They’re still under the radar, on the cusp of breaking out big on high school football fields all over Arizona in 2019.

Here is a look at players on the brink of stardom:

Keegan Stancato, Glendale Mountain Ridge, QB, 6-3, 205

He and his twin brother Kyler (a wide receiver who committed this week to Washington State for baseball) moved from the Seattle area last September, and recovering from a back injury, Keegan missed the first six football games, before making his debut against Peoria Liberty, one of the best defenses in the state. Stancato showed his promise with 301 yards and two TDs on 25 of 51 passing in his first game, a 56-20 loss. He’s got a clean slate heading into this season, feeling he can put together a season that will generate Division I offers.

Danny Rivera, Scottsdale Saguaro, SS, 6-1, 190, Sr.

He started as a junior and was a physical presence in Saguaro’s loaded secondary. “He doesn’t get the attention that our high-profile DBs get, but he is every bit as important to the success of that unit,” coach Jason Mohns said. “He is a vocal leader and a tremendous football player with great instincts. He is receiving interest from several Division I programs and I expect his recruiting to take off after the first few games of his senior year.”

A.J. Skaggs, Tucson Sabino, QB, 6-2, 220, Jr.

The Sabercats were 0-2 last year when coach Ryan McBrayer decided to move him up from junior varsity. He led varsity to 10 straight wins and into the 3A semifinals. “He has a lot of playmakers to get the ball to this year in the form of Diego Armijo, Jayson Petty, Sam Valenzuela, Daniel McAllister, Andrew Owen, and more,” McBrayer said. “Big-time arm and college coaches will be on this kid by the end of the year if they don’t know about him already.”

Andre Eden, Phoenix Brophy Prep, RB, 6-0, 190, Sr.

Even though he was injured most of last season, new head coach Jason Jewell said the film Eden does have is good. “He’s a fantastic kid,” Jewell said. “Works very hard, has good size, one of the strongest kids in our weight room and carries a 4.0 GPA. … I’m anxious to see what he can do with pads on.”

Regis Velez, Brophy Prep, WR, 6-4, 200

Jewell was quite impressed with Velez during the summer passing league games. “He looked like a grown man in passing league, and I hope it translates to the regular season,” Jewell said “At 6-4, 200 pounds, he is a serious match-up problem.” Jewell said Velez has an FCS offer from San Diego and  several Division II schools. He is getting interest from Division I.

Zach Schroeder, Gilbert Highland, 6-2, 175, WR, Sr.

He set a school record in the 300-meter hurdles at state in May, so watch this guy take off with good hands and disciplined route running that will make him a big-play threat for a team coming off a 6A semifinal season.

Max Davis, Highland, RB, 5-11, 180, Jr.

He was the Hawks’ fourth running back last season but he had enough quality reps with other RBs needing a break because they were on defense. He averaged 8.3 yards a carry in his small doses.

Tanner Crandall, Highland, WR, 5-11, 175, Sr.

He is the only returning starter on offense.

Kam Cullimore, Highland, LB, 5-10, 190, Jr.

He is Kohner Cullimore’s little brother. Kohner was named to The Arizona Republic’s All-Arizona team last season when he was a senior. He played little as a sophomore at outside linebacker.  Coach Brock Farrel is moving him to inside backer and he’s ready to play like big brother.

Jackson Tewalt, Highland, DL, 6-2, 270, Sr.

He moved in from New Mexico and didn’t take long to make an impact in workouts.

Jackson Ray, Highland, P/K, 5-11, 150, Jr.

He is among the top three in the nation for his class by Chris Sailer Kicking. Ray was behind All-Arizona punter/kicker Austin McNamara last year.

P.J. London, Lakeside Blue Ridge, QB/FS, 6-2, 195, Jr.

A three-sport athlete who has had personal training from Valley quarterback coach Dan Manucci since his freshman year. As a sophomore, he completed 63 percent of his passes and threw 11 TD passes on a run-oriented team. Playing for his father Bob London, the playbook may open wide this season for him.

Joseph Jensen, San Tan Valley Combs, 5-10, 175, Athlete, Jr.

He is ready to break out at running back and strong safety. Coach Travis Miller calls him “easily the physical MVP on our team through summer ball. He has taken an extreme dedication to the weight room and speed training. He has increased in size by about 20 pounds.” Jensen started varsity last year as a sophomore on defense, but was behind two senior running backs on offense. “Nobody, specifically in our region, really knows about him or his ability this year. He has already been named a team captain for the season. And we are going to rely on him a great deal.”

Pedro Velasquez, Salome, QB/CB, 5-9, 165, Sr.

He had to move from running back to quarterback last year and struggled at times with the switch. After a steady diet of film and footwork, he made it to 90 percent of the summer workouts, despite holding down a fulltime job to help support his family. “He has really gotten his body in great shape,” coach Bryan McCarty said. “He has thrown all summer to get footwork, technique, and timing down.”

Conner Cordts, Glendale Cactus, QB, 6-2, 180, Jr.

With former Gilbert Higley quarterback Mason Crossland joining Joseph Ortiz’s staff to coach QBs, watch this guy take off. Crossland set passing records at Higley in three years when Ortiz was his offensive coordinator. “He has potential to explode onto the scene,” Ortiz said of Cordts.

Nico Vasko, Avondale Westview, QB/RB, 5-10, 192, Jr.

He’s gotten bigger and stronger and should emerge as the team’s feature runner and  passer on what should be a pretty good team. How Vasko goes, will Westview go.

Dallas Edwards, Kingman Academy, WR, 6-2, 165, Sr.

Made a position switch last year at mid-season and has gotten a great grasp of the system. Excellent route runner.

Hayven Potter, Kingman Academy, WR, 6-3, 190, Sr.

He took last year off, but coach John Morgando says Potter has worked hard to get back into shape and “is still going to be able to take the top off a defense.” As a sophomore, he caught 23 passes for 636 yards and seven TDs on varsity.

Cooper Arndt, Tonopah Valley, QB, 6-0, 180, Sr.

Coach Dustin Johnson calls Arndt the QB by necessity, “but he is an athlete.” He also plays strong safety, where he stood out last year. This year he is ready to break  out on offense.

Kolby Goetz, Tonopah Valley, OL/DL, 6-2, 225, Sr.

He’s added a lot of size since last year when he was second team All-2A at 180 pounds. He plays all over the D-line,  where he’ll become a force.

K’Rashee Smith, Phoenix South Mountain, RB, Sr.

He had to sit out the first five games last year due to the transfer rule. Still, he had 788 yards, 10 TDs, no fumbles in only 74 carries. “In our opinion, he was the equivalent to two more wins on the season,” coach Mark Carter said. “He showed up and showed out in the biggest of games this season. … He will be a force to reckon with in 2019.”

T’Ziaha “Tizz” Quint, South Mountain, OL/DL, 5-10, 220, Sr.

Great leader on and off the field, loves contact. Excellent pulling guard and two-gap defensive lineman, he will make the Jags run game go.

Marcal Whiterock, Tuba City, OLB, 5-11, 170, Sr.

Coach Vincent Lee said Whiterock put in the work to be one of the best linebackers in the conference. “He is working hard to learn new techniques and find his place in a new defense scheme,” Lee said. “His work ethic combined with his physical abilities will lead to him being an impact player at the OLB position.”

Christopher Walter, Florence, QB, 6-2, 200, Jr.

Coach Scott Howard believes Walter is set for a monster season after playing well as a sophomore. “He has improved both physically and mentally,” Howard said. “He has worked hard in the weight room. He has been working with Rudy Carpenter since December. He has gotten more consistent with the deep ball and starting to really understand our concept and what we are trying to accomplish. I can tell his football IQ has improved, as well.”

Sebastian Adamski, Sahuarita Walden Grove, H-back, LB, 5-11, 205, Jr.

Attended several camps this offseason and has gotten bigger and stronger, adding 20 pounds after wrestling at 184. He deadlifts and squats over 400 pounds and bench presses 275.

Stephen Brower, Walden Grove, S, 5-9, 195, Jr.

He was invited to The Show NextGen combine showcase in Florida at IMG Academy. “He is a beast in the weight room and deadlifting 465, squatting 425, and benching 285,” coach Corey Noble said. “He also runs in the 4.6s in the 40-yard dash.”

Richmond “Tre” Slan, Walden Grove, CB, 6-0, 185, Sr.

He plays basketball and runs track. “He is going to explode this year, in his first year playing high school football,” Noble said “Total sleeper.”

Cooper Harris, Tucson Rincon University, OL, 6-4, 280, Sr.

Has a 3.8 GPA and can squat lift more than 500 pounds. “Great worker, better person,” coach Mike Strack said. “Cooper does not yet know how good he can be.”

Marcelino Vega, Tucson Pueblo, QB/S, 6-0, 195, Sr.

He became the starting quarterback midway through last season and led Pueblo to a 4-1 record, including a win over Douglas, which was 5-0 at the time. “He’s worked extremely hard this offseason, including spending some days in California with QB specialist Akili Smith (former University of Oregon and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback),” coach Brandon Sanders said.

Andrew Morris, Gilbert Mesquite, WR/OLB, 6-2, 200, So.

Coach Scott Hare says Morris comes in at the top 10 percent of the state when it comes to work ethic. “Everything he does is full speed and with a purpose,” Hare adds. “It does not matter if he is in the weight room, running routes or playing basketball, everything is done fast. He is a big boy for a sophomore and has the mentality beyond his years. He is going to have a huge year this year and I believe will be on a lot of D-I radars. Andrew will play multiple positions to get the most out of what he brings to the Wildcats this fall.”

Isaac Yates, Surprise Shadow Ridge, WR/DB, 6-2, 175, So.

 A track athlete, Yates will be turned loose on varsity as a receiver and defensive back. “Explosive player with great hands,” coach Bob Chappelle said.

Jack Chappelle, Shadow Ridge, OL, 6-5, 285, Jr.

Son of head coach Bob Chappelle. “Has had a great winter in the weight room preparing to start at left tackle,” his dad said.

J.D. Roberts, Scottsdale Notre Dame, LB, 6-2, 225, Jr.

He is coming back from a knee injury that kept him out last year. He would have started varsity as a sophomore but got injured in the scrimmage against Maricopa.

Matt Malloy, Notre Dame, LB, 6-2, 195, Sr.

He was a special teams player last year, but he’s ready to break out on defense.

Matthew Hershey, Gilbert Christian, Athlete, 5-9, 170, So.

He’ll play large role on varsity in myriad ways. On offense, look for him to play both quarterback and wingback. On defense, he’ll move around from linebacker to strong safety to free safety. He has a baseball background. “This summer he has been our main QB in 7-on-7s and has performed extremely well,” new coach Danny Norris said. “Being that we are a run-first team, Matthew will also line up as wingback and carry the rock for us. … He has gained good weight this summer through lifting and conditioning to prepare himself to be a key contributor for our program.”

Makai Obregon, Surprise Valley Vista, DB, 5-11, 185, Sr.

Has a 4.5 GPA and was one of the top wrestlers at 185 pounds. “He has really worked on his skill level to put himself in the Ivy League/high D-II academic college radar,” coach Josh Sekoch said.

Andrew Sheppard, Kayenta Monument Valley, QB/DB, 5-10, 170, So.

Coach Bryan Begay says Sheppard has a high football IQ with exceptional short and intermediate passing accuracy. Good footwork. “He understands different throw velocity and timing,” Begay said. “He knows the option game very well. He makes good decisions most of the time.  He’s a gamer. Extends plays with his legs and is always looking to get the ball downfield. Not the fastest but is able to escape pressures and outrun defenders.”

Kai Spencer, Marana, QB/DB, 6-2, 175, Jr.

He’s ready to take over the reigns from graduated QB Trenton Bourguet, who rewrote Marana’s passing records. He started 11 games at receiver and defensive back in 2018. “Kai has all the intangibles to be a phenomenal QB in Southern Arizona with his competitiveness, grit, leadership, and being coachable,” coach Louie Ramirez said. “Kai has had a tremendous offseason in the weight room and has put himself in a position to lead the Tigers this fall.”

Charles “Chika” Ebunoha, Marana, Athlete, 6-0, 150, So.

He contributed on varsity as a freshman but should have a breakout year with a 40-inch vertical jump. “Chika has all the athleticism in the world to make him a threat for any team to prepare for,” Ramirez said.

Marko Vuleti?, Phoenix Veritas Prep, RB/LB, 5-10, 150, Jr.

He’s a leader on the team with just three years playing football. “Leads the team workouts, pushes teammates to attend,” coach Jason Black said. He returned four kickoffs for TDs last year.

Antonio Figueroa, Phoenix St. Mary’s, OG/DT, 6-1, 265, Jr.

He missed all of last season with a knee injury. But he obviously put in the work to become a force this year. “He is the strongest kid I have ever coached,” coach Tommy Brittain said. His father Armando is a St. Mary’s alum.

Y’Marius Joshlin, Phoenix Sierra Linda, DE, 6-6, 215, Sr.

He made all-region even after sitting out first five games because of his transfer from Laveen Betty Fairfax. He still has to fill out, coach Nate Gill said, but he has added 17 pounds since last season and “is very twitchy as a pass rusher.”

Trajan Forrester, Phoenix North Canyon, DE, 6-1, 230, Sr.

Played linebacker for North Canyon last year, but with his move to defensive end, he has become an extremely athletic defensive lineman. “We anticipate him having the burst to become a premier pass rusher, while also having the strength to set an edge,” first-year coach Adam Beene said. “He has a high football IQ and has made every workout this summer. He is starting to understand the things we are trying to accomplish both as a defense and from a program perspective.”

Taveo Harris, North Canyon, DT, 6-2, 260, Jr.

He was forced to miss the entire season last year due to a double transfer. Has exceptional athleticism for a guy his size. “He has the ability to command a double team and can also create pressure in the face of a quarterback,” Beene said. “He has started to understand his role in the defense and anchors the middle of an athletic defensive line.”

Marcus Hubbard, North Canyon, DE, 6-4, 230, So.

He played on the freshman team last year. “Marcus is extremely long off the edge,” Been said. “He plays opposite of senior defensive end, Trajan Forrester, and has put in a great deal of work in the weight room to increase his body control and strength. Marcus is the puppy on an athletic defensive line that looks to create trouble for opposing offensive coordinators.”

Josh McClintock, Mesa Westwood, 5-11, 180, RB/CB, Sr.

Coach Kyle Ide felt like McClintock, a move-in from Virginia, was underutilized last season. “He has worked extremely hard in the weight room and ran track and really improved his speed,” Ide said.

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