Sports Illustrated Unveils Preseason SI99 of Nation’s Top High School Football Prospects

24 states represented; Ohio State, Alabama setting pace with verbal commitments

Sports Illustrated's Preseason SI99 of top high school football players (Photo: Business Wire)

NEW YORK--()--Sports Illustrated today unveiled its Preseason SI99 -- the 99 high school football seniors from across the nation that it ranks as the frontrunners for its coveted 2020 SI All-American first team.

This Preseason SI99 stems from SI’s watch list of 1,000 players that was unveiled last month -- following what is believed to be the widest, most in-depth analysis and break down of tape of any recruiting class ever -- and a subsequent ranking of top 10 players in each of 14 different position groups.

“Our ranking of the top 99 reflects where the game of football is going,” said SI All-American recruiting director John Garcia Jr. “We’ve refined position groups. We’ve eliminated the outside linebacker position, because those guys in today’s game are more edge rushers, and added the nickel position. We’ve broken receivers and tight ends into two groups each -- slot and wide receivers, and traditional (Y) and hybrid (H) tight ends.

“But one part of the game that hasn’t changed is the focus on protecting and destroying the quarterback. Our top five players illustrate the point -- two are defensive ends and one an offensive tackle.”

VIDEO: JOHN GARCIA, EDWIN WEATHERSBY AND BROOKS AUSTIN TALK SI99

Among the Preseason SI99 highlights:

  • The list includes a pair of brothers -- twins Tommy and James Brockermeyer of Fort Worth, Texas -- who are verbally committed to Alabama
  • 24 of the 99 have yet to verbally commit to a college (with 8 of the top 20 undecided).
  • Of the 75 who have verbally committed, Ohio State has secured the most, with 10. The Buckeyes are followed by Alabama (8), Clemson (6), Georgia (5), and Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Tennessee (4 each).
  • The states most represented in the SI99 are Florida (16), Texas (14), California and Georgia (9 each), and North Carolina, and Pennsylvania and Washington (6 each). The DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia) also has 6.

SI ranks Caleb Williams, a quarterback out of Gonzaga College High (Washington, D.C.) as the No. 1 player in the nation. Ranked second -- and No. 1 on defense -- is defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau of Eastside Catholic High in the Seattle suburb of Sammamish, Wash. Williams is verbally committed to Oklahoma and Tuimoloau looks to be down to a finalists list of Oregon, Ohio State, USC, Washington, Alabama and Stanford.

The evaluation process will continue “until the list of 1,000 contenders coalesces around just 25 young men who can say proudly they are the best of the best -- they are Sports Illustrated All-Americans,” says Garcia.

The candidates will be narrowed to 250 finalists and then a Postseason SI99 from which the 25-member first-team SI All-Americans will be selected.

The Preseason SI99 (with each name hotlinked to the player’s bio, SI analysis and video highlights) is as follows, with college verbal commitment noted:

1. QB Caleb Williams / Washington, D.C. (Gonzaga) -- Oklahoma
2. DE J.T. Tuimoloau / Sammamish, Wash. (Eastside Catholic) -- undecided
3. DE Jack Sawyer / Pickerigton, Ohio (Pickerington North) -- Ohio State
4. IDL Korey Foreman / Corona, Calif. (Centennial) -- undecided
5. OT Tommy Brockermeyer / Fort Worth, Texas (All Saints Episcopal) -- Alabama
6. LB Smael Mondon / Dallas, Ga. (Paulding County) -- undecided
7. DE Demeioun Robinson / Gaithersburg, Md. (Quince Orchard) -- Maryland
8. RB TreVeyon Henderson / Hopewell, Va. -- Ohio State
9. RB Camar Wheaton / Garland, Texas (Lakeview Centennial) -- undecided
10. WR Emeka Egbuka / Steilacoom, Wash. -- undecided
11. OT J.C. Latham / Bradenton, Fla. (IMG Academy) -- Alabama
12. IDL Damon Payne / Belleville, Mich. -- Alabama
13. OT Amarius Mims / Cochran, Ga. (Bleckley County) -- undecided
14. CB Jason Marshall / Miami, Fla. (Palmetto) -- Florida
15. QB Brock Vandagriff / Bogart, Ga. (Prince Avenue Christian) -- Georgia
16. IDL Tywone Malone / Oradell, N.J. (Bergen Catholic) -- undecided
17. LB Xavian Sorey / Graceville, Fla. -- undecided
18. DE Dylan Brooks / Roanoke, Ala. (Handley) -- Tennessee
19. S James Williams / Plantation, Fla. (Heritage) -- Miami

20. IDL Leonard Taylor / Miami, Fla. (Palmetto) -- Miami
21. WR Beaux Collins / Bellflower, Calif. (St. John Bosco) -- Clemson
22. DE Keeshawn Silver / Rocky Mount, N.C. -- North Carolina
23. SLOT Mario Williams Jr. / Plant City, Fla. -- Oklahoma
24. QB J.J. McCarthy / was La Grange Park, Ill./Nazareth Academy; now IMG in Bradenton, Fla. -- Michigan
25. IDL Payton Page / Greensboro, N.C. (Dudley) -- Clemson
26. LB Raesjon Davis / Santa Ana, Calif. (Mater Dei) -- LSU
27. LB Terence Lewis / Miami, Fla. (Northwestern) -- Tennessee
28. RB Will Shipley / Matthews, N.C. (Weddington) -- Clemson
29. QB Ty Thompson / Gilbert, Ariz. (Mesquite) -- Oregon

30. IOL Bruce Foster / Katy, Texas (Taylor) -- undecided
31. IOL Donovan Jackson / Bellaire, Texas (Episcopal) -- Ohio State
32. WR Dont’e Thornton / Baltimore, Md. (Mount St. Joseph) -- undecided
33. QB Drake Maye / Charlotte, N.C. (Myers Park) -- North Carolina
34. LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. / Philadelphia, Pa. (St. Joseph’s Prep) -- Clemson
35. S David Daniel / Woodstock, Ga. -- Georgia
36. IDL Maason Smith / Houma, La. (Terrebonne) -- undecided
37. CB Ishmael Ibraheem Dallas, Texas (Justin F. Kimball) -- Texas
38. QB Sam Huard / Burien, Wash. (Kennedy Catholic) -- Washington
39. WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Philadelphia, Pa. (St. Joseph’s Prep) -- Ohio State

40. LB Barrett Carter Suwanee, Ga. (North Gwinnett) -- Clemson
41. S Terrion Arnold / Tallahassee, Fla. (St. John Paul II) -- undecided
42. SLOT Christian Leary / Orlando, Fla. (Edgewater) -- Alabama
43. CB Nathaniel Wiggins / Atlanta, Ga. (Westlake) -- undecided
44. TE-Y Cane Berrong / Hartwell, Ga. (Hart County) -- Notre Dame
45. TE-H Thomas Fidone Jr. / Council Bluffs, Iowa (Lewis Central) -- undecided
46. WR Jacorey Brooks / Miami, Fla. (Booker T. Washington) -- Alabama
47. OT Kingsley Suamataia / Orem, Utah -- undecided
48. DE Elijah Jeudy / Philadelphia, Pa. (Northeast) -- Georgia
49. CB Ga’Quincy McKinstry / Pinson, Ala. (Pinson Valley) -- undecided

50. LB Julien Simon / Tacoma, Wash. (Lincoln) -- USC
51. TE-H Brock Bowers / Napa, Calif. -- Georgia
52. RB Evan Pryor / Cornelius, N.C. (William Amos Hough) -- Ohio State
53. NICKEL Jordan Hancock / Suwanee, Ga. (North Gwinnett) -- Ohio State
54. DE Jeremiah Williams / Birmingham, Ala. (Ramsay) -- undecided
55. QB Tyler Buchner / La Mesa, Calif. (Helix) -- Notre Dame
56. WR Jerand Bradley / DeSoto, Texas -- Texas Tech
57. QB Kyle McCord / Philadelphia, Pa. (St. Joseph's Prep) -- Ohio State
58. DE Quintin Somerville / Scottsdale, Ariz. (Saguaro) -- Michigan
59. WR Troy Franklin / Atherton, Calif. (Menlo) -- Oregon

60. NICKEL Billy Bowman Jr. / Denton, Texas (Ryan) -- Texas
61. OT Tristan Leigh / Fairfax, Va. (Robinson Secondary) -- undecided
62. LB Reid Carrico / Ironton, Ohio -- Ohio State
63. WR Destyn Pazon / New Orleans, La. (Edna Karr) -- undecided
64. TE-Y Hudson Wolfe / Savannah, Tenn. (Hardin County) -- Tennessee
65. SLOT Jabez Tinae / Burien, Wash. (Kennedy Catholic) -- Washington
66. IDL Gabriel Rubio / Saint Peters, Mo. (Lutheran) -- Notre Dame
67. WR Xavier Worthy / Fresno, Calif. (Central West) -- Michigan
68. OT Blake Fisher / Avon, Ind. -- Notre Dame
69. DE Dallas Turner / Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (St. Thomas Aquinas) -- Alabama

70. RB Amari Daniels / Miami, Fla. (Central) -- undecided
71. DE Zaire Patterson / Winston-Salem, N.C. (W-S Prep Academy) -- Clemson
72. S Ahmari Harvey / Tallahassee, Fla. (Florida State Univ. School) -- Auburn
73. CB Latrell McCutchin /Austin, Texas (Lynden B. Johnson) -- Oklahoma
74. WR Brian Thomas / Walker, La. -- undecided
75. IDL Lee Hunter / Prichard, Ala. (Mattie T. Blount) -- Auburn
76. DE Tyreak Sapp / Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Saint Thomas Aquinas) -- Florida
77. S Corey Collier Jr. / Miami, Fla. (Palmetto) -- Florida
78. IDL Mike Hall / Streetsboro, Ohio -- Ohio State
79. CB Jakailin Johnson / Creve Coeur, Mo. (De Smet Jesuit) -- Ohio State

80. S Derrick Davis Jr. Monroeville, Pa. (Gateway) -- undecided
81. QB Miller Moss / Santa Ana, Calif. (Mater Dei) -- USC
82. RB JoJo Earle / Aledo, Texas -- LSU
83. NICKEL Steven Ortiz / Goodyear, Ariz. (Desert Edge) -- Minnesota
84. LB Jaraye Williams / Burien, Wash. (Kennedy Catholic) -- Louisville
85. CB Isaiah Johnson / Bluefield, W.Va. -- Arizona State
86. QB Preston Stone / Dallas, Texas (Parish Episcopal) -- SMU
87. IDL Monkell Goodwine / Fort Washington, Md. (National Christian Academy) -- Alabama
88. LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson / Baltimore, Md. (St. Frances Academy) -- Georgia
89. DE Landon Jackson / Texarkana, Texas (Pleasant Grove) -- LSU

90. NICKEL Sage Ryan / Lafayette, Calif. (Christian Academy) -- undecided
91. WR Cody Jackson / Richmond, Texas (Foster) -- Oklahoma
92. IDL Elliot Donald / Pittsburgh, Pa. (Central Catholic) -- Pitt
93. QB Eli Stowers / Denton, Texas (John H. Guyer) -- Texas A&M
94. TE-H Miles Campbell / Douglasville, Ga. (South Paulding) -- Tennessee
95. TE-H Michael Trigg / Seffner, Fla. (Seffner Christian) -- undecided
96. NICKEL Avante Dickerson / Omaha, Neb. (Westside) -- Minneosta
97. RB Armoni Goodwin / Trussville, Ala. (Hewitt-Trussville) -- Auburn
98. IOL James Brockermeyer / Fort Worth, Texas (All Saints' Episcopal) -- Alabama
99. WR Cristian Dixon / Santa Ana, Calif. (Mater Dei) -- Michigan

(see below list broken down by state and also by college verbal commitments)

Follow SI All-American at si.com/college/recruiting/ and on social media: @SIAllAmerican. For hashtagging: #SI99

CONTACT: For interviews with SI Director of Recruiting John Garcia Jr., please contact Rob Wheat at rhwheat@gmail.com or by landline at 913-642-5767 or cell at 913-653-4278.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Our partners at SendtoNews have all your video content needs covered for this list of SIAA candidates. For access, and to create video engagement and revenue for your site, please visit: https://www.sendtonews.com/ovp-for-publishers/ or reach out directly to the STN team at publishers@sendtonews.com.

Preseason SI99 break down by state:

ALABAMA
Dylan Brooks, Roanoke
Ga’Quincy McKinstry, Pinson
Jeremiah Williams, Birmingham
Lee Hunter, Prichard
Armoni Goodwin, Trussville

ARIZONA
Ty Thompson, Gilbert
Quintin Somerville, Scottsdale
Steven Ortiz, Goodyear

CALIFORNIA
Beaux Collins, Bellflower
Raesjon Davis, Santa Ana
Brock Bowers, Napa
Tyler Buchner, La Mesa
Troy Franklin, Atherton
Xavier Worthy, Fresno
Miller Moss, Mission Hills
Christian Dixon, Santa Ana
Korey Foreman, Corona

WASHINGTON, DC
Caleb Williams

FLORIDA
Jason Marshall, Miami
JC Latham, Bradenton
Xavian Sorey, Graceville
James Williams, Plantation
Leonard Taylor, Miami
Mario Williams, Plant City
Terrence Lewis, Miami
Terrion Arnold, Tallahassee
Christian Leary, Orlando
Jacorey Brooks, Miami
Dallas Turner, Fort Lauderdale
Amari Daniels, Miami
Amari Harvey, Tallahassee
Tyreak Sapp, Fort Lauderdale
Corey Collier, Miami
Michael Trigg, Seffner

GEORGIA
Smael Mondon, Dallas
David Daniel, Woodstock
Barrett Carter, Suwanee
Nathaniel Wiggins, Atlanta
Cane Berrong, Hartwell
Jordan Hancock, Suwanee
Miles Campbell, Douglasville
Amarius Mims, Cochran
Brock Vandagriff, Bogart

IOWA
Thomas Fidone, Council Bluffs

INDIANA
Blake Fisher, Avon

ILLINOIS
JJ McCarthy, La Grange Park

LOUISIANA
Maason Smith, Houma
Destyn Pazon, New Orleans
Brian Thomas, Walker
Sage Ryan, Lafayette

MARYLAND
Monkell Goodwine, Fort Washington
Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Baltimore
Demeioun Robinson, Gaithersburg
Dont'e Thornton, Baltimore

MICHIGAN
Damon Payne, Belleville

MISSOURI
Gabe Rubio, Saint Peters
Mike Hall, Streetsboro
Jakailin Johnson, Saint Louis

NEBRASKA
Avantae Dickerson, Omaha

NEW JERSEY
Tywone Malone, Oradell

NORTH CAROLINA
Keeshawn Silver, Rocky Mount
Payton Page, Greensboro
Will Shipley, Matthews
Drake Maye, Charlotte
Evan Pryor, Cornelius
Zaire Patterson, Winston-Salem

OHIO
Reid Carrico, Ironton
Jack Sawyer, Pickerington

PENNSYLVANIA
Jeremiah Trotter, Philadelphia
Marvin Harrison, Philadelphia
Elijah Jeudy, Philadelphia
Kyle McCord, Philadelphia
Derrick Davis, Monroeville
Elliot Donald, Reading

TENNESSEE
Hudson Wolfe, Savannah

TEXAS
Tommy Brockermeyer, Fort Worth
Camar Wheaton, Garland
Bryce Foster, Katy
Donovan Jackson, Bellaire
Ishmael Ibraheem, Dallas
Billy Bowman, Denton
Latrell McCutchin, Austin
Jojo Earle, Aledo
Preston Stone, Dallas
Landon Jackson, Texarkana
Cody Jackson, Richmond
Eli Stowers, Denton, TX
James Brockermeyer, Fort Worth
Jerand Bradley, Plano

UTAH
Kingsley Suamataia, East Orem

VIRGINIA
TreVeon Henderson, Hopewell
Tristan Leigh, Fairfax

WASHINGTON
Jaraye Williams, Burien
JT Tuimoloau, Bellevue
Emeka Egbuka, Steilacoom
Sam Huard, Burien
Jabez Tinae, Burien
Julien Simon, Tacoma

WEST VIRGINIA
Isiah Johnson, Bluefield

Preseason SI99 break down by college verbal commitment:

Alabama
IOL James Brockermeyer
OT Tommy Brockermeyer
WR Jacorey Brooks
IDL Monkell Goodwine
Slot Christian Leary
OT JC Latham
IDL Damon Payne
DE Dallas Turner

Arizona State
CB Isaiah Johnson

Auburn
RB Armoni Goodwin
S Ahmari Harvey
IDL Lee Hunter

Clemson
LB Barrett Carter
WR Beaux Collins
IDL Payton Page
DE Zaire Patterson
RB Will Shipley
LB Jeremiah Trotter

Florida
S Corey Collier
CB Jason Marshall
DE Tyreak Sapp

Georgia
TE-H Brock Bowers
S David Daniel
LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson
DE Elijah Jeudy
QB Brock Vandagriff

Louisville
LB Jaraye Williams

LSU
LB Raesjon Davis
RB Jojo Earle
DE Landon Jackson

Maryland
DE Demeioun Robinson

Miami
IDL Leonard Taylor
S James Williams

Michigan
WR Christian Dixon
QB JJ McCarthy
DE Quintin Somerville
Slot Xavier Worthy

Minnesota
Nickel Avantae Dickerson
Nickel Steven Ortiz

North Carolina
QB Drake Maye
DE Keeshawn Silver

Notre Dame
TE-Y Cane Berrong
QB Tyler Buchner
OT Blake Fisher
IDL Gabe Rubio

Ohio State
LB Reid Carrico
IDL Mike Hall
Nickel Jordan Hancock
WR Marvin Harrison
RB TreVeon Henderson
IOL Donovan Jackson
CB JK Johnson
QB Kyle McCord
RB Evan Pryor
DE Jack Sawyer

Oklahoma
WR Cody Jackson
CB Latrell McCutchin
QB Caleb Williams
Slot Mario Williams

Oregon
WR Troy Franklin
QB Ty Thompson

Pittsburgh
IDL Elliot Donald

SMU
QB Preston Stone

Texas
Nickel Billy Bowman
CB Ishmael Ibraheem

Texas A&M
QB Eli Stowers

Texas Tech
WR Jerand Bradley

Tennessee
DE Dylan Brooks
TE-H Miles Campbell
LB Terrence Lewis
TE-Y Hudson Wolfe

USC
QB Miller Moss
LB Julien Simon

Washington
QB Sam Huard
Slot Jabez Tinae

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Contacts

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Release Summary

Sports Illustrated unveils Preseason SI99 of nation’s top high school football prospects

Contacts

Greg Witter
Press@maven.io