ESPN released its annual list of the top 150 high school football players in the country on Tuesday. Arizona boasts only one player in the rankings, Tempe Marcos De Niza safety Priest Willis. Willis comes in at No. 62 in the first batch of rankings. See how ESPN ranked other Arizona high school players after the jump.
With over 25 scholarship offers, Priest Willis is one of the most highly recruited defensive players in the state's history. Willis holds offers from ASU, USC, Florida, Florida State, LSU and Notre Dame among others. Willis is ranked as the sixth best safety in the class of 2013 and is ranked as the eight best player in the west region by ESPN.
ESPN ranks Brophy Prep quarterback Tyler Bruggman as the second best player in the state. Bruggman holds offers from ASU, Arkansas, Arizona, Michigan State and Vanderbilt. Bruggman is ranked as the 17th best pocket passer in the country according to ESPN.
Jalen Ortiz and Cole Luke were given four star ratings by ESPN. Ortiz and Luke are both defensive backs, Ortiz is ranked as the 25th best corner by ESPN and Luke is ranked 29th. Both hold offers from ASU, as part of the programs emphasis on in-state talent.
Blue Ridge linebacker Chance Cox is ranked as the fifth best player in the state and the No. 41 athlete in the country. Personally, I think that this is a little low for Cox, who holds offers from ASU, U of A, USC, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Nebraska.
Full list of the ESPNU 150.
Full list of the top Arizona players.