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Indiana Mr. Football 2024 early outlook: 12 contenders to watch for state's top award

Kyle Neddenriep, Indianapolis Star
·10 min read

Now that East Central’s Josh Ringer has been named 2023 IndyStar Mr. Football, let’s take an early look at the contenders going into next season.

Keep in mind, a lot can happen between now and August. We will revisit this race again in the summer going into the 2024 season. But for now, here is how I see the top Mr. Football contenders. Keep in mind, only the 10 Mr. Football positions winners are eligible to be voted for the big award by members of the Indiana Football Coaches Association.

'A great surprise.' East Central RB Josh Ringer wins 2023 Mr. Football

Headliners

Keep in mind four of the past six Mr. Football winners were state champions as juniors. Pioneer’s Jack Kiser (2018 winner) won back-to-back Class A titles in 2017 and ’18. New Palestine record-setting running back Charlie Spegal (2019 winner) won a 5A championship in 2018 and again in ’19. Andrean linebacker/running back Drayk Bowen (2022 winner) won a 2A title as a junior and was runner-up as a senior. Ringer, this year’s winner, won a 4A title as a junior and again this season as a senior.

The only Mr. Football winners during that span not to win a state championship as a junior were Center Grove running back Carson Steele (2020 winner) and Gibson Southern quarterback Brady Allen (2021 winner). Steele, however, was a Class 6A runner-up in 2019 and won the 6A championship as a senior. Allen’s Gibson Southern team lost in a 3A sectional in 2020, but won the 3A state championship in 2021.

So, keep that in mind when handicapping the 2024 race. Here are 12 players I think could start at the top of the list:

Mark Zackery, Ben Davis

Ben Davis Giants Mark Zackery (4) rushes up the field Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, during the IHSAA Class 6A football state championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Ben Davis Giants lead at the half against the Crown Point Bulldogs, 10-3.
Ben Davis Giants Mark Zackery (4) rushes up the field Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, during the IHSAA Class 6A football state championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Ben Davis Giants lead at the half against the Crown Point Bulldogs, 10-3.

Zackery not only fits into the category of winning a state championship as a junior (the Giants won the Class 6A title over Crown Point), he also won a 4A state basketball championship as a junior as a starting guard.

Zackery is one of the top recruits in the country in the 2025 class, rated No. 61 by 247Sports, with offers from Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and many others. He caught 53 passes for 823 yards and eight TDs as a junior and had 39 tackles, four interceptions and three fumble recoveries.

Zackery could potentially win the Mr. Football position award for wide receiver or defensive back. Ben Davis will have some new pieces around him next year after graduating a special senior class, but you could make a good argument for Zackery as the No. 1 candidate going into August.

Jackson Willis, Lutheran

Indianapolis Lutheran High School junior Jackson Willis (10) warms up on the field before the start of an IHSAA varsity football game against Monrovia High School, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, at Monrovia High School.
Indianapolis Lutheran High School junior Jackson Willis (10) warms up on the field before the start of an IHSAA varsity football game against Monrovia High School, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, at Monrovia High School.

What else can you do in two seasons? Willis, a two-year starter at quarterback, is 28-0 with back-to-back Class A state titles with the Saints.

Lutheran will move up to 2A next year but will be one of the favorites again. Willis has unbelievable career numbers with another year to go. He has completed 68% of his passes for 6,782 yards and 86 TD passes with nine interceptions. It is not out of out of the question Willis could become the eighth quarterback in state history to reach 10,000 career passing yards.

Willis picked up his first Division I offer earlier this month from Central Michigan. The quarterback position award is highly competitive, but Willis should be squarely in the picture.

Alijah Price, Ben Davis

Ben Davis Giants running back Alijah Price (21) rushes up the field Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, during the IHSAA Class 6A football state championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Ben Davis Giants defeated the Crown Point Bulldogs, 38-10.
Ben Davis Giants running back Alijah Price (21) rushes up the field Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, during the IHSAA Class 6A football state championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Ben Davis Giants defeated the Crown Point Bulldogs, 38-10.

A third Indy-area player?! I can already hear the screams of “Indy bias!” though that is a toothless argument that does not hold up on close inspection in Mr. Football or Mr. Basketball voting … but that’s a column for another day.

Price is deserving of a long look as well going into next year. Like Zackery, Price already has a 6A state championship under his belt. He starred in the title game with 141 rushing yards and two TDs in a 38-10 win over Crown Point and finished with exactly 1,000 rushing yards and 12 rushing TDs and caught 31 passes for 282 yards and four TDs.

For his career, Price has 2,281 rushing yards and 27 rushing TDs and 52 catches for 450 receiving yards and five TDs.

Brandon Logan, Fort Wayne Snider

Fort Wayne Snider Panthers Brandon Logan (4) watches a pass intended for him fall incomplete, Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, after the 51st annual IHSAA state football finals against the Decatur Central Hawks at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Fort Wayne Snider Panthers Brandon Logan (4) watches a pass intended for him fall incomplete, Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, after the 51st annual IHSAA state football finals against the Decatur Central Hawks at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

The 6-1, 185-pound Logan, a safety, is one of the state’s most prolific athletes and falls into the category of winning a state championship as a junior after Snider capped a 13-1 season with a 33-6 win over Decatur Central in the 5A title game.

Logan, a Vanderbilt baseball recruit, had 95 tackles and six interceptions as a junior (returning four of those interceptions for touchdowns) and was named to the IFCA’s Top 50 All-State team. He would appear to be a top contender for the Mr. Football defensive back position award, especially if Zackery is considered a receiver.

Logan is ranked as the No. 51 baseball player in the country in the 2025 class by Prep Baseball Report. He is also a three-star football prospect with an offer from Iowa. Impressive player who belongs in the conversation.

Brock Schott, Leo

Recruit Brock Schott watches Ohio State warm up before playing Penn State Oct. 21, 2023 at Ohio Stadium.
Recruit Brock Schott watches Ohio State warm up before playing Penn State Oct. 21, 2023 at Ohio Stadium.

The 6-3, 220-pound Schott came up one step short of the state finals when Leo lost to NorthWood in the Class 4A semistate in an 11-3 season.

Schott is a big-time player and prospect, rated as a four-star recruit and the No. 2 player in the state behind Zackery by 247Sports. He is also highly productive on both sides of the ball for Lions. Schott, a tight end, caught 36 passes for 743 yards and six touchdowns.

From his linebacker position, Schott led the state with 19 sacks and had 32 tackles for loss of his 67 total tackles. He also forced four fumbles and returned an interception for a TD.

Schott, who also plays basketball, has offers from Cincinnati, Indiana, Iowa, Louisville, Miami (Fla.), Michigan State, Minnesota, Purdue, Rutgers and Wisconsin, among others.

Damien Shanklin, Warren Central

Warren Central's Damien Shanklin poses for a photo Thursday, August 3, 2023, at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis.
Warren Central's Damien Shanklin poses for a photo Thursday, August 3, 2023, at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis.

The 6-5, 230-pound Shanklin, a defensive end, had a massive junior season with 66 tackles (50 solo), including 17 for a loss, and five sacks as he earned IFCA Top 50 All-State honors.

Shanklin might be one of the only defensive ends in the state to also handle the punting and kickoff duties for his team. The four-star prospect is one of the highest-rated recruits in the state with offers from Notre Dame (he is visiting again this weekend), Duke. Michigan, USC and many others.

Shanklin is poised for a big senior season and should be one of the top contenders for the Mr. Football position award winner at defensive line.

Eugene Hilton, Zionsville

Zionsville High School junior Eugene Hilton (2) reaches over the defense of Hamilton Southeastern High School senior Donovan Rhodes (0) to pull in a reception during the second half of an IHSAA varsity football game, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, at Zionsville High School.
Zionsville High School junior Eugene Hilton (2) reaches over the defense of Hamilton Southeastern High School senior Donovan Rhodes (0) to pull in a reception during the second half of an IHSAA varsity football game, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, at Zionsville High School.

The 6-1, 190-pound Hilton is one of the most dynamic receivers in the state, coming off a season that saw him catch 46 passes for 836 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also threw a touchdown pass and returned a kickoff for a touchdown, averaging 33.5 yards on six returns.

Hilton, the son of former Colts’ star TY Hilton, has nearly two dozen offers but has a top six of Florida International (his father’s alma mater), Kentucky, Miami (Fla.), Missouri, Ole Miss and Wisconsin.

Zionsville will have to make improvement from last year’s 3-7 season for Hilton to have a chance to make a real run at the top award.

Jimmy Sullivan, Carroll (Fort Wayne)

Carroll Chargers quarterback Jimmy Sullivan (8) rushes the ball during the IHSAA Class 6A state championships Friday, Nov 25, 2022 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Center Grove Trojans defeated the Carroll Chargers, 37-9.
Carroll Chargers quarterback Jimmy Sullivan (8) rushes the ball during the IHSAA Class 6A state championships Friday, Nov 25, 2022 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Center Grove Trojans defeated the Carroll Chargers, 37-9.

Carroll made a run to the Class 6A state finals in 2022, and I thought we might see the Chargers back again this season. But Carroll lost to Warsaw in the first round of the sectional and finished 7-3.

Sullivan, who committed to Iowa on Saturday over offers from Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota and others, passed for 1,508 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior and ran for 406 yards and five TDs. For his career, Sullivan has 3,798 passing yards and 45 TD passes and 598 rushing yards and 14 rushing TDs, along with two TD catches.

Like others on this list, a tournament run is probably necessary for Sullivan to put his name firmly in the mix. He was the only quarterback on the 6A Junior IFCA All-State team.

Michael Thacker, New Palestine

New Palestine's Michael Thacker poses for a photo Thursday, August 3, 2023, at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis.
New Palestine's Michael Thacker poses for a photo Thursday, August 3, 2023, at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis.

The 6-1, 270-pound Thacker missed six games due to injury at the start of the season but still put up big numbers with 60 tackles, seven sacks, 19 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and one caused fumble in eight games for the Class 4A regional champions.

Thacker, a defensive tackle with offers from Marshall, Tennessee, West Virginia and several Mid-American Conference schools, already has 252 career tackles, including 75 ½ for a loss.

There will be plenty of competition for the defensive line Mr. Football position award, though Thacker should be right there in the mix.

JonAnthony Hall, Fishers

Fishers Tigers wide receiver JonAnthony Hall (81) rushes after the ball against Noblesville Millers cornerback Cole Schott (16) on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, during the game at Noblesville High School in Noblesville. The Fishers Tigers defeated the Noblesville Millers, 48-22.
Fishers Tigers wide receiver JonAnthony Hall (81) rushes after the ball against Noblesville Millers cornerback Cole Schott (16) on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, during the game at Noblesville High School in Noblesville. The Fishers Tigers defeated the Noblesville Millers, 48-22.

The 6-2, 180-pound Hall, a three-sport athlete who also competes in track and basketball, is coming off a massive junior season that saw him catch 69 passes for 1,055 yards and six touchdowns and average 42.2 yards on nine kickoff returns

Hall, who has offers from Indiana, Akron, Ball State and Miami of Ohio, has 80 catches for 1,317 yards and 11 TD receptions. He and Hilton were the only receivers on the 6A Junior All-Star team by the IFCA.

Fishers was 7-4 last season but has not been able to break though and win the sectional since 2017, losing to Hamilton Southeastern each of the past three seasons.

Noah Ehrlich, Crown Point

Crown Point Bulldogs quarterback Noah Ehrlich (6) yells to teammates on the line of scrimmage Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, during the IHSAA Class 6A football state championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Ben Davis Giants lead at the half against the Crown Point Bulldogs, 10-3.
Crown Point Bulldogs quarterback Noah Ehrlich (6) yells to teammates on the line of scrimmage Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, during the IHSAA Class 6A football state championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Ben Davis Giants lead at the half against the Crown Point Bulldogs, 10-3.

The 6-2, 190-pound Ehrlich had a strong junior season with a tough finish in a 38-10 loss to Ben Davis in the Class 6A state championship. He threw for 2,453 yards and 27 touchdowns with nine interceptions and rushed for 342 yards and 10 TDs.

Ehrlich, who has offers from Central Michigan, Miami (Ohio) and Toledo, was named to the IFCA 6A Junior All-State team as an athlete. He has the advantage of having played on a 6A state finalist and will be on a team that should again contend for a spot in the state finals.

Maverick Geske, Brebeuf Jesuit

Brebeuf Jesuit Braves quarterback Maverick Geske looks for an opening during the game with Bishop Chatard Trojans on Friday, Aug. 18, 2023, at Bishop Chatard High School in Indianapolis. Trojans beat rivals Braves 49-23 in their first game of the 2023 season.
Brebeuf Jesuit Braves quarterback Maverick Geske looks for an opening during the game with Bishop Chatard Trojans on Friday, Aug. 18, 2023, at Bishop Chatard High School in Indianapolis. Trojans beat rivals Braves 49-23 in their first game of the 2023 season.

The 6-foot, 190-pound Geske was the state’s leading passer in the junior class, throwing for 3,084 yards and 40 touchdowns with 10 interceptions.

Geske has 4,865 passing yards and 64 passing TDs for his career. His top receiver and running both return last year for a 6-5 team that was one point away from winning a Class 4A sectional championship.

12 more to watch …

Jalen Bonds, Cathedral: Rushed for 1,194 yards and 12 TDs as a junior.

Tyrone Burrus, Warren Central: Defensive end had 15 tackles for loss and six sacks as a junior. Offers from Indiana, Iowa, Purdue and others.

Malachi Walden, Tri-West: Passed for 1,650 yards and 18 TDs and 1,797 rushing yards and 22 TDs.

Mariyon Dye, Elkhart: Defensive end is one of top prospects in state with offers from Georgia, Michigan, USC and many others.

Mason Alexander, Hamilton Southeastern: Alexander is a big-time playmaker in the defensive secondary for the Royals with 39 tackles and three interceptions as a junior.

 Jamari Pearson, Fort North Side: All-purpose talent has offers from Indiana, Louisville and others.

Cam Herron, Warren Central: Could contend for offensive line Mr. Football award.

Cameron Gorin, Hamilton Southeastern: Same as Herron. Gorin will be in mix for offensive line position award.

Larry Ellison, Crown Point: Ran for 1,865 yards and 26 TDs as team reached 6A state finals.

Nizyi Davis, Lawrence Central: Serious athlete at tight end. Coming back from injury but caught 29 passes for 410 yards and one TD as a junior with offers from Indiana, Purdue, Wisconsin and more.

Davion Chandler, Lawrence North: Another outstanding junior receiver. Had 40 catches for 779 yards and 13 TDs.

Slate Valentine, Whiteland: Ran for 1,940 yards and 20 TDs as a junior.

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IHSAA football: Early look at 2024 Indiana Mr. Football candidates