Best high school football juniors in the nation: These 20 players dominated as sophomores

Spring games are in the books and the 2023 high school football season is right around the corner, so SBLive Sports is offering a preseason look at some of the best players in the nation.

We've featured rising freshmen, sophomores and seniors, and now it's the juniors' turn. 

None of these guys experienced anything close to a sophomore slump last fall, and they're primed for a dominant junior year.

Here are 20 junior high school football players across the nation who showed out as sophomores and can be expected to play even bigger this fall.

Harlem Berry, RB, St. Martin's Episcopal (Louisiana)

Berry rushed for 2,277 yards and 37 touchdowns to push the Saints to the semifinals for the first time in program history, earning SBLive Louisiana All-State honors. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound running back is lightning fast, as he reportedly clocked a time of 4.27 in the 40-yard dash.

Armondo Blount, DL, Miami Central (Florida)

Blount is coming off a huge sophomore campaign in which he finished with 16 sacks and 30 tackles for loss playing for Dillard last year. After transferring to reigning Class 2M state champion Miami Central, he's in line to fill the shoes of University of Miami signee Rueben Bain.

Gideon Davidson, RB, Liberty Christian (Virginia)

Davidson has been unstoppable since his freshman year. He rushed for 1,392 yards and 23 touchdowns last season, improving upon his breakout freshman season when he ran for 1,291 yards and 19 touchdowns. He committed to Clemson last month.

Jordon Davison, RB, Mater Dei (California)

Davison, a fleet and strong 6-foot, 205-pound running back, came up big in the "Prep Super Bowl" last fall, rushing 22 times for 114 yards and the winning 38-yard touchdown scamper in a 17-7 victory over St. John Bosco. He finished the season with 1,514 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns playing one of the toughest schedules in the country.

Jonathan Epperson, DB/WR, Auburn Riverside (Washington)

Epperson was primarily a defender last season, but this year he's expected to play a lot more on offense. "He is too athletic not to touch the ball," Auburn Riverside coach Greg Herd told SBLive Sports in April. "He will be everywhere — outside receiver, inside receiver and maybe even tight end."

Zion Grady, DE, Charles Henderson (Alabama)

Grady racked up 108 tackles (37 for loss), 22 sacks and 27 quarterback hurries as a sophomore to earn first-team All-State honors, also blocking three field goals. The Power Five offers are piling up for the 6-foot-4, 220-pound game-wrecker.

Elijah Griffin, DL, Savannah Christian (Georgia)

The Georgia Bulldogs offered Griffin a scholarship when he was a 13-year-old middle schooler, and he's shown so far that they were ahead of the game in doing so. The 6-foot-5, 280-pounder made 82 tackles (30 for loss) and had 14.5 sacks last season.

Tiqwai Hayes, RB, Aliquippa (Pennsylvania)

Coming off a dominant freshman year, Hayes came back even better as a sophomore. He rushed for 1,981 yards on 224 carries and 33 touchdowns last season in leading Aliquippa to the state championship game. He helped his team win the state championship as a freshman with 245 carries for 1,759 yards and 23 rushing touchdowns.

Alvin Henderson, RB, Elba (Alabama)

As a sophomore, Henderson ran for 2,636 yards and 49 touchdowns, averaging a whopping 13.5 yards per carry. Auburn and Alabama are considered the favorites, but he told SBLive's Andrew Nemec in March that he's taking every visit seriously. "Most people think that I'm from Alabama, so I'm going to go to Alabama or Auburn," he said. "But it's not like that. I'm open to all schools recruiting me."

Antwann Hill, QB, Houston County (Georgia)

Hill was at his best in a 29-28 playoff win over Brunswick last fall, throwing for 404 yards and four touchdowns. As a sophomore, the 6-foot-5, 215-pound signal-caller completed 70.5% of his passes while throwing for 3,663 yards and 40 touchdowns.

Dierre Hill Jr., RB/WR, Vashon (Missouri)

Whether out of the backfield, as a receiver or in the return game, Hill is a threat to take it the house on every play. Last season the 6-foot athlete (who also stars in basketball) amassed 1,120 rushing yards, 154 receiving yards and 766 yards in the return game with 24 total touchdowns. He holds D1 offers in football and basketball.

George McIntyre, QB, Brentwood Academy (Tennessee)

Expect McIntyre to make an enormous leap as a junior. In his first season as a starter last fall, the 6-foot-5 quarterback threw for 2,341 yards with 19 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also led Brentwood Academy to a state championship in basketball in the spring and has drawn Power Five offers in both sports.

Noah Mikhail, LB, Bonita (California)

Mikhail was a tackling machine as a sophomore, piling up 112 (13 for loss) along with three sacks, three forced fumbles, four pass breakups and an interception. The 6-3, 210-pound middle linebacker also had 403 yards receiving and 200 yards rushing on offense.

Dakorien Moore, WR, Duncanville (Texas)

As a sophomore, the 6-foot, 180-pound Moore received All-America nods after registering 44 receptions for 767 yards and seven touchdowns for nationally ranked Duncanville. He's been clocked at 10.63 in the 100-meter dash and is one of the top-ranked recruits in the nation regardless of position. 

DJ Pickett, WR/DB, Zephyrhills (Florida)

Pickett’s ability to change a game on either side of the ball is a big part of what makes Zephyrhills a team that can make a viable threat to compete for a Class 3S state championship this fall. He finished his sophomore season with 886 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns on offense plus four interceptions on defense.

David Sanders, OL, Providence Day (North Carolina)

Sanders, a 6-6, 255-pound tackle, debuted at No. 1 nationally in 247Sports' Class of 2025 rankings last August, and nearly a year later he's still there. He protects Jadyn Davis, the Chargers’ star quarterback who threw for 3,425 yards and 43 touchdowns last season. The Chargers' offense averaged 43.5 points per game last season to help them win the state championship.

Stone Saunders, QB, Bishop McDevitt (Pennsylvania)

Saunders led Bishop McDevitt to the PIAA 4A state championship last season, earning Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year honors as a sophomore. He threw for 3,583 yards and 54 touchdowns, including a championship game-record five TD throws in McDevitt’s 41-18 win over Aliquippa.

Derick Smith, WR/DB, Southside (Alabama)

Smith followed up a freshman season in which he caught 57 passes for 1,197 yards and six touchdowns with a monstrous sophomore year. The two-sport star (basketball) had 1,391 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, plus 966 yards rushing and eight touchdowns on only 51 carries. On defense he had 98 tackles and eight interceptions.

Bryce Underwood, QB, Belleville (Michigan)

Underwood led Belleville to its second straight state championship last fall with 304 total yards in the title game. He finished his sophomore year with 2,762 yards and 37 touchdowns through the air and 632 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.

Ryan Williams, WR, Saraland (Alabama)

Williams put up video game numbers as a sophomore, leading his team to a state championship. The reigning Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year caught 88 passes for 1,641 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns, plus had 57 carries for 700 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. He's already committed to play college football for Alabama.