With the start of another high school football season around the corner, The Enquirer is ranking the best players in Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana.
This week is dedicated to one skill position on defense and one on offense.
Advertisement
A number of the top players in the city will be running routes, catching passes and scoring touchdowns as they cause stress for defensive coordinators and players.
There is also a poll at the bottom of this story for readers to vote on their favorite receivers/tight ends. Voting ends Friday at 4 p.m.
You can also read about the top offensive linemen, top defensive lineman and defensive backs.
Josh Adelsperger, Harrison
Josh Adelsperger had a big season for Harrison in 2024.
The 5-foot-10, 180-pound senior had a big season for the Wildcats, who were 10-3. He had 49 catches for 956 yards and 13 touchdowns. All but one of those TDs were from 20 yards or more, and five of them were for 50 or more yards. He also had a punt return for a score and was named honorable mention All-Ohio in Division II. In Harrison’s playoff win over Troy, he had 10 catches for 273 yards and four TDs. The senior is garnering interest from Division II and FCS schools.
Advertisement
Charles Alexander Jr., Withrow
The junior is the latest Division I prospect at receiver for the Tigers, who went 5-6 last year. Alexander, 6-foot-4, 175-pound junior, only caught nine passes last year as the run-heavy Tigers threw for under 100 yards per game last year, but he will be the top target this season. The junior has received recent offers from Kent State, Western Michigan, Maryland, Pittsburgh and Indiana.
Ace Cooper, Middletown
An all-district and all-state first-teamer in Division II, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound senior has transferred from Mount Healthy to the Middies in the Greater Miami Conference, where he will play for head coach Kali Jones. Cooper has received interest from Big Ten schools Indiana, Penn State and Wisconsin.
Advertisement
As a junior, Cooper was named to the All-Ohio first team and was the only receiver in the Southwest Ohio Conference with 1,000 receiving yards, finishing with 1,418 yards and 19 touchdowns. He had 53 catches for 1,418 yards with Jahmeir Spain as his quarterback and will be a vital target for the Middies.
Grayson Harris, Simon Kenton
Grayson Harris of Simon Kenton was one of Kentucky’s top receivers last season.
An All-Northern Kentucky first-team honoree who also earned honorable mention all-state recognition, Harris was the top receiving option for the Pioneers in 2024.
The 6-foot, 184-pound senior had 89 catches for 1,368 yards and 13 touchdowns for Simon Kenton.
Marcus Hughbanks, Batavia
Batavia’s Marcus Hughbanks is a two-sport standout.
Also a star track athlete, Hughbanks led the Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference-American Division in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns on the way to first-team all-district and all-state honors in Division III.
Advertisement
He has received interest from multiple Division I programs and holds an offer from Ohio University. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound senior had 67 catches for 1,308 yards and 19 touchdowns, helping the Bulldogs finish 8-3.
Tayden Lorenzen, Highlands
The junior tight end and son of the late Highlands quarterback legend Jared Lorenzen had a big year for the Bluebirds in 2024. He recently picked up an offer from the Miami RedHawks.
Lorenzen was responsible for 74 total points, the second-highest total for Highlands behind senior Adam Surrey’s 90 last year. Lorenzen hauled in 31 passes for 363 yards and eight touchdown receptions. He also added 190 yards and three more scores on the ground.
Advertisement
As a quarterback wearing his dad’s famous No. 22 jersey, Lorenzen was 5-for-10 passing for 83 yards and a pair of touchdown passes. Highlands went 11-3 in 2024, reaching the KHSAA Class 5A state semifinals where the Bluebirds fell to Cooper.
P.J. MacFarlane, Lakota East
Lakota East tight end P.J. MacFarlane (87) committed to Indiana in June.
MacFarlane is a three-star recruit and Ohio’s 34th-best player in the class of 2026, according to 247Sports. He committed to Indiana in June, choosing the Hoosiers from about two dozen other offers from Cincinnati, Duke, Kentucky, Stanford, Washington and more.
The 6-foot-5, 205-pound tight end had 40 catches for 568 yards and seven touchdowns, and will be a key target for the quarterback who replaces Jamison Kitna under center.
Advertisement
Cooper McCutchan, Moeller
A three-star recruit and Ohio’s 37th best recruit in the class of 2026, according to 247Sports, McCutchan committed to Bill Belichick and North Carolina in May. He chose the Tar Heels from more than 30 other Division I schools with offers including Purdue, Duke, Cincinnati, Houston, North Carolina, Texas A&M and Washington.
McCutchan, a 6-foot-5 tight end, caught 35 passes for 569 yards and seven touchdowns for the Crusaders in 2024. He broke through in a 35-30 win over Lakewood St. Edward on Oct. 19, catching three touchdowns in the final 18 minutes to lead the comeback.
McCutchan was one of numerous weapons for Ohio Mr. Football Matt Ponatoski last season and will likely see a bigger role this season due to graduation losses.
Advertisement
Aaron McFarland, Oak Hills
The senior has transferred to Oak Hills and will play in the Greater Miami Conference after a record-setting season with Taylor. The 6-foot, 170-pound senior had 74 catches for 1,081 yards and 15 touchdowns, helping the Yellowjackets finish 10-3 and second in the Cincinnati Hills League. A three-star recruit according to 247Sports, McFarland has earned offers from FBS programs such as East Carolina, Kent State and Marshall. He is listed as a top 10 receiver in Ohio by some recruiting sites.
Landen Miree, Princeton
Princeton tight end Landen Miree has committed to Arizona State.
The three-star recruit is the 26th best Ohio recruit in the class of 2026, according to 247Sports, and top 40 tight end in the nation. Miree committed to Arizona State in July.
Advertisement
He earned 38 Division I football offers from powerhouse programs, including Florida, Florida State, LSU, Oregon, Texas A&M and more. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Miree has been a serious problem for opposing defenses since his sophomore year.
As a sophomore, he caught 24 passes for 371 yards and four touchdowns. His numbers exploded as a junior in 2024, when he went for 56 catches for 714 yards and 10 touchdowns. He is part of a deep receiving corps for the Vikings.
Other Cincinnati wide receivers and tight ends to watch in the 2025 season
Chris Bouyer, Lakota East; Jayden Brogden, Lakota West; Morgan Brown, Deer Park; Nick Cozzi, Bishop Brossart; Joey Dahmer, Milford; Dante Farley, Lockland; Nishawn Golsby, Dixie Heights; E.J. Goure, Deer Park; DeShawn Hicks, St. Bernard-Elmwood Place; Eddie Holloway, Taft; Thomas Huckleby, Cincinnati Country Day; Cooper Kathman, Anderson; Carson Khayo, Moeller; Gavin Kullgren, Colerain; Nick Lautar, Lebanon; Jaxon Long, Springboro; Brylan Miltenberger, Monroe; Demetrius Morris-Williams, Talawanda; Zion Neal, Princeton; Michael Oldfield, Walton-Verona; Connor Powderly, McNicholas; Landen Schultian, Bethel-Tate; Eli Stewart, Wilmington; Alex Wells, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio high school football: Cincinnati’s best receivers, tight ends