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By Christian Potts
Photo: Rejoice Christian’s Maverick Price
Special groups play usually is the forgotten part of football. But how usually does a giant kickoff return, or a blocked punt, flip the course of an in depth recreation?
Teams that may excel in the particular groups a part of the recreation get an added increase over those that wrestle, and generally that is the distinction between a playoff season or not, or a state championship or a first-round postseason exit.
One solely has to have a look at what’s already occurred in the younger season in a number of video games at the increased ranges of Division I faculty football and even the National Football League to see the significance of the kicking recreation.
Various senior kickers graduated in 2022 and have moved on to school alternatives, together with Marlow’s Jace Gilbert (Iowa State) and Tulsa Union’s Tyler Cowan (Central Oklahoma), amongst others. But loads of gifted gamers want to step up in, and making an attempt to maintain an array of speedsters from making large performs in the return recreation.
Over the subsequent few weeks, we’ll be taking a position-by-position have a look at a few of the top gamers in Oklahoma high school football. This checklist focuses on the specialists.
There are lots of of standout football gamers in Oklahoma and these lists usually are not supposed to be complete. Let us learn about every other specialists worthy of followers’ consideration in 2022.
Oklahoma’s top high school football gamers for 2022
QB | RB | DL | LB | DB | TE | OL | WR
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Joseph Kim, 5-10, 180, Sr., PK, Lawton
The Wolverines have one in all the top seniors in the state, each from on-field efforts plus a robust effort at the Kohl’s Kicking Camp, a nationwide group specializing in the kicking recreation for high school athletes.
That helped Kim to a No. 7 nationwide rating for the Class of 2023, the highest of any Oklahoma kicker to make the rankings. He’s a preseason All-State choose by The Oklahoman.
Kim already has gone 15-of-15 on additional factors, transformed his solely area aim try, and simply obtained his first collegiate supply from Southwestern Oklahoma State.
Jacobe Johnson, 6-3, 200, Sr., KR/PR, Mustang
Stop us when you’ve seen this title earlier than, however Johnson’s exploits on the area transcend simply his roles as an elite broad receiver and defensive again for the Mustangs.
The Oklahoma commit additionally stars in the return recreation, the place he already has a kick return landing towards Southmoore this season and a number of large returns throughout the Broncos’ playoff run a yr in the past.
Parker Stephens, 6-1, 185, Sr., Ok, Coweta
Stephens is a senior who comes into the season with high expectations for a workforce making an attempt to get to the top of Class 5A. And he is already had a big effect, booting the game-winning area aim in a Week 1 triumph towards arch-rival Wagoner.
Stephens can also be one in all the top gamers for the Tiger soccer workforce, serving as workforce captain for a number of seasons.
Rickey Hunt Jr., 6-0, 185, Sr., KR/PR, OKC Millwood
Hunt has stuffed many roles for the Falcons and is one in all the most explosive return males in the Oklahoma City space, each for punts and kickoffs.
He’s the top tailback for the Falcons this yr, however served as the workforce’s beginning quarterback in his junior yr. His talents in a number of phases determine to proceed to draw extra consideration on the recruiting path.
Liam Evans, 5-8, 155, Jr., Ok, Moore
The junior is one in all the highest rated kickers in the nation per the rankings of Kohl’s, coming in as the No. 9 kicker in the Class of 2024, after a giant camp at the group’s Texas Showcase.
For the Lions, he is excellent in the younger season, making 20-of-20 additional factors and each of his area objectives.
Jakeb Snyder, 5-10, 175, Sr., KR/PR, Bixby
Snyder makes performs as each a receiver and defensive again, however can also be a giant a part of the return recreation for the Spartans, with certain fingers for fielding punts.
He additionally possesses a burst that may make the senior a menace to attain each time a kick comes his means.
Ethan McBee, 5-11, 140, Jr., Ok/P, Poteau
The junior is a giant a part of the particular groups for one in all japanese Oklahoma’s best squads, serving as the specialist for placekicking, kickoffs and punting.
A yr in the past, he transformed 69-of-71 additional factors and all three of his area aim makes an attempt for the Pirates.
Micah Tease, 5-11, 180, Sr., KR/PR, Tulsa Booker T. Washington
The Arkansas commit virtually by no means comes off the area for the Hornets. And whereas he is identified for his play at broad receiver and defensive again, he might be electrical when he touches the ball in the return recreation.
He’s discovered the finish zone in his profession through returns of a punt, interception and fumble, in addition to speeding and receiving.
Ty Ackerman, 6-0, 170, So., Ok, Edmond Memorial
Just a sophomore, Ackerman has already impressed coaches and teammates after a stable freshman season kicking for the Bulldogs. His position figures to develop in significance for a workforce hoping to make a transfer ahead in 6AI this fall.
Also a key member of the Bulldogs’ soccer squad, Ackerman is ideal on 13 additional level makes an attempt this yr.
Braxton Street, 5-11, 175, Sr., KR/PR, Maud
Street is an all-around power at the 8-man degree who’s garnering quite a few faculty presents.
But the senior nonetheless has unfinished enterprise for the Tigers, together with bringing the opening kickoff again for a landing and piling up greater than 250 complete yards in his first outing of 2022 towards Depew.
John Michael Crooks, 5-9, 160, Sr., Ok, Oklahoma Christian School
The senior returns for kicking duties, the place he is significantly proficient at touchback proportion, serving to the Saints with area place.
He’s additionally a constant placekicker, having made a area aim in every of the Saints’ first three contests in 2022 as he appears to get on the radar of collegiate packages.
David Arriaga, 6-2, 195, Jr., Ok, Stratford
Many kickers on this checklist are specialists solely in the kicking recreation, however Arriaga’s abilities lengthen to different necessary areas for the Bulldogs.
He’s additionally a key contributor at working again and on protection, and has transformed all 13 of his additional level makes an attempt this season. He was ranked as the nation’s No. 12 kicker amongst 2024 juniors by Kohl’s.
Nate Jones, 5-9, 196, Sr., KR, Broken Arrow
An enormous a part of the Tigers’ floor assault, Jones additionally figures to get touches in all phases of the kick return recreation for Broken Arrow.
He’s the main returning rusher for the Tigers, and early in the yr has been their go-to man on kickoff returns.
Maverick Price, 5-10, 150, Ok/P, Rejoice Christian
The Eagles’ junior placekicker will get loads of work on additional factors with the high-powered Rejoice offense ceaselessly discovering the finish zone. But he is additionally a weapon together with his kickoff capacity and on the uncommon events Rejoice must pin an opponent again with a great punt.
Already in 2022, Price has transformed all 23 of his point-after-touchdown makes an attempt.
Merric Judd, 5-11, 175, Sr., KR/PR, Timberlake
One of the most efficient gamers in the 8-man recreation in Oklahoma final yr, Judd was a giant a part of Timberlake’s Class C title run, not simply catching passes but in addition in the return recreation.
As dominant as the Tigers have been, they don’t seem to be usually receiving kickoffs, however Judd is a weapon in the punt return recreation, with a number of scoring returns in his junior season in 2021.
Andrew Pursell, 5-8, 145, Sr., Ok, Jenks
The senior is the newest in a pleasant line of placekickers for the extremely ranked Trojans. He’s a top 75 nationwide kicker amongst seniors in the Kohl’s rankings, and figures to get much more alternatives as the Trojans’ offense appears to spherical into kind in the coming weeks.
He scored Jenks’ solely factors on this yr’s defeat in the Backyard Bowl to Tulsa Union on a 34-yard area aim.
Cooper Hamilton, 6-0, 185, Sr., KR/PR, Keys
Hamilton is one other of these small-school guys that hardly ever leaves the area. His junior yr additionally featured each punt and kickoff return touchdowns whereas he additionally starred at working again and linebacker, however a late-season damage lower his season quick.
The Seminole State commit for baseball will search to once more be a distinction maker on the football area in 2022.
Jace Mills, 6-0, 150, Sr., Ok/P, Luther
Many smaller faculties wrestle in the kicking recreation, however the Lions will not be one in all them.
Mills is in his fourth yr kicking for the Lions and was picked as the first-team Little All-City kicker by the Oklahoman final yr. He handles each kicking and punting duties for Luther.
Brady McAdoo, 6-0, 165, So., KR/PR, Tuttle
McAdoo is a power in the working recreation for the Tigers, but in addition a participant opposing groups must worry in the return recreation.
Just a sophomore, he figures to make large performs in some ways, and located the finish zone six occasions in the Tigers’ early-season win towards Noble.
Emmanuel Crawford, 6-0, 180, Sr., KR/PR, Grove
Though maybe higher identified for his work at working again for the Ridgerunners, Crawford’s explosiveness in the open area additionally makes him a scary return man who has a number of punt-return touchdowns in his profession.
His story is superb too, as a one-time baby slave in Ghana who was saved by a baby rescue group in 2009 and later adopted by a Grove couple. Now, he is earned a number of presents to play faculty football however nonetheless has unfinished enterprise on the area for Grove this fall.
Rudy Vargas, 6-0, 160, Sr., Ok/P, Ardmore
This is the fourth yr for Vargas to deal with each the placekicking and kickoffs for the Tigers, one in all the many squads hoping to get to the top of Class 5A.
Vargas additionally takes over punting from Jackson Hedger, a 2022 senior, and is even getting some snaps at broad receiver.
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