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Football Class of 2021 Player Rankings updated

07/29/2020, 11:30am CDT
By Travis Wilson

Muskego defensive back Hunter Wohler (#24, white) is the top-ranked player in the state's 2021 class

The 2021 class has been a very interesting one to follow over the last couple years. There were a couple early elite-level prospects early in Muskego defensive back Hunter Wohler and Grafton offensive lineman J.P. Benzschawel, while many of the other top athletes emerged a bit later.

This isn't your typical season in the state, where the defensive back group may be the strongest of any position, and certainly the best and deepest secondary class in my 12 years covering high school football in the state.

We've produced a Top 50 overall, as well as detailed positional rankings.

Player Rankings are based on a combination of college potential, recruiting interest/offers, in-person evaluations, film evaluations, coach evaluations, stats, post-season awards, and more. Sign up for a WSN Extra subscription by clicking here to get all the in-depth analysis for not only football, but boys basketball, girls basketball, baseball, and wrestling.

Below are the top three players in this year's rankings; for the rest, see the links below (WSN Extra subscription required).

1. Hunter Wohler, Muskego – Wohler is already a two-time WFCA All-State selection, helping the Warriors to two straight WIAA Division 1 state championships. A dynamic playmaker in the middle of the team’s defense, he flies from sideline-to-sideline and line of scrimmage-to-deep middle from his safety position. He is an aggressive tackler and also shows excellent ball skills. One of the best defensive back prospects to come out of the state in some time, he received a host of offers from some of the top college programs in the country, including Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan, Iowa, and others, but chose to stay home and accept a scholarship offer from the Wisconsin Badgers. Wohler recorded 122 tackles and a pair of interceptions last season to earn WFCA Large School Defensive Player of the Year accolades.

2. J.P. Benzschawel, Grafton – J.P. Benzschawel, Grafton, OL, 6’6”, 265 – The latest Benzschawel to go through Grafton, JP joins older brothers Beau (Wisconsin and now the Detroit Lions) and Luke (Wisconsin) as Division 1 recruits, and like his older siblings, will head to Wisconsin, giving the Badgers an early commitment. A massive, dominating force up front for the Black Hawks, he has the strength to drive defenders off the ball, the agility to pull out in front, and the athletic ability to pass set against speed rushers. A First Team All-Conference choice on offense, he also saw time on defense. His athletic ability is on display in hoops, where he’s averaged 10 points per game the last two seasons.

3. Ayo Adebogun, Homestead – Adebogun burst onto the varsity scene in a big way in 2019, earning WFCA Large School All-State recognition after finishing among state leaders with 31 tackles for loss and 16 sacks. His initial burst off the line of scrimmage is as explosive as anyone in the state, and that athletic ability is his greatest strength right now. It allows him to get into the backfield with regularity, as it is hard for blockers to get their hands on him. He’s still relatively lean for a defensive end, and he’ll need to put on quite a bit of weight to play there at the next level, though he could be a candidate for outside linebacker in an odd-front. Speaking of next level, he received a scholarship offer from Wisconsin last year and quickly accepted.

To see the rest of the Top 50 senior football players, click here (subscription required).

About the Author

Travis Wilson serves as the WisSports.net General Manager, Football Editor, and contributing writer for other parts of the site. Wilson was selected as part of the Sports 40 Under 40 list by Coach & AD Magazine and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association for 2019. The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) named Travis the 2015 recipient of the Dave McClain Distinguished Service Award. He currently serves on the WFCA Executive Board and is a member of the Executive Board of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. A graduate of Richland Center High School and Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Travis was a three-sport athlete in high school (football, baseball, basketball), inducted to the Richland Center High School Hall of Fame in 2023, and currently resides in Reedsburg. You can follow him on Twitter at @travisWSN.

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.

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