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

Some play in the slot, some split out wide. Some can go for double-digit catches on any given night while others make the most of just a few opportunities. The one thing they all seem to have in common is speed. Nebraska is producing more Division I talent than ever before, and maybe the best example of that is at the wide receiver position. The Cornhusker State isn’t just for linebackers and linemen anymore. 

Isaiah McMorris – Bellevue West Senior – 6-0, 170 and Dae’Vonn Hall – Bellevue West Senior – 6-2, 190 

Normally, each guy on this list gets his own space, and rightfully so, those considered the best in Nebraska deserve their own spotlight. But since McMorris and Hall are teammates at Bellevue West, are set to be teammates at Nebraska and announced their decision to join the Huskers at the same time, it only felt right to pair them together.

Going forward, it will be up to each guy individually to earn playing time and make an impact in Lincoln. Their days of being mentioned together will likely come to a close in the future, but maybe not. What if the two become dual superstars in the Big Red offense with another Thunderbird, quarterback Daniel Kaelin, throwing them passes? That would be quite the story and a real stars-aligning-moment that would attract attention across the entire college football landscape.

Until then, McMorris and Hall completed a 2023 regular season that was a bit frustrating. Both missed some time with injuries but still had a major effect on Thunderbird success. McMorris was the second-leading receiver on the team with 44 catches, 683 yards and seven touchdowns. He missed three games. Hall played in five of the nine and put together 20 receptions for 177 and two scores.

Both are speedsters, but Hall has a slight size advantage and uses that size add a physical element to his skill set.

“Dae'Vonn is a big-bodied receiver that is a tremendous and physical edge blocker,” Thunderbird coach Mike Huffman said. “He has the track speed to beat you deep and strong hands on the short to intermediate routes to make you pay when a defense is playing too deep.”

When Hall played in all 11 games last season, he collected 62 catches for 974 yards and 11 touchdowns. It followed a sophomore season with 43 receptions for 592 yards and nine touchdowns. He burst onto the scene with four catches for 131 yards and two scores in the first game of 2021 and has been on the recruiting radar ever since. He had four 100-yard games as a junior. After missing more than a month this season, he returned for the final regular season game and had his best performance with four catches, 72 yards and a touchdown. One of those was a 70-yard catch and run from Kaelin.

“Isaiah has the legit speed to take off the top of a defense and the wiggle and burst to make you miss if you play too deep,” Bellevue West coach Mike Huffman said.

McMorris had a later start to his notoriety, but when he got going he was unstoppable. In his junior year, McMorris led Bellevue West with 1,297 receiving yards, 90 catches and 14 touchdowns. He was third in all of Nebraska in 11-man football in total yardage and had more catches than anyone in the state at any level of football.

Before anyone knew his name, McMorris caught seven passes for 125 yards and a touchdown in the 2022 Week 0 game against Creighton Prep. He then had 100-yard games in three of the next four and failed to reach the century mark just three times the rest of the season.

Like Hall, he battled the injury bug this season but also had perhaps the moment of his career when he caught a 31-yard touchdown pass with under three minutes to go in a come-from-behind win over Gretna.

Both returned just in time to help Bellevue West overcome a 3-3 start and win a district title. They head into the playoffs as the 9 seed with a possible chance to stun Westside, and Nebraska high school football fans alike, and knock off the Warriors in the quarterfinals.

As good as Westside has been this fall, seeing a talented Bell West squad in the second round with a roster now fully healthy could be a scary scenario. Husker fans hope it’s the same kind of foreboding proposition Nebraska opponents will be looking at very soon.

Jackson Williams – Millard West Senior – 6-0, 170

The Jet Award, a college football award given annually to the best return specialist in college football, started a new award this high school football season. The Mr. Nebraska Football Award meant to recognize legendary UNO player Marlon Briscoe will be given away each year to recognize a top player in the state. Williams was named one of the five finalists on Oct. 25.

Similar to how Westside quarterback Anthony Rezac, who was also on the Mr. Nebraska list, might be considered underrated at his position because fellow QB Daniel Kaelin at Bellevue West is a Nebraska commit, Williams might not be the first wide receiver fans think of as the best in the state. He gets somewhat overshadowed due to two other Bellevue West players, Isaiah McMorris and Dae’Vonn Hall.

Well, as the award nomination indicates, perhaps Williams isn’t living in the shadows anymore. And he shouldn’t be. As a junior, he totaled 711 yards with just 28 catches – a staggering average of over 28 yards per catch. Nine of those receptions went for touchdowns. He was also an excellent punt returner who took two to the house and averaged over 24 yards per punt return. Williams has game-breaking ability every time he touches the ball.

Jackson is the son of former Husker Jamel Williams, a member of the 1994 and 1995 national championship teams who was also selected by Washington in the 1997 NFL Draft. Jamel was a running back with more impressive stats than Jackson in his high school days, but Jackson is also a baseball player and excels on the diamond thanks, most likely, to his mom, who was a Husker softball player. Williams plays center field and pitches for Millard West and helped the Wildcats make the Class A state title team. He could be a dual sport athlete in college, but for now, he’s set to play football at North Dakota State.

“Jackson is a great route runner; subtle movements allow him to separate from coverage without giving away route. He has soft but strong hands,” Millard West coach Kirk Peterson said. “He's one of those guys that, when he does have a dropped pass, you are shocked. It doesn't happen very often.”

Zander Reuling – Kearney Senior – 5-10, 175

Reuling might have the fewest catches this season of anyone on this list, and maybe the fewest career catches as well. But there also might not be a guy who’s as instrumental in his term’s success as Reuling.

The Kearney senior is a true three-way player who has to be accounted for in all three of those areas in the opposition’s gameplan. His stats were only updated through Week 6, but even a snapshot of two-thirds of the season is impressive. He averaged 16.5 yards per catch in his senior year, and over 17 in his career, Reuling had almost 400 return yards this fall, 30 tackles and a fumble recovery.

Take a look at last year and it’s the same story. Reuling was much more active in the offense, catching 37 passes for 643 yards and eight touchdowns while also making 27 tackles, recovering three fumbles, intercepting a pass and totaling 211 yards on 14 punt returns.

Unfortunately for Reuling, few have yet to offer the Bearcat playmaker a chance to play at the next level. He helped lead Kearney to an 8-1 record, a No. 4 seed and will have a chance to earn more attention with a big postseason.

“Zander is an explosive athlete who has great speed and a high football IQ,” Kearney coach Brandon Cool said. “He has been a two-way starter for the past two seasons and has tons of upside at the next level.”

Jackson Carpenter – Lincoln Southwest Senior – 6-2, 185

Carpenter will likely be on this list again next season and will be a player to watch not just in Class A but across the state in all divisions. The junior has steadily been increasing his production and impact on the game to the point he had 514 receiving yards this fall and will go over 1,000 yards for his career early next season. That will happen even though Carpenter began his career with just a handful of games, four catches and 79 yards as a freshman.

But as he’s grown and put the work into becoming a better player, he’s learned how to use his tall frame to his advantage and win battles in the air. He had two games with more than 100 yards receiving this season and totaled over 500 yards despite only two games with five or more catches.

Carpenter’s ability to win one-on-one battles, and his blazing speed, will put him in position next year to grow his numbers again and potentially challenge for a season with 750 yards or more. It will also be the second year of working with his quarterback, who took over this year as a freshman. That chemistry should only grow into a more dynamic relationship.

“Jackson has exceptional ball skills. Most people talk about a 50-50 ball when in reality it's more of a 15 to 20% completion rate. When you throw it up to Jackson, it truly is 50-50 because of his leaping ability,” Southwest coach Grant Traynowicz said. “Jackson has elite speed which is verified by his track times. He also competes on our basketball team in the winter. Jackson is a high-character kid who takes care of his teammates. He does well in the classroom, too.”

D.J. Sterling – Omaha Central Senior – 6-1, 175

Sterling started his career at Omaha Central where he made 30 catches for 345 yards and three touchdowns as a junior. Even though he had just one year remaining, and only one offseason to build rapport with his quarterback, Sterling made himself into an immediate weapon for the Eagles offense. In the second game of the season, Sterling caught seven passes for 84 yards and went on to collect 23 receptions for 318 yards and two scores on the season. He missed two games or would have likely matched last year’s figures or even blown past those totals.

His coach, Terrence Mackey, has seen a lot of Sterling, having coached him both at Benson and Central. When he switched jobs, his top receiver followed him to a different part of town and the relationship has continued to thrive.

Mackey and Sterling weren’t the only reason, but Central went 4-5 this past season, matching the win total from the previous two years

“D.J. has deceptive speed; I have seen him wiggle his way out of some tight spaces,” Central coach Terrence Mackey said. “He is long and has exceptional jumping ability. He goes up to make some tough catches.

Chase Wiegert – Grand Island Northwest – 5-10, 165

Wiegert had a pretty good season last fall when he caught 22 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown. He was definitely a player to watch in 2023, but he’s become much more than that in the middle of a playoff run that makes it nine years in a row for the program.

Wiegert was just the fourth-leading receiver for the Vikings as a junior when three seniors combined for 150 catches and nearly 1,900 yards through the air. The big question, naturally, was could Northwest keep that momentum rolling with significant roster turnover?

The passing offense hasn’t been quite as potent, but Wiegert has exploded for more than double his production from last year and has had four 100-yard games despite being the focus of the defense.

From 22 for 260, Wiegert has become a receiver with 43 catches for exactly 700 yards as of the end of the regular season. He’s turned eight of those catches into touchdowns, is averaging over 16 yards per catch and has had five games with at least one reception of 30 yards or more.

His best performance was six catches for 138 yards and two scores in a win over Scottsbluff.

Wiegert is an all-around athlete who also makes plays for the Northwest basketball team as well as the track and field program. His 4.59 second 40-yard dash time has translated into success in the 200, 400 and long jump.

“Chase is extremely smart and able to adjust on the fly,” Northwest coach Kevin Stein said. His top-end speed is good but I believe his ability to change direction is really special.”

Grayson Bouwman – Fort Calhoun Senior – 6-1, 175

Bouwman is a Morningside basketball recruit who could have taken the fall off to avoid the risk of injury. And while his coaching staff was certainly concerned about that possibility, they knew it was a choice he’d never make; he’s just too much of a competitor to walk away.

“That's just not who he is, he wants to compete and he wants to do his best no matter the scenario,” Fort Calhoun coach Zach Byrd said. “

Because he stayed, Bouwman is now the Fort Calhoun leader in single-game receiving yards, single-season receiving yards, career receiving yards and career touchdowns. Those exact numbers are seven catches for 228 yards in a game against Nebraska City, 801 yards his junior season, 1,543 career receiving yards and 22 touchdowns.

He caught fewer balls this year but averaged more yardage per catch, found the end zone six times and served as the Pioneers punter for most of the season. Fort Calhoun suffered through a 2-7 season, but Bouwman had three games with more than 100 receiving yards and four straight games with a touchdown.

On the hardwood, he averages 17 points, four rebounds, three assists and nearly two steals per game.

Maybe his best attribute is his mind. Bouwman recognizes formations and plays fast and can quickly determine what the opponent is trying to do on both sides of the ball. He uses that information to suggest adjustments to the coaching staff. He’s often playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers.

“First and foremost, Grayson is a great teammate, the guys on the team love playing with him and really trust him. He has a great work ethic and sets high standards for himself,” Byrd said. “He's extremely coachable of course, but he's also a student of the game. He often comes to his coaches with information that he's gathered during the game about how he can be in better positions to make plays, such as picking up on a tendency or knowing when he's got a guy covered so we don't have to give him help over the top in coverage and thus can help elsewhere if needed.

“So, we give him a lot of freedom and trust to use his abilities and knowledge because we know he's put in the time and work to do that. He's a competitor, flat out.”

Luke Orr – Omaha Roncalli Senior – 5-11, 175

Midland, Hastings College, Northwestern (Iowa) and certainly, soon to be others are looking for the services of Orr. He and the Crimson Pride have advanced to the playoffs, giving him a chance to add to an already legendary season. Orr has one of the 10 best yardage totals in Nebraska and, if he doesn’t catch another pass, will finish his career as a 1,000-yard receiver who has 60 catches and 17 touchdowns.

His consistency has been remarkable. In 12 games, he has five 100-yard performances and averages five catches per game and over 70 yards.

His favorite opponent has been Pierce. In two career games against the Bluejays, Orr has nine catches for 233 yards and four touchdowns. This year’s matchup in Omaha saw Orr make six catches for 116 yards and find the end zone three times. His best performance of the season was in the opener when he pulled down 10 passes for 166 yards and scored twice. There were a handful of games in which the opposition did a decent job of containing him, but Orr started with touchdowns in each of the first six games and had multiple touchdown catches in five of the nine games.

Defensively, he’s also contributed 23 tackles and picked off two passes.

“Luke is a top receiver in the entire state. He is a fantastic route runner and has great hands. He spends time working on his craft a lot in the offseason,” Roncalli coach Tom Kassing said. “Luke has proven time and time again to be a weapon for our offense. Every team puts their best defender on him, and he is still able to make huge plays.”

Jenson Anderson – Hastings St. Cecilia Senior – 5-11, 170

Who saw Anderson coming after just one catch through his first two years of varsity football? Well, his coaches will tell you he was destined to be a difference-maker, but maybe not to this extent.

Anderson closed the 2023 regular season with 31 catches for 759 yards and seven touchdowns. It followed a breakout campaign that included 49 catches, 821 yards and 10 scores. Oh, and he also averages 34 yards as the Bluehawks punter, averages 30 yards as a kick returner and 16 yards as a punt returner.

His rise as a major weapon on one of the best teams in Class C-2 is a result, coaches say, of his team-first focus. Anderson, naturally, enjoys his individual success. But the hard work he puts in during the offseason in the weight room and other training has more to do with enjoying success together as a team. That approach has been a major factor in St. Cecilia going 7-2 this fall and earning a 7 seed for the postseason as well as a 10-1 campaign last fall.

Outside of football, Anderson is a six-time medalist at the state track meet including a four-medal winner at last year’s meet and the high jump champion and long jump runner-up.

“Jenson is an extremely hard-working person and wants to very good at everything he does,” Bluehawk head coach Clint Head said. “Jenson is special not because he is a state champion high jumper, or an elite football or basketball player. Jenson is special because he takes care of those around him. He wants to succeed but he also wants to see his teammates be successful. He has put many hours into the weight room with his teammates. He has grown up so much over the last four years.”

Kaedan Detamore – Doniphan-Trumbull Senior – 5-10, 150

Detamore has come a long way from his first-ever catch in a game as a sophomore. The Doniphan-Trumbull senior first saw action during a 24-20 win over Gibbon that gave no indication of his future potential. Detamore caught one pass for negative 6 yards. Since then he’s become the Doniphan-Trumbull all-time leader in catches and receiving yards.

He ends his career with 113 total receptions, 1,585 yards and 12 touchdowns. After grabbing 15 passes as a sophomore, he had 51 more as a junior and 47 this past fall. Detamore had his first 100-yard game as a sophomore when he collected just three catches for 104 yards and had a long of 77. He had four more 100-yard games as a junior and this fall put together his second game with 10 or more receptions.

His coaches say Detamore will graduate as the Cardinal leader in several statistical categories because of his focus on the details of becoming a good receiver. His precision in route running and ability to gain leverage on a defense are two aspects of his skill set that he has trained relentlessly.

Detamore was one of just 29 receivers in Nebraska to amass 500 or more yards this fall.

“His ability to play bigger than the height and weight listed for him on the roster is what makes him a special player,” Doniphan-Trumbull coach Jordan Conner said. “As a smaller guy, Kaedan excelled on contested catches and jump balls. His willingness to play through contact and ability to run a variety of routes led to him having a stellar career.

“Work ethic and a love of football are what have made him successful. He loves catching footballs, running routes, and getting open. His best trait has been route running – he does a great job of leaning into coverage before working the other way.”

Spencer Hille – Plainview Senior – 6-2, 170

Humility is, perhaps, the major trait Hille has in what’s an already long list of talents and abilities. Were you to pass him in the hallways at Plainview, his coaches say you wouldn’t see a guy who stands out among the rest or draws attention to himself. He simply shows up, does his job and repeats that routine in all parts of life.

That laser focus has given Hille personal success, if he bothers to take the time to enjoy it, but mostly team success. Plainview completed a perfect 8-0 eight-man regular season this fall, won a game in the playoffs and leaned heavily on Hille for his contributions as a pass catcher, rusher and cornerback.

“Spencer is a very quiet and humble kid. You would never know about his athletic accomplishments just by meeting him,” Plainview coach Kyle Schmidt said. “He is always willing to help others, provide encouragement, and is a very positive role model for all of our students.”

After a first-round playoff win, Hille’s career numbers stood at 101 catches, over 1,670 yards and 23 touchdowns. His junior year was one for the ages. Hille grabbed 56 passes, came up just 64 yards short of having a 1,000-yard season and found the end zone 12 times. He was third in eight-man in total receiving yardage and tied for the lead in touchdown catches.

He had fewer total yards this year as the Plainview offense has incorporated more run into the attack, but he still managed two games with more than 100 yards and caught seven touchdowns.

If the Pirates keep winning, we’re likely to hear Hille’s name a lot more and the state will discover a hidden gem among the smaller schools in the state.

“He is a special athlete that needs to touch the ball multiple times a game. He may not have the receiving stats this year that he has had in the past but overall yardage and production is up,” coach Schmidt said. “If there is ever a 50-50 ball, I know that Spencer is going to come down with it. He just provides a calming confidence for us and leads by example.”

Carson Wieseler – Wynot Senior – 5-8, 165

Appearances can be deceiving. Wieseler isn’t the guy the Blue Devils send off the bus first and won’t attract any extra attention from the stands once he’s in pads and on the field. But what Wiesler lacks in physical presence, he more than makes up for in athletic prowess.

Each of the past two seasons as Wynot has challenged to be among the upper echelon of Class D-2, Wiesler has been just about a third of the passing offense. Quarterback Dylan Heine threw for 2,269 yards last season and 814 of those went to Wieseler. This year, the Blue Devils completed a perfect regular season that saw Heine throw 503 of his 1,526 passing yards to Wieseler.

In total, the Wynot senior has over 2,000 career receiving yards, 163 catches and 33 touchdowns. He’s reached 100 or more receiving yards in a game 10 times and had a career-high 200 in a game this fall that came on 12 catches and included two touchdowns.

And he’s also dangerous and smart enough to do more than just catch passes. Wieseler also averages 5.6 yards per carry on 45 carries for 253 rushing yards and three more touchdowns. Defensively, he has 183 career tackles, eight interceptions and four fumble recoveries.

“Carson Wieseler will not be the biggest, fastest, strongest or quickest athlete on the field but he is generally the smartest wide receiver on the field,” Wynot coach Steve Heimes said. “He is very good at understanding our plays and design concepts. Carson understands what the defense is trying to do to take him out of the picture and makes adjustments. At the same, he communicates with the quarterback and me, the head coach, as to what is happening on the field so that everyone is on the same page on offense. These are the reasons he is a great wide receiver and football player.”

Kaden Thompson – Hershey Senior – 5-8, 155

If you get a chance to visit Hershey High School and see the record boards hanging up, you’ll notice a theme. Thompson rewrote nearly every receiving category during a career that finished with over 100 catches, 1,542 yards and 12 touchdowns. He had more than 30 receptions as a sophomore and a junior then exploded for more than 50 this fall.

Coach Alex Lowther took over the program just about halfway through Thompson’s sophomore season, transitioned the offense to more spread formations and watched as Thompson took off. He’s been part of the gameplan ever since, put into the scheme each week for one-on-one opportunities in space.

As he grew into a dependable weapon, everything came together this past season in the form of 54 receptions, 783 yards and six touchdowns.

He had four games of more than 100 receiving yards, did that three straight weeks and had a top performance of 11 catches for 189 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Valentine. He also took 11 handoffs and turned those into 331 yards and three more scores.

He started about 5-foot-3 and just over 100 pounds then spent the next three years in the weight room and in speed training putting on more than 50 pounds and setting several lifting and speed records in addition to his receiving marks.

“Kaden Thompson is an absolute stud. It has been such an honor to have coached him these last four years and just watched him grow and improve as a player,” coach Lowther said. “KT is not only a great football player, he is also a great student and person. He works hard at whatever he does, and it shows in his play and school work. KT is a kid with a few words but just leads by example and his play.”

Braxton Chvatal – North Bend Sophomore – 5-11, 155

After back-to-back losing seasons at North Bend, the emergence of Chvatal in the passing game has helped to turn things around and return the Tigers to their winning ways.

North Bend was coming off a 1-8 season in which the offense averaged barely over 20 points and twice was held to under 10 when Chvatal joined the roster. The first time the coaching staff trusted him with playing time, he rewarded that trust with five catches for 115 yards in a win over GICC. The coaches knew he’d make a difference, but by the end of the season he had become more than just a difference-maker, he was the Tigers’ go-to playmaker. Chvatal went on to have two more 100-yard games last fall then rolled that into 2023 where he’s doubled his output and become one of the most dangerous weapons in the state.

Chvatal caught 36 passes his rookie season for 464 yards but failed to find the end zone. That all changed this year when he brought down 62 passes for 939 yards and 10 scores. He finished the regular season as the state leader in receiving yards and total receptions. He set new career highs this season that included 12 catches against Bishop Neumann and 161 yards against Archbishop Bergan.

And as good as he’s been, he still has two years to go. Based on the way he’s progressing, he’ll certainly challenge the C-2 record for career catches.

“Braxton takes particular interest in the details and it shows on Friday nights. He is a great route runner, which has allowed him to show consistent performances week in and week out despite different competition,” Tiger coach Dan Maresh said. “His ability to high-point the ball has really developed this past season. He is a great competitor and his love for the game is growing each week.”

Jeremiah Gorham – Omaha Bryan Senior – 5-11, 170

Gorham plays in the Metro but has never been a part of the story that makes up the high school football landscape. The Bears have won just seven games in his four seasons – his freshman year was canceled because of Covid – and the program hasn’t had a winning season in more than 20 years. There was a 5-4 campaign in 2006 but a first-round playoff loss meant a 5-5 final mark.

But Gorham hasn’t needed the spotlight to shine brightly. Just consider his final ratings in several statistical categories and it’s easy to see how much of a difference-maker he is whether or not anyone is paying attention.

Gorham ended his final football season ranked third in Class A in total receiving yards (14th in the state in 11-man football), tied for first in interceptions, first in total return yards, sixth in kickoff return yards, 12th in touchdowns, 15th in scoring, 22nd in tackles and 25th in total yards.

His career stats in numbers look like 22 games, 66 catches, 1,136 yards and 11 touchdowns. As a kick returner, he has nearly 600 kick return yards, 96 punt return yards, a kickoff for a touchdown and a punt return for a touchdown. Defensively, his 22 games ended with 102 total tackles and five interceptions.

Gorham has some interest at the NAIA level but probably deserves a look at Division II and definitely at Division III. He has speed but he also plays with physicality on both sides of the ball and is a good tackler. Maybe receiver isn’t where he belongs, but he’s got the talent to play multiple positions.

“I have coached Jeremiah since middle school here in Omaha. He is a relentless worker; always finishes first in practice drills; very humble,” Bryan coach Bryan Hanson said. “He has been our team captain and unquestioned leader for the past three seasons. Jeremiah is extremely athletic and versatile.”

Tristen Timbers – Alliance Senior – 6-0, 155

Timbers plays in somewhat of a high school football island, out in Alliance in the western part of the state where the clocks are set on mountain time. Because of that, most fans will probably be unfamiliar with his name and his accomplishments.

Timbers is an excellent football player, basketball player and golfer. On the gridiron, he’s pulled down 89 passes over the past two years, found the end zone eight times and averaged over 13 yards per catch. This fall, he is listed among the Nebraska leaders in yardage, putting together 55 catches for 838 yards and finishing second among 11-man players and fourth among all players. However, based on a game story from the local Alliance newspaper, Timbers had 10 catches, 158 yards and a touchdown in the season finale against Sidney. That would make him the top pass catcher in the state. It’s also nearly triple his yardage total as a junior. He also went from one touchdown in 2022 to eight in 2023, had touchdowns in six of nine games and had three scores during a 10-catch, 190-yard showcase in a win over Valentine.

Trenton Ernst – Lincoln Lutheran Sophomore – 5-8

Ernst might be the brightest rising star among the players on this list who will return next season. In his first chance at regular playing time at the varsity level, all he did was have a season that finished eighth in 11-man football in the state in total yardage.

Ernst grabbed 60 passes, totaled 752 yards and scored six touchdowns. He started with a boom and was tough to slow down over the next two months. In a tough 7-0 win over rival Lincoln Christian to start the season, Ernst caught nine passes for 143 yards and the lone touchdown. He had at least four catches in every game after that and busted another big one during a win over Centennial. Ernst set new career-highs with 11 catches, 212 yards and three touchdowns on that night.

At his current pace, he’ll surpass 2,200 yards, near 200 catches and come close to 25 touchdowns. But one would expect Ersnt to continue to mature physically, and motivated by a big season, put in more work in training and the weight room. There’s no guarantees, but that combination should allow him to do more than just match his numbers as a sophomore.

He’s already one of the fastest guys in the state at his position – running on Lutheran’s state runner-up 1600 relay. It seems 2023 was just a taste of a whole buffet of big time plays Ernst will be making over the next two years.

--Nathan Charles 

Millard West wide receiver Jackson Williams avoids a tackler and points out a block to a teammate during a game this season. Williams is the son of former Cornhuskers national champion Jamel Williams who is a North Dakota State recruit. Photo by @MillardWestFB