OFFENSE
Justin Hunniford
Providence, QB, 5-10, 180, senior: Has thrown for 3,159 yards on the season and 41 touchdowns. Hunniford has his team in the 7A state championship after a 12-1 season.
Flynn Nagel
Lemont, WR, 5-11, 185, senior: Approaching the all-time state record for touchdown receptions, Nagel has 28 touchdowns, one short of the current record is 29. Committed to Duke.
Miles Boykin
Providence, WR, 6-4, 212, senior: Headed to Notre Dame. Boykin has made a name for himself making athletic catches. Has 19 touchdowns on the season, and one passing touchdown.
Titus Booker
Grayslake North, RB, 6-0, 185, senior: Amassed nearly 2,000 yards on the season, averaging 10.7 yards a carry and scored 27 touchdowns. Booker’s electric season continued to the first round of the 6A playoffs. Committed to Wisconsin.
Liam Morrissey
Lincoln-Way East, RB, 6-1, 185, junior: Ran for 1,500 yards and 25 touchdowns helping the Griffins to the quarterfinal round of the 7A playoffs.
Caleb Reams
Warren, TE, 6-2,235, senior: Committed to Illinois. Caught 11 touchdowns on the season and helped the Blue Devils reach the first round of the 8A state playoffs.
Trevor Ruhland
Cary-Grove, OL, 6-5, 280, senior: An aggressive offensive lineman who has played a big part in the Trojans offensive success. Will play for the 7A state title and is committed to Notre Dame.
Jack Shutack
Nazareth, OL, 6-5, 275, senior: Has led what is arguably the strongest unit for the Roadrunners through the undefeated season and helped the team win nearly every week of the season by double digits.
Cody Conway
Plainfield North, OL, 6-6, 280, senior: Committed to Syracuse, helped the Tigers to a 6-4 record on the season and led the way for productive RB Quintin Hoosman in the Southwest Prairie for a playoff berth.
Adam Lemke-Bell
Oak Park-River Forest, OL, 6-5, 270, senior: The left guard is also a wrestler, who competed in the heavyweight division for the 3A State Champion Huskies and contented for an individual state title.
Desmond Bland
Homewood-Flossmoor, OL, 6-4, 285, junior: Led the Vikings young offensive line to the 8A state title game and opened up holes for twin running backs Deante and Devonte Harley-Hampton, who are approaching 50 combined TDs.
Dewayne Collins
Phillips, ATH, 6-2, 185, senior: The Sun-Times’ Player of the Year has passed for 1,370 yards, rushed for 1,843 yards by averaging nearly ten yards a carry and accounted for 42 touchdowns, in leading Phillips to the 4A state championship game.
Mason Weissenhofer
Montini, K/P, 6-2, 185, senior: The Broncos senior will be a preferred walk on at Northwestern and is rated the 19th best kicker in the country by Chris Sailer, the kicking guru.
DEFENSE
Raequan Williams
Depaul Prep, DL, 6-5, 280, senior: Williams recorded 74 total tackles on the season at the tackle position, including 14 tackles for loss, eight sacks, and nine pass breakups. He was also a Tony Lawless Award winner.
Declan Ryan
Glenbard West, DL, 6-3, 215, senior: Led the Hitters staunch defense all year long from the defensive end slot, and helped them secure an undefeated regular season and a semifinals berth. Glenbard West’s defense allowed less than ten points a game during the season.
Maurice Burton, Jr.
Simeon, DL, 6-1, 220, senior: The Wolverines outspoken leader on the defensive side of the ball helped the team reach the 8A state semifinals. Came up with several game changing fumbles through the playoff run.
Nick Dillon
Stevenson, DL: The Patriots’ defense allowed just 11 points a game during the season. The Eastern Michigan recruit leads the defense that has been clicking throughout the playoffs. Accumulated 66 tackles, seven sacks and 12 tackles for loss though the regular season.
Kyle Pugh
Bloom, LB, 6-1, 215, senior: Pugh recorded 112 tackles in the regular season, 68 solo for Bloom. Pugh was the cornerstone of the Blazing Trojan defense, and will play his college ball at Northern Illinois.
Tuf Borland
Bolingbrook, LB, 6-2, 225, junior: Borland kept the middle of the Raiders defense honest all year long, with 110 tackles, four sacks a forced fumble and an interception. The junior has offers from Wisconsin, Illinois and Ohio State.
Bobby McMillen
Naperville Central, LB, 6-1, 215, senior: Naperville Central rode their strong defense to a 9-3 record, and McMillen recorded 149 tackles, two safeties, two interceptions and two touchdowns from the linebacker slot.
Mark Dowdle
Loyola, DB, 6-3, 175, senior: Loyola plays for the prep bowl title Friday, and senior safety Dowdle has been a big reason the Ramblers defensive momentum keeps rolling. Most notably, he had two interceptions to seal a first-round playoff victory in Class 8A against Warren.
Julian Love
Nazareth, DB, 5-10, 165, junior: One of the most explosive athletes in the area, Love plays wide receiver, running back and cornerback. At corner, he’s recored four interceptions and returned three for a touchdown, including a 93-yard return against St. Patrick.
Jamal Brown
Phillips, DB, 6-0, 190, senior: Recorded 90 tackles, three interceptions and five forced fumbles for the Wildcats defense, making their first appearance in the state title game, and the Chicago Public Leagues first since 1982.
Marty Bechina
St. Rita, DB, 6-0, 180, senior: Bechina kicked off the year with a three interception game against Simeon and kept up the stellar defensive effort through the playoffs. Also plays baseball for the Mustangs.
SUN-TIMES ALL-AREA HONORABLE MENTION
QUARTERBACKS
Hasan Muhammad-Rogers, Richards; Riley Lees, Libertyville; Willie Bourbon, Stevenson; Timon Watkins, Simeon; Brian Collis, Maine South.
RECEIVERS
Cameron Green, Stevenson; Pace Temple, Genevea; Leon Thornton, III, Montini; Matthew Hanson, St. Francis
RUNNING BACKS
Deante Harley-Hampton, Homewood-Flossmoor; Devante Harley-Hampton, Homewood-Flossmoor; Darius Crump, Warren; Sam Brodner, Glenbard West; Marcus Jones, Brother Rice; Tyre Lee, St. Rita
TIGHT END
Nate Vejvoda, Providence
LINEMEN
Stefan Ivanesavic, Hinsdale Central; John Kilcommons, Nazareth; Patrick Kilcommons, Nazareth; Michael Gomez, Cary-Grove; Jake Cirame, Mount Carmel; Erik Swenson, Downers Grove South; Jack Breshears, Batavia; Bryan Brokop, Lincoln-Way West; Luke Juriga, Marimon
ATHLETES
Keishawn Watson, Wheaton Warrenville South; Scottie Miller, Barrington; Dexcavier Kelly-Martin, Nazareth
DEFENSE
LINEMEN
Micah Dew-Treadway, Bolingbrook; Jason Harris, Barrington; Josh King, Hinsdale South; Naquan Jones, Evanston; Jamal Milan, Raby; Luis Vasquez, Providence; Wes Annan, Lake Forest Academy; Pasquale Quinn Calcagno, St. Francis
LINEBACKERS
Tommy Vitale, WW South; Ramontay Hill, Richards; Julian Huff, Bolingbrook; Terrell Johnson, Montini; Jack Traynor, Lake Forest; Mark Nichol, Loyola
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Jacob Huff, Bolingbrook; Antonio Shenault, Lake Park; Marquise Peggs, Mount Carmel; Aaron Garland, Fenwick; Torian Lewis, T.F. South; Patrick Nelson, Hales; Kevin Pearson, Stevenson
