Each year since 2006, MaxPreps has recognized outstanding performers in high school football. America's source for high school sports continues the tradition to close out the 2020 season by naming the top player in each state. Selections are based on team success and individual excellence, in addition to local and state accolades.
Walker Howard of
St. Thomas More (Lafayette, La.) is the 2020 MaxPreps Louisiana High School Football Player of the Year. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound junior quarterback led the Cougars (10-0) to their second straight Division II championship and a No. 24 national ranking by MaxPreps.
Howard threw for 3,430 yards and 39 touchdowns, including the game-winning 22-yarder with 3:52 left in the team's 35-28 win over De La Salle (New Orleans) in the state championship game. He threw for 381 yards in the title game and four touchdowns.
Already committed to LSU, Howard completed better than 65 percent of his passes on the year while throwing for at least four touchdown passes in seven of 10 games. He also threw for more than 300 yards in seven games, including a high of 446 during a 42-19 win over
Teurlings Catholic, when Howard completed 28 of 37 passes and four scores.
Howard is rated the No. 1 junior prospect in Louisiana according to 247Sports and No. 34 nationally. He chose the Tigers over offers from Alabama, Texas A&M and USC among others.
Each state's MaxPreps Player of the Year will be considered for inclusion in the MaxPreps All-America Team, which will be released Jan. 29.
