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.
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.
USA Today is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virginia. Its newspaper is printed at 37 sites across the United States and at five additional sites internationally. The paper's dynamic design influenced the style of local, regional, and national newspapers worldwide through its use of concise reports, colorized images, informational graphics, and inclusion of popular culture stories, among other distinct features.
Richard Marvin Butkus was an American football linebacker, sports commentator, and actor. He played football for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) from 1965 to 1973. He was invited to eight Pro Bowls in nine seasons, named a first-team All-Pro six times, and was twice recognized by his peers as the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year. Butkus was renowned as a fierce tackler and for the relentless effort with which he played. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most intimidating linebackers in professional football history.
Patrick Justin McAfee is an American sports analyst, professional wrestling color commentator, as well as a former football punter, and kickoff specialist. McAfee is an analyst on ESPN's College GameDay, a television program covering college football. He also hosts The Pat McAfee Show live on YouTube. The show is also licensed across the ESPN platforms. He is also currently signed with WWE as the color commentator for Monday Night Raw, as well as an occasional wrestler.
The Gatorade Player of the Year awards are given annually to up and coming high school student-athletes in the United States. They are given for boys baseball, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls cross country, boys football, boys and girls soccer, boys and girls track & field, girls softball, and girls volleyball.
Malik Terrell Jefferson is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football at Texas. As a senior at Poteet High School in Mesquite, Texas, Jefferson won the 2014 Butkus Award given to the best linebacker in high school. He has been a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers, and Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL).
Rashan Abdul Gary is an American football defensive end for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). In 2015, he concluded his high school football career at Paramus Catholic High School in New Jersey. He was ranked as the No. 1 recruit in college football's incoming Class of 2016. He played college football at Michigan.
Jonathan Taylor is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). Taylor played high school football at Salem High School, where he set a New Jersey state rushing yards record. He played three seasons of college football at Wisconsin, where he finished his college career as the sixth all-time rusher in the NCAA and became the first player in history to rush for more than 6,000 yards in any three-year span.
Allen Jamel Lazard is an American football wide receiver for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Iowa State, initially signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He also has played for the Green Bay Packers.
Jace Evan Sternberger is an American football tight end for the Birmingham Stallions of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, Kansas, and Texas A&M, where he was named a consensus All-American in 2018 with the latter. Sternberger was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He has also been a member of the Seattle Seahawks, Washington Football Team, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Buffalo Bills.
Chase Young is an American football defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). A native of Maryland, he played college football at Ohio State University for the Buckeyes. During his junior season in 2019, Young broke the school's single-season sack record with 16.5 and was named a unanimous All-American and the recipient of several defensive player of the year awards. He was also named the Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, a rare accomplishment for a defensive player.
Kayvon Thibodeaux is an American football linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). A native of Los Angeles, he was named USA Today's High School Football Defensive Player of the Year in 2018.
Justin Jamal Jefferson is an American football wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers, where he won the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship as a junior before being drafted by the Vikings in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Penei Sewell is an American football offensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oregon, where he won the Outland and Morris trophies in 2019.
Bryce Young is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, setting the school record for most passing yards in a single game (559) and winning several player of the year awards in 2021, including the Heisman Trophy. Young was selected first overall by the Panthers in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Al'Malik Demichia Herring is an American football defensive end for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia and was signed by the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2021.
Caleb Jarod Huntley is an American football running back who is a free agent. He played college football at Ball State and was signed by the Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2021.
Foster Dane Sarell is an American football offensive tackle for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Stanford and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Baltimore Ravens in 2021. He has also spent time with the New York Giants.
Nolan Joseph Cooney is an American football punter who is a free agent. He played college football at Syracuse and has been a member of the New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts.
Caleb Downs is an American football defensive back for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He previously played for Alabama.
Caleb Shudak is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He played college football at Iowa and was signed by the Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2022.