20 best high school freshmen in the nation during the 2023 football season

These 20 ninth-graders have proven to belong at the varsity level this fall

High school football is usually dominated by juniors and seniors, but some underclassmen have what it takes to excel against older players.

SBLive Sports set out to find the best freshman football players in the nation this fall.

Here are 20 ninth-graders who are making a big impact at the varsity level during the 2023 high school football season.

Who did we miss? Email bob.lundeberg@gmail.com to give a shout-out to other freshmen across the country who are showing out this season playing varsity football.

Note: All stats are current through Oct. 17.

Joseph Allen, Melbourne Central Catholic (Florida)

Allen has lit it up behind center for Melbourne Central Catholic this season, throwing for 1,427 yards and 18 touchdowns. He is also a standout on the basketball court. 

Kingston Anetema, North (California)

One of the most productive receivers in Los Angeles County this fall, Anetema has 48 catches for 857 yards and eight touchdowns. He also has a pair of interceptions on defense. 

Ethan Feaster, DeSoto (Texas)

Before playing one snap of varsity football, Feaster had already accumulated more than two dozen Division I scholarship offers. He is the first freshman receiver to play under longtime DeSoto head coach Claude Mathis and has 293 receiving yards and three touchdowns this year. 

Darryl Flemister III, Detroit King (Michigan)

An elite all-around athlete, Flemister has been the starting quarterback for Detroit King as a freshman. He guided the Crusaders to the PSL Blue Division championship game. 

Nixon Gasperosky, Pinecrest Academy Cadence (Nevada)

Gasperosky has 37 receptions for 728 yards and 10 touchdowns as a starting receiver for Pinecrest Academy Cadence. He has also been a factor on defense (one interception) and special teams (three return TDs). 

Jordan Hamm, Wilson Prep (North Carolina)

The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Hamm is a standout for Wilson Prep at linebacker and tight end. He is averaging nine tackles per game with 13 sacks and 18 quarterback hurries. 

Khyren Haywood, Guyer (Texas)

A force of nature at defensive tackle, Haywood recorded six total tackles and a pair of sacks in a recent victory over Boyd. He is one of the top prospects in Texas for the class of 2027 and picked up his first offer from Arizona State over the summer. 

Amarri Irvin, Woodward Academy (Georgia)

Irvin is playing both ways as a freshman at running back and linebacker. The playmaker’s early Division I offers include Georgia, Oregon and Penn State. 

Ge’arey Johnson, Mount Zion Christian (North Carolina)

Johnson played varsity football as an eighth-grader for Mount Zion Christian and is a starter at quarterback and safety this season. He is averaging nearly five tackles per game and has 940 yards of total offense with five touchdowns. 

Jordyn Kees, Loyd Star (Mississippi)

Kees also saw varsity action as an eighth-grader and has blossomed into a star tailback for Loyd Star this fall. He has carried it 198 times for 1,404 yards and 21 touchdowns. 

Elijah Kimble, Canisius (New York)

Another productive running back, Kimble has 105 carries for 1,059 yards and 11 touchdowns as a freshman. Kimble holds offers from Oregon and Penn State. 

Josiah Molden, West Linn (Oregon)

Molden has already proven to be a lockdown cornerback for Class 6A power West Linn. The younger brother of former Washington standout and current Tennessee Titans corner Elijah Molden, Josiah Molden’s early offers include Oregon, Oregon State and the Huskies. 

Larry Moon III, Pittsburgh Central Catholic (Pennsylvania)

Moon, a coveted cornerback prospect, has not allowed a touchdown in coverage during his freshman season. He already holds offers from Penn State, Pittsburgh and Wisconsin, among others. 

Gunner Rivers, St. Michael Catholic (Alabama)

The son of former Pro Bowl quarterback Philip Rivers, Gunner Rivers plays quarterback for his dad at St. Michael Catholic. Gunner has thrown for 2,086 yards and 23 touchdowns to just two interceptions this season while also running for a pair of scores. 

Noah Roberts, Basha (Arizona)

Basha is loaded with playmakers on offense, but Roberts has been too talented to keep off the field this fall. The versatile weapon has 325 yards of total offense and three touchdowns. 

Trent Seaborn, Thompson (Alabama)

Seaborn led Thompson to a state championship as an eighth-grade quarterback and has been even better this fall. He has completed almost 72 percent of his passes, throwing for 1,239 yards and 15 touchdowns. Seaborn’s offers include Alabama, Auburn and Oregon. 

Bode Sparrow, Davis (Utah)

A two-sport Division I prospect in football and basketball, Sparrow has been one of the most productive wide receivers in Utah’s Class 6A this season. He has 50 catches for 763 yards and 10 touchdowns. 

Cole Stephens, Greencastle (Indiana)

Stephens has completed 133 of 193 passes for 2,347 yards and 32 touchdowns during a dominant freshman season. He set the school record for TD passes in a game with 10 against Brown County. 

Richard Wesley, Sierra Canyon (California)

At 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds, Wesley is already a game-changing defensive end for Sierra Canyon. He has 8.5 sacks and 13 quarterback hurries this season. Wesley’s early offers include Georgia, USC and Washington. 

Brady Young, New Richmond (Ohio)

Young is a small-school standout who has lit it up for New Richmond this season. He has thrown for 2,385 yards and 27 touchdowns while also catching a pair of TDs. 

(Darryl Flemister III photo by Kirthmon F. Dozier/USA Today Network)

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-- Bob Lundeberg | @sblivesports