VOTE NOW: Who is the top high school football player to watch in the Gaylord Area?

High school football is back. Well, almost.

Game week is here for teams around Michigan as the Gaylord area gets set to kick off the 2024 football season on Thursday, Aug. 29. Johannesburg-Lewiston hosts the area's lone home game against Harbor Springs on Thursday evening while Gaylord travels to Traverse City West and St. Mary's heads across the bridge to Rudyard.

It is time for you to decide who the top football player to watch in the area is as the new season gets set to begin. Make sure to vote up until Friday morning for your choice for GHT Preseason POTY:

Keaton Abraham, Gaylord

One of the few returning starters for the Blue Devils this season, Abraham figures to be the top player on both the offensive and defensive line for Gaylord this season.

Players to watch: Check out the football players to watch in the Gaylord area in 2024

High school football: Check out the week one matchups for Gaylord, St. Mary and JoBurg

Isaac Collins, Gaylord

Collins made impact plays in his limited playing time last year, including a one-handed interception to wrap up the game against Alpena, but figures to be even more involved on both sides of the ball this year as a ball carrier and defensive back.

Connor Byram, Gaylord

Byram set the school record for field goals in a single season (10), but figures to be a bigger piece of the puzzle on both the offense as a tight end and the defense as a member of their front seven.

Nate Hummel, JoBurg

The leading rusher for the Cardinals in 2023, Hummel figures to be the workhorse for JoBurg's run-first offense this season.

Kyler Nowak, JoBurg

Started the second half of the 2023 season at quarterback and is back as the starter in 2024. Tall, versatile athlete who figures to improve after an offseason to prepare as the QB1.

Daniel Jacobson, Gaylord St. Mary

Probably the top returning athlete at any of the three schools, Jacobson figures to be a Swiss army knife for a new-look GSM offense after wrapping 2023 with over 1600 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Contact GHT Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at Djespersen@gaylordheraldtimes.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersen

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: VOTE NOW: Who is the top high school football player to watch in the Gaylord Area?