Who are the top high
school football players heading into the 2025 season? This is the latest
article in a series cataloging the top prep players in the Great Lakes
Region. Athletes from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York,
Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are eligible for recognition.
All players mentioned are also eligible to make @EFrantMP’s Annual Preseason All-Great Lakes Football Teams, which will be released in August.
Here's a look at last year’s 2024 All-Great Lakes squads:
offense/
defense.
2025 Great Lakes Region Names to Know: Defensive Line
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Ajibola Afuye,
Stillwater (Minn.), 6-4, 230, sr. (Iowa State)
*
Jacob Alexander,
Lincoln-Way East (Frankfort, Ill.), 6-4, 240, sr. (Illinois)
*
Aaden Aytch,
Lafayette Jefferson (Lafayette, Ind.), 6-4, 230, sr. (Minnesota)
*
Max Baker,
Edison Academy (Detroit, Mich.), 6-4, 235, sr. (Northern Illinois)
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Jeremiah Benson,
West Bloomfield (Mich.), 6-3, 265, sr. (Minnesota)
*
McHale Blade,
Simeon (Chicago, Ill.), 6-4, 245, sr. (Michigan)
*
Ashton Blatt,
Central Catholic (Pittsburgh, Pa.), 6-4, 230, sr. (North Carolina)
*
Kaiden Bower,
Carmel (Ind.), 6-3, 240, sr. (Charlotte)
*
Tavian Branch,
Riverside (Taylor, Pa.), 6-3, 300, sr. (Rutgers)
*
Jayce Brewer,
Franklin Central (Indianapolis, Ind.), 6-5, 210, jr.
*
Blake Buhr,
Sheboygan North (Wis.), 6-5, 220, sr. (North Dakota)
*
Max Carmicle,
Hillcrest (Country Club Hills, Ill.), 6-7, 240, sr. (Purdue)
*
Anthony Charles,
South Fayette (McDonald, Pa.), 6-5, 196, sr. (Minnesota)
*
Kobe Cherry,
Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.), 6-5, 275, sr.
*
Parker Crim,
Elida (Ohio), 6-3, 235, sr. (Illinois)
*
Lance Dawson,
Avon (Ohio), 6-5, 250, sr. (Cincinnasti)
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Brain DeMoss, Simeon (Chicago, Ill.), 6-5, 210, jr.
*
Eli Diane,
Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.), 6-4, 235, jr. (Minnesota)
*
Elijah Durham-Smith,
Pickerington North (Pickerington, Ohio), 6-3, 240, sr. (Bowling Green)
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Malachi Ervin, Pickerington North (Pickerington, Ohio), 6-4, 220, sr. (Buffalo)
*
Jerimy Finch Jr.,
Warren Central (Indianapolis, Ind.), 6-3, 260, sr.
*
Jackson Ford,
Malvern Prep (Malvern, Pa.), 6-4, 240, sr.
*
Jeremiah Gray,
Central (Detroit, Mich.), 6-7, 250, sr. (Cincinnati)
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Walt Frazier Haverford School (Pa.), 6-3, 285, sr.
*
Ryan Harrington,
St. Mary's Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.), 6-4, 220, sr. (Wake Forest)
*
Christian Harris,
Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio), 6-0.5, 285, sr. (Wake Forest)
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Isaiah Harris,
Saline (Mich.), 6-2, 200, sr. (Miami, Ohio)
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Alexander Haskell,
St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.), 6-4, 265, sr. (Penn State)
*
Jameer Henry,
King (Detroit, Mich.), 6-5, 300, jr.
*
Gabriel Hill,
Naperville North (Ill.), 6-2, 275, sr. (Indiana)
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Lincoln Hoke,
North Allegheny (Wexford, Pa.), 6-2, 260, sr. (Pitt)
*
Daniel Howard,
Lane Tech (Chicago, Ill.), 6-2, 270, sr. (Iowa State)
*
Max Jansenvanvuren,
Mott (Waterford, Mich.), 6-5, 260, sr. (Charlotte)
*
Sawyer Jezierski,
Edina (Minn.), 6-3, 265, sr. (Iowa)
*
Cincere Johnson,
Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio), 6-3, 240, sr. (Ohio State)
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Howie Johnson,
Forest Lake (Minn.), 6-3, 255, sr. (Minnesota)
*
Braeden Jones,
Chicago Mt. Carmel (Chicago, Ill.), 6-4, 250, sr. (USC)
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Recarder Kitchen,
Muskegon (Mich.), 6-6, 230, jr.
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Mateo Kipke,
Dexter (Mich.), 6-5, 240, sr.
*
King Liggins,
Brother Rice (Chicago, Ill.), 6-2, 285, sr. (Illinois)
*
Calvin Lorek,
Loveland (Ohio), 6-4, 240, sr. (Northwestern)
*
Jaylen Mercer,
Winton Woods (Cincinnati, Ohio), 6-5, 230, jr.
*
Isaac Miller,
Catholic Memorial (Waukesha, Wis.), 6-5, 250, jr.
*
Gavin Neil,
Marian Catholic (Chicago Heights, Ill.), 6-3, 285, sr. (Boston College)
*
Tyrell O'Neal,
Benedictine (Cleveland, Ohio), 6-3, 265, sr. (Toledo)
*
Brayden Parks, Brother Rice (Chicago, Ill.), 6-3, 305, jr.
*
Jamir Perez, Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio), 6-4, 360, sr. (Florida)
*
Reinaldo Perez,
Columbus Academy (Gahanna, Ohio), 6-5, 245, jr.
*
Jermaine Polk,
St. Francis de Sales (Toledo, Ohio), 6-4, 265, sr. (Rutgers)
*
Joey Quinn, Chicago Mt. Carmel (Chicago, Ill.), 6-6, 250, sr. (Vanderbilt)
*
Carmelow Reed,
Rich Township (Olympia Fields, Ill.), 6-7, 250, sr. (Misissippi)
*
Terry Robinson,
Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter (Indianapolis, Ind.), 6-4.5, 242, sr. (Northern Illinois)
*
Jonathan Rulo,
Belleville East (Ill.), 6-2, 285, sr.
*
Arthur Scott,
Streetsboro (Ohio), 6-3, 312, sr. (Wisconsin)
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Lucas Shanafelt,
Peters Township (McMurray, Pa.), 6-4, 235, sr. (Stanford)
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Derrick Singletary,
Middletown (Ohio), 6-3, 220, sr.
*
Blake Smythe,
Franklin Community (Ind.), 6-3, 275, sr. (Indiana)
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Aiden Solecki,
Downers Grove North (Ill.), 6-4, 250, sr.
*
Caden Turner,
Dawson-Bryant (Coal Grove, Ohio), 6-5, 225, sr.
*
Ryan Westrich,
Bonduel (Wis.), 6-6, 235, sr.
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Antwoine Higgins,
Anderson (Cincinnati, Ohio), 6-3, 215, jr.
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Jamarcus Whyce,
Trotwood-Madison (Ohio), 6-1.5, 265, sr.
*
Alvin Yates,
Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.), 6-4.5, 280, sr.
*
Nick Zalewski,
Thomas Worthington (Worthington, Ohio) 6-6, 225, sr. (Northwestern)
