Here are 57 of the best high school football players in Wisconsin for 2023
The North Dakota recruit has been unstoppable at running back the last two seasons. The two-time Capitol Conference player of the year rushed for 2,897 yards and 43 TDs as a junior, one year after rushing for 2,221 yards and 31 scores.
He also is a standout linebacker, finishing with 103 total tackles last season. He has 220 tackles, 121⁄2 sacks and five interceptions in his career.
A Wisconsin Football Coaches Association first-team all-state pick at defensive end last season and the BadgerLarge co-defensive player of the year. Led the state with 18 sacks and his team to an 11-1 record.
A three-star recruit and one of the most promising players in the state for the 2025 class. The linebacker had 147 total tackles, including 19 for loss, along with three forced fumbles, two sacks and an interception as a sophomore. He has multiple Division I offers, including one from the Badgers.
The high school football season began Thursday, the first step in a journey each program hopes ends with a playoff berth and a state title. There are plenty of future NCAA Division I players and other standouts in Wisconsin to watch between now and November. Here are 57 of them, in alphabetical order.
player at Notre Dame and enjoyed a successful career in the NFL, and James is developing into the next great football player in the family.
The four-star recruit and standout tight end had 22 catches for 520 yards and nine TDs as a sophomore while being named the receiver of the year in the Fox River Classic Conference-South. He also was a second-team all-conference selection at linebacker with 66 tackles and three sacks.
He holds several DI offers, including Wisconsin and Notre Dame.
The Minnesota-Duluth commit was put at quarterback after an injury to Nate Uselding early last season and was named the East Central Conference co-offensive player of the year after throwing for 1,061 yards and 12 TDs and rushing for 1,147 yards and 19 scores. He started the season at wideout and caught 11 passes for 163 yards and two TDs the first four games.
Gauthier had 87 total tackles, 31⁄2 sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception in 2022, his second season as a varsity starter.
Gauthier is one of the top linebackers in the state for the 2024 class and announced his commitment to Wisconsin in April, picking the school over programs such as Stanford, Minnesota and Syracuse.
The all-state outside linebacker and all-conference running back was a busy man on the field as a junior. He ranked third in the state with 101⁄2 sacks. He had 56 tackles, including 20 for loss.
He also rushed for 700 yards and six TDs on 128 carries and added two receiving scores.
Iowa State offered the defensive lineman a scholarship last September, and he picked the school in January after a big junior campaign. Gilbert put together an all-state performance in 2022 with 37 total tackles and 51⁄2 sacks for an Arrowhead team that finished third in the Classic 8.
The defensive back has excellent speed, clocking at 4.49 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He had 68 tackles and two interceptions last season to help the Lasers beat West De Pere for the D2 state title.
Has a variety of college offers, including a preferred walk-on opportunity at Wyoming.
Hodge and his fellow linemen paving the way for a rushing attack that averaged 6.6 yards per carry and scored 30 TDs.
The offensive lineman is one of the best players in the state for the 2025 class and has made a verbal commitment to Stanford. Slinger rushed for 2,248 yards and 27 TDs and averaged 29.7 points per game last season.
The tight end-defensive end helped lead his team to the Valley Football Association title before losing to Bay Port in the second round of the D1 playoffs. He committed to Army in April.
One of the most dominating offensive linemen in the state and a four-star recruit. Will play for the Badgers next season after committing in April. Jensen is part of a talented line at Arrowhead which includes fellow Power Five recruit Garrett Sexton.
Another talented offensive lineman from the state who earned a scholarship from a Big Ten school, although Kadow played tight end last season before making a position switch. Kadow committed to Rutgers in June.
Klatt established himself as a dominating running back during his sophomore season in 2021 when he rushed for 1,830 yards and 18 TDs while averaging 7.2 yards per carry. His junior season was wiped out after he sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament during a camp last July, but he should reclaim his spot as one of the top rushers in the state.
The defensive end made life miserable for offenses last season, finishing with 10 sacks and 14 tackles for loss while being named a second-team all-conference pick in the Classic 8.
Klein has committed to Air Force.
One of the most prolific quarterbacks in the state as a junior, throwing for 2,647 yards and 34 TDs while completing 70.8% of his passes. He added 493 rushing yards and nine scores and had 38 total tackles and two interceptions playing linebacker.
It’s difficult to game plan against Lane at quarterback,who led Lodi to a 9-3 record last season while throwing for 1,358 yards and 11 TDs and rushing for 1,398 yards and 20 scores.
The running back-linebacker was a dominant force for Two Rivers last season. He rushed for 1,532 yards and 31 TDs, caught 17 passes for 319 yards and five scores and made 117 total tackles, including 30 for loss, with five forced fumbles, two interceptions and two sacks.
The defensive lineman committed to Yale earlier this month after being a key piece for a Papermakers team that won the D1 state title last season. McGivern has been a consistent performer during his two years on varsity, with five sacks as a junior and six as a sophomore. He had a combined 55 tackles in 2022 and 94 for his career.
One of seven returning starters on defense for the Sabers. Miller is one of the leaders on the defensive line and a team captain who should be 100% after playing only five games last season because of injury.
An all-state performer at safety and a big play waiting to happen. Morrison had eight interceptions in 2022, including three returned for touchdowns. He also had a role on special teams as a punt and kick returner and played at wideout.
The offensive lineman and Northern Illinois recruit is a bright spot on a team that returns several starters but likely won’t be one of the favorites in the Southern Lakes. Olson was a key in an Elkhorn run game in 2022 that produced 1,999 yards and 13 TDs.
The defensive back missed the first four games last season with a broken leg but has six career interceptions and has been an important piece of the defense the last two years. He also contributes as a running back, kick returner and punt returner.
He will play at North Dakota next year. His brother, Addison, is a tight end for Iowa.
The athletic Passini was a second-team all-conference selection in the Big Eight as a junior, throwing for 1,221 yards and 18 TDs. He had just two interceptions. He also is a threat in the run game, rushing for 500 yards and nine scores on 76 attempts.
Passini received an offer from the University of St. Thomas last month and has a handful of other offers, including Butler and Valparaiso.
The Rutgers recruit will be one of the best linebackers in the state after breaking out as a sophomore two years ago when he had 98 tackles and 121⁄2 sacks. Pilof was limited last season because of a high ankle sprain but still put up 68 total tackles, four sacks and two forced fumbles.
He hit all 44 extra-point attempts last season while going 7-for-8 on field goals, which included five kicks of 40 or more yards and a long of 52. Plate also averaged 35.8 yards on 17 punts, placing two inside the 20.
The standout cornerback had 62 total tackles and three interceptions in 10 games and returned both a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns. Already a lock to be a D-I player with two more seasons remaining.
He has more than 10 offers, including one from the Badgers.