The brackets are set for the Arizona high school football playoffs, and the Open Division will be one of the most competitive series in the country.
Of the 12 teams competing in the state's top division, three have been in the Super 25 national rankings at some point in the season, a fourth is currently on the cusp of entering and a fifth has seen time in the Super 15 West Region rankings. Others are jockeying for position to prove they deserve the chance to fight for the top spot in Arizona.
While major Division I recruits tend to garner a majority of the headlines, some of the biggest difference-makers will be players whose rising prominence locally is not
reflected at the national level.
Every state has players like this. The highlight packages look good, the statistics stand out, but for whatever reason, they haven’t distinguished themselves among peers as collegiate recruits. Universities simply aren’t buying in. Oftentimes it’s due to size, pointed out by Chandler (AZ) head coach Ty Wisdom.
“It sucks because you know that kid can play,” he told USA TODAY Sports. “You can’t measure their heart.”
Below are seven seniors who have been undervalued in the recruiting space and game-changers who have a final shot to showcase what has made them among Arizona's best high school football players. Strong performances may lead to more offers, but as Wisdom says, the shift of the college landscape and transfer portal has taken away excuses.
“The great thing about college football now is they can be at a smaller level and they go dominate,” he said. “The days of being like, ‘Oh I’m being overlooked…’ OK, go be overlooked and then show out at Division II, and then you’re going to get moved up.”
Marc Duerson III, LB, Basha (Chandler, AZ)
College: Northern Arizona University
Basha linebacker Marc Duerson has 94 tackles, six tackles for loss, two passes defended, three forced fumbles in a single game, and a sack — yet no stars and just two college offers. Committed to Northern Arizona University, he has been big for the Bears' highly touted defense, helping the team remain among the best in Arizona. He’s aggressive and powerful at the point of attack, and there’s a reason the Arizona Republic ranked him as the top defensive player in Arizona earlier in the season. Duerson was also voted USA TODAY Sports Super 25 Playmaker of the Week in early September.
The Bears are reigning back-to-back champions, and the team's high-powered defense will give them a shot to make it three in a row. Duerson's performance at linebacker will be pivotal against other top competition.
Luke Franklin, DL, Centennial (Peoria, AZ)
College: Uncommitted
Head coach Andrew Taylor refers to Luke Franklin as the “brains of the defense.” The defensive end has been a vital cog to Centennial’s status as a contender, ending the regular season with 71 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks, as well as two forced fumbles and an interception. The Coyotes defense gives up only 11 points per game on average.
Centennial historically tends to be a competitive program in Arizona, but eyes were opened and expectations were raised this year with its early-season win over Servite (Anaheim, CA), a game in which Franklin had 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and sacks. As of mid-October, he had no D1 college offers, in large part due to his 6-foot-1, 225-pound frame.
“Franklin is one of the best players we’ve ever had. Certainly one of the smartest players, tremendous playmaker,” Taylor said. “He just needs a school that will give him a chance and they won’t be disappointed.”
Braxton Huynh, WR, Liberty (Peoria, AZ)
College: San Diego State
Liberty as a team is underrated. The program lacks some of the recruitment attention of other programs in Arizona, but all the Lions do is win, taking down teams that have been in the Super 15 West Rankings, including Hamilton (Chandler, AZ), Centennial and Corner Canyon (Draper, UT) — all en route to a top seed in the playoffs. It’s hard to imagine this success without Braxton Huynh.
The receiver is quick, evasive and has good body control, skills that allow him to get behind cornerbacks for deep throws or allow coaches to get creative with pre-snap action and screen plays for big gains from short passes. He has a team-high 893 receiving yards and six touchdowns on the season, and has come through big with 121 yards and a TD against Corner Canyon and 150 yards and a TD against Basha. He also serves as a backup quarterback, throwing a touchdown in place of the injured Jason Haines in the final regular season game. Head coach Colin Thomas called him a "dynamic player and leader."
"Always at his best in the biggest moments," Thomas said in an email to USA TODAY Sports. "He is what a winning player and person looks like!"
Derrick LeBlanc Jr., DL, Hamilton (Chandler, AZ)
College: Air Force
Derrick LeBlanc sits outside the top 200 defensive linemen in 247Sports’ class of 2027 rankings, but he’s one of the most disruptive edge rushers in Arizona. He broke out as a junior with seven forced fumbles, and has continued to show his potential this year with 22 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks for a Hamilton team that has high aspirations for the postseason. He’s one of the most impactful players on an immensely impressive Huskies defense.
LeBlanc uses his listed 232 pounds to his advantage, blending aggression with solid mobility. LeBlanc’s best game of the year was arguably the 30-22 win over fellow Open Division competition Perry (Gilbert, AZ), a game in which he had two tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and a blocked field goal. Hamilton has an elite secondary; LeBlanc's presence at the line of scrimmage helps create a different element that offenses struggle to navigate.
Austin Reese, Safety, Chandler (AZ)
College: Uncommitted
Austin Reese played the game of his life against Centennial in October, racking up 20 tackles, four tackles for loss and an interception in the 20-16 victory. He has double-digit tackles in four games this season, has three forced fumbles, two blocked punts and nine passes defended, per MaxPreps.
The safety has a quick jump and sees the field at a high level, apt at winning bang-bang plays and getting to his spot before his target, whether that’s in the secondary or backfield. Yet that hasn’t translated to the college attention one may expect, perhaps due to his 5-foot-11, 180-pound frame. Wisdom pointed him out as a prime example of quality players who haven't seen recruitment shine — “These colleges look so much at the measurables,” he said.
In the Open Division, Reese will try to help the Wolves make another run at the title and avenge their championship game loss last season.
Kyser Wilson, S/LB, Basha (Chandler, AZ)
College: Northern Arizona University
Kyser Wilson reads the field well, is quick, and is unafraid of contact, seeming to relish big hits. He started the season strong with interceptions in each of his first two games against Orange Lutheran (CA) and Chandler, as well as a QB pressure against Chandler that resulted in another interception, showcasing a skill set that allows him to play both linebacker and defensive back. He has played well throughout the season, recording 44 tackles, eight tackles for loss and six passes defended through nine games registered in MaxPreps.
Listed at 6-foot and 195 pounds, Wilson has only picked up two offers and is committed to NAU alongside teammate Duerson, putting the Flagstaff, AZ, team in position to leverage in-state connections for these playmakers. The Bears are eying another long postseason run, seeking a three-peat after winning the Open Division in 2024 and 2025. Wilson’s presence in the secondary will be key if they are to do so.
Antonio Young, RB, Higley (Gilbert, AZ)
College: Uncommitted
With more than 1,100 all–purpose yards and 15 total touchdowns, Young makes up half of the dynamic QB-RB duo alongside Anthony Palka, who converted back to quarterback after playing WR as a junior. Young’s 171 total yards and three touchdowns against Perry catalyzed an electric second half of the season, as he's recorded 100+ total yards in each of the remaining games, excluding the 51-6 win over Saguaro in which he had just three touches (for 65 yards and two touchdowns). Young's only offer at this time is from Lake Forest College in Illinois, according to head coach Eddy Zubey.
"Antonio is a strong, physical, and fast. He can make you miss as well as run through any player," Zubey said in an email to USA TODAY Sports. "He has great hands out of the back field. He works hard in the weight room and is one of our strongest players. He also has good grades and is a leader for our team."
Higley enters as the 10th seed and is looking to pull an upset. Young and Palka, who have led the offense to an average of 45 points per game, will be at the head of these efforts.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Arizona high school football playoffs: 7 underrated players to watch in the Open Division
