MaxPreps 2017 Preseason Medium Schools All-American Football Teams

Video: Back-to-back 9-TD games
See Glendale's Alex Huston toss 18 touchdowns in just eight quarters.

The medium school level will be home to some of the most prolific passers in the nation in 2017, and two of them anchor the MaxPreps Preseason Medium Schools All-American Football Team.

Alex Huston of Glendale (Springfield, Mo.) has twice led the nation in passing yardage. Under the tutelage of passing wizard Mike Mauk, Huston is the favorite to lead the nation for a third-straight time after throwing for over 6,000 yards as a junior. Huston became just the second high school player to ever throw for that total (Mauk's son Ben was the other) and he is the first junior.

Then there is Pulaski Academy's Layne Hatcher. Playing for pass-happy coach Kevin Kelly, Hatcher has thrown for over 4,000 yards and 55 or more touchdowns for two straight seasons.



Those two head the medium schools first team, which consists of 30 players. Medium schools are considered to be those teams that play in state enrollment divisions that generally have between 1,000 and 2,000 students. Players from medium-sized schools who were chosen for the MaxPreps Preseason All-American team were not selected in order to give additional recognition to more players.

First Team Offense

WR – Braxton Ashcraft, Robinson (Texas), 6-5, 190
With 104 receptions and 2,090 yards receiving, Ashcraft is the returning national leader in both categories. He earned All-State honors in Texas last year.

WR – Derion Kendrick, South Pointe (Rock Hill, S.C.), 6-1, 195
Listed as a wide receiver, the Clemson commit played quarterback last year for South Pointe and completed 182 of 288 passes for 2,625 yards and 29 touchdowns. He was the Rock Hill Herald All-Area Player of the Year.

TE – Luke Ford, Carterville (Ill.), 6-6, 248
An All-State honorable mention selection by the Champaign Urbana Gazette, Ford had a huge outing at the Under Armour Combine last winter and has over 20 colleges extending offers his way.

OL – Penei Sewell, Desert Hills (St. George, Utah), 6-4, 349
The Class 3AA All-State pick is another in a long line of outstanding linemen this year from Utah.

OL – Avery Jones, Havelock (N.C.), 6-4, 275
The North Carolina commit is ranked as one of the nation's top 20 tackles by 247Sports.



OL – James Ohonba, Woodland (Stockbridge, Ga.), 6-5, 320
Ohonba has yet to commit to a college, but he is one of the top linemen in Georgia after earning Class AAAAA All-State honors last year.

OL – Matteo Mele, Salpointe Catholic (Tucson, Ariz.), 6-6, 277
Headed to Washington next year, Mele played tight end last year but moves to guard this year. He is the grandson of former NFL first round selection Bill Lueck.

OL – Kwatrivous Johnson, Greenwood (Miss.), 6-7, 361
The Mississippi State commit is a member of the Clarion Ledger's Dandy Dozen.

QB – Alex Huston, Glendale (Springfield, Mo.), 6-1, 185
Huston has led the nation in passing the past two seasons, including 6,131 yards last year with 76 touchdowns. He earned Gatorade State Player of the Year honors last season.

QB – Layne Hatcher, Pulaski Academy (Little Rock, Ark.), 6-2, 200
Hatcher could finish his career as one of the school's all-time leading passers, which is saying something considering the school's long passing tradition. He earned All-State honors last year while throwing for 4,656 yards and 58 touchdowns.

RB – Keaontay Ingram, Carthage (Texas), 6-1, 187
A Texas commit, Ingram ran for 2,045 yards and 29 touchdowns for a team that reached the Class 4A state quarterfinals.



RB – Tony Brown, East Central (Moss Point, Miss.), 5-8, 171
Brown was named the Class 4A State Player of the Year in Mississippi by the coaches association after rushing for 3,317 yards and 41 touchdowns.

RB – Geno Hess, Peoria (Ill.), 5-7, 181
Hess was named All-State by several publications in Illinois after rushing for 2,812 yards and 44 touchdowns. He had single-game bests of 567 yards and eight touchdowns on 64 carries.

AP – Marquez Ezzard, Stockbridge (Ga.), 6-2, 215
The Florida State recruit is considered one of the best players in Class AAAAA in Georgia by the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

AP – Toa Taua, Lompoc (Calif.), 5-10, 190
Taua impressed at The Opening last month and he should excel as a running back and linebacker at Lompoc. He ran for 1,777 yards and 28 touchdowns last year.

K – Hunter Pearson, Seneca (S.C.), 6-4, 190
Ranked as one of the nation's top kickers, Pearson has committed to play at Virginia next year.

First Team Defense DL – Nesta Silvera, American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), 6-2, 308
The immovable object on the Patriots defensive line made 75 tackles and had 5.5 sacks last year while earning All-County honors from the Miami Herald.



DL – Andrew Chatfield, American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), 6-2, 221
A MaxPreps Medium Schools All-American as a junior, Chatfield earned Defensive Player of the Year honors for Broward County by the Sun Sentinel and he was also first team All-County by the Miami Herald. He had 27 tackles for loss and 24.5 sacks last year.

DL – Dante Stills, Fairmont Senior (W. Va.), 6-4, 255
Stills earned All-State honors in West Virginia after making 75 tackles, including 17.5 for loss and 6.5 sacks.

DL – Brant Lawless, Nashville Christian (Tenn.), 6-3, 285
Lawless has been crucial to Nashville Christian's success as the team has gone 36-5 since he joined the team. He has 110 career tackles including 32 for loss. He has committed to play for Tennessee.

LB – Matthew Flint, Madison County (Gurley, Ala.), 6-0, 213
Tennessee stole Flint out of Alabama and it gets a linebacker who averaged seven tackles a game and had five sacks as a junior.

LB – Quay Walker, Crisp County (Cordele, Ga.), 6-4, 220
Alabama is getting one of the top linebackers in Georgia, as Walker returns from a junior season when he made 109 tackles with eight sacks and 19 tackles for loss.

LB – Adam Anderson, Rome (Ga.), 6-4, 215
Called the best player in Class AAAAA by the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Anderson was a region defensive player of the year.



LB – Reggie Hughes, Calabasas (Calif.), 6-2, 208
Hughes earned All-State honors in California after helping Calabasas to a section championship while posting 69 tackles and 19 sacks.

LB – Justice Dingle, Bowling Green (Ky.), 6-2, 245
A transfer from Oakland (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) last year, Dingle helped lead Bowling Green to a state title while making 68 tackles and an interception. He has committed to play at Georgia Tech.

DB – Kyler McMichael, Greater Atlanta Christian (Norcross, Ga.), 6-0, 196
A Clemson commit, McMichael ran for over 1,500 yards and 16 touchdowns last year, but he will likely play cornerback at the next level where he can utilize his 4.57 speed.

DB – Isheem Young, Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia), 5-9, 201
Penn State has landed one of the top defensive backs in the city of Philadelphia, where Young helped Imhotep Charter finish 28-1 over the past two seasons.

DB – Kwantel Raines, Aliquippa (Pa.), 6-3, 200
Raines could be the next great defensive back to come out of Aliquippa, joining alums Ty Law and Darrelle Revis.

DB – Jalyn Armour-Davis, St. Paul's Episcopal (Mobile, Ala.), 6-1, 175
Armour-Davis committed to play at Alabama and is ranked as the No. 3 overall prospect in Alabama by 247Sports. He was All-State last year with three interceptions.



P – Chance Lovertich, Jackson Prep (Miss.), 5-11, 182
Lovertich led Jackson Prep to an MAIS state championship by throwing for over 1,900 yards, but he was also one of the top punters in the nation last year with a 41.9 yard average.

Second Team Offense WR – Isaiah Crocker, Inderkum (Sacramento, Calif.), 6-1, 175
Crocker is one of the top returning players in the Sacramento area after catching 31 passes for 746 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior. He earned All-Metro honorable mention honors from the Sacramento Bee after helping lead Inderkum to the section final.

WR – Xavier Williams, Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.), 6-1, 190
One of the top receivers in Broward County last year when it came to yards per catch, he had 26 grabs for 643 yards and eight touchdowns. The Alabama commit also earned first team All-Broward County honors from the Miami Herald.

TE – Cameron Jurgens, Beatrice (Neb.), 6-3, 240
Nebraska has a commitment from one of the nation's top tight end prospects in Jurgens. He caught 23 passes for 286 yards and three touchdowns as a junior.

OL – Khristopher Banks, DePaul Catholic (Wayne, N.J.), 6-4, 290
Banks' performance at spring camps earned him multiple offers, but he chose to commit to Boston College in June.

OL – Kameron Stutts, Brooks (Killen, Ala.), 6-4, 329
The University of Auburn commit made the Class 5A All-State Team chosen by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.



OL – Cole Smith, Pontotoc (Miss.), 6-4, 275
Committed to LSU, Smith is a member of the Clarion Ledger's Dandy Dozen and he made the Class 4A All-State Team by the coaches association as a junior.

OL – Owen Condon, Bishop McGuinness (Oklahoma City), 6-7, 300
Condon, who will play at Georgia next year, was an All-State selection by OKPreps last year.

OL – Nick Lewis, Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.), 6-9, 348
One of the nation's tallest linemen, Lewis was an All-First Coast selection by the Jacksonville Times Union.

QB – Aaron Brown, Gilmer (Texas), 5-9, 180
Brown earned Class 4A All-State honors after finishing as one of the leading passers in the nation last year with 5,013 yards and 48 touchdowns.

QB – Theo Day, Divine Child (Dearborn, Mich.), 6-5, 200
The tall Michigan State recruit helped lead Divine Child to a 10-3 record last year and threw for 700 yards and nine touchdowns in the postseason.

RB – Camron Davis, Carol City (Miami), 5-10, 190
Davis is one of the top running backs in Miami this year after rushing for 820 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior. He will play at Miami next year.



RB – Ronnie Walker Jr., Hopewell (Va.), 5-10, 190
Walker earned All-State honors in Virginia after rushing for 2,011 yards and 25 touchdowns on 250 carries last year.

RB – Fabian Franklin, Hattiesburg (Miss.), 5-11, 200
Franklin is the No. 2 player in the state according to 247Sports and he recently committed to play at Mississippi State. He rushed for 954 yards and 15 touchdowns last year and he is a member of the Clarion Ledger's Dandy Dozen.

AP – Quinadarious Monday, Carver (Atlanta), 6-3, 175
Monday earned honorable mention All-State honors last year by the Atlanta Journal Constitution. He will play at the University of Auburn next season.

AP – Dashon Bussell, Knoxville Catholic (Tenn.), 6-2, 185
A transfer from Indiana powerhouse Bishop Luers, Bussell caught 35 passes for 610 yards and five touchdowns last year and also returned a pair of kicks for touchdowns.

K – BT Potter, South Pointe (Rock Hill, S.C.), 5-11, 165
The Clemson commit converted 11 field goals with a long of 49 last year for the Stallions, who went 15-1 with a South Carolina state championship.

Second Team Defense DL – Greg Emerson, Jackson North Side (Tenn.), 6-3, 260
Although he suffered a broken leg while competing at The Opening, Emerson could be back to play most of the season. He is considered one of the top prospects coming out of Tennessee.



DL – Aidan Hutchinson, Divine Child (Dearborn, Mich.), 6-5, 234
Michigan landed one of the nation's top defensive ends in Hutchinson. He's ranked as the No. 9 prospect in the nation and the No. 4 overall player in the state of Michigan.

DL – Tahj Rice, Waggener (Louisville, Ky.), 6-3, 287
A third team All-State selection by the Louisville Courier-Journal, Rice has committed to play at Duke.

DL – Rick Sandidge, Concord (N.C.), 6-5, 288
Sandidge is one of the top recruits in the state of North Carolina. He posted 41 tackles with four sacks as a junior.

LB – Tennessee Pututau, East (Salt Lake City), 6-1, 260
A starter at Cottonwood last year, Pututau has transferred to play for state champion East. He had 27 solo tackles last year and five sacks.

LB – Victor Terry, Hawkins (Los Angeles), 6-2, 207
Terry was one of the leading tacklers for a team that went to the Los Angeles City Section Division II title game. He had 94 tackles along with nine sacks.

LB – Quin Williams, Morgan County (Madison, Ga.), 6-2, 240
Williams earned honorable mention All-State honors from the Atlanta Journal Constitution.



LB – Eriq Gilyard, Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Fla.), 5-11, 225
Gilyard had a big year for the Conquerors in 2016, racking up 91 tackles and five sacks. He was a member of the Jacksonville Times Union's All-First Coast Team.

LB – William Robinson, Hattiesburg (Miss.), 6-3, 195
Robinson is headed to Southern Miss next year after leading Hattiesburg with 69 tackles and 14 tackles for loss in 2016.

DB – Tyson Campbell, American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), 6-2, 180
A second team All-County selection by the Miami Herald, Campbell has Miami and Ohio State seeking his commitment.

DB – Chase Williams, Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.), 6-1, 190
One of Southern California's top receivers with over 1,000 yards receiving and 19 touchdowns, Williams also ranks as one of the nation's top defensive backs.

DB – Isaiah Bolden, Wesley Chapel (Fla.), 6-2, 175
One of the top players in Tampa is heading all the way across the country to play at Oregon. He had 24 tackles and an interception last season.

DB – Jevon Holland, Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, Calif.), 6-1, 182
Holland helped lead the Dragons to a state championship and a 15-1 record as he anchored the secondary with 32 tackles and three interceptions. He has committed to play at Oregon.



P – George Triplett, Elkins (W. Va.), 5-10, 160
The West Virginia native ranks as one of the nation's top returning punters after averaging 41.5 yards per kick with 11 inside the 20-yard line.