Top 2026 Offensive Prospects from the American Divisions

Looking back on the 2024 season, a few juniors shined in particular from the American Divisions. Players like [player_tooltip player_id='1522216' first='Jerron' last='Martress'] elevated their team to new heights, while others provided support for talented senior classes. The great thing about the players on this list is that they not only stepped into the spotlight this past season, but they have one more season to show how great they can be and hopefully help push there team to the next level in 2025.    Jerron is a larger than life, downhill runner for one of the more impressive teams in the northern part of the state. While they lost in the sectional semifinals against Glen Rock, there was still a lot of good that came out of the season as High Point had one of their most impressive seasons to date. A lot of that success stems from the play of their exceptional running back, [player_tooltip player_id='1522216' first='Jerron' last='Martress'].   Jerron exploded onto the season in 2024, absolutely dominating through the ground game and running for 1671 yards and 26 touchdowns. Every time High Point handed Jerron the ball you could almost guarantee positive yardage with the potential to break lose for a big gain. Lining up in the I-formation, Jerron built up speed and momentum as he crossed the line, making it extremely challenging for any defender to slow him down. With each step Jerron takes it gets increasingly difficult to stop his progress, as the power he can produce continues to build and eventually is unleashed on a unlucky defender. While he plays the role of a traditional power back, don't overlook his ability to make guys miss in the open field. For a bigger back, Jerron is surprisingly quick in space and can evade would-be tacklers with quick lateral movements and sharp cuts.      Leading Ramsey to a 7-3 record, [player_tooltip player_id='337746' first='Justus' last='Favata'] impressed on the field as he led his team to the section semifinals where the eventually fell to Hanover Park. Justus is an intelligent gunslinger with the mobility to avoid danger in the pocket and an arm that can sling the ball across the field. Justus has some magic in his play on the field. He is one of those QBs that can keep a play alive even when it looks like all is lost. There were multiple times in 2024 where it seemed like a defender had Justus wrapped up in the backfield, and comes to find he slips out of their grips and keeps the play alive. That's when Justus really starts to shine. When he scrambles out of the pocket Justus is still very capable of delivering on target throws across the entire field. He has perfected the craft of throwing on the run, and does so in a devastating manner against opposing defenses. Justus is a player to keep an eye on in 2025, as he was able to throw for just under 2000 yards this season and found the end zone through the air 14 times. Ranked as the #17 QB in the state, Justus is sure to gain attention and recruiting momentum over the next few months.     Luke McGuire is a QB to keep an eye on as we enter the offseason and look ahead to the 2025 season. Leading Madison to a 5-4 record, there is a lot of hope surrounding this program as they are returning their signal caller and lead receiver from this past season. While Luke didn't light it up through the air (657 yards and 8 touchdowns), there is a lot to like when you break down his film. Luke showed poise in the pocket and proved he can deliver on time strikes deep downfield to his receivers. Luke has a lot of confidence in his arm, willing to throw it into tight windows if it means large gains down the field. He has shown he has the ability to decipher between man and zone coverages, and can get the ball to the appropriate route runner. Luke has also shown that he has the ability to tuck it and run, as he ran for 406 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2024. I think we will see Luke use his legs quite often in his senior season.      The sole receiver on this list, [player_tooltip player_id='1561995' first='Jack' last='Kovacs'] provided exceptional aerial support for the section winning Hanover Park. Jack was the main target in 2024 for Hanover Park as he caught 27 passes for 406 yards and 3 touchdowns. Jack does a great job getting off of the line quickly, giving himself a slight edge on defenders that get their feet caught in the sand. I think Jack's ability to run multiple routes well is what really separates him from others within the division. He is not strictly a deep ball threat, but can also thrive on shorter outs and comebacks that open the opportunity for him to rack up some YACs. I think Jack will need to play a pivotal role in Hanover Park's offense next season if they want to produce similar results to this past season.      Carson is a player that has been on our radar for quite a while, and for good reason. Carson has shined ever since his sophomore season and continued to impress through his junior year. While Mountain Lakes didn't have the success like they had a year prior, they made a late playoff push that helped end their season on a good note. As always, Mountain Lakes' run game remained strong in 2024, and a lot of that has to do with Carson. A truly versatile back, Carson was able to find the end zone 10 times on the ground this season (and another 1 through the air) and run for 849 yards. If Mountain Lakes wants to make their way back to the state playoffs in 2025, they'll have to rely on players like Carson.     A swiss army knife of a player for Newton, [player_tooltip player_id='999505' first='Nick' last='Kurilko'] thrived on both sides of the ball in 2024. I have covered Nick in the past for his play on the defensive side of the ball, which he continued to impress with in 2024 by making 70 tackles, a sack and forcing a fumble as well. However, Nick stepped up in a big way on offense this past season, so we will now our attention there.   Nick stepped up as the lead fullback for his squad as an absolute terror running through the middle. Bigger than your average ball carrier, Nick hits the hole hard and breaks through arm tackles with ease as he makes his way to daylight. Nick's strength and power has been on full display the last two years on defense, but now he applies the same abilities to running the ball and has become a true power back. Nick handled a hefty load in 2024, as he ran for 933 yards and 14 touchdowns. What's most exciting in how Nick handles the rock is his vision and quickness as he crosses the line of scrimmage. Nick is able to react quickly and dodge defenders between the tackles, giving him the chance to break the run to the second level. Nick has the potential to be one of the top prospects coming out of NJ next season.

Looking back on the 2024 season, a few juniors shined in particular from the American Divisions. Players like Jerron Martress Jerron Martress 6'0" | 190 lbs | RB High Point | 2026 State NJ elevated their team to new heights, while others provided support for talented senior classes. The great thing about the players on this list is that they not only stepped into the spotlight this past season, but they have one more season to show how great they can be and hopefully help push there team to the next level in 2025.