Wichita high school football positional rankings: Top 15 at every spot on the field

After months of doubt, football is back this week in the Wichita area.

Here is a look at the Wichita-area player rankings by position:

Quarterback

1. Lem Wash, Derby, Sr.
2. Tanner Cash, Clearwater, Sr.
3. Aiden Niedens, Bishop Carroll, Sr.
4. Kyler Semrad, Goddard, Sr.
5. Colin Shields, Maize South, Sr.
6. Avery Johnson, Maize, So.
7. Lance Hoffsommer, Sedgwick, Jr.
8. Noah Meyer, Andale, Sr.
9. Michael Fair, Collegiate, Sr.
10. Mason Ellis, Mulvane, Jr.
11. Daeonte Mitchell, Wichita East, Fr.
12. Harrison Voth, Cheney, Jr.
13. Bryson Evans, Rose Hill, Sr.
14. Jacobi Livingston, Wichita Southeast, Sr.
15. Nate Bowen, Campus, Sr.

Wash is the easy No. 1 in the Wichita area this season. He is one of three returning All-Metro players. Behind him are more than a handful of college-caliber quarterbacks. Nos. 2-7 could be shuffled dozens of times.

Running Back

1. Eli Rowland, Andale, Sr.
2. Julius Bolden, Wichita Northwest, Sr.
3. Josh Sanders, Maize, Sr.
4. John Randle, Wichita Heights, So.
5. Dylan Edwards, Derby, So.
6. Hunter Trail, Bishop Carroll, Sr.
7. Hunter Niemann, Maize South, Sr.
8. Jacob Rees, Andover Central, Sr.
9. Sam Elliott, Buhler, Jr.
10. Marion Ponds, Valley Center, Sr.
11. Jake Engelbrecht, Andale, Sr.
12. Ryan Andrews, Augusta, Sr.
13. Tobi Osunsanmi, Wichita East, Jr.
14. Jomarian Nelson, Wichita East, Jr.
15. Joel Underwood, Wichita Southeast, Sr.

The top end of the running back group in the Wichita area is outstanding in 2020 with a blend of veteran talent and young, exciting prospects. With Rowland coming off of an All-Metro, state title-winning season, he has to be No. 1.

Receiver/Tight End

1. Daylan Jones, Wichita East, Sr.
2. Tyson Struber, Canton-Galva, Jr.
3. Davin Simms, Wichita Northwest, Sr.
4. Reid Liston, Derby, Sr.
5. Mason Ross, Wichita Northwest, Sr.
6. A.J. King, Wichita East, Sr.
7. Mason Turney, Eisenhower, Sr.
8. Nick Hogan, Eisenhower, Sr.
9. Oscar Gallardo, Bishop Carroll, Sr.
10. Caquoy Patterson, Wichita East, Jr.
11. Kaleb Coleman, Wichita Northwest, Sr.
12. Aaron Powell, McPherson, Sr.
13. Tiger Jones, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, Sr.
14. Logan Bartlett, Cheney, Sr.
15. Henry Burns, Sedgwick, Sr.

The Wichita-area receiver group has some Division I talent and a lot of high quality high school players. Jones and Struber are the standouts who will almost without question make it to the highest level of college football.

Offensive Line

1. Noah Bolticoff, Rose Hill, Sr.
2. Alex Key, Derby, Jr.
3. Nate Harding, Maize, Sr.

4. Jonas Vickers, Derby, Jr.

5. Ben Purvis, Bishop Carroll, Sr.

6. Gabe Havlovic, Bishop Carroll, Sr.

7. Rhett Brown, Goddard, Sr.

8. Doug Grider, Halstead, Sr.

9. Dylan Conn, Derby, Jr.

10. Drew Daniels, Andover Central, Jr.

11. Jonah Scott, McPherson, Sr.

12. Max Shannon, Arkansas City, Sr.

13. Beau Grant, Maize South, Sr.

14. De’Andre Hudson, Wichita Southeast, Sr.

15. Kevyan Stallings, WIchita Northwest, Jr.

Offensive line might be the Wichita area’s best position in 2020. Bolticoff, Key, Harding, Vickers, Purvis and Havlovic all have Division I ceilings with a couple of them potentially making it to the NFL some day.

Defensive Line

1. Zac Daher, Wichita Northwest, Sr.
2. Cayden Winter, Andale, Sr.
3. Nathan Carter, Wichita Northwest, Jr.
4. Braydon Wickliffe, Goddard, Jr.
5. Nathan Hale, Wichita Northwest, Sr.
6. Kenny Fehrman, Wellington, Sr.
7. Taviahn Mack, Arkansas City, Jr.
8. Logan Bolinger, Maize South, Sr.
9. Cole Herman, Halstead, Sr.
10. Peyton Wiechman, Maize South, Sr.
11. Eli Aouad, Andale, Sr.
12. Ryan George, Eisenhower, Sr.
13. Amarion Wilkins, Wichita Heights, Sr.
14. Matthew Morell, Bishop Carroll, Sr.
15. Ricky Nichols, Maize, Sr.

Daher, with his college football profile, is the undisputed No. 1 selection at defensive line. He has nearly 20 Division I offers with a few more perhaps on the way. Others like Winter, Carter and Hale are bona fide starters and contributors.

Linebacker

1. Kyle Haas, Maize, Sr.
2. Jack Hileman, Derby, Sr.
3. Kendall Norrod, Maize, Sr.
4. Jacob Younkman, Wichita Northwest, Sr.
5. Brandon Bowles, Maize South, Sr.
6. Quentin Saunders, Wichita West, Jr.
7. Luke Stewart, Derby, Sr.
8. Coleson Syring, Derby, Sr.
9. Caden Parthemer, Andale, Sr.
10. Anthony Hays, Garden Plain, Sr.
11. Darius Cooper, Wichita East, Sr.
12. Ashton Ngo, Andover, Sr.
13. Chandler Goodnight, Andover, Jr.
14. Brycen Lebertew, McPherson, Sr.
15. Jackson Bradley, Campus, Sr.

Haas is a defensive monster and the easy choice as a returning All-Metro selection. Between Hileman, Norrod, Younkman and Bowles, there is a lot of experience, and all would start on any team in the area.

Defensive Back

1. Todric McGee, Wichita Northwest, Sr.
2. Wetu Kalomo, Wichita Northwest, Sr.
3. Tanner Knox, Derby, Sr.
4. Isaiah Maikori, Andover, Sr.
5. Cory Akins, Derby, Jr.
6. Ethan Stuhlsatz, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, Sr.
7. Eli Wiseman, Belle Plaine, Sr.
8. Ely Wilcox, Augusta, Sr.
9. Amare Ramirez, Derby, Sr.
10. Jayton Alexander, McPherson, Sr.
11. Rian Green, Wichita West, Sr.
12. Brody Hillman, Cheney, Sr.
13. Jonathan Wright, Conway Springs, Sr.
14. Braeylyn Jay, Campus, Jr.
15. Cade Gatschet, Bishop Carroll, Sr.

McGee and Kalomo have been lumped together and recruited together for the past few years now. But players like Knox and Maikori have a real shout as the No. 1 defensive back in the area in 2020.

Specialist

1. John Randle, Wichita Heights, KR, So.
2. Isaiah Maikori, Andover, KR, Sr.
3. Kaden Claasen, Wichita Heights, K/P, Jr.
4. Carson Arndt, Wichita Northwest, K, Sr.
5. Eli Rowland, Andale, KR, Sr.
6. Cole Segraves, Maize, K, Jr.
7. Tyler Kohls, Augusta, K, Sr.
8. Mason Turney, Eisenhower, KR, Sr.
9. Matti Sicker, Andale, K, Sr.
10. Connor Tillman, Sedgwick, K, Jr.

Randle was eased into high school football last year and shined bright as a returner. He will be let loose in 2020. Kickers like Claasen and Arndt are game-changers who are almost automatic on their extra point attempts.

Hayden Barber

The Wichita Eagle

316-269-6760

Wichita Eagle preps reporter Hayden Barber brings the area updates on all high school sports while adding those hard-to-find human-interest stories on Wichita’s student-athletes.