High school football: Every national player of the year going back to 1910

By Kevin Askeland Jan 29, 2021, 12:15pm

Derrick Henry, Emmitt Smith, Hoyt 'Crusty' Barton among retroactive POYs from past 110 seasons.

MaxPreps named Jaxson Dart of Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) as its National High School Football Player of the Year for 2020, making him the 15th honoree by the organization. However, National Player of the Year awards go back as far as 1947 when the first high school All-American team was selected by a group called the Wigwam Wisemen.

MaxPreps is now taking it a step further and has retroactively selected a National Player of the Year for each season dating back to 1910. The list tries to stay true to those "players of the year" who were selected in real time by various media outlets.

Parade Magazine chose All-American football teams starting in 1963 while the Wigwam Wisemen All-American teams ran from 1947 to 1961. Other organizations choosing All-American teams during those periods included Scholastic Coach Magazine, Coach and Athlete Magazine, USA Today, Students Sports, ESPN and MaxPreps.

MaxPreps retroactively chose all National Players of the Year prior to 1946 based on all-state honors, All-Southern honors and performance on teams regarded as national championship teams. The All-Southern Team was chosen by newspapers in Florida starting in 1921 and representing 12 Southern states.
Kyler Murray, Allen
Kyler Murray, Allen
File photo by Neil Fonville
High school football players of the year since 1910

2020 — Jaxson Dart, Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah)
Led Corner Canyon to a 14-0 record, a Utah state championship and a No. 9 national ranking by MaxPreps while throwing for 4,691 yards and 67 touchdowns.



2019 — Bryce Young, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.); D.J. Uiagalelei, St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)
Named Co-Players of the Year by MaxPreps, Young led Mater Dei to an 11-2 record with both losses to St. John Bosco. Uiagalelei led St. John Bosco to a 14-0 record and a national No. 1 ranking by MaxPreps.

2018 — Bru McCoy, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
McCoy helped Monarchs earned a national No. 1 ranking by MaxPreps. He caught 78 passes for 1,428 yards and 18 touchdowns.

2017 — JT Daniels, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
The first of three straight Mater Dei players to earn national honors, Daniels led Mater Dei to a national No. 1 ranking while throwing for 4,123 yards and 52 touchdowns.

2016 — Tate Martell, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Finished his varsity career undefeated with 45 straight wins, including a 15-0 2016 season when the Gaels earned a national No. 1 ranking. Martell threw for 2,362 yards and 41 touchdowns.

2015 — Derrick Brown, Lanier (Sugar Hill, Ga.)
Brown, a defensive lineman, edged out the likes of Sam Ehlinger, Najee Harris and Austin Scott after making 106 tackles and 12 sacks.

2014 — Kyler Murray, Allen (Texas)
Murray concluded his high school career with a second-straight 16-0 season and a national No. 1 ranking. Murray threw for 4,713 yards and 54 touchdowns.



2013 — Kyler Murray, Allen (Texas)
As a junior, Murray earned MaxPreps National Player of the Year honors after leading Allen to a 16-0 record and a national No. 2 ranking. He finished the season with 3,669 yards passing and 46 touchdowns.

2012 — Derrick Henry, Yulee (Fla.)
Broke one of the most revered records in high school sports when he shattered Ken Hall's career rushing total of 11,232 yards. Henry ended his career with 12,124 career yards. He's rushed for over 2,000 yards six times in his career in high school, college and the NFL. No other athlete has done it more than four.

2011 — Jonathan Gray, Aledo (Texas)
Set a national scoring record as a senior with 205 career touchdowns, including 70 as a senior. He's the only high school player to score 59 or more touchdowns in a season three times.

2010 — Dano Graves, Folsom (Calif.)
Got the nod when he threw for 3,702 yards and 62 touchdowns and rushed for 994 yards and 23 touchdowns while leading Folsom to a 14-1 record and a state championship.

2009 — Dorial Green-Beckham, Hillcrest (Springfield, Mo.)
A sophomore in 2009, Green-Beckham caught 66 passes for 1,616 yards and 23 touchdowns. He eventually went on to set a national record (since broken) with 6,356 career receiving yards.

2008 — Garrett Gilbert, Lake Travis (Austin, Texas)
The son of former NFL quarterback Gale Gilbert, Garrett set a Texas career passing yardage record with 12,534 yards. He led Lake Travis to back-to-back state championships and a 31-1 record over two years.



2007 — Terrell Pryor, Jeannette (Pa.)
Pryor led Jeannette to a state championship and became the first player in state history to throw for 4,000 career yards and rush for 4,000 career yards. He also earned All-America honors in basketball.

2006 — Jimmy Clausen, Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.)
Had an outstanding career at Oaks Christian, throwing for 10,667 yards and winning all 42 of the games he played as a starting quarterback. He was player of the year by both USA Today and Parade.

2005 — Mitch Mustain, Springdale (Ark.)
Led Springdale to a 14-0 record and a state championship while throwing for 3,817 yards and 47 touchdowns. He was National Player of the Year by both USA Today, Parade and Gatorade.

2004 — Ryan Perrilloux, East St. John (Reserve, La.)
Dominating as a senior, Perrilloux passed for 3,546 yards and rushed for 1,460 yards. He accounted for 155 touchdowns in his career and was the USA Today Offensive Player of the Year. He also won the Hall Trophy, recognizing the top high school player in the country.

2003 — Brian Brohm, Trinity (Louisville, Ky.)
Named the Player of the Decade in Kentucky by the Courier Journal after leading Trinity to three straight state championships. He ended his career with 10,579 yards passing and 119 touchdowns.

2002 — Chris Leak, Independence (Charlotte, N.C.)
Threw for 15,593 yards, which ranked second all-time in the nation when he concluded his career. He led Independence to three straight state titles and was the Parade National Player of the Year.



2001 — Maurice Clarett, Harding (Warren, Ohio)
Rushed for 1,396 yards with 22 touchdowns in the regular season, was named Mr. Ohio and earned National Player of the Year honors from Parade and USA Today.

2000 — Joe Mauer, Cretin-Derham Hall (St. Paul, Minn.)
The USA Today national baseball Player of the Year as well, Mauer is the only athlete to be named national player of the year in both sports. He threw for 3,022 yards as a senior and had 5,528 yards in his career.

1999 — Brock Berlin, Evangel Christian Academy (Shreveport, La.)
Led Evangel Christian to three straight state championships and was the National Player of the Year by Parade, Gatorade and USA Today. He threw for 13,902 yards in his career.

1998 — Chris Simms, Ramapo (Franklin Lakes, N.J.)
The son of NFL quarterback Phil Simms, Chris was twice named all-state and was the USA Today offensive player of the year. He threw for 7,055 yards in his career.

1997 — Ronald Curry, Hampton (Va.)
Led Hampton to a pair of national championships and he earned All-America honors in football and basketball. He had 8,212 yards passing in his career.

1996 — Travis Minor, Catholic-B.R. (Baton Rouge, La.)
Earned National Player of the Year honors from USA Today and Gatorade. He had 4,706 career rushing yards with 72 touchdowns.



1995 — Tim Couch, Leslie County (Hyden, Ky.)
Broke Josh Booty's record for national career passing yards with 12,167 yards. He was also an all-state basketball player with over 3,000 career points.

1994 — Dan Kendra, Bethlehem Catholic (Bethlehem, Pa.)
Although injuries ended his football career in college, Kendra was the USA Today Offensive Player of the Year and the top quarterback recruit in the nation. He threw for 6,087 yards in his career and 1,988 as a senior.

1993 — Josh Booty, Evangel Christian Academy (Shreveport, La.)
The first high school player to throw for over 10,000 yards, Booty was named National Player of the Year ahead of Peyton Manning. He finished with 11,700 yards in his career.

1992 — Ron Powlus, Berwick (Pa.)
One of the most hyped players in high school history, Powlus was National Player of the Year by Parade, Gatorade and USA Today. He threw for 7,342 yards in his career.

1991 — Stephen Davis, Spartanburg (S.C.)
The National Offensive Player of the Year by USA Today, Davis led the state of South Carolina in scoring and rushing with 192 points and 2,448 yards.

1990 — Marquette Smith, Lake Howell (Winter Park, Fla.)
Smith earned National Player of the Year honors from Gatorade and USA Today after a high school career that saw him gain 6,733 yards.



1989 — Andre Hastings, Morrow (Ga.)
At one time, Sports Illustrated predicted Hastings would be one of the NFL stars in the 1990s — while he was still in high school. Things didn't turn out that way, but Hastings still had a fabulous high school career with 184 catches for 3,190 yards.

1988 — Terry Kirby, Tabb (Yorktown, Va.)
The Parade and USA Today player of the year while setting Virginia records for most career 100-yard games with 36. He also had 7,428 career rushing yards.

1987 — Todd Marinovich, Capistrano Valley (Mission Viejo, Calif.)
A four-year starter at Mater Dei and later Capistrano Valley, Marinovich finished his career as the nation's all-time leader in passing yardage with 9,182 yards.

1986 — Emmitt Smith, Escambia (Pensacola, Fla.)
The NFL's all-time leading rusher, Smith was expected to seriously challenge Ken Hall's career high school rushing record. Injuries slowed him down his senior year, but he managed to rush for 8,804 yards in his career.

1985 — Jeff George, Warren Central (Indianapolis, Ind.)
The first Gatorade National Player of the Year, George led Warren Central to two state championships and threw for 8,126 yards in his career.

1984 — Hart Lee Dykes, Bay City (Texas)
Dykes was the Dial Athlete of the Year as a senior after catching 43 passes for 1,353 yards. He had an All-American career at Oklahoma State, but had an NFL career cut short by injuries.



1983 — Ryan Knight, Rubidoux (Jurupa Valley, Calif.)
Knight was the top running back in the nation as a senior as he earned Parade All-American honors after rushing for 2,620 yards.

1982 — John Paye, Menlo School (Atherton, Calif.)
Paye was one of the top recruits in the nation, throwing for 2,697 yards in nine regular season games as a senior at Menlo School. He also led the Menlo basketball team to a state championship before heading to Stanford where he played both football and basketball.

1981 — Kevin Willhite, Cordova (Rancho Cordova, Calif.)
Willhite earned national back of the year honors ahead of Marcus Dupree after finishing his career with 4,901 yards and 72 touchdowns at nationally ranked Cordova. Also one of the top sprinters in the nation, Willhite suffered hamstring injuries in college that brought an early end to his career.

1980 — Bill Fralic, Penn Hills (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Fralic, and offensive tackle, was the top-vote getter on the Parade All-America team. He went on to a Hall of Fame career in college at Pittsburgh and played in four Pro Bowls in the NFL.

1979 — Herschel Walker, Johnson County (Wrightsville, Ga.)
Walker set state records in Georgia with 3,167 yards rushing as a senior with 86 career rushing touchdowns.

1978 — Dan Marino, Central Catholic (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Marino earned Parade All-America honors after throwing for over 1,000 yards as a junior and a senior. Went on to become the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns.



1977 — Ron Cuccia, Wilson (Los Angeles)
Cuccia set national passing records while at Wilson, throwing for 8,804 yards in his career with 91 touchdown passes and 54 rushing touchdowns. He was a three-time Los Angeles City Section player of the year honoree.

1976 — Tim Koegel, Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati)
Koegel was the top player in the state of Ohio as a senior while leading Moeller to the first of four national championships in five seasons. Koegel was regarded as the No. 1 quarterback prospect in the country after throwing for 1,240 yards and 16 touchdowns and leading Moeller to 24 straight wins.

1975 — Curtis Dickey, Bryan (Texas)
Dickey was the top vote-getter on the 1975 squad after rushing for 1,417 yards and leading Bryan to a 9-1 record and a district championship.

1974 — Tony Nathan, Woodlawn (Birmingham, Ala.)
A two-time Parade All-American, Nathan topped Billy Sims for most votes on the 1974 team after rushing for 1,700 yards and 24 touchdowns.

1973 — Jerry Eckwood, Brinkley (Ark.)
The top vote-getter on the Parade team, Eckwood beat out Earl Campbell and Joe Montana for the honor. He was the Arkansas state Player of the Year after rushing for 2,616 yards on 263 carries with 33 touchdowns.

1972 — Tony Dorsett, Hopewell (Aliquippa, Pa.)
Earned first team honors by Parade after rushing for 1,238 yards as a senior and 2,272 yards in his career. He went on to set the NCAA record for career rushing yardage.



1971 — Quinn Buckner, Thornridge (Dolton, Ill.)
The state Player of the Year in football and basketball, Buckner played defensive back, wingback and running back. Named the nation's top athlete by Letterman Magazine, Buckner also led the basketball team to a state championship and mythical national championship.

1970 — Gil Chapman, Jefferson Township (Oak Ridge, N.J.)
Chapman was the top vote-getter among the backfield members on the Parade All-America team, edging out Pat Haden of Bishop Amat. Chapman led Jefferson to an undefeated season and led the state in scoring with 186 points.

1969 — Jim McAlister, Blair (Pasadena, Calif.)
McAlister earned first team honors on the Parade All-America team after leading Blair to a 13-0 record and a Southern Section championship. He was the Southern Section Player of the Year after rushing for 2,168 yards and scoring 232 points.

1968 — Ted McNulty, Upper Arlington (Columbus, Ohio)
Earned first-team quarterback honors on the Parade All-America team, ahead of record-setting Joe Ferguson of Woodlawn (Baton Rouge). McNulty had 2,200 yards rushing and passing while leading Upper Arlington to a second straight state championship.

1967 — Jimmy Jones, Harris (Harrisburg, Pa.), now Harrisburg (Pa.)
Jones was the leading vote-getter on the Parade All-American team after throwing for 2,260 yards and 35 touchdowns for Harris.

1966 — Mickey Cureton, Centennial (Compton, Calif.)
The Southern Section Player of the Year after leading the nation in scoring with 240 points. Also a Parade first-team pick.



1965 — Greg Jones, South San Francisco (Calif.)
The top player in Northern California, Jones made the Parade All-America first team. He led his team to a 9-0 season while scoring 18 touchdowns and rushing for 1,168 yards.

1964 — Larry Smith, Robinson (Tampa, Fla.)
Smith was the top player on the Parade All-America team while also earning all-state and All-Southern honors. He led Robinson to an 11-1 record.

1963 — Herb Phelps, Old Kentucky Home (Bardstown, Ky.), now closed
Phelps was the top player in Kentucky and was the top vote-getter on Parade's first All-America team after scoring a national best 292 points.

1962 — Steve Spurrier, Science Hill (Johnson City, Tenn.)
A three-sport standout, Spurrier earned All-American honors from Scholastic Coach and Coach and Athlete, and was also named to the All-Southern team. Went on to become of the top college coaches of all-time.

1961 — Jerry Mosher, Woodland (Calif.)
The Northern California receiver was the high vote-getter after catching 34 passes for 480 yards. One of the state's top all-around athletes in basketball, track and field and swimming.

1960 — Pat Screen, Jesuit (New Orleans)
Named as the top player on the Wigwam Wisemen team ahead of the likes of future pros Dick Butkus, Lance Rentzel and Tucker Frederickson. Screen scored 107 points in nine games for the state champion Blue Jays.



1959 — Jay Wilkinson, Norman (Okla.)
The son of Oklahoma football coach Bud Wilkinson, Jay was the top quarterback in the country according to the Wigwam Wisemen All-America team. Ironically, Wilkinson played in college at Duke, where he was an All-American.

1958 — Jackie Pope, Oak Ridge (Tenn.)
Pope earned captain honors in 1958 after leading Oak Ridge to a state championship and a mythical national championship. He rushed for 1,578 yards and scored 158 points.

1957 — Bruce Fullerton, Central (Little Rock, Ark.)
Central was named the national champions in 1957 and Fullerton was the team's top player. He earned Wigwam Wisemen captain honors and was also selected to the Scholastic Coach All-America team.

1956 — George Johnson, Sonora (Texas)
Johnson led the nation in scoring with 286 points and was named the captain of the Wigwam Wisemen team.

1955 — Charles Milstead, Tyler (Texas)
Milstead was the top player on the Wigwam Wisemen team after leading Tyler to the state championship game and earning state Player of the Year honors in Texas. He went on to a brief NFL career in the AFL as a defensive back and punter.

1954 — Jim Sims, East St. Louis (Ill.)
A center for the Flyers, Sims was the leading vote-getter on the 1954 team, beating out tackle Bronko Nagurski Jr. and high-scoring Vallejo (Calif.) running back Dick Bass.



1953 — Ken Hall, Sugar Land (Texas), now closed
Hall set national records with 395 points in a season and 11,232 career rushing yards. Despite playing at the smallest level of Texas football, Hall was a first-team All-American by Wigwam Wisemen.

1952 — Doyle Traylor, Temple (Texas)
Traylor is believed to have set the national record for career passing yardage in 1952 when he completed his career with 5,188 yards in three seasons at Temple. He was a first team Wigwam Wisemen All-American.

1951 — Bart Starr, Lanier (Montgomery, Ala.)
Starr led Lanier to an undefeated season as a junior and then earned all-state and All-America honors from Wigwam Wisemen and Scholastic Coach. He went on to become the only NFL quarterback to win three straight championships.

1950 — Johnny Dean, Hopewell (Va.)
Dean earned multiple honors during his tenure as the quarterback for Hopewell. He was the two-time state player of the year, a two-time All-Southern Selection and he was the leading vote-getter on the 1950 Wigwam Wisemen team.

1949 — Johnny Lattner, Fenwick (Oak Park, Ill.)
A standout as a defensive back and a quarterback, Lattner made the all-state team in Illinois and was a Wigwam Wisemen All-American. He earned a Heisman Trophy in 1953.

1948 — Willie Thrower, New Kensington (Pa.), now Valley (New Kensington, Pa.)
The aptly named Pennsylvania quarterback led New Kensington to a pair of WPIAL championships. He went on to become one of the first black quarterbacks in the NFL in 1953.



1947 — Harry Agganis, Lynn Classical (Lynn, Mass.)
One of the top all-around athletes in the country, Agganis led Lynn Classical to a national championship and was the captain of the first Wigwam Wisemen All-American team. While a member of the Boston Red Sox, Agganis died of a pulmonary embolism in 1955 at the age of 26.

1946 — Al Pollard, Loyola (Los Angeles, Calif.)
A two-time Southern Section player of the year, Pollard scored 23 touchdowns as a senior and had 1,772 yards from scrimmage.

1945 — Dan Towler, Donora (Pa.), merged to form Ringgold (Monongahela, Pa.)
Donora was one of the dominating teams in Pennsylvania in the mid 1940s with Towler leading the way. He scored 175 points his senior year before eventually playing with the Rams in the NFL.

1944 — Doak Walker, Highland Park (Dallas)
Walker helped Highland Park to the state championship game two seasons in a row (finishing second both times) and was named to multiple all-state teams. He won a Heisman Trophy four years later at SMU.

1943 — Pete Williams, Miami (Fla.)
The quarterback of the national champion Stingarees, Williams was a unanimous all-state choice and landed a spot on the All-Southern team.

1942 — Glenn Davis, Bonita (La Verne, Calif.)
Prior to winning a Heisman Trophy at Army, Davis was tearing it up in Southern California where he earned Southern Section Player of the Year honors while leading the nation with 236 points.

1941 — Dwight Eddleman, Centralia (Ill.)
One of the nation's top basketball and track and field athletes in the nation, Eddleman decided to play football as a senior. He earned captain honors on the Illinois all-state team and eventually played in the Rose Bowl while in college.



1940 — Elroy Hirsch, Wausau (Wis.), now Wausau East (Wausau, Wis.)
Led Wausau to a state championship in 1940 and led the state in scoring with 108 points before embarking on an NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams.

1939 — Johnny Petrovich, Alhambra (Calif.)
Petrovich earned Player of the Year honors in the Southern Section when he posted 25 touchdowns and passed for 12 more.

1938 — Bobby Cifers, Kingsport (Tenn.), now Dobyns-Bennett (Kingsport, Tenn.)
Cifers earned All-Southern honors as a junior and a senior while at Kingsport. He earned National Player of the Year honors for his junior season of 1938 when he scored 235 points in 12 games.

1937 — Bill DeCorrevont, Chicago Austin (Ill.), now closed
Chicago Austin earned a mythical national championship behind the play of DeCorrevont, who scored nine touchdowns in one game on 10 carries. He had 35 touchdowns on the season and led Austin to a 10-0 record.

1936 — Tom Harmon, Horace Mann (Gary, Ind.), now closed
The future Heisman Trophy winner at Michigan, Harmon was a multi-sport athlete at Horace Mann. A winner of 14 letters in high school, Harmon led Horace Mann to a mythical state title in football in 1936.

1935 — Kenny Washington, Lincoln (Los Angeles)
A quarterback in high school, Washington was the Southland Player of the Year by the Los Angeles Times after leading Lincoln to a City championship. After a stellar career at UCLA, where he led the nation in rushing, Washington integrated the NFL in 1946, ending the league's moratorium of fielding black players — a full year before Jackie Robinson did the same in Major League Baseball.



1934 — Dick Todd, Crowell (Texas)
Todd broke the national record for touchdowns in a season, with 53, and a career, with 105. He went on to play for the Redskins in the NFL.

1933 — Hoyt "Crusty" Barton, Capitol Hill (Oklahoma City)
Capitol Hill dominated in Oklahoma and won a national championship game against Harrison Tech of Chicago. Barton was the team's leading scorer and the captain of the all-state team.

1932 — Francis Lengel, Waite (Toledo, Ohio)
Toledo Waite was the national champion, thanks to a 12-0 record and a win over the Miami Stingarees in the final game. Lengel led the nation in scoring with 194 points.

1931 — Hod Giddens, Knoxville Central (Tenn.)
Central had one of the top teams in the country during the 1920s and 30s, earning a national championship in 1927. Giddens was the top player in the state in 1931, earning All-Southern honors.

1930 — Conrad Flippen, Phoenix Union (Ariz.), now closed
The Coyotes had the top team in the nation in 1930 with a 12-0 record, including a decisive 38-7 win over Fort Collins (Colo.) in the season finale. Flippen was the leading scorer on the team and is still considered one of the finest all-around athletes Phoenix has ever produced.

1929 — Beattie Feathers, Kingsport (Tenn.), now Dobyns-Bennett (Kingsport, Tenn.)
The first NFL player to rush for over 1,000 yards, Feathers actually had a better overall season as a junior in 1928, but he earned All-Southern honors as a senior despite missing the last month with pneumonia.



1928 — Dixie Roberts, Warren County (McMinnville, Tenn.)
Believed to be the first running back to rush for over 3,000 yards in a season, Roberts reportedly ran for 3,690 yards while leading Warren County to a mythical state championship and an undefeated season.

1927 — Tommy Glover, Waco (Texas), now closed
Waco set a national scoring record in 1927 with 784 points during a 14-0 season. Glover quarterbacked the team and was named the captain of multiple all-state teams at the conclusion of the season.

1926 — John Henry Suther, Tuscaloosa (Ala.), now closed
Tuscaloosa didn't lose a game in the latter half of the 1920s, earning national championship recognition in 1926. Suther was named as the captain of the All-Southern Team and was all-state by several media outlets.

1925 — Billy Hicks, Pine Bluff (Ark.)
Pine Bluff got the nod as the national champion in 1925 with Billy Hicks leading the way. He led Pine Bluff to a 16-0 record while scoring a national best 284 points.

1924 — Click Peterson, Elkhart (Ind.)
Referred to as the "Next Red Grange," Peterson led the nation with 211 points in just seven games while leading Elkhart to an undefeated record.

1923 — Elmer Marek, Washington (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
While Toledo Scott earned the national title in 1923, which included a win over Washington, it was Elmer Marek who almost defeated Scott on his own. He helped the Cedar Rapids team overcome a 21-0 deficit with three touchdowns to tie the game, only to lose on a field goal. He was a three-time all-state player at Washington.



1922 — John "Booty" Johnson, Waco (Texas), now closed
Waco dominated the football scene in Texas in the 1920s and Johnson was the school's greatest player. He ran for 1,948 yards during his junior year (he was injured much of his senior season) and scored a state best 231 points. Waco went 11-0-1 and won its first state title.

1921 — Harold "Red" Grange, Wheaton (Ill.), now Wheaton-Warrenville South (Ill.)
There are a number of candidates for this spot, including Toledo Waite great Cully Berndt, but it was Grange who earned national recognition with 75 career touchdowns at Wheaton and then went on to three All-American seasons at Illinois.

1920 — John Zinser, Peoria (Ill.)
Before there was Red Grange, there was John Zinser. A swift running back, it was Zinser, not Grange, who led the nation in scoring in 1920 with a then national record 286 points.

1919 — Carl Beck, Harrisburg Tech (Pa.), now closed
Beck was the key player on a Harrisburg Tech team that is in the argument for greatest high school team ever. Beck scored a national best 204 points while his team outscored the opponent 701-0.

1918 — Carl Beck, Harrisburg Tech (Pa.), now closed
Beck also had a huge year as a junior, leading the nation with 168 points while guiding Harrisburg Tech to a 9-0 record.

1917 — Myron Tyler, Oklahoma City Central (Okla.), now closed
Central had the top team in the nation with an 11-0 record. Tyler was the "captain" of the all-state team as a defensive and offensive end. He went on to play football and basketball at Oklahoma.



1916 — Harold "Brick" Muller, San Diego
A sophomore, Muller paced a San Diego squad that went 11-0 and didn't allow a point on the season. Muller moved to Oakland the following year before an All-American career at Berkeley.

1915 — George "Dutch" Hendrian, Central (Detroit)
Hendrian was the driving force behind a Central team that beat powerhouses Toledo Waite, Toledo Scott, Oak Park and Everett. He led the nation with 174 points while leading Central to a 10-0-1 record.

1914 — Jackson Cannell, Everett (Mass.)
The leader of a team touted by Sports Illustrated in the 1960s as the "greatest high school football team of all-time." He led Everett to a 16-0 record and a point differential of 600-0. He led the nation with 198 points on the year.

1913 — John Barrett, Oak Park (Ill.), now Oak Park-River Forest (Oak Park, Ill.)
Barrett led the nation in scoring with 226 points while leading Oak Park to a fourth national championship, a 32-7 win over Toledo Scott in the national championship game and an 11-0 record.

1912 — Bart Macomber, Oak Park (Ill.)
Macomber, who was also the team's kicker, moved from guard to quarterback to lead Oak Park to a third straight national championship, an 11-0 record, and a 32-14 win over Everett (Mass.) in a game regarded as the national championship game.

1911 — Paul Russell, Oak Park (Ill.)
Russell wins again after leading Oak Park to an even better record (10-0) and a second straight national championship by NSNS.



1910 — Paul Russell, Oak Park (Ill.)
The leading scorer for Oak Park, which went 10-2 and was retroactively deemed national champions by National Sports News Service.