The 39th Gatorade National Football Player of the Year is quarterback DJ Lagway of Willis High School in Texas.
Earlier this week, College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith surprised the University of Florida freshman during his move-in day in Gainesville. Smith, a former Gator, was the 1986-97 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year.
The Gatorade POTY award honors players for their accomplishments on-and-off the field.
The dual-threat QB set the Texas 6A single season record for for touchdown passes with 58. The 5-star college football prospect completed 72.1 percent of his passes for 4,605 yards. He also ran for 953 yards and 16 more touchdowns.
Lagway has volunteered locally at eldercare facilities, playing games and creating arts and crafts with the residents. He also has donated his time to a community foodbank and as a public speaker at schools and churches in the area, speaking with younger students about what it takes to succeed in school as well as athletics. Lagway has maintained a 3.48 GPA in the classroom.
“Selecting Lagway as the top high school football player in the nation is a testament to his hard work on the field, in the classroom and in his community,” said Gatorade president and general manager Michael Del Pozzo. “His athleticism combined with his contributions in his community and classroom embody what it takes to be a Gatorade Player of the Year.”
Lagway joins an impressive group of former Gatorade National Football Players of the Year who have combined for more than six NFL MVPs awards, 31 Pro Bowl appearances, six NFL first round draft picks and two Hall of Famers. Lagway was selected from more than one million other student-athletes who play high school football nationwide after being named a top three finalist for the top-honor in high-school sports.
