Juniors to watch as Oregon high school football teams prepare for 2025 season

Who are some of the top juniors who made 2024 all-league teams who are ready to make the leap to all-state standouts next season?

North Salem's Braxton Singleton (10) was a two-way all-South Central Football Conference selection for the Vikings last season. / BRIAN HAYES / STATESMAN JOURNAL / USA TODAY NETWORK

Spring football drills will begin over the next few weeks as Oregon high schools prepare for the 2025 season.

As SBLive Oregon looks ahead to the season, we’ve identified 60 juniors who made their respective all-league teams last year but didn’t earn all-state recognition as players to watch. (All statistics provided by coaches or team statisticians.)

FB/DT Liam Ange, Mountainside

Ange was a first-team all-Metro League selection on defense for the Mavericks who also was a bruising blocker for 6A all-state tailback Jordan Hicks as a fullback and tight end.

RB Blake Barger, Estacada

Barger made the all-Tri-Valley Conference second team in helping the Rangers reclaim the league title, rushing for 675 yards and four touchdowns on 124 carries.

DB Nate Bassett, Grants Pass

Bassett helped the Cavemen notch their first postseason win since 2015, earning first-team all-South Central Football Conference honors with 48 tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery.

G/LB Isaac Bean, Sherwood

Bean was a valuable member of the Bowmen’s revamped linebacking corps last season, earning second-team all-Pacific Conference honors with a team-high 58 tackles (four for loss) and 2½ sacks.

QB Micah Blankenship, Siuslaw/Mapleton

Blankenship was a second-team all-district selection for Class 3A’s top seed that reached the state quarterfinals, throwing for 1,121 yards and 13 touchdowns with just three interceptions while completing 56% of his passes (61 of 109) and rushing for 362 yards.

QB Dylan Brower, Clackamas

The first-team all-Mt. Hood Conference selection led the Cavaliers to a berth in the 6A Open playoffs, completing 59.9% of his passes (127 of 212) for 1,969 yards and 26 touchdowns with just seven interceptions.

QB Makana Brown, South Medford

Brown directed the Panthers to a spot in the 6A state playoff final, and the second-team all-SCFC pick accounted for 1,334 total yards and 13 touchdowns.

DB Nikita Burkoff, Gervais

The first-team all-league selection in the secondary helped the Cougars advance to the 2A semifinals for the first time since 1951.

TE/LB Geovonney Burks, Roosevelt

Burks was a two-way all-PIL selection for the league runner-up Roughriders, catching 14 passes for 303 yards and a touchdown and making 35 tackles (two for loss).

RB Koen Campos, West Salem

The first-team all-SCFC selection was one of the top running backs in 6A last year, rushing for 1,307 yards and 17 touchdowns for the Titans.

WR/DB Tildon Coffman, Klamath Union

Coffman was a two-way all-3A Southern Oregon Conference honoree for the Pelicans, catching 35 passes for 355 yards and three touchdowns and making 30 tackles, breaking up four passes, intercepting two passes and recovering two fumbles.

WR Conner Connelly, Summit

Connelly, a second-team all-Intermountain Conference selection, became one of sophomore quarterback Andrew Guthrie’s more trusted targets as the season went along.

WR E.J. Cozart, Jefferson

Cozart had 50 catches for 915 yards and 10 touchdowns, earning first-team all-PIL honors and helping the Democrats return to the 6A playoffs.

RB Corbin Crosslin, Nelson

Crosslin emerged for the Hawks last season, making the all-Mt. Hood Conference second team after rushing for 604 yards and 12 touchdowns.

RB/LB Trapper Cundall, Henley

Cundall took over in the backfield for departed 4A offensive player of the year Logan Whitlock and was a second-team all-Big Sky Conference selection, rushing for 334 yards and three touchdowns. He earned honorable mention on defense (31 tackles, two interceptions) for the Hornets, who reached the state final.

LB Cole Dickson, West Linn

Dickson made a team-high 87 tackles (eight for loss) with three sacks, five pass breakups and an interception and earned second-team all-Three Rivers League honors for the 6A Open state champions.

TE/LB Payton Ferreira, Thurston

Ferreira was a defensive force for the Colts last season, earning second-team all-Midwestern League honors with 64 tackles (six for loss), two sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception. He caught 14 passes for 139 yards at tight end.

Marist Catholic's CJ Giustina / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

WR/DB CJ Giustina, Marist Catholic

Giustina was one of many receiving options for the 4A state champions last season, catching 40 passes for 542 yards and six touchdowns. He was a two-way second-team all-Oregon West Conference selection, making 23 tackles with two interceptions in the secondary.

QB/DB Carter Harris, Lowell

Harris led the Devils to a 2A state championship as a first-year starting quarterback as a sophomore, then came back last year to earn first-team all-district honors on defense and second-team recognition on offense.

QB Traeger Healy, North Medford

In Healy’s second season as the starter, he led the Black Tornado to the 6A playoff title, throwing for 2,293 yards and 24 touchdowns while completing 64.6% of his passes (164 of 254 with 10 interceptions) in earning second-team all-SCFC recognition.

WR/CB Ethan Hein, Newberg

Hein was a two-way force for the 6A playoff semifinalists, earning first-team all-Pacific Conference honors on both sides of the ball by catching 27 passes for 493 yards and six touchdowns, rushing for 208 yards and a score, and making 44 tackles.

LB Trenton Hertzog, Tualatin

Hertzog is better known as a catching prospect who’s committed to the University of Oregon, but he came on during the second half of the football season to make the all-Three Rivers League second team, finishing with 18 tackles, a sack and an interception return for a touchdown.

WR/DB Canon Hiatt, Vale

Hiatt played a big role in getting the Vikings to the 3A state final, making the all-Eastern Oregon League second team on both sides of the ball as he caught 10 passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns in their run-heavy system. He had five interceptions.

OL/DL Jason Kelley, Yamhill-Carlton

The two-way all-Coastal Range League first-teamer helped power the Tigers to a third consecutive 3A state playoff berth.

C/DL Miles Kirn, Coquille

Kirn was a first-team 3A all-district selection on the defensive line and a second-team pick at center for the Red Devils. 

LB Ben Kluth, Churchill

The first-team all-Midwestern League selection had 86 tackles for the league-champion Lancers.

RB/LB Lewis Knapp, Bend

Knapp was a second-team all-Intermountain Conference selection for the Lava Bears who also stepped in early in the season in the backfield when injuries took down their top two running backs.

G/DE LJ Kyle, South Albany

Kyle is an up-and-coming 6-foot-3, 280-pounder who made the all-Mid-Willamette Conference second team on both sides of the ball for the RedHawks.

WR/DB Corinthian Littleton, Parkrose

Littleton made the all-Tri-Valley Conference first team at receiver and in the secondary (66 tackles, three interceptions) for the Broncos.

LB Logan Lovell, Taft

Lovell emerged as one of 3A Special District 2’s leading linebackers for the Tigers, making the all-district first team with 72 tackles (10 for loss) and 2½ sacks.

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WR/DB Oliver Luebkert, Beaverton

Luebkert thrived in a two-way role for the Beavers last season, making the all-Metro League first team at receiver (60 catches for 788 yards and eight touchdowns) and second team on defense, where he made three interceptions.

C Jacob Makarenko, Sprague

First-team all-state running back Kenya Johnson got the credit, but it was a line anchored by first-team all-SCFC selection Makarenko which made it possible.

RB/DB Asher Maxwell, Dayton

Maxwell, a first-team 3A Special District 2 pick on both sides of the ball, was one of two Pirates to rush for more than 1,000 yards (1,338 and 11 touchdowns on 160 carries). He finished with 60 tackles (seven for loss) and three pass breakups.

OT Carson McCutcheon, Banks

Banks has produced several standout linemen the past few years, and McCutcheon — a 6-4, 240-pounder who earned second-team all-Coastal Range League recognition last season — appears to be the latest to come down the pike.

RB/LB Caden McMahon, Sandy

McMahon was recognized more for his defensive contributions (67 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks, four interceptions), making the all-Mt. Hood Conference first team, but he also ran for 611 yards and eight touchdowns and caught 14 passes for 237 yards and two scores.

OL/DL Asante Mims, Hillsboro

Mims was a first-team all-Northwest Oregon Conference selection on the offensive line and received honorable mention on defense.

OT/P Kaleb Moore, Junction City

Moore not only was a second-team all-Oregon West Conference selection at tackle, but he also was one of 4A’s top punters, averaging 35.9 yards per punt.

RB/LB Lake Mulberry, Philomath

Mulberry made the all-Oregon West Conference second team on defense and was among the Warriors’ top rushers (230 yards and six touchdowns on 55 carries).

Creswell’s Hunter Mustin / Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

RB/LB Hunter Mustin, Creswell

Mustin was a two-way first-team all-3A Special District 3 selection, rushing for 935 yards and 11 touchdowns out of the backfield and making a team-high 64 tackles.

LB Vance Nelson, Pendleton

The first-team all-Intermountain Conference selection helped the Buckaroos reach the 4A quarterfinals, finishing among the team leaders with five tackles for loss.

WR/LB Caleb Parker, Cascade Christian

Parker made an impact on both sides of the ball for the Challengers, catching 20 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns and earning first-team all-Southern Oregon Conference honors on defense (52 tackles, 5½ for loss).

RB Mekhi Perry, Liberty

The first-team all-Pacific Conference selection helped lead the Falcons to the 6A playoffs, rushing for 851 yards and seven touchdowns on 95 carries.

FS Brody Ramey, Marshfield

Over the past two years, Ramey has made himself an indispensable member of the Pirates secondary, receiving first-team all-Big Sky Conference honors last year with 56 tackles, two interceptions and two pass breakups.

WR/DB Colby Rich, Kennedy

Rich was a two-way second-team all-Coastal Range League selection for the Trojans last season.

WR/DB Braxton Singleton, North Salem

Singleton was an all-SCFC honoree on both sides of the ball for the second year in a row for the Vikings, making the first team on defense (24 tackles, three interceptions) and second team on offense (28 catches for 343 yards and four touchdowns).

WR/CB Tristan Smith Evans, Tillamook

The first-team all-Cowapa League cornerback finished with 27 tackles (two for loss) and three interceptions. He caught nine passes for 53 yards.

RB/DL Steen Smith, Santiam Christian

Smith spelled all-state senior running back Jeremy Ness in the backfield, rushing for 540 yards on 80 carries and earning second-team all-Special District 2 honors for the 3A quarterfinalists on both sides of the ball.

QB/P Jake Sproul, Myrtle Point/Pacific

The Bobcats advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2A state playoffs thanks in large part to the play of Sproul, a first-team all-Special District 4 selection at quarterback and punter.

WR/DB TaeSean Tarusan, North Eugene

Tarusan made the all-Midwestern League first team at receiver, where he caught 17 passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns, and he made 23 tackles with an interception on defense.

RB/DB Hayden Taylor, North Valley

Taylor was part of a backfield rotation that fueled the Knights’ run to the 3A semifinals, rushing for 802 yards and six touchdowns in earning second-team all-district honors on offense and first-team on defense.

RB/LB Heath Thompson, Westview

Thompson helped lead the Wildcats’ resurgence last fall, making the all-Metro League first team on both sides of the ball, rushing for 658 yards and 14 touchdowns and making 28 tackles (five for loss).

RB/DB Jayden Thynes, Redmond

Thynes was a first-team all-Intermountain Conference selection in the secondary, when he made 69 tackles with three interceptions. He rushed for 111 yards as part of the backfield rotation.

LB Liam Tobin, Lake Oswego

Tobin played outside linebacker for the 6A Open runner-up Lakers last season, making the all-Three Rivers League second team with 23 tackles (two for loss), a sack and an interception.

WR/LB Jack Tuenge, Jesuit

Tuenge caught 24 passes for 395 yards and three touchdowns for the Crusaders, but it was on defense where he was a first-team all-Metro League pick.

Silverton's Logan Uitto (6) / Kevin Neri/Statesman Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

WR/S Logan Uitto, Silverton

Foxes coach Dan Lever envisioned a bigger role for Uitto entering the season, and the two-way standout delivered with 30 catches for 511 yards and seven touchdowns in earning second-team all-5A Special District 2 honors on offense. He had 56 tackles and 14 pass breakups and received honorable mention in the secondary.

DB James Wade, Grant

The Central Catholic transfer was one of several junior standouts on the Rams defense last season, earning second-team all-Mt. Hood Conference honors after making 21 tackles and breaking up 10 passes with three interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

RB/LB Cade Weber, Lebanon

Weber was a second-team all-Mid-Willamette selection on both sides of the ball, rushing for a team-high 921 yards and 10 touchdowns on 129 carries.

CB Cooper Wells, Hood River Valley

Wells made three interceptions for the 5A state qualifiers last year as he made the all-Northwest Oregon Conference first team.

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