25 must-see high school football players in the Boise region. See who made the list
Based on all of the returning talent, 2022 stands poised as a banner year for high school football in the Treasure Valley.
Rosters around District Three remain packed with game-changing athletes, returning All-Idaho selections and a host of college-bound prospects. Eight have already committed to a Division I program.
We surveyed coaches throughout the region, from 5A to 1A, and these are the 25 names that kept popping up over and over.
Players are listed alphabetically.
Cache Beus, QB, Melba
A breakout sophomore season saw the 6-4 athlete play well beyond his years, throwing for 1,898 yards with 21 TDs and just three interceptions. His touch on deep balls and his ability to extend plays make him dangerous each time he drops back. “He’s an athletic kid with an unbelievable arm,” Marsing coach Shea McClellin said.
Max Cutforth, QB, Skyview
The 6-2, 195-pound signal caller cut his teeth at the 5A level last fall and made an immediate impact, throwing for 2,148 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also added seven scores rushing. Now he’ll seek to establish himself as one of the best quarterbacks at the 4A level.
Carter Davis, DE, Eagle
Injuries hampered the 6-3, 220-pound edge rusher for most of his junior season, but he dominated once healthy during the Mustangs’ playoff run. His size, athleticism and nonstop motor have earned the three-star recruit offers from Army, Navy, Georgetown, Penn and Brown.
Jack Dennis, FB/LB, Bishop Kelly
The tackling machine returns to lead the Knights’ defense. He earned second-team 4A All-Idaho honors after racking up 108 stops and four sacks as a junior. He flies from sideline to sideline. He delivers bone-crunching hits inside the tackles and in open space. And defenders have no chance of extra yardage once he gets his mitts on them.
Jaxon Dines, QB, Homedale
The Trojans can open their playbook to the 6-foot senior. He’s seen it all as a three-year starter who’s guided Homedale to 3A SRV titles the past two years. And he’ll keep defenses guessing as a true dual-threat QB. He threw for 1,162 yards and 13 TDs while adding another 831 yards and nine TDs on the ground last fall.
Ian Duarte, WR, Eagle
Elite speed like Duarte’s doesn’t come around often. The reigning first-team 5A All-Idaho pick nearly won a state semifinal all by himself last year, and finished the season with 69 catches for 1,169 yards and eight TDs. He holds offers from Arizona, Fresno State and San Jose State. “Ian is incredibly athletic and seems to be instinctual,” Timberline coach Ian Smart said. “Putting those things together is dangerous for defenses.”
Tucker French, RB/DE, Capital
The Eagles’ iron man last year rarely left the field, starting both ways on the line. He was an unblockable force on defense, racking up 98 tackles, 12 sacks (second most in 5A), two blocked kicks and a pick-six interception. He’ll move into the backfield this year and get some carries, too.
Jackson Fullmer, OL, Rocky Mountain
The 6-5, 280-pound senior committed to Kansas State over Boise State and a handful of Pac-12 schools. The road grader made the 5A All-Idaho first team last fall with a staggering 78 pancake blocks. “He is incredibly dominant,” Smart said. “Having O-linemen that are both big and athletic is not common.”
Lincoln Gee, RB/LB/DB, Cole Valley Christian
His future lies in the secondary, where he’s committed to an offer from Idaho. But the Chargers will feature the 5-11 senior all over the field. “Lincoln is a gamer and a playmaker,” Nampa Christian coach Daniel Jenkins said. “When you turn on the film, he is making plays on both sides of the ball.”
Payton Gunter, TE/DE, Nampa
The 6-4, 230-pound force started last season battling to become the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback. He quickly turned his attention to the other side of the ball, where he became a terror at defensive end. Idaho has scooped up the state champion wrestler, who will be converted into a tight end this fall.
CJ Jacobsen, WR/TE, Rocky Mountain
Injuries limited the 6-5, 230-pound senior a year ago. Now he’s healthy and has drawn the attention of scouts across the country, holding offers from North Carolina State, Louisville, BYU and Arizona, to name a few. “He has great speed and ball skills,” Mountain View coach Brian Compton said. “He’s a big target.”
Cole Luekenga, QB, Kuna
His quick release and field vision allowed the 6-2, 210-pound senior to finish as 5A’s third-leading passer a year ago with 2,396 yards, 23 TDs and five interceptions. “He has great arm strength and poise under pressure,” Boise coach Mike Altieri said. “He’s a very accurate passer and can hurt you from anywhere with his arm.”
Zeke Martinez, QB, Meridian
An early-season injury last fall threatened to derail the Warriors just as they got started. But the then-freshman didn’t just ride to the rescue. He served as a potent weapon under center, completing 64% of his passes for 964 yards with nine TDs and no interceptions. “He’s talented and executes the offense really well,” Rocky Mountain coach Chris Culig said.
Deegan Martinho, RB, Eagle
The senior provides the full package for the Mustangs in the backfield. He has the quick feet and explosiveness to make defenders miss and turn any carry into a TD. But he also has the strength and toughness to bowl over anyone who dares to step in his way. He ran for 701 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, averaging 8 yards per carry.
Blayne Meyer, RB/LB, Horseshoe Bend
The first tackler won’t bring down the 5-10, 170-pound senior. He may have the speed to run by everyone, but he’d rather run over a couple of defenders along the way. So opponents better bring a party to slow down Meyer, who earned first-team 1A Division II All-Idaho honors after racking up 1,410 total yards and 15 TDs last fall.
Carson Rasmussen, OL, Owyhee
The 6-5, 296-pound tackle committed to Boise State in June. The three-star recruit chose the Broncos over San Diego State, Air Force and Army. “He is physical and finishes blocks down the field like they owe him money,” Borah coach JQ Kenyon said.
Nathan Reynolds, LB, Meridian
He broke out as a sophomore, then earned first-team 5A All-Idaho honors as a junior. Now the 6-4, 220-pound linebacker returns as one of the state’s most feared defenders, one with a nose for the ball who will make plays from sideline to sideline. “He’s a big, physical linebacker that can do the job of two linebackers,” Kenyon said.
Parker Rushton, RB/LB, Borah
The 5A classification’s leading rusher returns for his senior year after racking up 1,227 yards and 16 TDs on the ground. “He isn’t going to juke you out of your cleats,” Kuna assistant coach Josh Rippy said. “... He wants to punish you for existing in his space when he is running the ball. He is the type of player that will score a rushing touchdown, then sack your quarterback and steal his girlfriend after the game.”
Brock Spencer, RB/WR/DB, Weiser
The Wolverines belonged to Brett Spencer last season. But his younger brother inserted himself into nearly every key moment and big play. He earned first-team 3A All-Idaho honors as a sophomore, turning 29 catches into 908 yards and 14 TDs. Weiser will start feeding him the ball even more this fall.
Mason Strong, WR/DB, Homedale
The 5-11, 170-pound senior made the 3A All-Idaho second team each of the past two seasons despite limited pass-catching opportunities in the Trojans’ run-heavy offense. But look for him to start posting big numbers as Homedale moves to a more balanced offense. His raw speed, quick feet and body control make him a threat on every snap.
Wyatt Vining, TE/DE, Council
The 6-3, 215-pound senior can stretch defenses vertically, deliver punishing hits and shed blockers like they were never there. He made the 1A Division II All-Idaho second team after racking up 11 sacks and 16 tackles-for-loss while averaging nine tackles per game. “He’s a workhorse and never lets off the throttle,” Tri-Valley coach Justin Mink said.
Dawson Wahl, QB, Mountain View
The senior enters the fall as the 5A SIC’s most decorated signal caller. He guided the Mavericks to an undefeated regular season and a league title last year, completing 62% of his passes for 1,712 yards with 16 TDs and just three interceptions. “Dawson is a winner,” Altieri said. “He has the ability to make every throw and impact the game from inside and outside the pocket.”
Trevor Warren, WR/DB, Ridgevue
Standing at 5-9, the senior may not strike fear in opponents when he steps off the bus. But his closing speed and instincts allowed him to rack up 13.4 tackles per game a year ago, the most by any player in the state at the 4A level. He even terrorized opponents on special teams, screaming down the field on the punt team and blocking a pair of field goals.
Art Williams, RB/WR/LB, Rocky Mountain
The Idaho commit worked his way into the Grizzlies’ backfield as a sophomore. He then led the team in rushing yards (656, nine TDs) and finished second in catches (30 for 292 yards) as a junior. The Grizzlies will continue to move him all over the field to exploit matchups, and he’ll become a force on defense as well.
Carter Woodland, RB/DB, Notus
The Pirates devise all sorts of ways to get the four-year starter the ball, and he gashes opponents no matter where he gets his hands on it. He earned second-team 1A Division I All-Idaho honors last year after racking up 2,254 all-purpose yards and 31 TDs. “The 8-man game is built for speed,” Idaho City coach Jason Roeber said. “Not only does Carter have some wheels, but he is aggressive and takes care of the football.”
