Mater Dei, St. John Bosco stars join Ja'Quinden Jackson and Bijan Robinson as candidates for end-of-year honor.
Video: Player of the Year Watch List At the halfway point these players have put themselves in a good spot win end-of-season honor.
Winning
is a key factor. This year's candidates have gone a combined 54-2 and
have their team in position to finish the year ranked in the Top 25 or
win a state title.
There is still a lot
time left in the 2019 season but these guys have put themselves in a
great position to snag the end-of-the-year honor.
(In alphabetical order)
The
3-star defensive back is one of two juniors selected. The Ascenders have
one of the most talented secondaries in the country with Burroughs, 2020
LSU
Elias Ricks, 2020 Ohio State commit
Lejond Cavazos and 4-star
Markevious Brown.
The talented junior safety leads the nation with eight interceptions
and has helped lead IMG to a 5-0 record and a spot at No. 3 in
the Top 25.
The 2020 Michigan commit has been one of the top running backs in the country during his senior
year. He's played a major role in leading the
Baltimore power to a spot at No. 5 in the Top 25 and had nearly 200
yards of total offense and a couple of scores against the No. 1 team in
the country earlier this season.
The
recent Washington State commit is one of the most underrated
quarterbacks in high school football. Before the Cougars offered his
only other offers were from BYU, Hawaii, Western Kentucky and San Diego
State. The 3-star gunslinger has thrown for 1,950 yards and 19
touchdowns and is also the team's leading rusher with 190 yards and two
more scores. He's never lost as the starting quarterback for the
Hawaii power and is 19-0 since the start of last season, leading the Crusaders to a spot at No. 7 in the Top 25.
The 2020 Ohio State
commit recently set the state record for career receiving yards (4,442)
and receiving touchdowns (62). He was named the Pennsylvania Gatorade
Player of the Year as a junior and will have a good chance to take home
the award again as a senior.
Through
five games the 2020 Georgia Tech commit has rushed for 1,364 yards and
24 touchdowns. He's averaging 272.8 yards per game and 12 yards per carry. Earlier this season he rushed for 420 yards (ninth best in GHSA history) and eight touchdowns and has rushed for at least 183 yards in every game this year.
While Jackson might not have the numbers as some other quarterbacks, he's one of the most important players on any team in the country. A dynamic playmaker, he can beat you with both his arm and legs. The 2020 Texas commit has led Duncanville to a 4-0 record in 2019 while outscoring the opposition 160-20 and checking in at No. 4 in the Top 25.
The 2020 Texas commit had one of the best single game performances of the year when he rushed for nearly 500 yards and six touchdowns in three quarters in a 68-34 win against Desert Edge (Goodyear) in early September. The 5-star tailback has 993 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns through the Lancers first four games.
Scott Jr. joins Fleming as another Ohio State commit and it would of been three if Rockwall's (Texas)
Jaxon Smith-Njigba didn't suffer an injury that's going sideline him for a stretch. Scott has been a big-time playmaker for the No. 11 team in the country, evident in Eastside Catholic's biggest win of the season against Pinnacle (Phoenix) when he hauled in eight receptions for 210 yards in a 21-19 win.
The 2020 Clemson commit has shown why he's the No. 1 rated pro-style quarterback in the Class of 2020. The Braves standout has thrown for nearly 1,500 yards to go with 18 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Uiagalelei also has over 100 yards rushing and three more scores. St. John Bosco checks in as the No. 2 team in the country and are winning by an average margin of 32 points per game as they head into Trinity League play.
Williams joins Burroughs as the only other underclassmen selected. The 5-star junior quarterback has Gonzaga ranked at No. 9 in the Top 25 and the Eagles have outscored its five opponents 194-57. He helped lead Gonzaga to its first WCAC state title since 2002 and has them in position to go back-to-back in 2019.
Young is the clubhouse leader ... but there is a lot of season left. The 2020 Alabama commit has put up big-time numbers against the best competition in the country, throwing for 1,700 yards and 18 touchdowns against one interception. Young broke JT Daniels' school record throwing for 538 yards against Centennial (Peoria, Ariz.) then answered that with a four touchdown performance in a 34-18 win against St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) who was ranked No. 2 at the time. Mater Dei is 5-0 this year winning by 36.2 points per game and the Monarchs have been the No. 1 ranked team all season.
