MaxPreps National Football Player of the Year Watch

Video: National Player of the Year Watch

This week's National Player of the Year Watch includes a state record breaker from Illinois, a freshman sensation from Orange County, California and last year's national leader in passing yardage.


James Robinson, Lutheran (Rockford, Ill.)
Heading into this week, Robinson needs just 25 yards to become the all-time leading rusher in the history of Illinois. Caleb Pratt of Westville holds the record with 8,477 yards. Robinson has 1,854 yards rushing on the season on just 72 carries (25.8 yards per carry) with 35 rushing touchdowns. He is the state's all-time leading rushing touchdown scorer with 149.

Drew Lisk, Jordan (Sandy, Utah)
Jordan lost one of the state's all-time great quarterbacks when Austin Kafentzis graduated last year. In four years as the starting quarterback, Kafentzis became the state's all-time leading passer and rusher. However, Lisk has done an admirable job filling the shoes of Kanfentzis. In leading Jordan to a 6-1 record, Lisk has passed for 2,316 yards and rushed for 662 yards and 11 touchdowns. His 425 yards per game is topped only by Kafentzis' senior year, when he averaged 475 yards per game.

Derrion Grim, McNair (Stockton, Calif.)
Through five games, Grim is on pace to break the state record for touchdown receptions in a season as he has 50 catches for 1,144 yards and 18 touchdowns while leading McNair to a 4-1 record. His best outing this season came against Calaveras (San Andreas), when he caught 10 passes for 238 yards and six touchdowns.

Tren'davian Dickson, Navasota (Texas)
The victim of triple coverage this year after setting a national record for touchdown receptions as a junior, Dickson is starting to heat up. In five games, Dickson has 40 catches for 635 yards and 10 touchdowns. His best game was a 175-yard effort against Lake Area New Tech when he scored four touchdowns, including one of 93 yards.

Jonathan Daniels, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Mater Dei is ranked among the top teams in the nation with a freshman quarterback leading the way. The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder had his highest yardage total of the season in a 42-26 win over Edison (Huntington Beach) on Sept. 25, when he threw for 297 yards and three touchdowns. He has thrown for 1,018 yards in four games with 14 touchdowns and just one interception.

Titus McCoy, Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.)
Center Grove has knocked off all of the top programs in the state this year, including Warren Central, Carmel, Ben Davis and Pike. McCoy leads the way on offense with 1,075 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns. He had 302 yards in a win over Lawrence Central.

Ryan Robards, Elk Grove (Calif.)
Robards can kill an opponent in a number of different ways, as Grant (Sacramento) found out last week. In that game, Robards scored three rushing touchdowns and also had a punt return, a fumble return and an interception return for a score. Robards also has a receiving touchdown this season and has 19 total touchdowns on the year. He's rushed for 943 yards on just 91 carries, including 277 in an earlier win over Lincoln (Stockton).

Patrick O'Brien, San Juan Hills (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
O'Brien has San Juan Hills off to the best start in school history, as he has thrown for 1,731 yards and 19 touchdowns in six straight wins. Ranked by 247Sports as one of the nation's top pro-style quarterbacks, O'Brien has also run for 356 yards and five touchdowns on the year.

Myles Brennan, St. Stanislaus (Bay St. Louis, Miss.)
The nation's leading passer last year as a sophomore with 5,797 yards, Brennan had his best game of the season to date in a 47-29 win over Vancleave, as he completed 25 of 33 passes for 415 yards and six touchdowns. On the year, Brennan has thrown for 2,216 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Sean Wallace, A Plus Academy (Dallas)
Although listed as a wide receiver by 247Sports, Wallace has done a little of everything for A Plus Academy, a TCSAAL school in Dallas. Wallace leads the nation in rushing yardage with 2,041 yards, but he has also thrown for 907 yards and 10 touchdowns and has caught 11 passes for 314 yards and two scores. He also returns punts and kicks and has a 60-yard interception return for a touchdown.