The Five Best ‘Athletes’ for the Class of 2023
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There are many outstanding ’athletes’ for Arizona’s class of 2023. Some are wide receivers and others are defensive backs or punt and kickoff returners but all with two common traits – speed and athleticism. Here is a profile of the…
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Continue ReadingThere are many outstanding ’athletes’ for Arizona’s class of 2023. Some are wide receivers and others are defensive backs or punt and kickoff returners but all with two common traits – speed and athleticism. Here is a profile of the top five juniors to be in 2021:
Deric English Deric English 6'4" | 210 lbs | WR Saguaro | 2023 State AZ : is a 6-4, 210-pound wide receiver from Mountain Ridge High School in Glendale. He is the number 1 ranked athlete in the state for 2023. A five-star athlete, Morgan State was his first offer just after his freshman season. Since then, Deric has received scholarship offers from Arizona, Michigan State, and Northern Arizona University. Deric has been a big fan of Michigan State since he was young. “Michigan State is a dream school of mine,” he said. “I love what Coach Mel Tucker and his staff are doing, and I believe I would be an amazing fit for this unbelievable program.”
Playing for the ACA Dolphins last month in the Pylon 7-on7 tournament, Deric was considered one of the top performers in day two of the event. The ACA Dolphins won the tournament. One national recruiter tweeted that English “…has been one of the nation’s best players in the 7-on7 circuit this year.” He was second-team all-state as a sophomore with over 30 catches for more than 700 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Deric is routinely double and triple-teamed and continues to get bigger, faster, and stronger. He recently ran – as a sophomore – a 4.54 forty-yard dash. He will certainly be playing at the next level in the fall of 2023 and probably at a Power Five college.
Cody Leopold Cody Leopold 5'10" | 185 lbs | ATH Prescott | 2023 State AZ : is a 5-10, 185 athlete that plays running back, middle linebacker, and defensive back for Coach Cody Collett at Prescott High School. As a freshman, Cody ran for 100 yards and a touchdown, averaging seven yards per carry. Last fall he ran for 659 yards as a sophomore, averaging 6.7 yards per attempt. He also had 45 tackles playing defense. Cody was honored as an outstanding performer by the Arizona Republic in week seven of 2020. He ran for 180 yards and three touchdowns and also had 16 tackles.
Cody was selected as a second-team All-State linebacker and first-team All-Region linebacker in 4A competition. He was also selected by Arizona Varsity Awards as the 4A Regional Defensive Underclassman of the Year. Cody also made Honorable Mention on the Sports 360 All-Academic team that combined regions 4A and 5A. His unweighted GPA was 3.67. Like Deric English Deric English 6'4" | 210 lbs | WR Saguaro | 2023 State AZ , Cody Leopold Cody Leopold 5'10" | 185 lbs | ATH Prescott | 2023 State AZ has a bright future ahead of him with two more years of high school and the potential of an outstanding college career.
Ryan Meza Ryan Meza 6'0" | 190 lbs | ATH American Leadership Academy (Queen Creek) | 2023 State AZ : is a 6-0, 190-pound wide receiver and cornerback who plays for the American Leadership Academy in Queens Creek. As a freshman, Ryan, playing wide receiver, was shown interest by the University of Arizona. As a sophomore in 2020, he showed plenty of athleticism at both positions. He has speed, body control, and a good back-peddle. Whichever position he plays, his hands will be a major asset.
Ryan was All-State as a sophomore defensive back and All-Region (4A) as both a wide receiver and kick returner. He was also a 4A Arizona Varsity.com finalist for the Two Way Player of the Year and also a finalist for the Defensive Back of the Year award. He will be playing in the spring for USA Football in regional competitions and has been invited to the All-Star Tiki Bowl which is in Hawaii in December.
Ryan ran a 4.65 forty-yard dash and has been timed in the 100 meters at 11.9. He can bench press 195 pounds, squat 385, and deadlift 415. He has a promising future ahead of him both in his two years remaining in high school and at a major college.
Will Galvan Will Galvan 5'9" | 160 lbs | ATH Cactus | 2023 State AZ : is a 5-8, 150-pound athlete who plays for Coach Joe Ortiz at Cactus High School in Glendale. He started at safety for the Cobras as a freshman and lead Cactus to an 8-3 record playing quarterback, wide receiver, and defensive back as a sophomore. Cactus lost to Mesquite, 39-38, in the 4A State Championship game. Last fall Will threw for 1,228 yards and 14 touchdowns and an average of 111 yards per game. He completed 89 of 179 with eight interceptions in 2020.
As a quarterback, Galvan creates positive plays out of broken-down situations. Coach Ortiz agrees. “We know that at any time in a drop-back pass situation, Will can take off and run and make a great play for us,” said Coach Ortiz. Will also competes on the Cobra track team and has a 3.5 GPA. He also has been invited to two football camps – the Under Armour All-America camp series and the National Preps Collegiate Showcase.
With two years of eligibility left for the junior-to-be, the future looks bright for the Cobra football team.
Andereya Nsubuga Andereya Nsubuga 6'3" | 200 lbs | ATH Chandler | 2023 State AZ : is a 6-3, 200-pound sophomore who plays both quarterback and free safety for the Chandler High School Wolves. Chandler beat rival Hamilton High School last December, 23-21, in the AIA State Championship Open Division. The team finished 10-0 with a number one ranking in the state.
“Junior”, his nickname, was one of the top ten quarterbacks in Arizona as a sophomore. The dual-threat has outstanding speed with a time of 4.53 in the 40-yard dash and a time of 11.01 in the 100 meter dash. He has outstanding athleticism with a rocket arm and can play multiple positions. His ability to run can create problems for the defense with his ability to take off at any time with the ball.
With a number of veteran players returning for the 2021 season, Chandler is loaded for another run at a state championship.