USA Today High School Football Player of the Year

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The USA Today High School Football Player of the Year is the award given by USA Today to the best offensive and defensive high school football players in America.

Contents

The award has been given since 1982, the year the newspaper began, and each player was part of the USA Today All-USA high school football team.

Winners

Offense

YearPlayerPos.High SchoolCollegeNFL [1] Notes
1982 John Paye QB Menlo School Stanford YesTwo year NFL career
1983 Ryan Knight RB Rubidoux USC No
1984 Hart Lee Dykes WR Bay City Oklahoma State YesTwo-year NFL career
1985 Jeff George QB Warren Central Illinois Yes13-year NFL career
1986 Emmitt Smith RB Escambia Florida Yes Pro Football Hall of Fame, 4x rushing champion
1987 Todd Marinovich QB Mission Viejo USC YesTwo-year NFL career
1988 Terry Kirby RB Tabb Virginia YesTen-year NFL career
1989 Andre Hastings WR Morrow Georgia YesEight-year NFL career
1990 Marquette Smith RB Lake Howell FSU  /  Central Florida YesTwo year NFL career
1991 Stephen Davis RB Spartanburg Auburn YesThree-time Pro Bowler
1992 Ron Powlus QB Berwick (PA) Notre Dame YesPlayed in one NFL season
1993 Josh Booty QB Evangel Christian LSU YesThree-year NFL career
1994 Dan Kendra QB Bethlehem Catholic Florida State [2] No
1995 Tim Couch QBLeslie County Kentucky YesFirst overall pick in NFL draft
1996 Travis Minor RB Baton Rouge Catholic Florida State YesEight-year NFL career
1997 Ronald Curry QB Hampton High North Carolina YesSeven-year NFL career
1998 Chris Simms QB Ramapo Texas YesEight-year NFL career
1999 Brock Berlin QB Evangel Christian Florida/Miami YesPlayed in two NFL seasons [3]
2000 Joe Mauer QB Cretin-Derham Hall N/ANoWent to Major League Baseball; 2009 American League MVP
2001 Maurice Clarett RB Warren Harding Ohio State No Drafted, but never played in NFL
2002 Chris Leak QB Independence Florida YesMade NFL roster for one season, did not play
2003 Brian Brohm QB Trinity Louisville YesThree-season NFL career
2004 Ryan Perrilloux QB East St. John (La.) LSU  /  Jacksonville State NoSigned and released by NY Giants Played in Arena and in France Ligue Élite de Football Américain
2005 Mitch Mustain QB Springdale Arkansas / USC NoPlayed in Arena Football League
2006 Jimmy Clausen QB Oaks Christian (Calif.) Notre Dame YesSecond-round pick in 2010 draft
2007 Terrelle Pryor QBJeannette (Pa.) High School Ohio State Yes 2011 Supplemental draft
2008 Garrett Gilbert QB Lake Travis (Tex.) High School Texas  / SMU YesSixth round pick in 2014 NFL draft
2009 Seantrel Henderson OT Cretin-Derham Hall Miami Yes7th round pick in 2014 NFL draft
2010 Kiehl Frazier QB Shiloh Christian Auburn / Ouachita BaptistNo
2011 Dorial Green-Beckham WR Hillcrest (Mo.) High Missouri / Oklahoma YesSecond-round pick in 2015 NFL draft
2012 Max Browne QB Skyline High School USC No
2013 Leonard Fournette RB St. Augustine High School (LA) LSU YesFirst-round pick in 2017 NFL draft
2014 Kyler Murray QB Allen (TX) Texas A&M / Oklahoma YesFirst overall pick of the 2019 NFL draft
2015 Jacob Eason QB Lake Stevens High School (WA) Georgia / Washington YesFourth-round pick in 2020 NFL draft
2016 Tate Martell QB Bishop Gorman (NV) Ohio State / Miami / UNLV No [4]
2017 Trevor Lawrence QB Cartersville High School Clemson YesFirst overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft
2018 DJ Uiagalelei QB St. John Bosco –
2019 Bryce Young QB Mater Dei High School Alabama –First overall pick of the 2023 NFL draft
2020 Cade Klubnik QB Westlake (TX) Clemson –
2021 Cade Klubnik [5] (2)
2022 Lamar Sperling [6] RB Archbishop Hoban (OH) Buffalo –
2023 DJ Lagway QB Willis (TX) Florida –

Defense

YearPlayerPos.High SchoolCollegeNFL [1] Notes
1982 Henry Harris LB Columbia (Ga.) Georgia No
1983 Ron Stallworth DT Woodham (Fla.) Auburn YesTwo-year NFL career
1984 Quintus McDonald LB Montclair (NJ) Penn State YesThree-year NFL career
1985 John Foley LB St. Rita (Ill.) Notre Dame No
1986 Marc Spindler DT West Scranton Pittsburgh YesNine-year NFL career
1987 Todd Collins LB Jefferson County High Carson-Newman YesNine-year NFL career, two Super Bowl appearances
1988 Sean Gilbert LB Aliquippa (Pa.) Pittsburgh YesPlayed 11 NFL seasons
1989 Oliver Gibson LB Romeoville (Ill.) Notre Dame YesNine-year NFL career
1990 Derrick Brooks LB Booker T. Washington (Fla.) Florida State YesNine-time NFL All-Pro
1991 Dexter Daniels LB Valdosta Florida YesPlayed four NFL games
1992 Jammi German HB Fort Myers (Fla.) Miami (Fla.) YesFour-year NFL career
1993 Lamont Green LB Southridge (Fla.) Florida State YesPlayed in the NFL in 1999
1994 Kory Minor LB Bishop Amat (Calif.) Notre Dame YesFour-year NFL career
1995 Andy Katzenmoyer LB Westerville South (Ohio) Ohio State Yes Butkus and Lambert award winner in college
1996 David Warren DE John Tyler (Tex.) Florida State NoPlayed in the CFL
1997 Dennis Johnson DE Harrodsburg Kentucky YesThree-year NFL career
1998 Cory Redding LB North Shore (Tex.) Texas Yes12-year NFL career
1999 D.J. Williams LB De La Salle (Calif.) Miami YesTen-year NFL career
2000 Shaun Cody DL Los Altos (Calif.) USC YesSeven-year NFL career
2001 Ahmad Brooks LB C. D. Hylton (Va.) Virginia Yes11-year NFL career
2002 Antonio Cromartie DB Lincoln (Fl.) Florida State Yes11-year NFL career
2003 Ted Ginn Jr. DB Glenville (Ohio) Ohio State Yes14-year NFL career
2004 Kenny Phillips DB Carol City (Fl.) Miami YesEight-year NFL career
2005 Gerald McCoy DL Southeast (Okla.) Oklahoma Yes11-year NFL career
2006 Marvin Austin DT Ballou (Wash., DC) North Carolina YesFive-year NFL career
2007 Patrick Peterson DB Blanche Ely (Fla.) LSU YesActive in NFL since 2011
2008 Manti Te'o LB Punahou (Hawai'i) Notre Dame YesSeven-year NFL career
2009 Lamarcus Joyner DB St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) Florida State YesActive in NFL since 2014
2010 Jadeveon Clowney DE South Pointe South Carolina Yes First overall pick in 2014 NFL draft
2011 Mario Edwards Jr. DE Ryan High (Tex.) Florida State YesSecond round pick in 2015 NFL draft
2012 Su'a Cravens DB Vista Murrieta (CA.) USC YesSecond round pick in 2016 NFL draft
2013 Jabrill Peppers DB Paramus Catholic (NJ) Michigan YesFirst round pick in 2017 NFL draft
2014 Trenton Thompson DT Westover Comprehensive (GA) Georgia YesUndrafted, Signed by Cleveland Browns
2015 Rashan Gary DT Paramus Catholic (NJ) Michigan YesFirst round pick in 2019 NFL draft
2016 Shaun Wade DBTrinity Christian High School (Florida) Ohio State YesFifth round pick in 2021 NFL draft
2017 Solomon Tuliaupupu LB Mater Dei USC –
2018 Kayvon Thibodeaux DE Oaks Christian School Oregon YesFirst round pick in 2022 NFL draft
2019 Justin Flowe LB Upland –
2020 Ga'Quincy McKinstry CB Pinson Valley Alabama YesSecond round pick in 2024 NFL draft
2021 Walter Nolen [5] DT Powell (TN) Texas A&M –
2022 Caleb Downs [7] DB Mill Creek (GA) Alabama –
2023 Sammy Brown LBJefferson (GA) Clemson –

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Indicates whether the player played in the National Football League
  2. ↑ Sports-Reference.com: Dan Kendra
  3. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com: Brock Berlin
  4. ↑ "Former Ohio State quarterback Tate Martell retires from football".
  5. 1 2 "All winners, USA Today High School Sports Awards: Cade Klubnik, Kiki Rice among recipients". USA Today. July 31, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  6. ↑ "2023 USA TODAY High School Sports Awards". USA Today Sports. July 30, 2023 – via YouTube.
  7. ↑ "2023 USA TODAY High School Sports Awards". USA Today Sports. July 30, 2023 – via YouTube.
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