Meet the best high school football player in every state entering the 2026 season

[ASFN Admin]

The high school football season is quickly approaching, meaning players all around the country are hoping to establish themselves as the top guy in their respective state.

Nearly every state has a player ranked nationally by one of the major recruiting outlets, but what player truly stands out above the rest of their peers as the top player for the state entering the 2026 season?

USA TODAY Sports has already looked at the top teams for every state entering the new season. Here's a look at the top football player in every state heading into the 2026 high school football season.

Alabama: Gunner Rivers​

Position: Quarterback

High School: St. Michael Catholic (Fairhope)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: NC State

Alaska: Ethan Yarrington​

Position: Athlete

High School: South Anchorage

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Uncommitted

Arizona: Roye Oliver III​

Position: Wide Receiver

High School: Hamilton (Chandler)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: USC

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Arkansas: Samuel Nelson​

Position: EDGE

High School: Bryant

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Oklahoma

California: Donte Wright​

Position: CB

High School: Long Beach Poly

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Miami

Colorado: Elijah Cromwell​

Position: Running Back

High School: Cherry Creel (Englewood)

Class: 2028

College Commitment: Uncommitted

Connecticut: Mekai Brown​

Position: EDGE

High School: Greenwich Country Day

Class: 2027

College Commitment: USC

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Delaware: Layton von Brandt​

Position: Offensive Tackle

High School: Appoquinimink (Middletown)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Auburn

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Florida: Mark Matthews​

Position: Offensive Tackle

High School: St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Texas A&M

Georgia: David Jacobs​

Position: EDGE

High School: Blessed Trinity Catholic (Roswell)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Ohio State

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Hawaii: Toa Satele​

Position: Linebacker

High School: Mililani

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Oregon

Idaho: Jack Henderson​

Position: EDGE

High School: Bishop Kelly (Boise)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Utah

Illinois: Israel Abrams​

Position: Quarterback

High School: Montini Catholic (Lombard)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Miami

Indiana: Monshun Sales​

Position: Wide Receiver

High School: Lawrence North

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Indiana

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Iowa: Jevyn Severson​

Position: Tight End

High School: Madrid

Class: 2028

College Commitment: Uncommitted

Kansas: Cooper Ohnmacht​

Position: Athlete

High School: Great Bend

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Kansas State

Kentucky: Seneca Driver​

Position: Tight End

High School: Boyle County (Danville)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Oklahoma

Louisiana: Elijah Haven​

Position: Quarterback

High School: Dunham School (Baton Rouge)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Alabama

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Maine: Luke Piper​

Position: Athlete

High School: Greely (Cumberland Center)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Uncommitted

Maryland: Tyzon Swann​

Position: Defensive Lineman

High School: Lackey (Indian Head)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Uncommitted

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Massachusetts: Christopher Vargas​

Position: Quarterback

High School: St. John's Prep (Danvers)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Uncommitted

Michigan: Dakota Guerrant​

Position: Wide Receiver

High School: Harper Woods

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Oregon

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Minnesota: David Mack​

Position: Wide Receiver

High School: Moorhead

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Minnesota

Mississippi: Mitchell Turner​

Position: Defensive Lineman

High School: Louisville

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Ole Miss

Missouri: Prince Goldsby​

Position: Linebacker

High School: Blue Springs South

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Ohio State

Montana: Steele Harris​

Position: Wide Receiver

High School: Great Falls

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Wisconsin

Nebraska: Trae Taylor​

Position: Quarterback

High School: Millard South (Omaha)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Nebraska

Nevada: Hayden Stepp​

Position: Cornerback

High School: Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Oregon

New Hampshire: Joel Gomez​

Position: Tight End

High School: Manchester Memorial

Class: 2027

College Commitment: UMass

New Jersey: Xavier Sabb​

Position: Wide Receiver

High School: Glassboro

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Oregon

New Mexico: Colton McKibben​

Position: Linebacker

High School: Carlsbad

Class: 2027

College Commitment: UCLA

New York: Cam Toomey​

Position: EDGE

High School: Saratoga Springs

Class: 2028

College Commitment: Uncommitted

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North Carolina: Joshua Dobson​

Position: Cornerback

High School: Hough (Cornelius)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: South Carolina

North Dakota: Brooks Bakko​

Position: Tight End

High School: Kindred

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Minnesota

Ohio: Jamier Brown​

Position: Wide Receiver

High School: Big Walnut (Sunbury)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Ohio State

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Oklahoma: Cooper Hackett​

Position: Offensive Lineman

High School: Fort Gibson

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Oklahoma

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Oregon: Josiah Molden​

Position: Cornerback

High School: West Linn

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Oregon

Pennsylvania: Maxwell Hiller​

Position: Offensive Lineman

High School: Coatesville

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Florida

Rhode Island: Elijah Guertin​

Position: EDGE

High School: Bishop Hendricken (Warwick)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Penn State

South Carolina: Jaiden Bryant​

Position: EDGE

High School: Irmo (Columbia)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Miami

South Dakota: Brody Schafer​

Position: Quarterback

High School: Lincoln (Sioux Falls)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: South Dakota State

Tennessee: David Gabriel Georges​

Position: Running Back

High School: Baylor (Chattanooga)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Tennessee

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Texas: Jalen Brewster​

Position: Defensive Lineman

High School: Cedar Hill

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Texas Tech

Utah: Bode Sparrow​

Position: Athlete

High School: Davis (Kaysville)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Oklahoma

Vermont: Jason Sperry​

Position: Athlete

High School: Middlebury

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Uncommitted

Virginia: Chris Whitehead​

Position: EDGE

High School: Lloyd C. Bird (Chesterfield)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: LSU

Washington: Tytan McNeal​

Position: Tight End

High School: Eastside Catholic (Sammamish)

Class: 2028

College Commitment: Uncommitted

West Virginia: Maddox Twigg​

Position: Quarterback

High School: Morgantown

Class: 2028

College Commitment: Uncommitted

Wisconsin: Kingston Allen​

Position: Running Back

High School: Notre Dame Academy (Green Bay)

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Wisconsin

Wyoming: Chase Garber​

Position: Offensive Lineman

High School: Big Horn

Class: 2027

College Commitment: Wyoming

Follow Sports Reporter Joe Spears on X at @joe_spears7 or via email: [email protected]. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow @usatodayhss on Instagram and X.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Meet the best high school football player in every state entering the 2026 season

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