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The WSN15 series will celebrate the 15th Anniversary of WisSports.net by looking back at the top players, teams, and moments of the past 15 years (2003-2017).

The Top 15 Players countdown is not a recruiting ranking and not indicative of what the players did after high school. It is a ranking of the top high school players, the impact they had for their team, and the dominance they displayed while in high school.

Monona Grove High School star Gabe Carimi long modeled his football career after former Brookfield Central standout and current Cleveland Browns All-Pro Joe Thomas. In fact, way back in high school, he even referred to Thomas as his "hero", telling the Wisconsin State Journal:  "I really want to model myself after his size and how big he is without being fat, and how quick he is. I'd really like to be like Joe Thomas."

As a prep star and collegiate All-American, he more than lived up to the lofty comparisons.

A standout at Monona Grove High School, Carimi received numerous accolades during his playing career. He helped the Silver Eagles to a state runner-up finish as a junior. As a senior in 2005, he was a First Team WFCA All-State selection at both offensive line and defensive line, an AP First Team All-State pick at offensive tackle, and was named Co-Area Player of the Year by both the Wisconsin State Journal and Capital Times. As a senior defensive end he recorded five sacks and was the focal point of opposing offensive schemes.

Carimi was a four-year letterwinner for the Silver Eagles, entering the program as a 6-5, 220 pound freshman. By the time he left, he was a 6-7, 270 pound behemoth who received All-American honors from Parade Magazine and PrepStar.

Carimi committed to the hometown Wisconsin Badgers, and MG head coach Mike Stassi, who estimated they ran behind his standout tackle on 70% of running plays, could see something special in store for Gabe.

"I really believe that when he gets to the Badgers he's going to be the new wave of offensive linemen that can run and move," he told the State Journal. "And this guy's got it all."

He would go on to start 49 games at Wisconsin, earning First Team All-Conference recognition as a junior and senior. It was after his senior season that the big-time awards started rolling in. In addition to all-conference honors, he was the named the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year and named to several All-American teams. On December 9th, he followed in Thomas footsteps in winning the 2010 Outland Trophy as the country's top interior lineman. Perhaps just as impressively, Carimi was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.

Carimi was a First Round draft pick by the Chicago Bears and would spend four seasons in the NFL.

#15 - J.J. Watt, Pewaukee
#14 - Jayme Wells, Kimberly
#13 - Travis Frederick, Big Foot
#12 - Travis Beckum, Oak Creek
#11 - Sam Santiago-Lloyd, Brookfield East
#10 - Garrett Groshek, Amherst
#9 - Leo Musso, Waunakee
#8 - Blair Mulholland, Kimberly
#7 - Gabe Carimi, Monona Grove
#6 - Ben Hempel, Franklin
#5 - Mike Newkirk, Ladysmith
#4 - Eric Brunner, Greendale
#3 - John Clay, Racine Park
#2 - Josh Oglesby, Saint Francis
#1 - Melvin Gordon, Kenosha Bradford

Others Considered

For the latest and most up to date football news and recruiting information, follow Travis on Twitter @travisWSN. Email story ideas, recruiting info, etc. to Travis at travis(at)wissports.net.