Small School Studs: Suffolk County Prospects To Watch This Summer

To round out the list of Long Island public school players to watch this summer, we turn to the small school studs in Suffolk County. This group features some true gems. Two prospects have already made their commitments, and I can see more of these players earning recognition as the summer goes on. Check them out below!    The QB from Sayville has been turning heads this offseason. At 6'4”, he has great size and is coming off a junior year where he had phenomenal tape. Sayville is Quarterback U on Long Island, and Coan continued that trend last season. He's one of the only quarterbacks I've seen carve up Garden City's lockdown defense in the last five years. He made excellent reads and completed some very tough passes all over the field. He was composed and confident all year. He threw for over 2,000 yards, had a 29-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and a completion percentage of 65%. He just made his commitment to Lehigh and will be one of the most well-known names on Long Island this season.     One of the most productive players on Long Island last year. Ferraro is a run-first quarterback in a run-heavy offense, and boy did he deliver. He ran for 1,400 yards last season and was a game-changing player for ESM. At 6'0” and 205 pounds, he caused problems for defenses. He had good vision, but he also ran with a certain toughness that allowed his team to move the chains. Ferraro runs hard, can run people over, and can also speed past them for big-time plays. He also made some solid throws and tossed the rock for 300 yards last season. When teams stacked the box, he showed he could complete passes. This season, he'll be one of the more fun players to watch on the Island.     One of the best pure athletes on Long Island. He's an old-school, three-sport athlete who is dominant in all of them. If he decides to play college football, he's a prospect to keep an eye on. He plays running back for Smithtown West and had a breakout junior season for the Bulls. He had numerous eye-opening performances last year that helped his team reach the semifinals in a competitive Division II. Now back down to Division III due to enrollment, I could see him having an even bigger season. He's a dynamic athlete who is also a game-changer on defense. He had five interceptions, and his ability to make plays on the ball is so impressive.     The football culture is amazing at Westhampton, and they always seem to have big and talented linemen. Magee fits that mold well. At 6'3” and 280 pounds, he has good size and was a force for the Hurricanes last fall. He was a solid interior offensive lineman and had some impressive plays on tape. He showed flashes of looking good while pulling—he moves pretty well—and if his athleticism continues to increase, he's the type of player that could have a monster senior season.     Last year, it was hard to believe that Ahern was only a sophomore with how physically dominant he was. He was one of the top tight ends and defensive ends on the Island in Class IV. Bayport ran the ball at will last season, and Ahern was a huge factor in blocking downfield and owning the line of scrimmage. On defense, he was equally as effective. His strength and explosiveness were above most of the competition he played against. He'll be in the conversation for accolades this upcoming season as a junior.     Hills West graduated one of the best quarterbacks in the state in Joseph Filardi, but what people don't know is that they had a terrific backup quarterback. [player_tooltip player_id='1697592' first='Luke' last='Taff'] would've started on plenty of other teams last year and could be in for a big senior season. Hills West is a pass-heavy offense, and Taff looked good when he got time at QB last year. His classmate Kade Diaz is an all-around athlete and will be a great option for him in the passing game. Taff is also a threat with his legs. He'll be a fun prospect to watch this season in the Hills West offense.     It's pretty rare for a Class of 2026 prospect to be named All-State three times already, but Winter has accomplished that. He's a true hometown hero. Babylon is one of the smallest schools on the Island, but Winter has led them to success and has been a monster all over the field. Last year, he had over 2,000 all-purpose yards and 20 touchdowns. He's also the school's all-time leading rusher with 4,218 yards. Winter can play everywhere—QB, RB, WR, DB, LB—you name it, he can do it. He's a phenomenal athlete and currently holds offers from Maine and Wagner. Now at 200 pounds, he has good size and the ability to impact the game in so many ways.     Last year, Kiernan proved he was one of the best QBs Long Island had to offer. He was a runner-up for the Boomer Award (given to Suffolk's top QB) after a spectacular junior year. He was second on Long Island in passing yards (2,885) and touchdowns (29). Kiernan threw some beautiful passes throughout his junior year, but what impressed me most was his ability to shine in big moments. He had to go on the road twice to Babylon, including the county semifinals, and he tore apart a strong Panthers defense. He eclipsed 400 yards both times and made a major leap from his sophomore year. He could take another big stride this season—I imagine the pure passer will get more college recognition sooner rather than later.     Just like Coan, the big lineman from Bayport just made his commitment. He'll be taking his talents to Stonehill, where I think he'll thrive. Last season, this Bayport offensive line was a machine. Everyone talked about the amazing seniors, but Crisera put himself on the map with his dominance all season long—and of course, colleges took notice. At 6'5”, Crisera was bulldozing his way through defensive linemen all season. Bayport had one of the best run attacks on the Island last year, and I could see that happening again. With his athleticism, he'll be a game-changer on defense this year as Bayport looks to win another county title. Crisera will be in the conversation for the Zellner Award (given to Suffolk's top lineman).     When it comes to true football players, Kolar defines that. “Big Game Keith” showed up and made plays in the big moments. Everyone knew Hills West and eventual LIC opponent Garden City were by far the two toughest offenses they'd face, and Kolar came up huge. In those games, he constantly found himself in the backfield registering tackles for loss. He isn't the biggest player, but he still performed well against bigger linemen. He shed blocks from those big linemen with ease. Kolar's toughness and skills as a football player elevate his play.

To round out the list of Long Island public school players to watch this summer, we turn to the small school studs in Suffolk County. This group features some true gems. Two prospects have already made their commitments, and I can see more of these players earning recognition as the summer goes on. Check them out below!