Who are the best players in Twin Cities high school football? Meet our preseason Dream Team

Line

Jerome Williams, Osseo, senior, 6-4 1/2, 305. Beginning only his fourth season of football. Basketball background contributed to his quickness and agility. Moves well laterally and is a beast in the run game. College: committed to the Gophers.

Greg Johnson, Prior Lake, senior, 6-5, 280. Has a nasty streak that coaches love. Physically bigger than last year after offseason commitment to weight room. Agile yet packs a wallop. College: committed to Gophers.

Grant Chapman, Anoka, senior, 6-5, 280. Lean and athletic, with a good center of gravity. Went out for wrestling last winter to help with balance and combat in close quarters. Moves well in space. College: undecided.

Peyton Lange, SMB, senior, 6-9, 375. An imposing force simply because of size. Overwhelms smaller foes, who often end up on the ground. Above-average leverage for a player his size. Nimble feet. College: uncommitted, but there's Division I interest.

Jack Liwienski, Minnetonka, senior, 6-3, 275. The smallest of the five, but makes up for it with smarts. Father Chris played for the Vikings. Built to play center: agile, steady, gives a solid initial punch, great in space. College: committed to North Dakota State.

Tight ends/receivers

Daniel Freitag, Bloomington Jefferson, junior, 6-3, 175. One of the best overall athletes in the metro. Exceptional leaper, with speed to pull away. Terrific hands, wins most 50-50 battles. College: likely to play basketball.

Joey Krouse, Prior Lake, senior, 5-10, 185. Prototypical slot receiver. Shifty, with a burst to get through seams. Strong enough to run through arm tackles and away from defenders. College: uncommitted.

Sam Peters, Maple Grove, senior, 6-4, 225. A wide receiver in a tight end's body. Creates space with his size and speed. Exceptional hands. His frame suggests he could add size with no loss of agility. College: committed to Gophers.

Backs

Carson Hansen, Lakeville South, senior, 6-1, 200. Considered the No. 1 running back in Minnesota. Attacks holes and rarely goes down on first contact. Fast and strong. Ran for 2,012 yards and 23 TDs in 2021. College: committed to Iowa State.

Sawyer Seidl, Hill-Murray, senior, 5-10, 165. Strong hockey background helps his burst. A combination of speed (4.55 40-yard dash), strength between the tackles and balance. Makes routine plays spectacular.

Max McEnelly, Waconia, senior, 5-10, 180. Would be a top college prospect — he's a standout linebacker, too — but his future lies in wrestling. The soon-to-be Gophers grappler is a three-time wrestling state champ and was bronze medalist at the U-17 World Juniors in Rome over the summer.

Quarterback

George Bjellos, Woodbury, junior, 6-3, 186. Looks like a natural on film. Passed for more than 2,000 yards and 23 TDs as a sophomore. Already proficient at reading defenses, he gets the ball out quickly and accurately with a smooth, compact delivery. Instinctive pocket presence.

Line

Martin Owusu, Prior Lake, senior, 6-4, 250. Burst onto the scene in 2021, showing an explosive first step. Beats opposing linemen into the gap and also can get around the edge. College: committed to Gophers.

Chiddi Obiazor, Eden Prairie, senior, 6-6, 230. Defensive end with a quick first step and terrific body lean. Size and athleticism make him versatile. Can play inside or outside, with his hand in the dirt or standing up. College: undecided.

Wyatt Gilmore, Rogers, junior, 6-4, 240. Off-the-charts measurables: 39-inch vertical jump, 335-pound bench press, 475 squat, 4.78 40-yard dash. Sheds blocks and is disruptive in gaps. Had 17 tackles for loss, four sacks in 2021.

Antonio Menard, Lakeville North, junior, 6-2, 205. Built to rush the passer. Explodes off the ball and has a nose for the quarterback. Can chase down ball carriers sideline to sideline. Forces double-teams.

Jaxon Howard, Cooper, senior, 6-4, 245. With 60 legitimate Division I Power Five offers, he's considered the most sought-after recruit in state history. Monster as a pass rusher, with the speed and agility to overwhelm opposing linemen. College: committed to LSU.

Linebackers

Alex Elliott, Hutchinson, senior, 6-2, 200. A hybrid linebacker/strong safety type. Has speed to the ball and ability to play in space. Sure tackler who plays off blocks well and flies into gaps. College: committed to Gophers.

Reese Littlefield, Centennial, senior, 6-3, 235. Tough-as-rocks inside 'backer who plays like a throwback. Hits hard and rarely misses a tackle. Diagnoses plays quickly and is excellent in pursuit. College: uncommitted.

Kayode Amusan, Woodbury, senior, 6-3, 215. A standout because of size and athleticism alone but brings much more. Best closing speed among linebackers in the state. Plays sideline to sideline. College: uncommitted.

Backs

Jackson Powers, Maple Grove, senior, 6-1, 180. Long and agile, with the reflexes needed to change directions with receivers. Has good instincts and well-developed ball skills. Double-digit pass breakups and six interceptions in 2021. College: uncommitted.

Zashon Rich, Minneapolis North, junior, 6-1, 180. Size and speed and the fluid hips scouts desire, allowing him to quickly change directions. Supports the run defense. Runs a 4.55 40.

Garrison Monroe, Shakopee, senior, 6-0, 185. Nose for the ball, in pass coverage or run defense. Excellent timing. Plants and breaks on balls quickly. Isn't afraid to stick his nose in and hit. College: committed to Gophers.

Devin Jordan, Eden Prairie, senior, 6-2, 185. A complete player who is always around the ball. Plays at top speed and can be effective as a blitzer. Decisive when he reacts. Knows how and when to break on balls. College: committed to Air Force.

Athlete

Brady Anderson, Edina, senior, 6-2, 195. A potential Dream Team selection at wide receiver and defensive back. Sticks to receivers and rarely gets fooled. Fleet as a receiver, with sure hands. College: uncommitted.

Kicker

Logan Lehrer, Prior Lake, senior, 6-2, 180. A placekicker and a punter. Kicks off with height and depth. Punts also tend to be high and long, not allowing runbacks. Field-goal range to 50-plus yards. College: uncommitted.