The top 22 Ohio high school football players in 2022 (2023)

The state of Ohio continues to produce high-quality high school football players who will put their talents on display this fall.

As a preview to this season, the high school sports staff of the Gannett Corp.'s more than 60 Ohio newspapers and websites compiled a who's who of the Buckeye State's prep football players.

This is one of a four-part series that includes volleyball, girls soccer and boys soccer.

How they were ranked

USA TODAY Network Ohio staff members across the state researched and compiled a list of its respective area's top players. The journalists voted on these players using a point system. First-place players received 22 points, second-place players got 21 and so on until the 22nd player wrapped it up with 1 point. Those points were tabulated to determine the top 22 players.

1. Luke Montgomery, Findlay

Montgomery, a 6-foot-5-inch, 280-pound offensive tackle, committed to Ohio State in February, choosing the Buckeyes over a slew of top-tier programs including Alabama, Auburn, Cincinnati and Clemson. He is the No. 1-ranked recruit in the state for the Class of 2023, according to 247Sports, and the No. 4 offensive tackle in the nation, according to the site’s composite rankings. He was first-team All-Ohio in Division I last season.

2. Malik Hartford, Lakota West

The senior safety is the No. 3 player in Ohio for the Class of 2023, per the 247Sports composite rankings. Hartford committed to Ohio State University in April and is the No. 1 overall recruit in Greater Cincinnati going into the season. Hartford had 58 tackles, a sack and a pair of interceptions last season for the Firebirds, including a pick-six. He was a second-team all-district and first-team all-league selection.

3. Ben Minich, Lakota West

Minich, a senior and four-star safety, is ranked No. 6 in Ohio and No. 18 in the composite rankings, per 247Sports. He held 20-plus offers, including from Notre Dame, Stanford, Oklahoma, Cincinnati, Wake Forest and Duke, before committing to the Fighting Irish in August. He had 49 tackles last season and a 76-yard pick-six.

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4. Jermaine Mathews Jr., Winton Woods

The senior is a four-star corner and the No. 5 player in Ohio for the Class of 2023, per the 247Sports composite rankings. Mathews, a first-team all-league and second-team all-district selection, committed to Ohio State in July. He finished third in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference with three forced fumbles and five interceptions last season, helping Winton Woods win a Division II state title.

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5. Jordan Marshall, Moeller

The junior running back is the top-ranked running back in Ohio, currently tabbed as the No. 4 overall recruit by 247Sports for the Class of 2024. Marshall ran for 1,155 yards and 15 touchdowns while adding 23 catches for 427 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore last season, helping lead Moeller to a regional title and state Final Four berth. Marshall holds 24 Division I offers, including from Cincinnati, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Ohio State.

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6. Drew Novak, Western Brown

The senior signal-caller is another potential Mr. Ohio Football candidate after leading the nation in passing yards last season with 5,269, becoming the fourth player in OHSAA history to eclipse the 5,000-yard mark in a season. Novak threw for 56 touchdowns (tied for 12th most in a season) while also running for 1,202 yards and 21 scores. He was named the Ohio Division III Offensive Player of the Year and enters his final prep season 10th all-time in career passing yards (9,924) and 13th all-time in passing touchdowns (96).

7. Will Smith, Dublin Coffman

An Ohio State commit, Smith is a 6-foot-3-inch, 245-pound defensive lineman who led the Shamrocks in tackles, TFL and pressures. Coffman had an uncharacteristically rough season under a first-year coach last year, but Smith is a three-star DL and the 12th-ranked player in Ohio, according to 247sports.

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8. Brenan Vernon, Mentor

The 6-foot-5-inch, 275-pound defensive lineman committed to Notre Dame prior to his junior season. A four-star recruit, Vernon had 13 total offers, including from Alabama. He was second-team All-Ohio in Division I last season.

9. Elias Rudolph, Taft

The junior defensive end is the No. 15 edge rusher in the nation for the Class of 2024 and the No. 6 overall recruit in Ohio for his class, per 247Sports. Rudolph, a first-team All-Ohio selection last season, finished second in the Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference in tackles (107) and tied for the lead in sacks (12). He holds over 20 Division I offers, including from Ohio State, Clemson, Arkansas, Cincinnati, Kentucky, Michigan and Purdue.

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10. Austin Siereveld, Lakota East

A 6-foot-6-inch, 335-pound lineman, Siereveld is the No. 9 overall recruit in Ohio for the Class of 2023, per 247Sports. Siereveld held 16 Division I offers, including from Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Cincinnati and Iowa before committing to the Buckeyes in May. He was a second-team All-Ohio selection last season and first-team all-district.

11. Josh Padilla, Huber Heights Wayne

A 6-foot-4-inch, 275-pound offensive lineman, Padilla was named second-team All-Ohio in Division I last season. The guard held 15 Division I offers before committing to Ohio State last November. He is ranked as a Top 10 interior offensive lineman in Ohio.

12. C.J. Hester, Wyoming

Hester should be considered a Mr. Ohio Football candidate from Southwest Ohio after running for 2,484 yards and 35 touchdowns last season. He was named the Cincinnati Hills League and Ohio’s Division IV Offensive Player of the Year. He added in the receiving game, too, catching 29 passes for 293 yards and seven touchdowns over the last two seasons. Hester, a first-team All-Ohio selection, ran for 200-plus yards eight times last season and had multiple touchdowns in 11 of 13 games. He committed to Western Michigan in March.

13. Tavion Galloway, Chillicothe

The junior tight end, who also plays defense, just committed to LSU. He’s 6-foot-5-inches and 230 pounds and is ranked No. 3 in Ohio in composite on 247sports.com and No. 5 tight end.

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14. Michael Kilbane, Lakewood St. Edward

Kilbane is a 6-foot-4-inch, 245-pound edge rusher and a three-star recruit, according to 247Sports. He is a Top 15 recruit in Ohio and a Top 50 edge rusher in the nation, per the site’s composite rankings. He held 30 total offers before committing to Northwestern in May. Last season, he racked up over 100 tackles and 16.5 sacks, earning first-team All-Ohio honors in Division I.

15. Garrett Stover, Big Walnut

The Division II district Defensive Player of the Year, Stover is a 6-foot-2-inch, 195-pound defensive back who had 68 tackles, 9 tackles for loss on defense and rushed for 332 yards and five touchdowns on offense. He has been offered by Ohio State among others and is considered a four-star recruit. He's the cousin of OSU's Cade Stover.

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16. Nate Severs, Big Walnut

The 5-foot-11-inch, 205-pounder rushed for 2,313 yards and 34 touchdowns on 311 carries on his way to being named first-team all-state, district Offensive Player of the Year in Division II and Ohio Capital Conference-Capital co-Player of the Year with Westerville South’s Kaden Saunders. The Golden Eagles went undefeated in the regular season for the first time since2001. Their 12-1 overall record was their best since 2007 when they won the Division III state championship and went14-1.

17. Lamar Sperling, Akron Hoban

Sperling, a senior running back, was Ohio’s Division II co-Offensive Player of the Year last season after running for 2,943 yards and 41 touchdowns in 16 games, helping lead Hoban to the Division II state championship game. The first-team All-Ohio selection committed to the University of Buffalo in July.

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18. Jaivian Norman, Springfield

The senior linebacker was first-team All-Ohio last season after leading Springfield in tackles (95) and sacks (10), helping the Wildcats reach the Division I state championship game. He also forced two fumbles and recovered one. He committed to Eastern Michigan in March.

19. Josiah Jackson, Fairfield

The senior defensive back is a three-star corner who was honorable mention All-Ohio last season, as well as first-team all-conference and second-team all-district. He had 48 tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. Jackson, the No. 11 overall recruit in Ohio, per the 247Sports composite rankings, held 20 Division I offers before committing to West Virginia in March.

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20. Braedyn Moore, Badin

The senior wide receiver led the Greater Catholic League-Coed in catches (61) last season and was third in the league with 655 receiving yards to go with four touchdowns. Moore, who also had a punt return touchdown, was named first-team all-district and second-team All-Ohio. He committed to the University of Cincinnati in April.

21. (tie) Sam Williams-Dixon, West Holmes

The 6-foot, 194-pound junior running back has been a hot name in Millersburg. The junior currently has a dozen offers, including from Penn State, Indiana and Pittsburgh in recent weeks. Dixon is entering his junior year at West Holmes. As a sophomore transfer, he rushed for 1,526 yards and 25 touchdowns. He added 997 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns and led West Holmes in the Division III state semifinal.

21. (tie) Brennen Schramm, Medina

The senior wide receiver was first-team All-Ohio in Division I last season after posting a school-record 82 catches for 1,333 yards and 14 touchdowns. He received an offer from Wheeling University in May and attended camps at Ohio State, Bowling Green, Northwestern and Akron this summer.

Others getting votes

Roosevelt Andrews, Barberton; Ardell Banks, Massillon; Cameron Calhoun, Winton Woods; Ty Campbell, Hoban; Rocco Conti, Olmsted Falls; Jackson Courville, Centerville; Collin Dixon, Tallmadge; T.J. Engleman, Hughes; Teddy Gregory, Stow-Munroe Falls; Mason Hackett, Newark Catholic; Willtrell Hartson, Massillon; Kaden Holmes, Fremont Ross; Jordan Jackson, Fairfield; Isaiah Johnson, Elyria; JacQai Long, Hoban; Tommy Ricard, Hudson; Griffin Scalf, Anderson; Sam Schmiesing, Piqua; Keegan Sell, Garfield; Ziaire Stevens, Akron East and Jaden Yates, Gahanna.