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 Wide Receivers and Tight Ends 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.

*A quick note: several people always ask us why we don't have separate lists for wide receivers and tight ends.  The simple answer is because in today's modern offenses, a lot of tight ends will line up as wide receivers, and bigger wideouts will line up in the slot where a tight end would traditionally be.  Basically, they interchange too much.  Now on to the list!

Tivon Sakaguchi, 12, Bonneville

Tivon is a titan, looming large at 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds.  He’s also quite proficient at hockey.  Sakaguchi recently picked up an offer from Montana’s NAIA powerhouse Carroll College, and with a strong senior season, more offers will follow.  His stats don’t jump off the page just yet.  That’s partly because he’s still somewhat raw as a tight end, and partly because Bonneville hasn’t thrown the ball much in recent years.  But with new coach Shane Stephenson arriving from Arizona, it will be intriguing to see how Sakaguchi is utilized.

Kai Wheeler, 12, Coeur d’Alene

The springy senior can elevate with the best of them, using all of his 6-foot-3, 200 pound frame to make tough catches over the middle and sensational grabs down the field.  A standout basketball player as well, Wheeler is adept at finding the soft spot in coverage and getting open.  Wheeler lines up at both tight end and wide receiver, and with a little added muscle could make a fine tight end in college.

Gavin Rasmussen, 12, Declo

A repeat selection on our list, Rasmussen is also a multi-year selection to both the All-State and All-Conference teams.  Rasmussen finished his junior season with 1,056 yards of total offense with 11 touchdowns, as the Declo Hornets advanced all the way to the state championship game.  Rasmussen could have easily qualified for our Top 10 Defensive Backs list as well.

Talyn Weaver, 11, Filer

Don’t be fooled by Filer’s 0-9 record from last season.  This is a team bubbling to the surface with talent like Weaver and prolific quarterback Tristan Rea.  Weaver started as a freshman in 2022, and finished with 415 yards and three touchdowns in his debut season.  Last year, as a sophomore, he almost doubled his yardage total with 705 yards, although he still only had four TDs.  If Filer can avoid turning the ball over like they did so often a year ago, we could see Weaver crack the 1,000 yard barrier.  But more importantly, maybe the touchdown totals will increase, too, which could lead to more wins for the Wildcats.

Ky Kendall, 12, Hagerman

In eight-man football, rarely is an athlete confined to a single position.  Hence, no one was really surprised when Kendall lined up at wide receiver, running back, and even quarterback, at various points of the 2023 season.  Kendall finished the year with 2,505 total yards and 30 touchdowns on offense.  He figures to spend most of his time at wide receiver this year, and at 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds, that’s where he figures to play at the next level, if he chooses to go that route.  Kendall is also a hot commodity in basketball circles, as he set the Hagerman school record with seven made three-pointers last year.

Rafa Cuenca, 12, Homedale

Most people know him as Rafael, but to his teammates, he’s Rafa.  No matter what you choose to call him, there’s no denying that Cuenca has a penchant for making the big play.  Whenever Homedale needed a first down or a touchdown through the air, they turned to the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Cuenca.  He finished 2023 with 41 receptions for 744 yards and 13 touchdowns.  That’s 18.1 yards per catch, and nearly one-quarter of his catches becoming touchdowns.

Lucius Comis, 12, Logos

The Logos Knights were a high-flying aerial attack a season ago, averaging 56 points per game.  There were lots of playmakers, but a lot of them left via graduation.  Comis is one of the few returnees, and the 6-foot-4, 200 pound senior is looking to increase his production as a senior.  Considering he led the Whitepine League with 688 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 28 yards per reception, we can’t wait to see how he tops those numbers.

Cash Wiley, 12, Mountain Home

Wiley led all Mountain Home receivers with 718 yards and six touchdowns in 2023.  When you add in his rushing totals, you get to just over 1,100 yards of total offense with seven scores.  He did this despite being limited during the second half of the season with an injury.  The Tigers are trying to make a move up the 5A Great Basin Conference standings this year, and if the Tigers can find a way to get Wiley in the end zone a few more times, they could open a few eyes in 2024.

Ryan Brekke, 11, Owyhee

This might be the best receiver in Idaho’s junior class.  Brekke lines up wide and in the slot at tight end, and the thinking is that he’ll wind up at tight end full-time in college.  The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder has already picked up a Division 1 offer from the University of Idaho.  Owyhee is a trendy dark horse pick in the 6A Southern Idaho Conference this year, and Brekke’s continued development is a big reason why.

Aidan Radford, 12, Rockland

Radford is definitely the smallest receiver on our list, measuring in at 5-foot-5 and 115 pounds.  But, boy can he fly down the field and break ankles when defenders are near.  Radford led all eight-man receivers a year ago with 49 receptions, 871 yards and 18 touchdowns.  The numbers could take a step back with All-State quarterback Teague Matthews gone via graduation, but his impact on the game certainly won’t be lessened.