Elijah Brown and Desmond Ricks are two of the headliners in the 2022 Preseason MaxPreps Junior All-America Team.
The 54-player roster also includes Jeremiah Smith, Joshisa Trader, DeAndre Carter and Colin Simmons as the top players from the Class of 2024.
Brown, the Mater Dei quarterback, has done nothing but win for the Monarchs. Last year's MaxpPreps Sophomore of the year is 17-0 over the past two seasons and guided Mater Dei to a wire-to-wire No. 1 finish in the MaxPreps Top 25 last season. Carter joins Brown on the first team as Brandon Baker and Zabien Brown land on the second team for the Monarchs.
Ricks, a five-star lockdown corner headed with 37 FBS offers, is the No. 2 recruit from the Class of 2024 and is one of six players from IMG Academy on the MaxPreps Junior All-America Team. The No. 4 Ascenders also have first-team picks Jerrick Gibson, Jonathan Echols and Ellis Robinson IV, as well as second-teamers offensive lineman Jimothy Lewis and David Stone on the D line.
Florida has the most selections with 15. California was the only other state to hit double-digits with 10 players chosen. Georgia (7), Texas (4) and Maryland (3) were the only other states to have at least three players featured. In total, 14 states along with District of Columbia had at least one player selected.
Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.) and St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) tied for the third most selections with three apiece. Buford (Ga.), Columbus (Miami), Duncanville (Texas), Good Counsel (Olney, Md.), O'Dea (Seattle) and Wharton (Tampa, Fla.) all had two selections.
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 180
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 215
Has been a first-team selection on the MaxPreps Freshman and Sophomore All-America squads in back-to-back seasons.
Height: 5-10 | Weight: 195
Expect a monster junior campaign for the top-rated running back in the Class of 2024 during his first year at IMG.
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 185
The Lions begin the season ranked at No. 13 in the
MaxPreps Top 25 and Smith will be a key contributor for the defending 3A state champs.
Height: 5-10 | Weight: 170
Racked up over 1,000 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns as a sophomore and is one of the smoothest route runners in the country.
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 230
The 2024 Georgia commit had over 500 yards receiving and seven touchdowns last season playing against the best competition in the Peach State.
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 340
Dominated in the trenches for the 2021 MaxPreps National Champs.
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 290
Has been starting on the offensive line since his freshman year and playing at a high level.
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 330
Checks in as the top-rated offensive lineman in the Class of 2024 on 247Sports composite rankings.
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 295
Made a huge impact as a sophomore in the trenches for the WCAC champs.
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 290
Joins Seaton as first-team selections on the offensive line from the WCAC.
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 170
The former Central (Miami) standout showed why he's one of the best players in the country in the Rockets' 49-14 win over Merritt Island in the 5A championship. He had two touchdown receptions and a 94-yard pick-six.
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 175
Made 34 field goals over the last two years and led the nation with 21 last season.
First team defense
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 225
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 210
The Wolves begin the season ranked at No. 11 in the MaxPreps Top 25 and Houston will be one of their most impactful players.
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 265
The former Johns Creek (Ga.) standout transferred to Los Alamitos earlier this summer and will make a huge impact in the trenches for one of the top teams in Southern California.
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 230
The Ascenders are loaded with talent and Echols might have the highest ceiling of anyone.
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 225
Missed his sophomore season with a knee injury but expect a bounce back year for the four-star linebacker.
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 230
Does it all from the linebacker position at a high level.
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 225
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 170
The second-rated recruit in the Class of 2024 on 247Sports composite rankings is one of the best shutdown corners in the country.
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 175
Intercepted eight passes as a sophomore at Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.).
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 170
The Braves played one of the toughest schedules last season and Williams, as a sophomore, lined up against the best wide receiver every Friday night.
Height: 5-10 | Weight: 170
Finished his sophomore campaign with 47 tackles and 10 interceptions (three pick-sixes) for the 6A Division 2 runner-up.
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 185
Made an impact as a sophomore on both sides of the ball for the AAAAAA state champs and will have an even bigger role in 2022.
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 200
Averaged better than 44 yards per punt last season.
Second team offense
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 220
The top-rated player in the Class of 2024 on 247Sports composite rankings threw for 3,300-plus yards and 32 touchdowns during his sophomore year at Burleson (Texas).
Height: 5-10 | Weight: 195
One of the most explosive playmakers in the country.
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 200
The former IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) standout had a very good sophomore season despite splitting carries with Kaytron Allen.
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 215
Finished last season with a team-high 938 yards receiving and led the Bears to their first state title in school history.
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 200
The top-rated receiver in the Class of 2024 on 247Sports composite rankings is the fifth-rated recruit overall.
Height: 6-7 | Weight: 230
The multi-sport standout has landed Power 5 offers in both football and basketball.
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 275
He was the only sophomore selected to the Des Moines Register's 2021 All-Iowa Elite Team that featured the best 24 players in the state.
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 285
Continues to get better every season and made an impact in the trenches for the best team in high school football in 2021.
Height: 6-7 | Weight: 280
Led Madison-Ridgeland Academy (Madison, Miss.) to a MAIS 6A state title last season and should make a huge impact on the offensive line for the fourth-ranked Ascenders.
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 350
Already has 25 FBS offers that includes the likes of Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State and Oklahoma.
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 280
Led the Knights to an undefeated season and Division 2 state championship in 2021.
Height: 5-9 | Weight: 170
One of the most versatile players in the Golden State finished his sophomore campaign with 1,150 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns to go with 38 receptions for 674 yards and 10 scores.
Height: 5-10 | Weight: 170
The 2020 MaxPreps Freshman of the Year finished last season with nearly 1,300 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns to go with 39 tackles and two interceptions on defense.
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 180
The top-rated kicker according to Kohl's rankings for the Class of 2024 recently committed to Miami and has one of the strongest legs in the country.
Second team defense
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 225
The five-star defensive lineman checks in as the second-rated edge rusher in the Class of 2024 on 247Sports composite rankings.
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 270
Selected on the 2021 MaxPreps Sophomore All-America first team after racking up 16 tackles for loss and nine sacks for Del City (Okla.) last season.
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 215
Had a standout sophomore campaign for Killian (Miami) posting 76 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and 15 sacks.
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 200
Finished near the top in the country with 22 sacks last season.
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 290
Makes everyone's job easier on defense by demanding double teams and is the top-rated interior defensive lineman in Georgia for the Class of 2024.
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 190
The former Pallotti (Laurel, Md.) standout lines up everywhere on defense and will make a huge impact for the third-ranked Panthers.
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 210
Has some of the best tape out of any linebacker in the country and did it playing against the best competition.
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 210
Flies around on defense and racked up over 100 tackles as a sophomore.
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 180
Played a major role in the secondary for the Monarchs as a sophomore after Domani Jackson missed all but one game last season.
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 170
Has been playing at a high level since his freshman season and has landed 30 FBS offers.
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 190
Helps give the top-ranked Braves one of the best secondaries in the country.
Height: 5-10 | Weight: 180
Stood out on defense for the runner-up in 6A Division 1 and should take on an even bigger role in 2022.
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 170
The 2024 Alabama commit had over 1,000 all-purpose yards and four interceptions last season for the 6A state champs.
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 210
The top-rated punter according to Kohl's for the Class of 2024. He is also the fourth-rated kicker.
