As we head towards a new football season in the fall of 2024, IdahoSports.com is once again getting fans ready by unveiling the Top 10 players at each position.  These lists feature players from all corners of the state, and from all six classification levels.  Each week, we'll publish a new list of Top 10 players.  Here's the schedule:

July 3 (Offensive Linemen)

July 9 (Defensive Linemen)

July 16 (Special Teams)

July 23 (Running Backs)

July 30 (Linebackers)

August 6 (Wide Receivers/Tight Ends)

August 13 (Defensive Backs)

August 20 (Quarterbacks)

Without further ado, here are the Top 10 Defensive Linemen to watch out for in 2024.  These selections have been made by the editorial staff at IdahoSports.com, and are listed in alphabetical order by school.  We made these selections based on a number of factors, including: returning All-State or All-Conference pedigree, college recruiting hype, and the good old-fashioned eye test.

Austin Adair, 12, American Falls

The 6-foot, 175-pound senior wears many hats for American Falls.  Adair led the Beavers in receiving a year ago on offense, started at safety on defense, and handled the punting duties.  It’s that punting leg that earns him distinction on this list, though.  Adair was named to the Class 3A All-State Team at punter, a tough feat considering American Falls didn’t make a deep run in the postseason.  Generally, the All-State Team is filled with players from the best teams, since they advance further and more coaches get to see them in person.  To make the squad on a team that went 3-7 is truly impressive.

Griffin Brady, 12, Bishop Kelly

Brady didn’t have to punt much, given the high potency of Bishop Kelly’s offense.  But when he did, he made it count, averaging 42.3 yards per punt with a long of 65 yards.  Brady is 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, and brings a big leg to the position.

Levi Hendricks, 12, Butte County

Eight-man football doesn’t feature a lot of traditional kicking, as most teams opt to go for two-point and fourth-down conversions rather than kicking PATs or field goals.  So an eight-man kicker has to stand out in other ways, like on kickoffs.  That’s where Hendricks shined in 2023.  The senior drilled ten kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks, but perhaps even more impressively, Hendricks successfully executed eight onside kicks.

Gannon Miller, 12, Centennial

This is Idaho’s best special teams prospect, in terms of advancing to the highest levels of college football.  Miller has traveled to camps all over the west this year, including Boise State, Washington, Oregon and USC, and has shined at each one.  Miller has been rated as a five-star punter by most services, and is an excellent kicker as well.

Dylan O’Brien, 11, Nampa Christian

O’Brien was named to the Class 2A All-State Team a year ago, and for good reason.  Although O’Brien was only 13-for-19 on PATs, he was able to showcase a big leg by going a perfect 4-for-4 on field goal attempts.  He booted a season-long field goal of 39 yards, a mark that O’Brien figures to top this year.

Kai Ward, 12, Raft River

Ward made our Top 10 list a year ago, and is one of just two repeat selections.  Ward is similar to Hendricks from Butte County, possessing a strong leg on kickoffs and a penchant for knowing how to place a well-timed onside kick.  Raft River hasn’t been shy about trying PATs with Ward in the past, so we’ll have to see if the coaching staff gives Ward the green light even more in his senior season.

Ronaldo Gomez, 12, Rimrock

Gomez is your classic do-it-all standout for Class 2A Rimrock.  The Raiders’ quarterback led the team in passing and rushing a season ago, and was an All-Conference defensive back.  He also handles the kicking and punting roles, and he’s equally adept at both.  Gomez has a career long field goal of 47 yards, and averaged 42.1 yards per punt a season ago.  Gomez is our other repeat selection on this Top 10 list.

Dawson McInelly, 12, Sugar-Salem

McInelly did a little bit of everything for the state champion Diggers in 2023.  The 6-foot-2, 190 pounder was part of a strong committee of running backs, an excellent outside linebacker, and a big-legged punter.  McInelly averaged 43.9 yards per punt in 2023, with a long of 62 yards.  The Utah Tech baseball commit sure knows a thing or two about the deep ball.

Connor Blaisdell, 12, Vallivue

Blaisdell was an All-Conference kicker at Vallivue in 2023, and the 6-foot-3, 170-pounder is ready for an even bigger senior season.  The deadeye drilled 22 PATs in 22 attempts, for a perfect percentage of 100.  He also went 4-for-5 on field goals, with a long of 42 yards.  New Vallivue coach Shea McClellin is inheriting a legitimate scoring option for 2024.

Rawley Calder, 12, West Jefferson

Looking for a sleeper team in 2024?  West Jefferson is a team brimming with potential.  Yes, the Panthers went 1-7 a year ago, but four of those losses came by six points or less, including two in overtime.  Several outstanding athletes return for new head coach Cory Hall, including the multi-talented Calder.  The wide receiver/defensive back also serves as the West J. punter.  Calder averaged 43.5 yards per punt last season, and landed nine punts inside the opponents’ ten-yard line.