Darren Evans NPOY

[gcdevil22]

To say it's a big week of football in Indianapolis this week would be an understatement, but adding perhaps just a touch more to the euphoria is that Indy's own Darren Evans from Warren Central High School has been named as the 2006 EA SPORTS NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR.


RB Darren Evans is this year's EA SPORTS National Player of the Year
Two years ago as a sophomore, Evans first made his mark at Warren Central as the leading running back for a team that won the Class 5A state championship and he was named the 2004 EA SPORTS National Sophomore of the Year.

Evans was among the contenders for top junior honors last year and this time gets the nod in a close call over a trio of Californians ? quarterback Jimmy Clausen, running back/linebacker Marc Tyler and quarterback Aaron Corp -- plus junior quarterback Riley Dodge of Texas and senior running back/receiver Joe McKnight of Louisiana.

The selection of Evans also makes history for Warren Central as it becomes the first high school in the nation to ever have two national players of the year. The first for the school was back in 1985 when it was led by record-breaking quarterback Jeff George, who later became a longtime NFL starter for many years. The only other player from the Hoosier State to be national player of the year has been Rod Woodson, perhaps the best high school athlete that state has ever had. Woodson, who later became one of the best defensive backs in NFL history, was the national player of the year for 1982 at Snider High of Fort Wayne.

In the last two years, Warren Central's domination of Indiana prep football was marked by just one regular season loss ? last year to Lawrence North ? and that's when Evans was absent while attending the funeral for his grandfather. During the 2006 season, in leading Warren Central to its fourth straight state title, Evans rushed for a state-best 2,806 yards and a state record 61 touchdowns. His total of 61 touchdowns for a single season also rates fourth-best on the all-time national list and a majority of those scores came in the first halves of games in which the Warriors got so far ahead that head coach Steve Tutsie had to take out his starters at halftime.

In voting for Indiana's state Mr. Football honor, Evans was tabbed in the first-place position on 94 percent of those who voted. It was a landslide similar to what the unbeaten Warriors did to the rest of the state as they outscored their 15 opponents by a 722-124 margin. After their 35-14 win over Carmel in the state final, a game in which Evans churned for 201 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries, the Warriors ended at No. 3 in the final Student Sports FAB 50 national rankings and were a contender all year for the No. 1 ranking.

For his three-year career, Evans ended with 7,220 yards and 127 touchdowns. Those are among the best totals in Indiana history. He also became only the third athlete to be named first team all-state three times in the 46-year selections by the Bloomington Herald-Times.

The only slight against picking Evans is that some of the biggest of the major colleges ? like Ohio State and Michigan ? tended to shy away from him due to a few 40-yard dash times that weren't impressive. Still, many other major colleges did go after him and he will be going to perennial power Virginia Tech. Emmitt Smith is one former national player of the year who was thought by some to be a touch slow, too, so that generally isn't that important in the criteria used to select a national high school player of the year.

In addition to Evans, five players from California plus four from Florida and three from Texas and Ohio are among 30 elite high school athletes who have been chosen to the 2006 EA SPORTS All-American High School Football Team.


"We're proud to honor these young men and are looking forward to seeing these players continue to compete at a high level as they move on in their football careers," said Brian Movalson, EA SPORTS Senior Brand Manager. "The EA SPORTS All-Americans represent the best in the game in high school athletics."

The annual EA SPORTS All-American Team is selected by the editors of Student Sports, which have compiled national rankings in numerous sports for more than 15 years. The format for the team calls for it not to be selected until all teams have finished their seasons, which makes the EA SPORTS honors more reflective of players who led their teams to state championships. The teams also are chosen after almost all of the numerous all-state teams around the country have been compiled and is usually released one week before national letter of intent signing day, which takes place on Wednesday of next week.

Also named along with the players as the EA SPORTS National Coach of the Year is J.T. Curtis from John Curtis Christian High School of River Ridge, La.

Curtis, the nation's second all-time winningest coach, guided his highest nationally ranked team in 2006 as the Patriots survived the tragic events caused by Hurricane Katrina to win their third straight state Class 2A championship with a 14-0 record.

The private school located in the New Orleans area managed to continue classes and compete in football for the 37th straight year under the guidance of the son of the man who started the school and bears its name.

This season, the signature win for Coach Curtis and his team was at Hoover, Ala., where the Patriots handed the then FAB 50 No. 2 ranked Bucs their only regular season loss. They went on to finish unbeaten and claim the state Class 2A title with a 41-7 win over St. Charles Catholic.
It was the 26th state championship game for the coach, whose 21 state titles is a national record.

The unbeaten season also boosted Curtis' coaching record to 443-46-6. Only current Summerville (S.C.) coach John McKissick has won more football games than Curtis. The Patriots ended the season ranked No. 4 in the Student Sports FAB 50 rankings, a continuation of the nation's original rankings dating back to 1927.

Here are the bios for all 30 players selected to this year's squad:

EA SPORTS FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICA OFFENSE


O'Dowd was ArizonaVarsity.com's 5A Division I player of the year.
WR -- Arrelious Benn (Dunbar, Washington DC) 6-2, 210, Sr.
The two-time D.C. All-Metro honoree was a prolific receiver and kick returner. As a senior, the University of Illinois recruit landed 56 passes for 1,039 yards and nine TDs and also averaged 28.7 yards on kickoff returns and 24.2 yards on punt returns. He rushed for 234 yards and three scores. As a junior, he landed 53 passes for 1,126 yards and 17 scores.

TE -- Aaron Hernandez (Central, Bristol CT) 6-3, 235, Sr.
The two-time state Player of the Year, and University of Florida recruit, was a prolific receiver from his tight end spot. He landed 62 passes for 1,346 yards and 16 TDs in the 2006 season. Career-wise, he had 172 catches for 3,677 yards and 47 TDs. He also returned kicks, punted and played defensive end.

OL -- Tray Allen (South Grand Prairie, Grand Prairie TX) 6-4, 305, Sr.
After helping his team win 10 games and not allowing a sack in two years, Allen was named the top senior player regardless of position by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Some analysts also considered him the top overall recruit in the Lone Star State. Allen, who also plays power forward in basketball, will sign a letter of intent next week with Texas.

OL -- Ryan Miller (Columbine, Littleton CO) 6-7, 280, Sr.
Miller was a vital part in the Rebels scoring 329 points on the season on the way to a 13-1 record and Class 5A state championship. After ranking as the best senior lineman who attended any of last year's Nike Football Training Camps, Miller backed it up with a dominant season on the field. He was likely a strong candidate to be Colorado's state player of the year despite being a lineman. He received recruiting attention from schools such as Notre Dame, Miami, and USC but ultimately decided to stay in Colorado and play next year for head coach Dan Hawkins' Colorado Buffaloes.

OL -- Kris O'Dowd (Salpointe Catholic, Tucson AZ) 6-5, 315, Sr.
With a 29-inch vertical jump plus a 5.16 time in the 40, it's no wonder that O'Dowd has been a dominant force in the Grand Canyon State for the past two years. He was the highest regarded offensive lineman from a crop in Arizona this year that rivals any state and clearly looks superior ? at the top anyway ? than nearby California. At a recent press conference, O'Dowd reached into a backpack and pulled out a USC cap, signifying his choice of the Trojans as his future college.

OL -- James Wilson (Nease, Ponte Vedra Beach FL) 6-4, 305, Sr.
A two-time all-state honoree, Wilson was the line anchor for a 14-1 record team this season after winning a state title in 2005. He was a key protector as a junior of current University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. Wilson is joining Tebow in Gainesville as well, but the big tackle originally committed to USC. The Panthers amassed over 5,500 yards and this bulldozer up front was a big reason why that happened.

OL -- Lee Ziemba (Rogers AR) 6-7, 295, Sr.
The four-year starter, and two-time all-stater, helped Rogers to a 12-1 record and state Class 7A runnerup finish. He was charted with 31 pancake blocks and 43 knockdowns this season while grading 98 percent on his blocking assignments. The mammoth blocker is an Auburn recruit.

QB -- Jimmy Clausen (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village CA) 6-3, 205, Sr.
California's all-time career touchdown pass leader also moved up to No. 2 on the all-time state list for career yards. Clausen had to become more of the focus for the Oaks Christian offense later in the season when fellow EA SPORTS All-American Marc Tyler suffered a broken leg and led Oaks Christian to the CIF Division III state title. He completed 194 of 281 passes (69 percent) for 3,428 yards and 49 touchdowns for the season. Oaks Christian also ended the season with a 46-game winning streak and Clausen was the starting quarterback for all of those games. Some of the hype surrounding him was overblown, but the future Notre Dame player still goes down as one of the best to come from California in many years. He wasn't the state player of the year in California and in many ways also has to go behind his own teammate (Tyler) for postseason honors. As a true quarterback, though, with a rocket arm and pin-point accuracy, Clausen gets the nod at this position as our first team All-American.

RB -- Darren Evans (Warren Central, Indianapolis IN) 6-1, 212, Sr.
The 2004 EA SPORTS National Sophomore of the Year led the Warriors to their third straight state Class 5A title and is now the 2006 EA SPORTS National Player of the Year.

RB -- Chris Rainey (Lakeland FL) 5-8, 170, Sr.
The state Class 5A player of the year, and two-time all-stater, led the Dreadnaughts to 45 straight wins, three straight state titles, and the No. 1 national ranking in the Student Sports FAB 50. He averaged over 10 yards a carry with 2,439 yards on 232 rushes with 29 TDs and added another score on pass receiving. He also was a dangerous kick returner. He is one of seven Dreadnaughts who will be signing with Florida.

RB -- Brandon Saine (Piqua OH) 6-0, 215, Sr.
Ohio's Mr. Football honoree, and Division 2 Offensive Player of the Year, led his team to a 13-2 record and a state championship. The track sprint champion, and Ohio State recruit, had 2,242 rushing yards and scored 35 TDs, 31 of those on the ground. He rushed for 226 yards and three scores in the state title game.

K -- Phil Welch (Fort Collins CO), 6-3, 185, Sr.
They say kickers at high altitude have an advantage, but a kicker like Welch from Colorado also has to deal with adverse weather conditions, especially late in the season. During the 2006 season, Welch knocked through 22 field goals and was 49 of 52 on PATs. His strong leg made him consistent over 40 yards and most of his misses were on attempts of more than 50 yards. In one of his last games with a league title on the line, Welch kicked three field goals, including a season-long of 56 yards that gave Fort Collins a lead it would not surrender. While two of his teammates will play for local Colorado State, Welch is still undecided about his college choice.

EA SPORTS FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICA DEFENSE


Griffen was ArizonaVarsity.com's 4A Division I player of the year and is the highest ranked player to ever come out of Arizona.
DL -- Marvin Austin Jr. (Ballou, Washington DC) 6-3, 310, Sr.
Marvelous Marvin transferred to Ballou from Coolidge and was once again one of the nation's top defensive juggernauts. He was first noticed as a sophomore when Coolidge played St. Edward of Lakewood, Ohio, and the super-quick nose guard did well in a head-to-head matchup with then St. Edward senior Alex Boone, an EA SPORTS All-American two years ago. Austin came up with 83 tackles, 17 sacks and three forced fumbles in the 2006 season. As a junior, he had 80 tackles, eight sacks and five forced fumbles. Austin is undecided on his college as this release was being sent out.

DL -- Torrey Davis (Armwood, Seffner FL) 6-4, 285, Sr.
This first team Class 4A all-stater was a force for a stingy Hawks' defense that shut down several opposing offenses. He will take his talents to the University of Florida.

DL -- Carlos Dunlap (Fort Dorchester, N. Charleston SC) 6-7, 245, Sr.
If you've never heard of a 6-7, 250-pounder returning kicks, you have now. Dunlap, in fact, ran one kickoff back for a touchdown last season. It's on defense as a pass rusher coming around the edge, however, in which Dunlap would be used on this mythical team. He had 16 sacks last season with a whopping 36.5 tackles for loss. He recently picked Florida in an intense recruiting battle over the homestate South Carolina Gamecocks and may play early for the Gators, too, due to the early NFL departures of defensive linemen.

DL -- Everson Griffen (Agua Fria, Avondale AZ) 6-3, 255, Sr.
This freakish talent made a huge mark on both sides of the ball last fall, which enabled Agua Fria to record a 12-1 record and reach the Class 4A Division I state semifinals. The USC bound senior scored 20 touchdowns on offense while on defense he totaled 16 sacks, leading a unit that held its opponent to seven points or less in five games.

DL -- Martez Wilson (Simeon, Chicago IL) 6-4, 240, Sr.
This aggressive all-state defensive end was charted with 180 tackles last season while forcing six fumbles, with three recoveries, and intercepted two passes. He's a University of Illinois recruit.

LB -- Chris Galippo (Servite, Anaheim CA) 6-3, 230, Sr.
Chris could be one of the top linebackers to come out of Southern California in the last 10 years. Galippo simply took over one game in October as a linebacker and running back, leading Servite to a double-overtime win over Lutheran of Orange and its EA SPORTS All-American, Aaron Corp. It would turn out to be the only loss Corp's team suffered all year. Galippo, who averaged more than 11 tackles per game and was named Orange County Defensive Player of the Year both as a junior and senior, also displayed his dominance at the recent U.S. Army All-American Bowl where he was named the game's MVP. In the fall, Galippo will attend USC where he and Corp will become teammates.

LB -- Ben Martin (LaSalle, Cincinnati OH) 6-5, 225, Sr.
Moved from defensive end to middle linebacker as a senior, the two-time Division 1 all-stater, and University of Tennessee recruit, responded with 112 tackles, seven sacks, 14 stops for losses and three caused fumbles.

LB -- Chris Strong (South Panola, Batesville MS) 6-3, 260, Sr.
Mississippi's Mr. Football, and a two-time all-stater, Strong helped the Tigers win 45 straight games and three state Class 4A titles while charting 72 tackles, five sacks and two fumble recoveries this season. He's an Ole Miss recruit.

DB -- Eric Berry (Creekside, Fairburn GA) 6-0, 195, Sr.
Georgia's Player of the Year honoree was impressive on both sides of the ball. Defensively, he had 16 career pass interceptions. As a do-it-all quarterback, he accounted for 8.023 career total offense yards--4,491 rushing and 3,532 passing. He will follow his father, James, to the University of Tennessee.

DB -- Eugene Clifford (Colerain, Cincinnati OH) 6-2, 195, Sr.
Ohio's Division 1 Defensive Player of the Year recorded 72 solo stops among his 105 tackles and returned three of his seven interceptions for touchdowns. The Ohio State recruit also returned a punt for a score and, as a wide receiver, landed 17 passes for 426 yards and seven TDs.

DB -- Ronald Johnson (Muskegon MI) 6-1, 185, Sr.
An extremely versatile player, Johnson was one the major reasons why Muskegon wound up as the top-ranked team in Michigan last fall. He also is considered one of the top 10 overall college recruits in the nation by Rivals.com. In the state championship, Johnson scored on a fumble return, caught a touchdown pass and came up with a touchdown-saving tackle and forced fumble in the final minute that enabled the Big Reds to hold on for a 32-30 win against De La Salle Collegiate. Johnson still is undecided about his college future.

P -- Bryan Anger (Camarillo CA) 6-4, 190, Sr.
The first team all-state punter for California now steps up for an All-American honor. Anger, who averaged nearly 42 yards per punt and placed 11 of his punts inside the 20-yard line, has committed to the University of California. He also was one of the top receivers in the Ventura County area of the state with 42 catches for nearly 700 yards.

EA SPORTS FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICA MULTI-PURPOSE


Scott Kurtz
Aaron Corp was all smiles after team won CIF Division II bowl game title over Palo Alto.
QB/RB/P -- Aaron Corp (Lutheran, Orange CA) 6-4, 185, Sr.
This year's Mr. Football State Player of the Year for California goes on our All-American team on the first unit in the multi-purpose category since he's much more of a versatile quarterback than fellow Californian Jimmy Clausen. Corp led Lutheran to the CIF Division II state title with 1,180 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns to go with 2,745 yards through the air and 21 scores. Corp, who also punted for the Lancers, faced a brutal schedule and by the time it was all done there were many USC fans that wound up happy they would be getting Corp while arch-rival Notre Dame was getting Clausen.

QB/RB -- Riley Dodge (Carroll, Southlake, TX) 6-0, 180, Jr.
The Class 5A Player of the Year in the Lone Star State led his team to its third straight state title in a 43-29 victory over Westlake of Austin. Dodge, who is the son of outgoing Carroll head coach Todd Dodge, was just as good or even better than his predecessors as the quarterback for the Dragons. He passed for 4,184 yards and 54 touchdowns and rushed for 1,119 yards and 13 more scores. Dodge's father is moving on to be the head coach at North Texas University, but the family isn't moving so look for Riley to be zinging the ball all over the field for another national title-contending team next season at Carroll.

QB/P -- Ryan Mallett (Texas, Texarkana TX) 6-6, 250, Sr.
The massive Mallett cuts an imposing figure in the pocket and has one of the strongest arms ever seen in the 10 years that Student Sports has been running the prestigious NIKE Football Training Camps. He also punted, which gave us a reason to elevate him to first team All-American in the multi-purpose category. Last fall, Mallett passed for 3,353 yards and 31 touchdowns for a team that was in the top 20 of the national rankings for most of the season. In the last three seasons, Mallett passed for 7,939 yards and 39 TDs. He is already getting ready to attend classes this spring at the University of Michigan.

QB/RB -- Robert Marve (Plant, Tampa FL) 6-2, 195, Sr.
A different Florida quarterback, Trinity Catholic's John Brantley, was picked as National Player of the Year by another organization, but Marve was the one who was the state's Mr. Football honoree and he was the one who led his team to an undefeated state championship season (Class 4A) while Brantley's team came up short in a lower division. Brantley is an outstanding talent as well and is our second-team quarterback. And while Brantley set a state record for career touchdown passes with 99, Marve set state single-season records with 4,380 yards through the air and 48 touchdowns. He also rushed for 832 yards and scored eight times. After committing early to the University of Alabama, Marve has changed his mind and is now going to Miami.

WR/RB/KR -- Joe McKnight (John Curtis, River Ridge LA) 6-1, 195, Sr.
The state Player of the Year, and two-time all-stater, led the unbeaten Patriots to a repeat state Class 2A title while averaging 22.2 yards every time he touched the ball. He had 1,928 all-purpose yards in all and 30 TDs. He landed 24 passes for 735 yards; rushed 45 times
for 709 yards; and returned 12 punts for 268 yards.

RB/LB -- Marc Tyler (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village CA) 6-2, 225, Sr.
In Oaks Christian's first two games of an eventual 15-0 season, Tyler scored in each on the defensive side of the ball. He also had five TDs in the team's biggest win of the season against St. Bonaventure of Ventura, but was absent after the early going of the first playoff game due to suffering a broken leg. Tyler ended his career with 122 touchdowns and likely would have broken the California record of 137 had he not gotten hurt. Tyler, the son of former NFL running back Wendell Tyler, also averaged 12.6 yards per rushing attempt for his four-year career. He is headed next year to USC.


The EA SPORTS Second Team All-American list is a mixture of some of the nation's top senior prospects as well as several talented underclassmen. Among those players on the team is Summerville (S.C.) wide out A.J. Green, who could be the top prospect in the nation out of the class of 2008.

EA SPORTS SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICA OFFENSE


Behrens is Colorado bound.
WR -- A.J. Green (Summerville SC) 6-4, 195, Jr.
WR -- Dwight Jones Jr. (Cummings, Burlington NC) 6-5, 210, Sr.
OL -- Blake Behrens (Brophy Prep, Phoenix AZ) 6-4, 280, Sr.
OL -- Eric Brunner (Greendale WI) 6-3, 265, Sr.
OL -- Bryan Bulaga (Marian Central Catholic, Woodstock IL) 6-5, 280, Sr.
OL -- Anthony Davis (Piscataway NJ) 6-6, 330, Sr.
OL -- Garth Gerhart (Norco CA) 6-2, 305, Sr.
QB -- John Brantley (Trinity Catholic, Ocala FL) 6-3, 195, Sr.
RB -- Jahvid Best (Salesian, Richmond CA) 5-10, 180, Sr.
RB -- Noel Devine (North Fort Myers FL) 5-8, 175, Sr.
RB -- Bradley Stephens (Memorial, McAllen TX) 5-11, 200, Sr.
K -- Daniel Padilla (Corona CA) 6-0, 200, Sr.

EA SPORTS SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICA DEFENSE

DL -- Joseph Barksdale (Cass Tech, Detroit MI) 6-5, 305, Sr.
DL -- John Brown (Lakeland FL) 6-2, 295, Sr.
DL -- Andre Jones (Andress, El Paso TX) 6-4, 295, Sr.
DL -- Michael Keck (Harrisonville MO) 6-5, 230, Sr.
LB -- Chris Daniel (Huntington TN) 6-2, 220, Sr.
LB -- Lorenzo Edwards (Edgewater, Orlando FL) 6-2, 220, Sr.
LB -- Rolando McClain (Decatur AL) 6-4, 255, Sr.
DB -- Jordan Bernstine (Lincoln, Des Moines, IA) 5-10, 200, Sr.
DB -- Austin Box (Enid OK) 6-3, 220, Sr.
DB -- Chad Jones (Southern Lab, Baton Rouge LA) 6-2, 225, Sr.
DB -- Donovan Warren (Poly, Long Beach CA) 5-11, 185, Sr.
P -- Kiel Rasp (Nathan Hale, Seattle WA) 6-3, 205, Sr.

EA SPORTS SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICA MULTI-PURPOSE

WR/KR ? Devin Aguilar (Mullen Prep, Denver CO) 6-2, 185, Sr.
DB/KR ? Jerimy Finch (Warren Central, Indianapolis IN) 6-2, 210, Sr.
QB/RB -- Willy Korn (Byrnes, Duncan SC) 6-2, 205, Sr.
QB/RB -- Ryan Matthews (West, Bakersfield CA) 6-0, 200, Sr.
QB/RB -- Keith Nichol (Lowell MI) 6-2, 195, Sr.
QB/RB-- Tyrod Taylor (Hampton VA) 6-3, 205, Sr.

EA SPORTS THIRD TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
(*denotes junior)
(50 players total; listed alphabetically)

Wisconsin RB John Clay was the MVP at the loaded NIKE Camp in Ohio last Spring

Dionte Allen (St. Mary's, Orchard Lake MI) 6-0, 170, DB
DeAngelo Benton (Bastrop LA) 6-3, 195, WR
Jaivorio Burkes (Moon Valley, Phoenix AZ) 6-6, 320, OL
Cody Bruns (Prosser WA) 5-11, 155, WR*
Brandon Carswell (Milpitas CA) 6-2, 180, QB-DB
William Cole (Cedar Hill TX) 6-0, 175, QB-RB
Zach Collaros (Steubenville OH) 6-1, 180 , QB-DB
Dane Conwell (Upper St. Clair, Pittsburgh PA) 6-2, 215, RB-LB
John Clay (Racine Park, Racine WI) 6-2, 220, RB
Luke Diehl (Douglas County, Castle Rock CO) 6-2, 205, LB
Jonathan Dwyer (Kell, Marietta GA) 6-0, 200, RB
J.J. DiLuigi (Canyon, Canyon Country CA) 5-9, 175, RB
Antwain Easterling (Northwestern, Miami FL) 5-11,195, RB
Michael Floyd (Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Paul MN) 6-3, 175, WR*
Brandon Green (Robeson, Chicago IL) 6-0, 175, WR-DB*
Broderick Green (Pulaski Academy, Little Rock AR) 6-1, 230, RB
Antwane Greenlee (Hardaway, Columbus GA) 6-6, 300
Joe Haden (Friendly, Fort Washington MD) 5-11, 190, QB
Will Hill (St. Peter's Prep, Jersey City NJ) 6-3, 205, QB-DB*
Brandon Hogan (Osbourn, Manassas VA) 5-11, 165, QB-RB-DB
Derris Jackson (Sandia, Albuquerque NM) 5-10, 205, QB-RB-LB
Josh Jenkins (Parkersburg WV) 6-5, 295, DL*
DeAngelo Jones (Foothill, Henderson NV) 5-9, 185, RB
Gerald Jones (Millwood, Oklahoma City OKL) 6-0,195, QB-RB
Amara Kamara (Weequahic, Newark NJ) 6-2, 210, LB
Duval Kamara (Hoboken NJ) 6-5, 210, WR
Malcolm Long (Gaffney SC) 6-2, 210, QB
Tyler Maples (Maryville TN) 6-2, 180, WR
Mark Martin (Riverside, Milwaukee WI) 6-1, 225, LB
Owen Marecic (Jesuit, Portland OR) 6-1, 220, LB
Kellen Moore (Prosser WA) 6-1, 180, QB
Drake Nevis (John Ehret, Marrero LA) 6-1, 285, DL
Niles Paul (North, Omaha NE) 6-1, 210, WR
Anthony Perkins (Northglenn CO) 6-2, 180, QB-DB
Quintin Richardson (Spring Valley, Columbia SC) 6-4, 270, OL-DL
Keenan Robinson (East, Plano TX) 6-3, 215, LB
Matt Romine (Tulsa Union, Tulsa OK) 6-6, 285, OL
Kenny Rowe (Poly, Long Beach CA) 6-2, 255, DL
Darrell Scott (Moorpark CA) 6-1, 205, RB*
Matt Simms (Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey NJ) 6-2, 200, QB
Larry Smith (Prattville AL) 6-2, 195, QB
Baker Steinkuhler (Southwest, Lincoln NE) 6-5, 275, DL*
Jimmy Stevens (Heritage Hall, Oklahoma City OK) 5-7, 145, PK
Matt Summers-Gavin (St. Ignatius, San Francisco CA) 6-5, 285, OL
Terrance Tolliver (Hempstead TX) 6-4, 195, WR
Kyle Watkins (Cactus Shadows, Cave Creek AZ) 6-4, 215, WR
Paul Weatheroy (Jesuit, Portland OR) 6-0, 195, RB
Quan Warley (Thomasville NC) 6-0, 185, RB
Derrick Washington (Paymore-Peculiar, Peculiar MO) 6-1, 205, RB-DB-KR
Jonathan Williams (Rose, Greenville NC) 6-1, 195, RB

EA SPORTS National
Junior Player of the Year

Riley Dodge led Southlake Carroll to another state title in Texas.
Riley Dodge (Carroll, Southlake TX)
The 6-foot, 180-pound quarterback was named state Class 5A Player of the Year after he guided the Dragons to their third straight state championship and fourth in the last five years. Carroll also extended its win streak to 48 games, with 79 wins in the last 80 games, as this first-year starter, and son of departing coach Todd Dodge, passed for 4,184 yards and 54 touchdowns while rushing for 1,119 yards and 13 scores. His total offense marks for the 16-0 record team ranked No. 2 in the Student Sports FAB 50 were 5,303 yards and 67 touchdowns against some of the best teams in the Lone Star State. As a sophomore, Dodge was a backup quarterback and regular wide receiver.

EA SPORTS National
Sophomore Player of the Year
Bryce Brown (East, Wichita KS)
The 6-foot-1, 215-pound running back made his presence felt as a freshman when he rushed for 1,472 yards and 12 touchdowns to earn first team All-Wichita honors and honorable mention all-state in the state's largest class, 6A. He continued his impressive efforts last season by averaging over 200 rushing yards a game with 2,046 yards and 26 TDs in nine games against some of the top teams in the state. He was a consensus first team Class 6A all-stater, the only honored sophomore. He will team next year with his older brother, 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker-fullback Arthur Brown, also a first team Class 6A all-stater. College recruiters are already lining up to look at Bryce and his brother.

EA SPORTS NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR (ALL-TIME LIST)

2006 ? Darren Evans (Warren Central, Indianapolis IN) FB
2005 ? Matt Stafford (Highland Park, Dallas TX) QB
2004 ? Chase Daniel (Carroll, Southlake TX) QB
2003 ? Jeff Byers (Loveland CO) OL-DL
2002 ? Chris Leak (Independence, Charlotte NC) QB
2001 ? Vince Young (Madison, Houston TX) QB
2000 ? Cedric Benson (Robert E. Lee, Midland TX) RB
1999 ? D.J. Williams (De La Salle, Concord CA) RB-LB
1998 ? J.R. House (Nitro WV) QB
1997 ? Ronald Curry (Hampton VA) QB-RB
1996 ? Travis Henry (Frostproof FL) RB
1995 ? Tim Couch (Leslie County, Hyden KY) QB
1994 ? Chris Redman (Male, Louisville KY) QB
1993 ? Peyton Manning (Newman, New Orleans LA) QB
1992 ? James Allen (Wynnewood OK) RB
1991 ? Steven Davis (Spartanburg SC) RB
1990 ? Derrick Brooks (Washington, Pensacola FL) LB
1989 ? Robert Smith (Euclid OH) RB
1988 ? Terry Kirby (Tabb VA) RB
1987 ? Carl Pickens (Murphy NC) WR
1986 ? Emmitt Smith (Escambia, Pensacola FL) RB
1985 ? Jeff George (Warren Central, Indianapolis IN) QB
1984 ? Andre Rison (Northwestern, Flint MI) WR-DB
1983 ? Chris Spielman (Washington, Massillon OH) LB
1982 ? Rod Woodson (Snider, Fort Wayne IN) WR-DB
1981 ? Marcus Dupree (Philadelphia MS) RB
1980 ? Bill Fralic (Penn Hills, Pittsburgh PA) OL
1979 ? Herschel Walker (Johnson County, Wrightsville GA) RB
1978 ? Eric Dickerson (Sealy TX) RB
1977 ? Marcus Allen (Lincoln, San Diego CA) QB-RB
1976 ? Freeman McNeil (Banning, Wilmington CA) RB
1975 ? Charles White (San Fernando CA) RB
1974 ? Billy Sims (Hooks TX) RB
1973 ? Earl Campbell (John Tyler, Tyler TX) RB
1972 ? Tony Dorsett (Hopewell PA) RB
1971 ? Dave Logan (Wheat Ridge CO) WR
1970 ? Pat Haden (Bishop Amat, La Puente CA) QB

EA SPORTS NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
COACHES OF THE YEAR (ALL-TIME LIST)

2006 ? J.T. Curtis (John Curtis Christian, River Ridge LA)
2005 ? Ricky Woods (South Panola, Batesville MS)
2004 ? Gary Rankin (Riverdale, Murfreesboro TN)
2003 ? Tom Knotts (Independence, Charlotte NC)
2002 ? Gene Wier (North, Olathe KS)
2001 ? Dave Carruthers (Urbana, Ijamsville MD)
2000 ? John Herrington (Harrison, Farmington Hills MI)
1999 ? Roger DuPaix (Skyline, Salt Lake City UT)
1998 ? Mike Pettine (Central Bucks West, Doylestown PA)
1997 ? Chris Geesman (Penn, Mishawaka IN)
1996 ? Bob Ladouceur (De La Salle, Concord CA)
1995 ? Chuck Kyle (St. Ignatius, Cleveland OH)
1994 ? Bruce Rollinson (Mater Dei, Santa Ana CA)
1993 ? Pete Adkins (Jefferson City MO)
1992 ? George Curry (Berwick PA)
1991 ? Dick Dullaghan (Ben Davis, Indianapolis IN)
1990 ? Billy Gillum (Ruston LA)
1989 ? Cal Lee (St. Louis, Honolulu HI)
1988 ? Harold Clark (Vigor, Prichard AL)
1987 ? Lou Rettino (Union NJ)
1986 ? Nick Hyder (Valdosta GA)
1985 ? Charlie Wedemeyer (Los Gatos CA)
1984 ? John McKissisk (Summerville SC)
1983 ? Bob Shannon (East St. Louis IL)
1982 ? Fred Tesone (Cherry Creek, Englewood CO)
1981 ? Marijon Ancich (St. Paul, Santa Fe Springs CA)
1980 ? Gerry Faust (Moeller, Cincinnati OH)
1979 ? Ron Lancaster (Cordova, Rancho Cordova CA)
1978 ? Gordon Wood (Brownswood TX)
1977 ? Chris Ferragamo (Banning, Wilmington CA)
1976 ? Calvin Chai (Kamehameha, Honolulu HI)
1975 ? Sid Cichy (Shanley, Fargo ND)
1974 ? Dick Haines (Vista CA)
1973 ? E.B. Etter (Baylor, Chattanooga TN)
1972 ? Gary Kehler (Westfield NJ)
1971 ? Herman Boone (T.C. Williams, Alexandria VA)
1970 ? Travis Raven (Reagan, Austin TX)

[Ironlung]

I've never even heard of that kid. If he's the top player in the country, you have to be #2. I'm not trying to bang on you or anything either, that's just laughable. I can think of at least 100 other kids that look better. Several being VT commits. [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[gcdevil22]

he rushed for 2,800 yds and 61 touchdowns, which put him at 4th all-time in touchdowns in one season...not like it was bad competition playing in the biggest class (5A) in Indiana

[Ironlung]

Sounds about like Darryl Vereen thats commited to UT. He sat about every NC rushing record this year. Do you actually think he's better than Tyrod, Morgan, or Hill? I sure don't.

[imported_PioneerBlue]

I can't believe Rush Propst has never won a coach of the year [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[Ironlung]

Hokie Pokie... after thinking about this, maybe I'm looking at it the wrong way. I'm still scratching my head. [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] If they're saying that kid is the best player in the country, that's insane. Although, if they're rewarding strictly on a one year performance looking mainly at stats, I guess that's conceivable.

[gcdevil22]

that's more of what it is...he isn't the most talented player in the nation by any means (he's not exactly a slouch though either) but he has insanely good stats against the best competition in his state

as a matter of fact, i'd rate Josh Oglesby ahead of him right now in terms of talent

[Ironlung]

I just couldn't see him being called the best player in the country over most of the other guys on that list. Even with stats, it's hard to beat what Clownson did and several others.