ORDER GAME PHOTOS

As we head towards a new football season in the fall of 2022, IdahoSports.com is 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 7 (Offensive Linemen)

July 13 (Defensive Linemen)

July 20 (Running Backs)

July 27 (Linebackers)

August 3 (Wide Receivers/Tight Ends)

August 10 (Defensive Backs)

August 17 (Quarterbacks)


Without further ado, here are the Top 10 Wide Receivers/Tight Ends to watch out for in 2022.  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.

JaVonte King, Blackfoot (Sr.)

King is big and physical, standing 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds.  He runs routes like Davante Adams, makes spectacular catches like Odell Beckham Jr., and can beat you deep like Ja'Marr Chase.  He holds two Division I offers (from Tennessee Tech and Idaho State).  And he finished with 1,183 yards and 9 receiving touchdowns a year ago.  Good luck to anyone who crosses  paths with King this season.


Ethan Roland, Castleford (Sr.)

Castleford surprised many a year ago, going from relative afterthought in the preseason to a final four team in the Class 1AD2 playoffs.  All-State quarterback Eric Taylor keyed a lot of the Wolves' success, but he didn't do it alone.  Roland touched the ball 75 times last year, and turned those touches into 1,444 total yards and 23 total touchdowns.  Taylor has graduated, which could mean Roland is line for an even bigger season in 2022.


Ian Duarte, Eagle (Sr.)

Duarte was turning heads on the recruiting circuit as an underclassmen in California.  Then he moved to Eagle last summer, and elevated his stock even further after finishing with 69 catches for 1,162 yards and 8 touchdowns.  Schools like Arizona, Bryant, Fresno State, Idaho and Portland State have all reached out to Duarte, and could pursue a future in baseball as well.  He recently threw 93 miles per hour at one of those "Test Your Speed" games.


Zach Johnson, Lake City (Sr.)

If this were a Top 11 list instead of a Top 10 feature, Johnson would've seen his name on this list a year ago.  Alas, he just missed the cut, and the 6-3, 215 pound tight end made us doubt the missed selection all season long with 560 yards and 5 touchdowns in limited action.  Johnson picked up tight end MVP honors at Boise State's camp earlier this summer, and has received offers from the Broncos and Big Sky members Idaho and Montana.


Kolby Luna, Kellogg (Sr.)

Luna pretty much excels in whatever sport he plays, whether it's football, basketball or baseball.  Since this a football list, though, we'll tell you that Luna had the third-highest yardage total among Idaho receivers in 2021 (spoiler alert: the number one and two leaders are below).  Luna finished with 55 receptions, 1,082 yards and 16 touchdowns a year ago.  In case you're still not impressed: his 1,082 receiving yards was down slightly from his sophomore season in 2020, when he set a new Class 3A state record with 1,124 yards.


Gatlin Bair, Kimberly (Jr.)

Bair is the top recruit for Idaho's Class of 2024, and for good reason.  He boasts size (6-foot-2, 185 pounds) and speed (10.46 seconds in the 100-meter dash).  Bair snagged 56 balls for 987 yards and an astounding 18 touchdowns in 2021, and has offers from Boise State, BYU, Idaho, Michigan, and Oklahoma State.  A high-level dual Division I football and track career is not out of the question for this dynamic athlete.


Teague Matthews, Rockland (Jr.)

Matthews' numbers from 2021 are downright video game-esque:  85 catches, 1,414 yards, 25 touchdowns.  And that was with every defense knowing he was going to get the ball, and still being unable to do anything about it.   Idaho's receiving yardage leader in 2021 is a strong favorite to repeat again, as the 6-foot-4, 180 pound junior can elevate like no other.


CJ Jacobsen, Rocky Mountain (Sr.)

Jacobsen is listed as a top 5 recruit in the state of Idaho this year, and is the perfect example of the different criteria we use when putting these lists together.  Stats? Fairly pedestrian.  All-State honors?  Nowhere to be found.  But that's only because Jacobsen, who has started since his sophomore season, has played on extremely run-heavy Rocky Mountain teams the past two seasons.  A friendly reminder to future athletes: you don't need gaudy stats or accolades to get college coaches to notice you.  The 6-foot-5, 230 pound Jacobsen has offers from Arizona, BYU, Louisville, North Carolina State and Utah.

Kenyon Sadiq, Skyline (Sr.)

Sadiq is Idaho's highest rated recruit for the Class of 2023.  He wrapped up his junior year with 79 catches, 1,1166 yards, 19 touchdowns, and a second consecutive 4A championship.  The 4A Player of the Year stands 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, and is the most physical receiver on this list.  He is a wide receiver that runs toward contact at times, not away from it.  He's pretty much impossible to defend at the goal line.  And his stock is only rising.  Sadiq recently whittled his list of potential colleges down to three schools: Iowa State, Michigan and Washington.


Caden Taggart, Skyline (Sr.)

Skyline won their second consecutive 4A championship last fall.  And while Kenyon Sadiq was a big reason why, it's easy to forget about the Grizzlies' slippery slot receiver, Caden Taggart.  While teams were troubleshooting how to defend Sadiq downfield, Taggart was slicing and dicing opponents on jet sweeps and quick hitters over the middle.  The dual-threat receiver finished with 47 catches for 665 yards and 11 touchdowns.  He also accumulated 318 rushing yards and 5 scores on the ground.