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NEW YORK -- Sports Illustrated today unveiled its Preseason SI99 -- the 99 high school football seniors from across the nation that it ranks as the front-runners for its coveted 2020 SI All-American first team.

This Preseason SI99 stems from SI’s watch list of 1,000 players that was unveiled last month -- following what is believed to be the widest, most in-depth analysis and breakdown of tape of any recruiting class ever -- and a subsequent ranking of top 10 players in each of 14 different position groups.

“Our ranking of the top 99 reflects where the game of football is going,” said SI All-American recruiting director John Garcia Jr. “We’ve refined position groups. We’ve eliminated the outside linebacker position, because those guys in today’s game are more edge rushers, and added the nickel position. We’ve broken receivers and tight ends into two groups each -- slot and wide receivers, and traditional (Y) and hybrid (H) tight ends.

“But one part of the game that hasn’t changed is the focus on protecting and destroying the quarterback. Our top five players illustrate the point -- two are defensive ends and one an offensive tackle.”

VIDEO: JOHN GARCIA, EDWIN WEATHERSBY AND BROOKS AUSTIN TALK SI99

Among the Preseason SI99 highlights:

  • The list includes a pair of brothers -- twins Tommy and James Brockermeyer of Fort Worth, Texas -- who are verbally committed to Alabama
  • 24 of the 99 have yet to verbally commit to a college (with 8 of the top 20 undecided).
  • Of the 75 who have verbally committed, Ohio State has secured the most, with 10. The Buckeyes are followed by Alabama (8), Clemson (6), Georgia (5), and Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Tennessee (4 each).
  • The states most represented in the SI99 are Florida (16), Texas (14), California and Georgia (9 each), and North Carolina, and Pennsylvania and Washington (6 each). The DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia) also has 6.

SI ranks Caleb Williams, a quarterback out of Gonzaga College High (Washington, D.C.) as the No. 1 player in the nation. Ranked second -- and No. 1 on defense -- is defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau of Eastside Catholic High in the Seattle suburb of Sammamish, Wash. Williams is verbally committed to Oklahoma and Tuimoloau looks to be down to a finalists list of Oregon, Ohio State, USC, Washington, Alabama and Stanford.

The evaluation process will continue “until the list of 1,000 contenders coalesces around just 25 young men who can say proudly they are the best of the best -- they are Sports Illustrated All-Americans,” says Garcia.

The candidates will be narrowed to 250 finalists and then a Postseason SI99 from which the 25-member first-team SI All-Americans will be selected.

The Preseason SI99 (with each name hotlinked to the player’s bio, SI analysis and video highlights) is as follows, with college verbal commitment noted:

  1. QB Caleb Williams / Washington, D.C. (Gonzaga) -- Oklahoma
  2. DE J.T. Tuimoloau / Sammamish, Wash. (Eastside Catholic) -- undecided
  3. DE Jack Sawyer / Pickerigton, Ohio (Pickerington North) -- Ohio State
  4. IDL Korey Foreman / Corona, Calif. (Centennial) -- undecided
  5. OT Tommy Brockermeyer / Fort Worth, Texas (All Saints Episcopal) -- Alabama
  6. LB Smael Mondon / Dallas, Ga. (Paulding County) -- undecided
  7. DE Demeioun Robinson / Gaithersburg, Md. (Quince Orchard) -- Maryland
  8. RB TreVeyon Henderson / Hopewell, Va. -- Ohio State
  9. RB Camar Wheaton / Garland, Texas (Lakeview Centennial) -- undecided
  10. WR Emeka Egbuka / Steilacoom, Wash. -- undecided
  11. OT J.C. Latham / Bradenton, Fla. (IMG Academy) -- Alabama
  12. IDL Damon Payne / Belleville, Mich. -- Alabama
  13. OT Amarius Mims / Cochran, Ga. (Bleckley County) -- undecided
  14. CB Jason Marshall / Miami, Fla. (Palmetto) -- Florida
  15. QB Brock Vandagriff / Bogart, Ga. (Prince Avenue Christian) -- Georgia
  16. IDL Tywone Malone / Oradell, N.J. (Bergen Catholic) -- undecided
  17. LB Xavian Sorey / Graceville, Fla. -- undecided
  18. DE Dylan Brooks / Roanoke, Ala. (Handley) -- Tennessee
  19. S James Williams / Plantation, Fla. (Heritage) -- Miami
  20. IDL Leonard Taylor / Miami, Fla. (Palmetto) -- Miami
  21. WR Beaux Collins / Bellflower, Calif. (St. John Bosco) -- Clemson
  22. DE Keeshawn Silver / Rocky Mount, N.C. -- North Carolina
  23. SLOT Mario Williams Jr. / Plant City, Fla. -- Oklahoma
  24. QB J.J. McCarthy / was La Grange Park, Ill./Nazareth Academy; now IMG in Bradenton, Fla. -- Michigan
  25. IDL Payton Page / Greensboro, N.C. (Dudley) -- Clemson
  26. LB Raesjon Davis / Santa Ana, Calif. (Mater Dei) -- LSU
  27. LB Terence Lewis / Miami, Fla. (Northwestern) -- Tennessee
  28. RB Will Shipley / Matthews, N.C. (Weddington) -- Clemson
  29. QB Ty Thompson / Gilbert, Ariz. (Mesquite) -- Oregon
  30. IOL Bruce Foster / Katy, Texas (Taylor) -- undecided
  31. IOL Donovan Jackson / Bellaire, Texas (Episcopal) -- Ohio State
  32. WR Dont’e Thornton / Baltimore, Md. (Mount St. Joseph) -- undecided
  33. QB Drake Maye / Charlotte, N.C. (Myers Park) -- North Carolina
  34. LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. / Philadelphia, Pa. (St. Joseph’s Prep) -- Clemson
  35. S David Daniel / Woodstock, Ga. -- Georgia
  36. IDL Maason Smith / Houma, La. (Terrebonne) -- undecided
  37. CB Ishmael Ibraheem Dallas, Texas (Justin F. Kimball) -- Texas
  38. QB Sam Huard / Burien, Wash. (Kennedy Catholic) -- Washington
  39. WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Philadelphia, Pa. (St. Joseph’s Prep) -- Ohio State
  40. LB Barrett Carter Suwanee, Ga. (North Gwinnett) -- Clemson
  41. S Terrion Arnold / Tallahassee, Fla. (St. John Paul II) -- undecided
  42. SLOT Christian Leary / Orlando, Fla. (Edgewater) -- Alabama
  43. CB Nathaniel Wiggins / Atlanta, Ga. (Westlake) -- undecided
  44. TE-Y Cane Berrong / Hartwell, Ga. (Hart County) -- Notre Dame
  45. TE-H Thomas Fidone Jr. / Council Bluffs, Iowa (Lewis Central) -- undecided
  46. WR Jacorey Brooks / Miami, Fla. (Booker T. Washington) -- Alabama
  47. OT Kingsley Suamataia / Orem, Utah -- undecided
  48. DE Elijah Jeudy / Philadelphia, Pa. (Northeast) -- Georgia
  49. CB Ga’Quincy McKinstry / Pinson, Ala. (Pinson Valley) -- undecided
  50. LB Julien Simon / Tacoma, Wash. (Lincoln) -- USC
  51. TE-H Brock Bowers / Napa, Calif. -- Georgia
  52. RB Evan Pryor / Cornelius, N.C. (William Amos Hough) -- Ohio State
  53. NICKEL Jordan Hancock / Suwanee, Ga. (North Gwinnett) -- Ohio State
  54. DE Jeremiah Williams / Birmingham, Ala. (Ramsay) -- undecided
  55. QB Tyler Buchner / La Mesa, Calif. (Helix) -- Notre Dame
  56. WR Jerand Bradley / DeSoto, Texas -- Texas Tech
  57. QB Kyle McCord / Philadelphia, Pa. (St. Joseph's Prep) -- Ohio State
  58. DE Quintin Somerville / Scottsdale, Ariz. (Saguaro) -- Michigan
  59. WR Troy Franklin / Atherton, Calif. (Menlo) -- Oregon
  60. NICKEL Billy Bowman Jr. / Denton, Texas (Ryan) -- Texas
  61. OT Tristan Leigh / Fairfax, Va. (Robinson Secondary) -- undecided
  62. LB Reid Carrico / Ironton, Ohio -- Ohio State
  63. WR Destyn Pazon / New Orleans, La. (Edna Karr) -- undecided
  64. TE-Y Hudson Wolfe / Savannah, Tenn. (Hardin County) -- Tennessee
  65. SLOT Jabez Tinae / Burien, Wash. (Kennedy Catholic) -- Washington
  66. IDL Gabriel Rubio / Saint Peters, Mo. (Lutheran) -- Notre Dame
  67. WR Xavier Worthy / Fresno, Calif. (Central West) -- Michigan
  68. OT Blake Fisher / Avon, Ind. -- Notre Dame
  69. DE Dallas Turner / Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (St. Thomas Aquinas) -- Alabama
  70. RB Amari Daniels / Miami, Fla. (Central) -- undecided
  71. DE Zaire Patterson / Winston-Salem, N.C. (W-S Prep Academy) -- Clemson
  72. S Ahmari Harvey / Tallahassee, Fla. (Florida State Univ. School) -- Auburn
  73. CB Latrell McCutchin /Austin, Texas (Lynden B. Johnson) -- Oklahoma
  74. WR Brian Thomas / Walker, La. -- undecided
  75. IDL Lee Hunter / Prichard, Ala. (Mattie T. Blount) -- Auburn
  76. DE Tyreak Sapp / Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Saint Thomas Aquinas) -- Florida
  77. S Corey Collier Jr. / Miami, Fla. (Palmetto) -- Florida
  78. IDL Mike Hall / Streetsboro, Ohio -- Ohio State
  79. CB Jakailin Johnson / Creve Coeur, Mo. (De Smet Jesuit) -- Ohio State
  80. S Derrick Davis Jr. Monroeville, Pa. (Gateway) -- undecided
  81. QB Miller Moss / Santa Ana, Calif. (Mater Dei) -- USC
  82. RB JoJo Earle / Aledo, Texas -- LSU
  83. NICKEL Steven Ortiz / Goodyear, Ariz. (Desert Edge) -- Minnesota
  84. LB Jaraye Williams / Burien, Wash. (Kennedy Catholic) -- Louisville
  85. CB Isaiah Johnson / Bluefield, W.Va. -- Arizona State
  86. QB Preston Stone / Dallas, Texas (Parish Episcopal) -- SMU
  87. IDL Monkell Goodwine / Fort Washington, Md. (National Christian Academy) -- Alabama
  88. LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson / Baltimore, Md. (St. Frances Academy) -- Georgia
  89. DE Landon Jackson / Texarkana, Texas (Pleasant Grove) -- LSU
  90. NICKEL Sage Ryan / Lafayette, Calif. (Christian Academy) -- undecided
  91. WR Cody Jackson / Richmond, Texas (Foster) -- Oklahoma
  92. IDL Elliot Donald / Pittsburgh, Pa. (Central Catholic) -- Pitt
  93. QB Eli Stowers / Denton, Texas (John H. Guyer) -- Texas A&M
  94. TE-H Miles Campbell / Douglasville, Ga. (South Paulding) -- Tennessee
  95. TE-H Michael Trigg / Seffner, Fla. (Seffner Christian) -- undecided
  96. NICKEL Avante Dickerson / Omaha, Neb. (Westside) -- Minneosta
  97. RB Armoni Goodwin / Trussville, Ala. (Hewitt-Trussville) -- Auburn
  98. IOL James Brockermeyer / Fort Worth, Texas (All Saints' Episcopal) -- Alabama
  99. WR Cristian Dixon / Santa Ana, Calif. (Mater Dei) -- Michigan

(see below for lists broken down by state and by college verbal commitment)

Follow SI All-American at si.com/college/recruiting/ and on social media: @SIAllAmerican. For hashtagging: #SI99

CONTACT: For interviews with SI Director of Recruiting John Garcia Jr., please contact Rob Wheat at rhwheat@gmail.com or by landline at 913-642-5767 or cell at 913-653-4278.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Our partners at SendtoNews have all your video content needs covered for this list of SIAA candidates. For access, and to create video engagement and revenue for your site, please visit: https://www.sendtonews.com/ovp-for-publishers/ or reach out directly to the STN team at publishers@sendtonews.com.

Preseason SI99 break down by state:

ALABAMA

Dylan Brooks, Roanoke
Ga’Quincy McKinstry, Pinson
Jeremiah Williams, Birmingham
Lee Hunter, Prichard
Armoni Goodwin, Trussville

ARIZONA

Ty Thompson, Gilbert
Quintin Somerville, Scottsdale
Steven Ortiz, Goodyear

CALIFORNIA

Beaux Collins, Bellflower
Raesjon Davis, Santa Ana
Brock Bowers, Napa
Tyler Buchner, La Mesa
Troy Franklin, Atherton
Xavier Worthy, Fresno
Miller Moss, Mission Hills
Christian Dixon, Santa Ana
Korey Foreman, Corona

WASHINGTON, DC

Caleb Williams

FLORIDA

Jason Marshall, Miami
JC Latham, Bradenton
Xavian Sorey, Graceville
James Williams, Plantation
Leonard Taylor, Miami
Mario Williams, Plant City
Terrence Lewis, Miami
Terrion Arnold, Tallahassee
Christian Leary, Orlando
Jacorey Brooks, Miami
Dallas Turner, Fort Lauderdale
Amari Daniels, Miami
Amari Harvey, Tallahassee
Tyreak Sapp, Fort Lauderdale
Corey Collier, Miami
Michael Trigg, Seffner

GEORGIA

Smael Mondon, Dallas
David Daniel, Woodstock
Barrett Carter, Suwanee
Nathaniel Wiggins, Atlanta
Cane Berrong, Hartwell
Jordan Hancock, Suwanee
Miles Campbell, Douglasville
Amarius Mims, Cochran
Brock Vandagriff, Bogart

IOWA

Thomas Fidone, Council Bluffs

INDIANA

Blake Fisher, Avon

ILLINOIS

JJ McCarthy, La Grange Park

LOUISIANA

Maason Smith, Houma
Destyn Pazon, New Orleans
Brian Thomas, Walker
Sage Ryan, Lafayette

MARYLAND

Monkell Goodwine, Fort Washington
Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Baltimore
Demeioun Robinson, Gaithersburg
Dont'e Thornton, Baltimore

MICHIGAN

Damon Payne, Belleville

MISSOURI

Gabe Rubio, Saint Peters
Mike Hall, Streetsboro
Jakailin Johnson, Saint Louis

NEBRASKA

Avantae Dickerson, Omaha

NEW JERSEY

Tywone Malone, Oradell

NORTH CAROLINA

Keeshawn Silver, Rocky Mount
Payton Page, Greensboro
Will Shipley, Matthews
Drake Maye, Charlotte
Evan Pryor, Cornelius
Zaire Patterson, Winston-Salem

OHIO

Reid Carrico, Ironton
Jack Sawyer, Pickerington

PENNSYLVANIA

Jeremiah Trotter, Philadelphia
Marvin Harrison, Philadelphia
Elijah Jeudy, Philadelphia
Kyle McCord, Philadelphia
Derrick Davis, Monroeville
Elliot Donald, Reading

TENNESSEE

Hudson Wolfe, Savannah

TEXAS
Tommy Brockermeyer, Fort Worth
Camar Wheaton, Garland
Bryce Foster, Katy
Donovan Jackson, Bellaire
Ishmael Ibraheem, Dallas
Billy Bowman, Denton
Latrell McCutchin, Austin
Jojo Earle, Aledo
Preston Stone, Dallas
Landon Jackson, Texarkana
Cody Jackson, Richmond
Eli Stowers, Denton, TX
James Brockermeyer, Fort Worth
Jerand Bradley, Plano

UTAH

Kingsley Suamataia, East Orem

VIRGINIA

TreVeon Henderson, Hopewell
Tristan Leigh, Fairfax

WASHINGTON

Jaraye Williams, Burien
JT Tuimoloau, Bellevue
Emeka Egbuka, Steilacoom
Sam Huard, Burien
Jabez Tinae, Burien
Julien Simon, Tacoma

WEST VIRGINIA

Isiah Johnson, Bluefield

Preseason SI99 break down by college verbal commitment:

Alabama

IOL James Brockermeyer
OT Tommy Brockermeyer
WR Jacorey Brooks
IDL Monkell Goodwine
Slot Christian Leary
OT JC Latham
IDL Damon Payne
DE Dallas Turner

Arizona State

CB Isaiah Johnson

Auburn

RB Armoni Goodwin
S Ahmari Harvey
IDL Lee Hunter

Clemson

LB Barrett Carter
WR Beaux Collins
IDL Payton Page
DE Zaire Patterson
RB Will Shipley
LB Jeremiah Trotter

Florida

S Corey Collier
CB Jason Marshall
DE Tyreak Sapp

Georgia

TE-H Brock Bowers
S David Daniel
LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson
DE Elijah Jeudy
QB Brock Vandagriff

Louisville

LB Jaraye Williams

LSU
LB Raesjon Davis
RB Jojo Earle
DE Landon Jackson

Maryland

DE Demeioun Robinson

Miami

IDL Leonard Taylor
S James Williams

Michigan

WR Christian Dixon
QB JJ McCarthy
DE Quintin Somerville
Slot Xavier Worthy

Minnesota

Nickel Avantae Dickerson
Nickel Steven Ortiz

North Carolina

QB Drake May
DE Keeshawn Silver

Notre Dame

TE-Y Cane Berrong
QB Tyler Buchner
OT Blake Fisher
IDL Gabe Rubio

Ohio State

LB Reid Carrico
IDL Mike Hall
Nickel Jordan Hancock
WR Marvin Harrison
RB TreVeon Henderson
IOL Donovan Jackson
CB JK Johnson
QB Kyle McCord
RB Evan Pryor
DE Jack Sawyer

Oklahoma

WR Cody Jackson
CB Latrell McCutchin
QB Caleb Williams
Slot Mario Williams

Oregon

WR Troy Franklin
QB Ty Thompson

Pittsburgh

IDL Elliot Donald

SMU

QB Preston Stone

Texas

Nickel Billy Bowman
CB Ishmael Ibraheem

Texas A&M

QB Eli Stowers

Texas Tech

WR Jerand Bradley

Tennessee

DE Dylan Brooks
TE-H Miles Campbell
LB Terrence Lewis
TE-Y Hudson Wolfe

USC

QB Miller Moss
LB Julien Simon

Washington

QB Sam Huard
Slot Jabez Tinae

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