Nicholas Singleton, Mehki Flowers, Enai White and Keenan Nelson Jr. headline the Keystone State's top prep players.
Reinforcing that the Keystone State is one of the country's most fertile for prep football, the 2021 MaxPreps Preseason Pennsylvania All-State Football Team contains some of the country's top high school prospects and players. This lineup is loaded with nationally acclaimed recruits and returning all-state honorees.
The defensive line, running backs, receivers and linebackers are exceptionally strong.
Central York senior quarterback Beau Pribula.
Photo by Paul Burdick/Graphic by Ryan Escobar
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB: Beau Pribula, Central York | 6-2 | 215 | sr.Penn State commit helped the Panthers to a 6A runner-up finish and accounted for over 2,500 yards of total offense and 46 touchdowns last year en route to earning first team PFW All-State and second team
MaxPreps All-State honors. Threw for 1,006 yards and six touchdowns and ran for 298 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore. Played varsity receiver as a freshman.
QB: Quinn Wentling, Whitehall | 5-9 | 200 | sr.Named PFW Class 5A All-State last year after throwing for 1,365 yards and 12 TDs and rushing for 741 yards and seven TDs in eight games.
WR: Mehki Flowers, Central Dauphin East (Harrisburg) | 6-1 | 190 | sr.Two-time Pennsylvania Football Writers’ all-state selection named first team
MaxPreps All-State last year after helping team claim 1A state championship. Penn State commit is a Top 20 receiver prospect nationally. Reigning PFW Class 1A player of the year.
TE: Joey Schlaffer, Exeter Township (Reading) | 6-6 | 205 | jr.Three-star prospect is the state’s top 2022 tight end prospect. Caught 19 passes for 444 yards and six TDs last season. Holds 14 offers, including Michigan State, Pitt, Tennessee, West Virginia and Nebraska.
OL: Max Bowman, Malvern Prep | 6-6 | 280 | sr.Three-star recruit has committed to Harvard. Also holds offers from Arizona State, Cincinnati, Michigan State and a handful of other FBS schools. Second team
MaxPreps All-State last year. Transferred from East (West Chester). One of the state’s Top 40 overall recruits.
OL: Ryan Brubaker, Cocalico (Denver) | 6-6 | 280 | sr. South Carolina commit is one of the state’s Top 20 overall prospects. PFW Class 4A All-State last season.
K: Antonio Chadha, St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia) | 5-9 | 175 | sr.Four-year starter has made 15 career field goals and 131 PATs for the three-time defending 6A state champs. Second team
MaxPreps All-State last year.
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB: Cadin Olsen, Armstrong (Kittanning) | 6-5 | 205 | jr.Named PFW Class 4A All-State after leading the WPIAL in passing with 2,035 yards and 23 TDs.
QB: Alex Erby, Steelton-Highspire | 6-3 | 213 | so.Named PFW Class 1A All-State last year as a freshman after throwing for 2,489 yards and 32 TDs en route to leading the Rollers to the state title.
RB: Khalani Eaton, North Penn (Lansdale) | 5-11 | 210 | sr.Rushed for 1,038 yards in five games last year en route to being named PFW Class 6A All-State. Ran for 1,600 yards as a sophomore.
WR: Kevin Thomas, Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia) | 6-3 | 187 | sr.Three-star recruit is one of the state’s Top 20 prospects. West Virginia commit. Holds 14 offers, including Oregon, Texas A&M, Florida, Tennessee, Michigan State and Mississippi.
TE: Tajae Broadie, Middletown | 6-3 | 235 | sr.Three-star prospect holds 16 offers, including Minnesota, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Coastal Carolina and Cincinnati. One of the state’s Top 30 recruits overall.
TE: Marquell Darnell, Erie | 6-7 | 210 | sr.Three-star prospect holds seven offers, including Virginia Tech and Iowa State.
OL: Nick Del Grande, Lampeter-Strasburg | 6-4 | 260 | sr.Coastal Carolina commit is one of the state’s Top 50 prospects. PFW Class 4A All-State last year at linebacker.
OL: Braelin Moore, Freedom (Bethlehem) | 6-3 | 290 | sr.Virginia Tech commit was PFW Class 6A All-State last year as a DL. One of the state’s Top 30 overall recruits.
OL: Joden Nelson, West York Area | 6-4 | 285 | sr.Three-star prospect and Connecticut commit is one of the state’s Top 40 recruits.
DL: Anthony Smith, Shippensburg | 6-6 | 265 | sr.Minnesota recruit racked up 14 tackles-for-loss, nine sacks and forced three fumbles last season en route to earning second team
MaxPreps All-State and PFW Class 5A All-State honors. Also accounted for 10 touchdowns on offense.
DL: Enai White, Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia) | 6-5 |230 | sr.
Country’s No. 1 edge prospect and Pennsylvania’s top overall recruit. Holds 43 offers, including Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, Penn State, USC, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Florida and Georgia.
LB: Keon Wylie, Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia) | 6-2 | 210 | sr.
Penn State commit notched 25 tackles, 12 sacks and seven TFL last season. One of the state’s Top 15 recruits overall.
LB: Abdul Carter, La Salle College (Wyndmoor) | 6-4 | 235 | sr.Top 40 linebacker prospect nationally was first team
MaxPreps All-State last year. Penn State commit also holds offers from LSU, South Carolina, Mississippi and Kentucky.
LB: Anthony Johnson, Neuman-Goretti (Philadelphia) | 6-1 | 230 | sr.Top 25 linebacker prospect nationally has committed to Rutgers. Holds offers from Alabama, Ohio State, Penn State and Oregon.
DB: Keenan Nelson Jr, St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia) | 6-1 | 200 | sr.
Four-star recruit is the state’s top defensive back prospect. Has committed to South Carolina. First team
MaxPreps All-State and PFW Class 6A All-State last year.
Cincinnati commit is the state’s top cornerback prospect.
Four-star prospect is the state’s No. 3 2022 prospect overall. Holds 11 offers, including Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan and Penn State. Undecided.
State’s No. 1 2022 recruit and Top 5 safety prospect nationally. Holds 34 offers, including Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Penn State, USC and LSU.
AP: Josiah Trotter, St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia) | 6-2 | 225 | jr.Three-star recruit was first team
MaxPreps All-State last year at linebacker. Holds 12 offers, including Ohio State, Clemson, Penn State and South Carolina.
Three-time all-state selection averaged 41.6 yards per punt last year. Also has 153 career points and has hit 20-of-26 career fields goals.
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL: Lavon Johnson, Allentown Central Catholic | 6-3 |320 | sr.Three-star prospect holds 12 offers, including Michigan, Indiana and Virginia Tech. PFW Class 4A All-State last year.
DL: Sean Fitzsimmons, Central Valley (Monaca) | 6-3 |274 | sr.Pitt commit led the Warriors in tackles (112), tackles-for-loss (36) and sacks (18) as Central Valley captured its first state title (3A). First team
MaxPreps All-State last year. One of the state’s Top 20 overall prospects.
LB: Jeremiah Hasley, Pine-Richland (Gibsonia) | 6-3 | 225 | sr.Duke commit is one of the state’s Top 30 overall prospects. Has 119 tackles and 14.5 TFL the last two years. Two-way starter since sophomore season.
LB: Cole Weightman, Belle Vernon | 6-2 | 210 | sr.One of the state’s Top 30 overall prospects. PFW Class 4A All-State last season.
LB: Raliegh Collins III, Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia) | 6-3 | 205 | sr.West Virginia commit and three-star recruit is one of the state’s Top 15 prospects.
LB: J.R. Strauss, Exeter Township (Reading) | 6-2 | 215 | sr.One of the state’s Top 40 prospects has committed to Villanova. PFW Class 5A All-State last year.
DB: Rodney Gallagher, Laurel Highlands (Uniontown) | 6-0 | 160 | jr.Four-star prospect and the state’s second ranked 2022 recruit overall had 38 tackles and 883 total yards of offense last year. Holds 11 offers, including Notre Dame, Penn State, Michigan, Wisconsin and West Virginia. Also plays basketball (averaged 19.4 ppg and 5.4 apg).
DB: Shawn Battle, Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia) | 5-11 | 175 | jr.Four-star prospect holds offers from Penn State, Pitt, Tennessee, Cincinnati and Nebraska.
AP: Devin Whitlock, Belle Vernon | 5-8 | 165 | sr.Earned PFW Class 4A All-State honors last year after snagging five interceptions in eight games. Also rushed for 1,082 yards and accounted for 27 TDs. Eclipsed 1,000-career points in basketball as a sophomore.
