The WSN15 series will celebrate the 15th Anniversary of WisSports.net by looking back at the top players, teams, and moments of the past 15 years (2003-2017).
The Top 15 Players countdown is not a recruiting ranking and not indicative of what the players did after high school. It is a ranking of the top high school players, the impact they had for their team, and the dominance they displayed while in high school.
Oak Creek had some incredible talent during a run in the late 1990's and early 2000's under head coach Joe Koch, with many that would become All-State players and national recruits.
Few made the impact or garnered as much attention as Travis Beckum. A monster on the gridiron, Beckum helped the Knights to state semi-finals appearances in 2002 and 2003 to go with a Level 2 trip in 2004.
Following his junior season, he was a WFCA First Team All-State pick as an inside linebacker. The following season, he earned First Team All-State as a defensive end/outside linebacker, adding WFCA Defensive Player of the Year recognition.
The crown jewel of Wisconsin's 2005 recruiting class, Beckum was rated the number six linebacker recruit in the country by Rivals.com. Listed at 6-4, 220-pounds, he was clocked as low as 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash.
After a senior year that saw him record 108 tackles, 16 sacks, seven interceptions, eight fumble recoveries, and four blocked kicks, Beckum was selected for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
A dominating presence on defense in high school, he was switched to offense after his freshman season at Wisconsin, becoming one of the best tight ends in college football. He finished his Badgers career with 159 catches, 2,149 yards, and 11 touchdowns despite breaking his leg partway through his senior season.
Beckum was drafted in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the New York Giants, earning a Super Bowl ring in 2012, though he suffered a torn ACL in the win over the Patriots. It would be the last time he appeared in an NFL game.
From one of the most dominating players in the state to an All-American at Wisconsin to Super Bowl champ, Beckum had an incredible football career.
#15 - J.J. Watt, Pewaukee
#14 - Jayme Wells, Kimberly
#13 - Travis Frederick, Big Foot
#12 - Travis Beckum, Oak Creek
#11 - Sam Santiago-Lloyd, Brookfield East
#10 - Garrett Groshek, Amherst
#9 - Leo Musso, Waunakee
#8 - Blair Mulholland, Kimberly
#7 - Gabe Carimi, Monona Grove
#6 - Ben Hempel, Franklin
#5 - Mike Newkirk, Ladysmith
#4 - Eric Brunner, Greendale
#3 - John Clay, Racine Park
#2 - Josh Oglesby, Saint Francis
#1 - Melvin Gordon, Kenosha Bradford
For the latest and most up to date football news and recruiting information, follow Travis on Twitter @travisWSN. Email story ideas, recruiting info, etc. to Travis at travis(at)wissports.net.
Tag(s): News Archive News Travis Wilson WSN15