Brad Wilson | For lehighvalleylive.com
Selecting the top 21 juniors playing football this season would be easier on Oct. 1 than now.
It’s often between 10th and 11th grade that players make the most improvement, improvement that can usually only be seen when the whistle blows for real. Many sophomores had to sit behind upperclassmen and we’ve not seen what they can do.
And comparing across positions is always difficult – quick, who’s the better baseball player, Mike Trout or Chris Sale?
However, we don’t have until Oct. 1 and the man that signs the checks says rankings are the way to go, so here we are.
Page down through the story to see where your favorite junior landed.
Wilson's Shakur Harris. (Jim Middlekauff | lehighvalleylive.com file photo)
21. Shakur Harris
Tight end/defensive lineman
Wilson
Honorable mention All-Colonial League at defensive end in 2017.
20. George Hlavac
Wide receiver/defensive back
Central Catholic
Made 14 catches for 168 yards and a touchdown as a sophomore. Also strong at defensive back.
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Nazareth's Jake Wilson during a 2018 drill. (Kyle Craig | For lehighvalleylive.com)
19. Jake Wilson
Offensive line/defensive line
Nazareth
One of the most active and aggressive defensive linemen in the region last fall. Explodes off the ball.
Northampton's Jared Russell (center). (Kyle Craig | For lehighvalleylive.com)
18. Jared Russell
Wide receiver/defensive back
Northampton
Caught 13 passes for 228 yards for the Konkrete Kids as a sophomore and a standout at cornerback too.
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Nazareth's Kyle Paccio. (Saed Hindash | For lehighvalleylive.com)
17. Kyle Paccio
Running back
Nazareth
Versatile and tough running back who ran for 421 yards and three TDs last season. Also caught 16 passes for 119 yards.
Hackettstown's Nick Gagliardi scores a touchdown against Rutherford. (Chris Faytok | For NJ Advance Media)
16. Nick Gagliardi
Quarterback/defensive back
Hackettstown
Tiger QBs have to be a dual threat in their option offense. He ran for 393 yards on 58 carries and scored eight touchdowns while throwing for 276 yards and 3 scores in 2017.
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15. Evan Deily
Guard/defensive end
Saucon Valley
Started at defensive end and will step in at guard. The Panthers continue to produce top-shelf linemen – a major reason for their recent successes.
14. Kendrick Wesley
H-back/linebacker
Liberty
Returning starter for the Hurricanes at H-back and linebacker. At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, offers formidable size at each spot.
Notre Dame's Andrew Stackhouse. (Brad Wilson | For lehighvalleylive.com)
13. Andrew Stackhouse
Offensive line/defensive line
Notre Dame
Two-way returning starter on both lines for the Crusaders.
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Whitehall's Allen Negrete. (Saed Hindash | For lehighvalleylive.com)
12. Allen Negrete
Wide receiver/defensive back
Whitehall
6 of his 11 catches as a sophomore went for touchdowns. Averaged 26 yards a catch. Solid defensive back as well.
Freedom's Kaden Moore (left). (Saed Hindash | For lehighvalleylive.com)
11. Kaden Moore
Offensive line/defensive line
Freedom
Started on both sides of the ball for the D-11 6A runner-ups.. Brings 6-3, 305-pound size to the table.
10. Nick Johnston
Wide receiver/defensive back
Parkland
Will be counted on for big plays at wide receiver and defensive back as Trojans go for seventh-straight D-11 big school championship. Averaged an impressive 16.1 yards per catch on 13 receptions (209 yards) and two scores in 2017.
Northwestern Lehigh's Deven Bollinger. (Tim Wynkoop | lehighvalleylive.com contributor)
9. Deven Bollinger
Quarterback
Northwestern Lehigh
Quarterback completed 98 of 185 passes for 1,284 yards and 12 TDs as a sophomore; threw for 1,876 yards and 20 TDs as a freshman. Could hit 5,000-yard career mark with a big season.
Northampton's Tyrese Brandon (right). (Kyle Craig | For lehighvalleylive.com)
8. Tyrese Brandon
Running back/cornerback
Northampton
Ran for 623 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2017, and caught 12 passes for 223 yards and a score. Could really boost those numbers as Konkrete Kids move to EPC North.
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Phillipsburg's Bobby Coury (22) grabs on to Easton's Harold Reynolds (26) in the 2017 Thanksgiving Day game. (Tim Wynkoop | lehighvalleylive.com contributor)
7. Bobby Coury
Middle linebacker
Phillipsburg
Prototypical middle linebacker with nose for the ball. Hard-hitting, secure tackler, superb in pursuit.
Phillipsburg's Ray Poremba (left). (Saed Hindash | For lehighvalleylive.com)
6. Ray Poremba
Wide receiver
Phillipsburg
The soft-handed, sure-handed Stateliner made 29 catches for 438 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore.
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Palmerton's Jordan Nelson (left). (Tim Wynkoop | lehighvalleylive.com contributor)
5. Jordan Nelson
Wide receiver/linebacker/punter
Palmerton
Blue Bomber does a little of everything, all of it well. Caught 32 passes in 2017 for 524 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns and was honorable mention All-Colonial League at wide receiver. Was second-team All-CL as an inside linebacker and honorable mention at punter.
Freedom's Jared Jenkins. (Saed Hindash | For lehighvalleylive.com)
4. Jared Jenkins
Quarterback
Freedom
Threw for 2,661 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2017, completing 160 of 312 passes. Also ran for four scores. Has come back immensely bulked up and the added strength should make a difference.
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Nazareth's Anthony Harris. (Matt Smith | lehighvalleylive.com contributor)
3. Anthony Harris
Quarterback
Nazareth
Completed 62 percent of his passes (217 of 350) for 2,600 yards and 28 TDs as a sophomore. With a year of experience, Harris could be even more productive.
Bethlehem Catholic's Tavion Banks. (Kyle Craig | For lehighvalleylive.com)
2. Tavion Banks
Running back/linebacker
Bethlehem Catholic
This was an excruciating choice between Banks and who we did pick at No. 1 (see below), because the Golden Hawk is a magnificent player at both linebacker and running back (126 carries, 897 yards, 11 TDs; 15 catches, 199 yards, 2 TDs).
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Nazareth's Nathan Stefanik (right). (Kyle Craig | For lehighvalleylive.com)
1. Nathan Stefanik
Wide receiver/defensive back/kick returner
Nazareth
It was tough ranking two players ahead of quarterbacks such as Harris and Jenkins, but a standout such as Stefanik who almost never leaves the field, plays defense at a very high level, and can score running back kicks and interceptions as well catching passes (46 receptions, 693 yards, 6 TDs) deserves the highest-ranking spot.
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Brad Wilson may be reached at bwilson@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @bradwsports. Find Lehigh Valley high school sports on Facebook.
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