Vote: Who was Virginia’s top junior football player of 2023?
The 2023 high school football season is complete and we are going around the East Coast, reflecting on the last few months.
One of the big questions is what upperclassmen on the scene made the biggest impact to a football program or state even? That’s where juniors that saw extensive playing time come into the mix.
That’s why we ask the question: Who was the top junior football player of 2023?
We will go state-by-state along the East Coast and in search of the top junior. Comment and let us know if we missed anyone you think should be on our list.
We’ve selected 12 worthy candidates and ask you the fan to vote for who you think topped them all.
Voting will end on March 9th, 2024.
Editor’s note: Our corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. This poll is specifically for fans to vote on the players that have been nominated and in no way discredits any other player that may not be mentioned in our poll.
Here are the nominees:
Peyton Musick, QB, Honaker: The signal caller was among the best when it came to the junior class. Musick in 2023 completed 222-of-343 passes for 3,343 yards and 48 touchdowns to just three interceptions.
Gabe Drown, QB, Northern Virginia Homeschool: Drown was the only other junior besides Musick to surpasses 40 or more touchdowns last season. The quarterback threw for 2,532 yards, 44 touchdowns and just five interceptions.
Carter Creasy, QB, Tazewell: Not many played as well or efficiently as Creasy did in 2023 for the Bulldogs. The junior quarterback completed 209-of-325 passes for 3,183 yards and 36 touchdowns.
Harry Dalton, QB, Dinwiddie: Dalton was a dual-threat quarterback that made his presence felt whether he was throwing or running the ball. The junior threw for 1,662 yards and 16 touchdowns through the air. On the ground, Dalton rushed for 1,295 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Gideon Davidson, RB, Liberty Christian: When it came to running backs, nobody played the position better than Davidson. The tailback carried the rock 211 times for 2,716 yards and scored 43 touchdowns.
Colton Quaker, RB/DB, Kettle Run: Playing both sides of the ball is taxing on any players, but Quaker did it on a high level for Kettle Run in 2023. Quaker finished the season rushed for 1,378 yards and scoring 27 touchdowns on offense and defensively made 41 tackles, two sacks and an interception at strong safety.
Dillon Newton-Short, WR/DB, Matoaca: Whether it was lining up at wide receiver or defensive back, Newton-Short was a playmaker for the Warriors. The junior hauled in 65 passes for 1,093 yards and scored 22 touchdowns. On defense, he totaled 22 tackles and picked off five passes.
Matt Henderson, WR, Powhatan: The 6-foot-6, 205-pound wide receiver was a difficult cover because of his size and speed at the position. Henderson finished 2023 with 74 catches for 1,113 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Jackson Thorne, LB, Independence: Thorne was a thorn on the side of opposing offenses having to account for the linebacker. The junior tackling machine racked up 174 tackles, 29 for loss and 13.5 sacks.
Connor Peay, LB, Jamestown: One of the oldest cities in the United States features one of the top junior linebackers in Virginia. Peay finished 2023 racking up 140 tackles, 19 for loss and three sacks.
Cameron Binkowski, DE, Battlefield: No one got after the quarterback better than Binkowski did last season. The defensive end was a menace, totaling 34 tackles, 33 went for a loss and 22 sacks.
Eamon Cuffee, WR/S, Granby: Reading the eyes of an opposing quarterback is a tough deal, but among the junior defensive backs, Cuffee stood out the most. The safety tallied nine interceptions along with 32 tackles and also added over 800 yards receiving on offense.
