Robert Nkemdiche was the nation's top junior last season.
Photo by Dennis Carter
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Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)The reigning U.S. Air Force National Junior of the Year has a leg up on the competition for this season’s top honor. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound defensive end is about as good as it gets on defense, but he also benefits greatly by being a difference-maker on offense too. He led Grayson to an undefeated season and a No. 4 national ranking last season. If Grayson repeats, Nkemdiche has a great shot at capturing Player of the Year honors.
Contender: Max Browne,
Skyline (Sammamish, Wash.)The USC commit has posted some eye-popping statistics throughout his career, and there’s no reason to think he won’t finish his high school campaign with another prodigious offensive season. In 2011, he threw for 4,034 yards and 45 touchdowns. Improving upon those numbers would give him a very strong resume.
Contender: Su'a Cravens,
Vista Murrieta (Murrieta, Calif.)Like Nkemdiche, Cravens is a go-to player on both sides of the ball and will be a serious contender for POY honors. Vista Murrieta is among the nation’s top teams, normally an important criterium for the award.
Contender: James Quick,
Trinity (Louisville, Ky.)Quick is poised to have a phenomenal senior season. As a junior, he caught 82 passes for 1,434 yards and a whopping 21 scores for a Trinity squad that finished No. 2 nationally. Quick will help lead one of the country’s best teams again this fall, but the fact that his quarterback (Travis Wright) also has a legitimate shot at the award could hurt his candidacy.
Contender: Jabrill Peppers,
Paramus Catholic (N.J.)The U.S. Air Force National Sophomore of the Year switched schools in the offseason and is prepared to lead Paramus Catholic this season. A dynamic athlete, Peppers is a playmaker no matter where he’s positioned on the field.
Sleeper: Travis Wright, QB,
Trinity (Louisville, Ky.)Sleeper: Ty Isaac, RB,
Joliet Catholic Academy (Ill.)Sleeper: Anu Solomon, QB,
Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)Sleeper: Derrick Henry, ATH,
Yulee (Fla.)Sleeper: Cole Ousley, QB,
Lone Oak (Paducah, Ky.)Sleeper: Braden Smith, OL/DL,
South (Olathe, Kan.)10 Juniors to Watch
Braden Smith was a huge factor in Olathe South's title run last fall. This season, he'll be even more dominant.
Photo by Sam Soliday
As mentioned above, Peppers is a weapon at a number of positions. He’s one of the most heavily-recruited players in the Class of 2014. He projects to play defense when he gets to college.
Braden Smith, OL/DL, South (Olathe, Kan.)Smith has exploded on the recruiting scene following a junior season in which he led Olathe South to a Class 6A state title. The freakishly gifted Smith is a physical specimen and already resembles an NFL lineman.
Joseph Yearby, RB, Central (Miami)Already committed to Florida State, Yearby is one of the country’s top running backs regardless of class. He’ll combine with Clemson-bound junior Dalvin Cook to form the most impressive duo of running backs in the country.
Sony Michel, RB, American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)It will be an interesting season for the highly recruited Michel, who is coming back from a surgery to repair his torn ACL. When at full strength, he’ll be among the nation’s most potent offensive players.
Deshaun Watson, QB, Gainesville (Ga.)Watson accounted for nearly 4,500 total yards as a sophomore and committed to Clemson in the offseason. He should be even more deadly this fall as a junior.
Da'Shawn Hand, DL, Woodbridge (Va.)A candidate for the No. 1 spot in the Class of 2014 recruiting rankings, Hand registered 84 tackles and 21 sacks as a sophomore.
Andrew Brown, DL, Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.)Despite missing part of last season due to injury, Brown still earned local and national recognition for his play as a sophomore. He’ll be in the spotlight this fall after transferring to national power Oscar Smith.
Bo Scarborough, RB, Northridge (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)Scarborough is another top junior coming off an injury-plagued season. When healthy, he’s one of the most physically impressive players in the country.
Leonard Fournette, RB, St. Augustine (New Orleans)It’s a deep recruiting class for running backs, and Fournette could prove to be the nation’s best. Well-known since his freshman year, he already has a host of college offers and will be the driving force behind St. Augustine’s offense this fall.
Quin Blanding, DB, Bayside (Virginia Beach, Va.)Part of an extraordinarily deep pool of talent in Virginia, Blanding excels in the secondary but will also line up at receiver this fall, according to Bayside head coach Darnell Moore.
