Iowa's best high school football players: Meet the state's top wide receivers

Over the next few weeks, we will be taking a position-by-position look at some of the top players in Iowa high school football. This list focuses on wide receivers. 

There are hundreds of standout football players in Iowa and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive. Let us know about any other wide receivers worthy of fans’ attention in 2023.

Cade Sears, 6-1, 170, Sr., Harlan

Sears finished with 46 receptions for 973 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Class 3A state champion Cyclones last season. Instead of following two older brothers into college baseball, Cade instead has committed to reigning FCS national football champion South Dakota State. The speedster posted top five finishes in the 100 and 200-meter dash and ran on state champion 4x100 and 4x200 relays. A first team 3A all-state pick last season, Sears ranks in the 3A top 10 with 487 receiving yards this season and seven touchdowns.

Colton Rasmussen, 6-3, 195, Sr., Atlantic

Rasmussen earned first team Class 3A all-state honors last season, catching 38 passes for 762 yards and 12 touchdowns. His numbers are down a bit this season, but Rasmussen – also a basketball and track standout for the Trojans – has hauled in five scoring passes.

Evan Brase, 6-4, 195, Sr., Mount Vernon

Brase had an outstanding junior season for the 3A state runners-up, hauling in 48 passes for 640 yards and six touchdowns, an average of 13.3 yards per catch. A second team all-stater, Brase is the top target for Joey Rhomberg this season with 28 catches for 528 yards (18.9 per catch) and five touchdowns.

Reece Vander Zee, 6-5, 190, Sr., Central Lyon/George-Little Rock

We are listing Vander Zee as a receiver because that’s where he earned first team all-state honors last season with 32 receptions for 768 yards and 10 touchdowns for the state champions. However, the University of Iowa commit has switched to quarterback this fall and is putting up some gawdy numbers there, with 812 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns and 681 passing yards and eight scores.

Mason Boothby, 6-1, 165, Sr., Underwood

Boothby averaged an amazing 23.4 yards per catch for an Eagle team that reached the Class 1A semifinals last season. The second team all-stater had 40 receptions for 936 yards and 11 touchdowns. Of his 20 catches this season, seven have gone for touchdowns and Underwood has reeled off five straight wins since a season-opening loss to last year’s 1A state champion Van Meter.

Karson Elwood, 6-2, 180, Sr., Treynor

Another second team Class 1A all-stater, Elwood had 49 catches for 742 yards and eight touchdowns. A multi-sport standout for the Cardinals, he has hauled in 27 receptions for 376 yards and six touchdowns this season.

Eric McGill, 6-0, 175, Sr., Woodbury Central

After a season in which he earned first team Class A all-state honors, McGill is among the state’s receiving leaders this fall. He ranks second in Class A with 615 yards, with 31 catches and four touchdowns. Last season, hauling in throws from all-stater Drew Kluender, McGill led Class a with 1,062 yards.

Tate Jirovsky, 6-5, 185, Sr., Grundy Center

A key performer for Grundy Center’s Class A state champions last season, the lanky Jirovsky averaged 20 yards per catch and scored eight touchdowns.

Garrett Watts, 6-2, 170, Sr., Montezuma

Watts, a returning second team all-stater in 8-player, ranks among the top 10 in receiving yards with 517 yards on 29 catches with 11 touchdowns. Watts caught a state-leading 22 touchdown passes as a junior and had 1,163 yards, which ranked fourth overall and first in 8-player.

Treyton Travis, 6-1, 170, Sr., Baxter

Not only is Travis the most prolific receiver in 8-player football, but also in the state. Through six games, he had an eye-popping 66 catches for 976 yards and 16 touchdowns. He’s also an outstanding defender, with 51.5 tackles, five interceptions and a fumble recovery.

Porter Reffer, 5-10, 175, Sr., Algona

Reffer is a key component in Algona’s high-powered offense, triggered by junior quarterback Alex Manske. He leads Class 3A with 806 receiving yards on 35 catches with seven touchdowns. The Bulldogs have gained nearlyh 1,500 yards through the air.

Klayton Bremer, 6-3, 175, Sr., Panorama

Bremer ranks second in the state behind Travis with 60 receptions and third behind Travis and Reffer with 792 yards. The stellar defensive back has 36 tackles and has returned an interception for a touchdown, while averaging 12.1 yards per kickoff return.

Cyrus Courtney, 6-2, 195, Sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Courtney ranks as the leading receiver in Class 5A with 779 yards. His 44 receptions, which are tied for second, have resulted in seven touchdowns. Courtney is already well above his production from last season, when he had 35 catches for 521 yards and five touchdowns.

Ahdan Muhammed, 6-2, 190, Sr., Waterloo East

Muhammed has 762 receiving yards, which is fifth statewide and he is averaging 19.5 yards per catch (39 receptions). “He has worked really hard…committed himself to the offseason,” East head coach DeCarlos Anderson said. “He is definitely our go-to-guy and has made big catches at pivotal moments for us to move the ball.”

Cameron Boyd, 6-2, 165, Soph., Storm Lake

First-year Storm Lake Coach Drake Curry made an unusual change, moving former offensive lineman Carson Lullman – a 235-pounder – to quarterback this season. The result has been 1,616 passing yards. Boyd, a 10^th-grader, has been his main target, charting a Class 4A high 48 receptions for 756 yards and six touchdowns.

Blake Moser, 6-1, 180, Sr., Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley

Moser’s 45 receptions is tops in Class 3A and he is also a defensive stalwart for the Nighthawks. He has 574 receiving yards and seven touchdowns to go along with 20 tackles and two interceptions.

Landon Blum, 6-4, 161, Fresh., Woodbine

Blum is part of a youthful Tiger squad in the mix for an 8-player district title. In his first season of high school football, Blum has hauled in 35 receptions for 619 yards (17.7 yards per catch) with 12 touchdowns. Of Woodbine’s 24 active players, 18 are underclassmen.

Carter Seitz, 5-7, 135, Jr., Kee

Seitz is among the top 10 receivers in 8-player with 581 yards on 29 catches, an average of 20 yards per catch, and 11 touchdowns. Kee is known for its baseball prowess and Seitz is also a star on the diamond.

Jackson Naeve, 6-1, 180, Sr., Iowa City Regina

Naeve grew three inches and added 20 pounds from his junior to senior seasons and is now the leading receiver in Class 1A with 655 yards on 26 catches, scoring nine touchdowns – which is also tops in 1A. He is also utilized as a ball carrier with four rushing touchdowns, has returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and averaged 15.4 yards on five punt returns.

Jack Hansen, 6-0, 160, Sr., Greene County

Hansen has put together a strong senior campaign, leading Class 2A with 742 receiving yards. His 38 catches ranks third in 2A and Hansen is averaging 19.5 yards per catch with seven touchdowns. On defense, he has intercepted three passes.

Peyton Schilling, 6-0, 170, Sr., Monticello

Schilling is tied for the Class 2A lead with eight touchdown receptions. He ranks second with 40 catches and third with 636 yards. Schilling had 537 yards on 27 catches with seven touchdowns last season.

Brock Watson, 6-2, 195, Jr., Clarke

Watson has hauled in 45 catches, which is good enough to rank first in Class 2A. His catches have resulted in 651 yards and seven touchdowns and Watson is nearly unstoppable as a kick returner, with four touchdowns and a 38.4-yard average.

Reed Pfaltzgraff, 6-4, 165, Sr., Bondurant-Farrar

Pfaltzgraff is the Class 4A leader with nine touchdown receptions. He has 28 catches for 695 yards, but may be more noted for his defensive prowess. He has intercepted four passes and returned one for a touchdown. Pfaltzgraff not only stars for the third-ranked team in 4A, but he also helped Bondurant-Farrar capture a state basketball title last season.

Richard Stewart, 6-0, 180, Sr., Sioux City East

Stewart trails only Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Cyrus Courtney in Class 5A receiving yards with 662 and his 39 receptions rank fourth. Stewart has scored four touchdowns and is also the Black Raiders’ kickoff and punt return specialist.

Dallas Miller, 5-10, 160, Jr., Iowa City Liberty

Liberty has the most prolific passing attack in the state and Miller is tied for second in Class 5A with 44 catches. His 546 yards have produced seven touchdowns. Interestingly, Liberty running back Sutton Koller leads 5A with 51 catches.

Eli Robbins, 6-0, 180, Soph., Norwalk

The Warriors have the top passing team in Class 4A and the fourth in all of Iowa. Robbins is Norwalk’s leading receiver with 35 catches for 637 yards and four touchdowns. Teammate Keilor Rodman is not far behind with 32 for 560 yards and seven scores.

Brody Cullin, 5-8, 145, Sr., Shenandoah

Cullin is tied for second in Class 1A with 34 catches. He has accumulated 468 yards and scored four touchdown for the Mustangs, who played only four games last season before forfeiting the rest because of injuries and low numbers. 

Photo of Grundy Center's Tate Jirovksy by Matthew Putney