This week's look at MaxPreps.com's National Player of the Year candidates;
Mike Blakely, RB, Manatee (Bradenton, Fla.)
Team record: 3-0, No. 21 in this week's Xcellent 25 High School Football Rankings presented by the Army National Guard
Last weekend: Bye
Season: The 5-foot-9, 195-pound senior has rushed 55 times for 425 yards (7.72 yard per carry) and nine touchdowns. Blakely, expected to decide between Auburn and Florida, also has seven receptions for 101 yards.
Chevelle Buie has helped Cocoa beat teams from three states this season.
Photo by Kyle Dantzler
Team record: 4-0, No. 23 in this week's Xcellent 25
Last weekend: Committed to Rutgers, Buie needed just five carries to record 109 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-0 win over Atlantic (Port Orange). He also had three receptions for 44 yards and a 77-yard kickoff return.
Season: In helping Cocoa beat highly-regarded teams from three different states, Buie has tallied 650 all-purpose yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 9.8 yards per touch.
Jeff Driskel, QB, Hagerty (Oviedo, Fla.)
Team record: 2-1
Last weekend: Driskel and the Huskies play Lake Howell tonight after weather postponed that contest Friday.
Season: The future Florida Gator has thrown for 483 yards and four touchdowns (against one interception) while tallying 329 more yards and four TDs on the ground.
Aaron Green, RB, Madison (San Antonio, Texas)
Team record: 3-1
Last weekend: Green looked well-rested coming off a bye week, running wild for 241 yards and four touchdowns against Judson (Converse) in a 45-28 win.
Season: The uncommitted senior has piled up 757 yards (189.2 per game) and nine touchdowns on the ground.
Qyendairs Griffin, RB, South Panola (Batesville, Miss.)
Team record: 5-0, No. 2 in this week's Xcellent 25
Last weekend: Griffin was held in check on the ground with just 59 yards and two scores on 15 carries, but the Tigers still demolished Horn Lake 62-7. The 6-foot, 215-pound senior reached the end zone a third time in the victory on a 17-yard TD reception.
Season: Even with the modest output against Horn Lake, Griffin's season totals are impressive. He has carried the rock 93 times for 992 yards (10.6 per attempt) and 14 touchdowns.
Jeremy Hill, RB, Redemptorist (Baton Rouge, La.)
Team record: 4-0
Last weekend: Another week, another monster performance for the LSU verbal commitment. In a 40-14 win over White Castle, Hill rushed 31 times for 184 yards and five touchdowns.
Season: LSU's pedestrian offense has Tiger fans anxiously awaiting the arrival of Hill along with fellow in-state back Kenny Hilliard of Patterson. Hill has 915 rushing yards and 15 TDs this season for unbeaten Redemptorist.
Johnny Manziel, QB, Tivy (Kerrville, Texas)
Team record: 4-1
Last weekend: Manziel wasted no time adding to his gaudy 2010 totals by housing the opening kickoff in a 55-27 win over Uvalde from 89 yards out. The new Texas A&M verbal commitment finished with 183 yards and four touchdowns through, connecting on 12 of 19 pass attempts. He added 98 yards and a score on the ground.
Season: Manziel is completing 64 percent of his pass attempts (117-181) for 1,577 yards and 19 touchdowns against just two interceptions with another 709 yards and 11 TDs on the ground.
Maty Mauk, QB, Kenton (Ohio)
Team record: 4-1
Last weekend: The nation's leading passer according to statistics submitted to MaxPreps.com, Mauk completed 28 of 40 pass attempts for 469 yards and seven touchdowns in a 70-21 win over Elida.
Season: The 6-2, 185-pound junior is connecting on nearly 67 percent of his attempts for ridiculous grand totals of 2,319 yards and 27 touchdowns through five games. He has another 266 yards and six scores on the ground.
Shaq Thompson, RB, Grant (Sacramento, Calif.)
Team record: 4-0, No. 3 in this week's Xcellent 25
Last weekend: After being held under 60 yards last week, the junior exploded again in a 56-0 win over Edison (Stockton) with 206 yards and five touchdowns on 17 carries.
Season: The Pacers are averaging 54 points per game thanks in large part to Thompson's 632 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. The 6-1, 195-pounder has another 187 yards and two scores on nine receptions. Thompson also plays defensive back, punts and returns punts and kicks.
Marquise Williams, QB, Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.)
Team record: 5-0, No. 25 in this week's Xcellent 25
Last weekend: The North Carolina Tar Heel verbal commitment threw for 349 yards and accounted for six touchdowns in a 58-0 win over Mooresville.
Season: The Mavericks are posting 53.4 points per game with Williams at the controls of the offense. The 6-4, 225-pound senior has combined to pass and run for 27 touchdowns.
Justin Worley, QB, Northwestern (Rock Hill, S.C.)
Team record: 5-0, No. 22 in this week's Xcellent 25
Last weekend: The future Tennessee Volunteer connected on 27 of 35 pass attempts for 380 yards and four touchdowns as Northwestern outscored Nation Ford (Fort Mill) 45-35.
Season: A 6-5, 195-pound senior, Worley has thrown for 1,315 yards and 23 scores against just five interceptions.
Dropped out: Malcolm Brown, RB, Steele (Cibolo, Texas)
