Who are the RI's next big names in HS football? Here are the 10 players we think are up next

For the last two years, we’ve tried to take a look at who the state’s next big high school football stars are going to be. It’s a fun feature, one that started by noting just freshmen and sophomores but has since been expanded to include players who might be ready for breakout seasons.

Now, in its third year, the “Future Stars of Rhode Island High School Football” can officially be considered an annual event.

So, how did we do last season? Three of the players — La Salle’s Terrence Campbell and Justin Denson and North Kingstown’s Noah Gincastro — were First Team All-Staters and Cumberland’s Evan Spencer earned a Second Team nod.

Hendricken’s Jeremy Seidi looks headed for that type of season this fall (we couldn’t include him on the list again) and former teammate Zion Copeland would be there had his family not moved back to Virginia.

Kelan Cornell and Tyler Hurd both had terrific years at Cranston West and Portsmouth and will be stars in there own rights this fall. Larry Gailloux showed his potential and earned a preferred walk-on offer from URI over the summer.

More: Under the lights: Your essential guide to the RI high school football season

So, how will this year’s picks fare?

That will be the fun part. There’s a lot of good, young talent in Rhode Island high school football. Some of these players haven’t played a varsity snap. Some saw limited action and others settled nicely into roles but are primed to breakout this year.

So, here they are — the players we feel are ready to become Rhode Island’s next big high school football stars. What does that mean exactly? That depends on your definition.

This won’t be perfect and there’s plenty of other players who could have made it, but these are the players we think are ready to step into the spotlight and we’ll keep plenty of notes on the ones we missed.

More: NFL Week 1 picks, predictions: Thursday, Sunday, Monday Night Football games are must-see

Stephen Antonucci

Hendricken, Junior

The Hawks have produced more talent on the offensive line than anyone in the state, and the 6-foot-3-inch, 275-pound Antonucci is next up. Antonucci played well last fall on a line that featured three All-Staters and this year will be his turn to be the guy up front other team’s worry about.

Antonio Bearden

La Salle, Sophomore

Bearden’s young, but with all the offensive firepower the Rams graduated last year, he should find his way into a big role this season. Blessed with track speed, Bearden is going to be a burner for La Salle and could end up reminding people of former All-Stater Dimetri Iafrate.

James Branch

West Warwick, Junior

Branch was a versatile weapon for the Wizards and with his speed and athleticism, it wasn’t hard to see why. Branch will be a key cog in West Warwick’s offense this fall and, paired with classmate Karl Swanon, could lead to some magical plays when the Wizards have the ball.

Adam Conheeny

Portsmouth, Sophomore

Injuries forced Conheeny into the lineup at quarterback last fall and his talent kept him there. Conheeny will be the do-all for the Patriots this season and with good reason. He picked up the offense quickly last season and when the ball is in his hands, Conheeny makes big plays happen, which is what Portsmouth will need from him in 2023.

Logan Gelinas and Leland Kelleher

Burrillville, Juniors

Thrust into starting roles as sophomores, both Gelinas and Kelleher looked ready for prime time. Gelinas should be a familiar name, taking over the quarterback role in which older brother Jake was an All-Stater. He's got the same attitude under center and plays fearless football. Kelleher is a beast-in-the-making at running back and linebacker and could be the type of player that helps get Burrillville back to the promised land.

Landon Husereau

Westerly, Freshman

There aren’t a lot of freshmen quarterbacks who step into the starting role on Day 1, but Husereau isn’t your typical freshman. He’s already drawing comparisons to North Kingstown All-Stater Eddie Buehler and his progression over the next four years should be exciting to watch. There may be some bumps and bruises this fall, but Husereau will learn from them and get better.

Sebastian Lora

Hendricken, Freshman

Lora hasn't registered a snap for the Hawks, but the hype around his game took off after a successful summer in Breakthrough's summer league. At 5 feet 9 inches, Lora is undersized for a receiver, but it might not matter because he's faster than the Flash. Hendricken has won titles with ground-and-pound, but Lora's talent may force a change as he develops these next four years.

A.J. Parry

North Kingstown, Sophomore

Parry was the star of the Skippers' freshman team last fall but has a chance to get on the field this year as a kick returner and defensive back, and from there, the sky's the limit. Working against All-Stater Noah Gincastro will only help his development on defense and, with his ability to work in open space, Parry could become a weapon in spots for North Kingstown this year, setting him up to take over a much larger role the next two seasons.

Armani Rodriguez

Central, Junior

Size and strength aren’t an issue for the 6-foot, 300-pound lineman, but there were times when he looked like sophomores tend to on the field. If Rodriguez’s mental game catches up to his physical tools, there won’t be a more devastating lineman in the state. Centers and defensive tackles don’t generally make highlight films, but Rodriguez could change that trend in a hurry this fall.

Timoy Stitchell

La Salle, Junior

If you saw Stitchell on the basketball court, it would be hard not to imagine what that athleticism would look like on the football field. Stitchell should step into a bigger role this fall as a wide receiver and defensive back, similar to the one vacated by Michigan State-bound Justin Denson. Stitchell has the pieces in place for a big season and, if he does, it might not take long for Division I college coaches to notice his talents.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Here are 10 potential future stars in RI high school football