players were ranked between No. 122 and No. 300, with DB Tyler Jones, DL Terrance Wells, LB Deon Winsley, DL Dakota Jordan, and DB Peyton Betts all on the list. All those guys did was to help solidify a defense that allowed just more than 16 points per game on the way to yet another state title.   REALLY GOOD RIGHT NOW   The 2025 Class features nine ranked players, the most the Silver Foxes have placed in the rankings in any single class. From Smith at 16 to DB [player_tooltip player_id='426647' first='Malichi' last='Smith'] at No. 261, Dutch Fork seems loaded everywhere. [player_tooltip player_id='1012606' first='Elgin' last='Sessions'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1254033' first='Derek' last='Smith'] are both featured in the defensive backfield, [player_tooltip player_id='1012842' first='Josh' last='Benson'] is ranked No. 112 at OL, WR [player_tooltip player_id='1012701' first='Maurice' last='Anderson'] is No. 114, K [player_tooltip player_id='464892' first='Justin' last='Welch'] is ranked 147th, ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1013047' first='KJ' last='Smith'] is No. 175, and TE [player_tooltip player_id='1254046' first='Boone' last='Miller'] is ranked No. 245.   Just behind them, the Silver Foxes have two players ranked for 2026, hard-hitting LB [player_tooltip player_id='1025776' first='Raleigh' last='Salters'] and steady QB [player_tooltip player_id='1267290' first='Ethan' last='Offing'].

It shouldn't be much of a surprise that the team at the top of our historical player rankings is the team that's been at the top of the state for most of the past decade.