After scouring over prospect lists, CHSAANow all-state teams and 2023 stats, The Denver Post compiled a list of some of Colorado’s top high school football talent.

Players are listed in alphabetical order and cover all of the 11-man football classifications.

Elvin Ampofo (Eaglecrest), DB, sr.: A North Dakota State commit, the 6-foot-1, 155-pound Ampofo turned heads last season with his ability to make plays (74 tackles, eight pass breakups) in the open field on both defense and special teams.

Rhett Armstrong (Palmer Ridge), K, sr.: Ranked one of the top 40 kickers in the country by Kohl’s Professional Camps, the 6-foot-5 Baylor commit missed one extra point all season as a junior and is 9 of 11 in field goal attempts in his varsity career.

Mason Bandhauer (Fort Collins), OT, jr.: Only halfway through his prep football career, the 6-foot-5, 255-pound junior has scholarship offers from all corners of the country as Colorado’s top offensive line prospect for the Class of 2026, per 247Sports.

James Basinger (Columbine), RB/LB, sr.: A loaded senior class from last year’s 5A state title run is gone, but the 5-foot-10, 195-pound South Dakota State commit’s ironman impact (732 total yards, 10 TDs; 33 tackles, two picks) is a solid foundation.

Mikhail Benner (Broomfield), DB, sr.: The Air Force commit played with a torn labrum last fall and still scored TDs on offense, defense and special teams while racking up 41 tackles, two picks and 8 passes defensed.

Jackson Blanchard (Castle View), TE, sr.: Armed with size (6-foot-4, 225 pounds), speed (4.64-second 40) and sure hands (27 receptions, 376 yards, 6 TDs), Blanchard is straight off the FBS tight end assembly line. Air Force and Army are interested.

Cade Brook (Cherokee Trail), DL, sr.: Quick off the edge and relentless in pursuit, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Brook is a disruptive force (47 tackles, 5 for loss) for a Cougars defense that returns several key pieces. Eastern Washington has an offer out.

Elijah Brotherns (Sand Creek), WR, sr.: Among the reasons the Scorpions are primed for their first winning season in 11 years? The return of the 6-foot, 185-pound Brotherns, the state’s leading pass-catcher last season with 95 receptions for 1,181 yards and 8 TDs over 10 games.

Amari Brown (Pueblo Central), RB/DB, sr.: The Wildcats’ winningest season in 14 years featured a lot of Brown, a powerful, shifty back with breakaway speed who needed just nine games to compile 1,300 rushing yards and 16 TDs.

Peyton Burcar (Columbine), OT, sr.: Physical and dexterous at 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, Burcar is a pile-driving force on the right side who plays with an edge. Just the sort of anchor an Andy Lowry offense needs.

Cameron Cooper (Pine Creek), QB, sr.: The Eagles will need Cooper’s arm now more than ever after losing a productive one-two punch in Mason Miller (graduation) and Jonathan Coar (transfer). The 6-foot-1 QB (3,481 career pas yards) has the credentials to suggest he’s up to the challenge.

DJ Crowe (Denver East), DE/TE, sr.: Leave Crowe one-on-one on the edge at your own risk. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound defensive end has racked up 194 tackles (55.5 for loss), 29.5 sacks and eight forced fumbles over the last two seasons.

Zayne DeSouza (Loveland), TE, sr.: The Red Wolves aren’t known for chucking the ball all over the field, but with a CU commit at tight end in the 6-foot-6, 260-pound DeSouza (19 catches, 330 yards), they’ve got a very good reason to open things up.

Koa Dietrich (Mullen), QB, so.: It isn’t often a freshman QB is handed the keys to a varsity offense. It’s even less common for one to handle the controls as well as Dietrich did last fall when the 5-foot-11 signal caller threw for 2,207 yards, 22 TDs and 7 picks on 57.3% passing.

Jace Filleman (Regis Jesuit), DE/TE, sr.: A 6-foot-3, 215-pound problem off the edge, Filleman is on Colorado School of Mines’ radar after making a habit of terrorizing opponents’ backfields to the tune of 129 tackles (21.5 for loss) and 14.5 sacks over the past two seasons.

Trajan Frasier (Arapahoe), RB, jr.: Graduation took its toll on the Warriors, but the return of the team’s leading rusher (149 carries, 822 yards, 13 TDs) ensures they’ll return some muscle memory from an 8-3 year.

JR Harpstreith (Chatfield), OL, sr.: A second-team 5A all-state pick last season, the 5-foot-10, 225-pound lineman was a key cog in a high-octane Chargers offense that pushed the program to the 5A state semifinals.

Jack Heath (Mountain Vista), OT, sr.: The cornerstone of the Golden Eagles offensive line, the 6-foot-6, 320-pound Navy commit has the size and skill to ensure QB Austyn Modrzewski has time to pick apart defenses.

Mykolas Henning (Ralston Valley), OL/DL, sr.: The Mustangs have a lot of holes to fill from last year’s 5A state semifinal team, but the return of the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Henning at right guard and Austin Blattner at center ensures they’ll be sturdy up front.

Ben Herbek (Valor Christian), WR, sr.: If offensive coordinator Bob Stitt decides to open up the Valor offense, he’ll have the perfect weapon to make it happen in Herbek, who led the state with 1,305 receiving yards and 17 TDs at 3A Lutheran last fall.

Jeremiah Hoffman (Cherry Creek), WR, sr.: Rest easy, Class 3A. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound former Severance star (64 catches, 943 yards, 12 TDs last fall) is no longer your problem. As for the 5A Centennial League? Buckle up. Brady Vodicka-to-Hoffman is your new nightmare.

Tufanua Ionatana Umu-Cais (Cherry Creek), DL, jr.: More bad news for Creek opponents? The 6-foot-3, 303-pound Umu-Cais, already a terror on the defensive line with Power 4 offers from Auburn, Miami, Tennessee and USC, is expected to see snaps at guard this fall, too.

Gavin Ishmael (Frederick), QB, sr.: Arguably the most dangerous dual threat QB in the state after putting up 3,559 total yards (2,756 passing, 803 rushing) and 36 total TDs in 11 games last season, Ishmael offers a steady hand for the Golden Eagles.

Camden Jensen (Heritage), TE, jr.: The latest coveted prospect to roll off the Heritage tight end assembly line: With more than a dozen Power 4 scholarship offers and counting, the 6-foot-7, 242-pound Jensen is just as comfortable opening up holes in the run game as he is running down the seams for big gains (19 catches, 233 yards).

Landon Kalsbeck (Dakota Ridge), RB/LB, jr.: A first down waiting to happen, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound junior averaged 11.5 yards per touch last fall en route to gaining 1,178 total yards. He did plenty of damage (7.0 TFLs, 3 interceptions, 2.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery) on defense, too.

Aiden Knapke (Cherry Creek), DB, sr.: The Washington State commit enters his fourth season as a varsity contributor for the Bruins. The numbers (200 tackles, 13 interceptions, three fumble recoveries) tell the story.

Logan Kundred (Chatfield), LB, sr.: The Chargers defense starts and often ends (heavy emphasis on ends) with Kundred, a tackling machine (204 tackles, 11 TFLs, 1 INT) who will team up with fellow senior Caleb Espinosa (164 tackles, 16 TFLs) to form a formidable linebacking corps.

Jaden Lawrence (Legend), RB, sr.: The top priority for the Titans? Finding ways to get Lawrence in space. Be it as a runner (1,403 yards, 19 TDs), pass-catcher (419 yards, 3 TDs) or returner (204 yards, 1 TD), the 6-foot, 185-pound Wyoming commit is an all-purpose workhorse.

Peyton Lindell (Regis Jesuit), QB, sr.: With a first name like Peyton, it should come as no surprise that Regis’ 6-foot-2, 190-pound QB can chuck it (1,941 yards, 17 TDs on 55.7% passing). After a season’s worth of varsity reps, he’s now got the experience to match the talent.

Keagan Mellott (Limon), T, jr.: As the Badgers reload for a run at a third straight 1A state championship, the 6-foot-1, 265-pound returning all-state selection serves as the cornerstone of what figures to be another powerful Limon offensive front.

Aidan Martin (Northfield), OT, sr.: A high-motor and physical blocker, it isn’t uncommon to see the 6-foot-5, 225-pound Martin drive defenders 10 yards downfield. He should fit right in with Wyoming.

Max Mervin (Ponderosa), ATH, sr.: Few earn the “athlete” designation more than Mervin, an all-state pick who does it all on offense, from running the ball (472 yards, 6 TDs) to throwing the ball (328 yards, 5 TDs) to, yes, even catching it (34 receptions, 555 yards).

Austyn Modrzewski (Mountain Vista), QB, sr.: After throwing for 8,504 yards over his first three seasons, the South Dakota commit is 3,015 short of the CHSAA career passing yardage record. Given that Modrzewski has topped 3,200 two years in a row, that number is reachable.

Marcus Mozer (Fossil Ridge), WR/S, sr.: The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Mozer (54 catches, 940 yards, 9 TDs in ’23) can high-point a pass with the best of them. Soon enough, he’ll be doing so at San Diego State.

Xay Neto (Grandview), WR/S/KR, sr.: The 5-foot-11, 170-pound burner (54 catches, 1,007 yards ) has the speed to take the top off a defense, the shiftiness to make multiple tacklers miss and the route-running skills to turn defensive backs sideways.

Anderson Osburn (Holy Family), TE/DL, sr.: The second-team 3A all-state returnee’s blend of size and speed allows the Tigers to get creative. Dump-offs, deep crossers, seam routes: Osburn’s got a deep bag (31 catches, 621 yards).

Keegan Perea (Cherry Creek), DE/OLB, sr.: The 6-foot-2, 235-pound Nevada commit combines size, strength and speed with a blue-collar work ethic to provide the Bruins with a valuable team leader who is highly disruptive (81 tackles, 5 sacks) opposite fellow standout OLB Ashton Shepardson.

Cole Powell (Erie), LT, sr.: The 6-foot-6, 265-pound Eastern Michigan commit ensured there was little drop-off on the Tigers O-line in the wake of John Pastore’s exit for Kansas State.

Jaxon Pyatt (Arvada West), MLB, jr.: Decisive and instinctual in the middle of the A-West defense, the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Pyatt loves to hit. After a productive first two seasons (23 TFLs, 5 sacks), he has multiple Power 4 offers.

Jordan Rechel (Fairview), WR, sr.: The only limit to Rechel’s impact is the number of schemes the Knights can dream up to utilize him. Whether it’s out wide, in the slot, or the backfield, the four-year starter (4,410 total yards, 57 TDs) is dangerous.

Bryce Riehl (Mesa Ridge), QB, sr.: A two-time state champion point guard in basketball, Riehl runs the show for the Grizzlies on the football field as well, utilizing his arm (3,972 career yards on 57.9% passing) and legs (610 yards, 16 TDs).

Matthew Sakkaris (Holy Family), OL/DL, sr.: A varsity contributor on the offensive line since he was an undersized freshman, the second-team all-state selection is a foundational part of the Tigers’ 3A state title defense up front.

Deacon Schmitt (Windsor), OL, jr.: It’s one thing to have size, which the 6-foot-4, 275-pound tackle has in spades. But to get out in space and lower the boom 10-15 yards downfield? That’s why multiple Power 4 programs are vying for his services.

Tripp Skewes (Kent Denver), DE/T, jr.: Good luck matching the two-way production of the 6-foot-7, 275-pound Skewes in the trenches. A year ago, he totaled 117 tackles (32 for loss) and 22 sacks at defensive end, and 15 pancake blocks at tackle.

Soren Shinofield (Cherry Creek), OT, sr.: The 6-foot-6, 275-pound Utah commit came to football late, then played his way into a starting role after beginning last fall as a backup. A natural athlete, Shinofield may just be scratching the surface.

Kannon Smith (Valor Christian), OT/DL, jr.: Schools like Michigan, Utah and Kansas State are after the 6-foot-5, 248-pound junior for what he can do on the O-line. But the disruption he creates on defense (30 tackles, 5 TFLs, 2 interceptions) may be just as valuable for Valor.

Tanner Terch (Heritage), WR, sr.: Committed to Nebraska, the three-star receiver uses all of his 6-foot-2 frame to produce highlight catches (55 receptions, 876 yards).

Court Towns (Palmer Ridge), OL/DL, sr.: The Bears lost several weapons from last year’s 4A state runner-up squad, but the return of Towns, a 6-foot-4, 294-pound Air Force commit, has them solid up front.

Brady Vodicka (Cherry Creek), QB, jr.: The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Vodicka enters his junior year with 26 games of varsity experience. After he threw for 2,331 yards, 25 TDs and 3 picks on 69.0% passing last fall, Washington State made an offer.

Ned Zilinskas (Cherry Creek), C, sr.: Father, John, was Troy Aikman’s center at UCLA. After their own stints as Creek’s center, brothers Gus and Hank now snap the ball for Rutgers and CU, respectively. Now it’s Ned’s turn in Greenwood Village, with a spot on an Ivy League roster possibly awaiting.

Note: All statistics taken from maxpreps.com, and all player rankings from 247Sports.