Here are the top 39 high school football players in the Appleton area heading into the 2024 season

The 2024 high school football season kicks off Aug. 6 when teams are allowed to practice for the first time. The first games of the season will be played Aug. 22.

Here are 39 players to watch this upcoming season from the Post-Crescent coverage area.

Carter Appl, sr., Xavier

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Appl was honorable mention on the Associated Press all-state team at defensive line, Wisconsin Football Coaches Association all-state (Large schools), unanimous first-team all-Bay Conference and the league's defensive lineman of the year. Finished with 68 total tackles, including 16 for loss. He had 8.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

Logan Arft, sr., Kaukauna

Second-team all-Fox Valley Association at defensive line. The 6-1, 221-pound Arft finished with 30 total tackles, including two for loss, and a sack.

Grant Dean, sr., Neenah

The 6-foot, 180-pound Dean was unanimous first-team all-Fox Valley Association at running back. He was also first-team Wisconsin Football Coaches Association all-state (Large) and second-team Associated Press all-state at running back. Led all players in Division 1 with 1,774 yards rushing on 244 carries (7.3 average) with 25 touchdowns. Also had 20 catches for 239 yards and three touchdowns. Unanimous all-FVA at returner and had a kickoff and punt return for a score. Second-team all-FVA at defensive back and finished with 59 total tackles and two interceptions. Has verbally committed to play in college for Wisconsin.

Marcus Doucette, sr., Kimberly

The 5-11, 200-pound Doucette ran for 720 yards on 134 carries and seven touchdowns in a rotational role last season for the Papermakers. Expected to be the lead back in the Kimberly rushing attack this season.

Braedon Ellefson, sr., Kimberly

The 6-3, 215-pound Ellefson was first-team all-Fox Valley Association at linebacker. Led the Papermakers in total tackles (75), with five for loss. Will also play quarterback this season.

Tommy Fields, sr., New London

The 6-1, 200-pound Fields was unanimous first-team all-Bay Conference at running back and linebacker. Ran for 1,015 yards on 242 carries (4.2 average). Also had 47 total tackles with eight for loss, two interceptions and a sack at linebacker.

Blake Fish, sr., Neenah

The 6-foot, 215-pound Fish was an honorable-mention all-Fox Valley Association selection at offensive line for the Rockets last season.

Brock Gardner, sr., Little Chute

The 5-10, 200-pound Gardner was a second-team all-North Eastern Conference pick at linebacker and led the Mustangs in total tackles (83). He also had five tackles for loss and two sacks.

Elijah Gigl, sr., Menasha

The 5-11, 185-pound Gigl was first-team all-Fox River Classic Conference South at running back. Finished with 948 yards on 145 carries (6.5 average) with nine touchdowns.

Sawyer Hanlon, sr., Kimberly

The 6-2, 250-pound Hanlon was first-team all-Fox Valley Association on the defensive line. Finished with 46 total tackles and had seven sacks.

Sean Hansen, sr., Appleton North

First-team all-Fox Valley Association at cornerback. The 6-1, 180-pound Hansen finished with 22 tackles, including two for loss, and one interception.

Daniel Harness, sr., St. Mary Catholic

The 6-1, 200-pound Harness was a first-team all-Trailways Conference selection at defensive end. He totaled 73 tackles with five for loss, including 4.5 sacks. Also led the team in receiving yards (528) on 51 catches with four touchdowns.

Jack Hawkins, sr., Appleton North

The 6-2, 255-pound Hawkins was a second-team all-Fox Valley Association pick on the offensive line.

Cole Hietpas, sr., Xavier

The 6-2, 215-pound Hietpas was a unanimous first-team all-Bay Conference pick at outside linebacker. Finished with 47 total tackles, with four for loss, and had two interceptions. Also plays tight end for the Hawks. Has verbally committed to play in college at Winona State.

Eddie Heuring, sr., Xavier

The 6-2, 265-pound Heuring was unanimous first-team all-Bay Conference at offensive line. Anchored a line that helped the Hawks rush for 3,137 yards and 47 touchdowns.

Aiden Humphreys, sr., Wrightstown

The 6-1, 190-pound Humphreys was a unanimous first-team all-North Eastern Conference pick at running back and linebacker. Helped lead the Tigers to the Division 5 state title game. Finished with 1,566 yards rushing on 240 carries (6.5 average) with 17 touchdowns. Had 97 total tackles, including nine for loss, and two sacks on defense.

Reggie Kloehn, sr., Hortonville

The 6-1, 275-pound Kloehn was first-team all-Valley Football Association on defensive line and the league's co-defensive player of the year with Ben Smith. He finished with 70 total tackles, including 12 for loss. He had two sacks and a forced fumble.

Braeden Jansen, sr., Kaukauna

The 6-4, 280-pound Jansen will anchor the Ghosts' offensive line and was an honorable-mention selection on the all-Fox Valley Association team last season. Will play collegiately at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Luke Jung, sr., Neenah

The 6-1, 185-pound Jung was second-team all-Fox Valley Association at safety. He had 95 total tackles on defense with a tackle for loss. Also finished with 27 catches for 251 yards at tight end. Will play collegiately at Minnesota-Duluth.

Drew Kortz, sr., Freedom

The 6-foot, 177-pound Kortz was a first-team all-North Eastern Conference pick at defensive back. Finished with 23 total tackles. Also the team's quarterback and threw for 1,451 yards and 15 touchdowns last season.

Jaydon Lanser, sr., Menasha

The 6-3, 215-pound Lanser was a first-team all-Fox River Classic Conference South selection at defensive end. Had 38 total tackles with nine for loss, four sacks and four forced fumbles.

Logan Liegl, sr., Menasha

First-team all-Fox River Classic Conference South. The 6-foot, 215-pound Liegl finished with 1,686 yards passing on 128-of-214 attempts with 19 touchdowns and two interceptions. Also ran for 683 yards on 109 carries (6.3 average) and 12 touchdowns.

Todd Marx, jr., Appleton East

Second-team all-Fox Valley Association selection at offensive line. The 6-3, 285-pound Marx is one of the top junior offensive line prospects in the state.

Brayden Novitski, sr., Wrightstown

Was a unanimous first-team all-North Eastern Conference pick at defensive line. The 6-1, 300-pound Novitski totaled 56 tackles, with three for loss, and 2.5 sacks.

Parrion Peace, sr., Appleton West

The 6-1, 175-pound Peace was an honorable-mention selection at safety on the all-Valley Football Association team. Finished with 63 total tackles, a sack and two interceptions. Also caught 16 passes for 180 yards and two scores.

Matthew Potter, jr., Xavier

The 5-10, 175-pound Potter was a second-team all-Bay Conference pick. Ran for 1,100 yards on 173 carries (6.4 average) and 14 touchdowns.

Nathan Rathkamp, sr., Kimberly

The 6-4, 280-pound Rathkamp is a fast riser among state line prospects. He recently verbally committed to play Division I football at the University of St. Thomas (Minn.).

Bobby Salm, sr., Appleton North

The 5-10, 195-pound Salm was first-team all-Fox Valley Association at outside linebacker. Finished with 31 total tackles, including four for loss. Also ran for 210 yards on 43 carries with six touchdowns.

Brody Schaffer, jr., Winneconne

Unanimous all-Bay Conference and the league's receiver of the year. The 6-foot, 165-pound Schaffer finished with 36 catches for 432 yards (12.0 average) and seven touchdowns.

Parker Schuh, sr., Kaukauna

The 6-2, 185-pound Schuh was a unanimous first-team all-Fox Valley Association pick at receiver. Totaled 41 catches for 706 yards (17.2 average) and five touchdowns.

David Schumacher, sr., Fox Valley Lutheran

The 5-11, 170-pound Schumacher was unanimous first-team all-North Eastern Conference. Finished with 30 catches for 405 yards and four touchdowns.

Matthew Speilman, sr., Hortonville

The 6-1, 210-pound Speilman had 35 total tackles, with eight for loss, and four sacks at defensive end. Was a first-team all-Valley Football Association selection.

Hunter Vander Heiden, sr., Freedom

The 6-3, 290-pound Vander Heiden was a first-team all-North Eastern Conference pick at defensive line. Finished with 22 total tackles.

Trevor Vande Hey, sr., Wrightstown

The 6-1, 190-pound Vande Hey started at quarterback for the Tigers and ran for 1,000 yards on 120 carries (8.3 average) with 11 touchdowns. He was second-team all-North Eastern Conference at quarterback and first-team all-conference at punter.

Riley Verboomen, sr., Appleton West

The 6-foot, 210-pound Verboomen shared the team lead with 63 total tackles, including seven for loss. Was an honorable-mention all-Valley Football Association pick at outside linebacker.

Sam Wegener, sr., Clintonville

The 6-4, 195-pound Wegener was unanimous first-team all-Northwoods Conference and honorable mention on the WFCA all-state team (Small). Finished with 59 catches for 963 yards (16.3 average) and 12 touchdowns.

Ben Wenzel, jr., Appleton North

The 6-3, 215-pound Wenzel was second-team all-Fox Valley Association at linebacker. Finished with 57 total tackles, including three for loss, with an interception.

Kyreese White, sr., Appleton East

The 5-8, 170-pound White was an honorable-mention selection on the all-Fox Valley Association team. Ran for 357 yards on 49 carries with five touchdowns. Averaged 7.3 yards per carry and boasts a 4.47 time in the 40.

Parker Wienandt, sr., Menasha

The 5-11, 165-pound Wienandt was first-team all-Fox River Classic Conference South at receiver and the conference's receiver of the year. He finished with 31 catches for 569 yards (18.4 average) and seven touchdowns.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Here are the top 39 high school football players in the Appleton area heading into the 2024 season