Here's a glance at several early-season standouts on the radar for MaxPreps National Player of the Year honors:
Gehrig Dieter, WR, Washington (South Bend, Ind.): Dieter left Washington's win over South Bend rival Adams with an injury after catching one pass for 52 yards. Perhaps the 6-foot-3, 210-pound senior needed a break following his national record-breaking 437-yard performance the week before. Dieter has 32 catches for 1,210 yards and 12 touchdowns on the season for the 4-0 Panthers.
Despite a lopsided loss to Lake Travis,Johnathan Gray became Texas' careerleader in rushing touchdowns with 148.
Photo by Kyle Dantzler
Aledo's 1-2 start could dim Gray's POY hopes, but his numbers keep him in the mix for now. The Texas Longhorn verbal commit has piled up 828 yards and 13 touchdowns through three games, going for 269 and four scores in last week's alarming 62-35 loss to Lake Travis of Austin. He became Texas' career leader in rushing touchdowns in that contest, bringing his total to 148.
Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Hillcrest (Springfield, Mo.): The nation's top recruit came back to earth statistically in Hillcrest's 21-9 win over Joplin, catching six passes for 94 yards. Green-Beckham's three-game totals stand at 520 yards and five touchdowns on 31 receptions.
Brian Kimbrow, RB, Memphis East (Tenn.): After going for 367 yards and five touchdowns on the ground last week against Wooddale, Kimbrow is already up to 1,053 yards and 12 scores in just four games. The Vanderbilt recruit also topped 300 yards in the season opener against Southwind.
Maty Mauk, QB, Kenton (Ohio): After throwing for 5,670 yards and 69 touchdowns as a junior, Mauk is up to his old tricks again as a senior. The Missouri commitment has Kenton out to a 3-0 start with 1,009 yards and 13 touchdowns – including 497 yards and eight touchdown passes in last week's 66-13 win over Wert.
Robert Nkemdiche, RB/DE, Grayson (Loganville, Ga.): The physically imposing junior notched his second rushing touchdown of the season in a 34-7 win over Archer. Thanks to Nkemdiche's presence, Grayson has held 10 of its last 17 opponents to 10 points or less with six shutouts. The Rams are ranked No. 20 nationally in this week's
MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Football Rankings.
Jordan Walker, RB, Rockhurst (Kansas City, Mo.): After exploding for 400 yards on the ground in Rockhurst's season opener, Walker has steadily powered the Hawklets' running game in a pair of tough wins. In a 16-3 victory over Blue Springs South last Friday, Walker went for 166 yards on 27 carries – including a 60-yard scoring dash in the opening quarter. Through three games, the senior back has 716 yards and six touchdowns.
Travis Wright, QB, Trinity (Louisville, Ky.): Can anybody stop Wright and the Shamrocks? Fresh off a 56-7 win over Elder (Cincinnati), Trinity moved to No. 5 in this week's Xcellent 25 and has outscored its first three opponents 167-35. Wright hit on 14 of 18 attempts for 177 yards and three scores against Elder, bringing his season totals to 42-for-53 (79 percent) for 711 yards and 11 touchdowns.
