Treasure Valley's top-25 football players
Players 5-1
We’re finally here.
The countdown of the top-25 high school football players in the Treasure Valley is about to come to its conclusion.
It’s time to reveal the best of the best.
But before we do, please take a moment to review all of the other spectacular athletes on this list.
Thank you for reading!
5. Cortland Horton, Eagle, OL/DL, Sr. — While Ben Ford gets the headlines — and for good reason — Horton is getting his fair share of attention too.
That’s what happens when you’re the lead blocker for arguably the state’s most electrifying athlete.
The 6-foot-4, 227-pound three-year varsity lineman has Division I offers from Air Force, Idaho State, San Diego and Northern Colorado.
Horton was an All-5A Southern Idaho Conference first-team selection on both offense and defense last season.
“He is fierce on the football field,” Eagle coach John Hartz said. “Cortland is a guy that must be on the field as much as possible for us because he has an incredible motor and he is a leader.”
Photo credit: Scott Poulson
4. Jackson Reed, Capital , WR/LB, Sr. — Like fellow teammate Charley Hastriter, Reed’s future won’t be on the gridiron.
He is committed to playing Division I baseball at Seattle University instead.
But his focus right now is on football.
Reed was the second-leading receiver in the 5A SIC and the fifth in the 5A classification last season. He hauled in 51 catches for 905 yards and nine touchdowns to earn All-SIC first-team and All-State second-team honors.
The 6-1, 220-pounder was also one of the best linebackers in the state as well. Reed tallied 83 tackles, six tackles for loss and a pair of sacks to earn All-SIC second-team honors. But Reed may be moving over to free safety this season.
“Jackson is a naturally gifted athlete who could line up all over the field and function at a very high level,” Capital coach Todd Simis said. “His instincts are superior and when you combine that with his strength and speed — you have a player who can impact both sides of the ball on virtually every play.”
3. Tanner Nett, Borah, OL/DL Sr. — The Lions may no longer have the state’s best player on their roster in Boise State’s Austin Bolt.
But they have the next best thing.
Arguably the state’s best lineman.
Nett put on 35 pounds — of muscle — during the offseason to bolster his already massive frame to 6-6, 305 pounds.
The three-year starter earned All-5A SIC and All-State first-team honors last season.
He already has an offer from Linfield College (Oregon) — who have 64 consecutive winning seasons — and it should only be a matter of time before more colleges start flooding his phone and computer to inquire about his services.
“(He’s the) smartest player on the field,” Borah coach Jason Burton said. “He is our leader and we will depend on him heavily on both sides of the ball.”
Photo credit: Shannon Teater
Sean Austin, Kuna, QB, Sr. — Austin couldn’t have asked for a better year last season.
He kind of came out of nowhere to lead the Kavemen to their first state title in nearly 30 years and the first perfect season in program history. The 6-2, 175-pound signal caller was the architect of that run with 1,184 yards, 11 TDs and no interceptions in four playoff games.
In total, Austin completed 65% of his throws for 3,399 yards and 35 TDs to just seven interceptions for the 4A and 5A’s most prolific offense (44.5 points per game).
It earned him both All-4A SIC and All-State honors.
And that kind of thing just doesn’t go unnoticed.
Austin drew offers from Idaho, Idaho State and Northern Arizona before committing to Montana State over the summer.
“Sean is a complete all-around athlete who is clutch and steps up when the team needs him,” Kuna senior wide receiver Koltin Teater said.
1. Ben Ford, Eagle, QB, Sr. — I’m not going to lie, if this had been published just a week earlier, the 5-11, 185-pound Swiss Army knife would have been a little bit further down the list.
But after what he did last week, there is just no denying his place at the top.
Less than 11 months after tearing the ACL in his right knee, Ford showed he’s still the same player who took the state by storm with almost 3,000 yards of total offense and 32 TDs in 2018, and then some.
He piled up nearly 400 yards of total offense and six touchdowns going head-to-head against Austin in a 64-0 blowout win.
Even after missing the final four games of last season, Ford still accounted for 729 rushing yards and 12 TDs to earn All-5A SIC first-team honors.
Oh yeah, he was also an All-State defensive back by the way.
Ford currently holds offers from Army, Idaho and Idaho State. He has an offer from the University of Washington for baseball as well.
“Ben is electric in every way,” Hartz said. “His speed and strength are unbelievable. He is also extremely competitive. Ben is coming off a major injury, but he has worked hard and he seems as strong as ever.”