Three of the top quarterbacks in America are finalists for the 2022 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year Award. The award recognizes outstanding athletic excellence and high standards of academic achievement along with exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field.
The finalists are (in alphabetical order) Jackson Arnold of Denton Ryan (Texas), Arch Manning of Isidore Newman (Louisiana) and Malachi Nelson of Los Alamitos (California).
Below are snippets on each player from a Gatorade news release.
Jackson Arnold
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound senior quarterback led the Wildcats to a 14-1 record and a berth in the 6A-Division II semifinals. He completed 231 of 336 pass attempts (69 percent) for 3,476 yards and 33 touchdowns with only three interceptions. Arnold averaged 10.4 yards per passing attempt. He also rushed for 921 yards and 24 touchdowns, averaging 5.7 yards per carry.
Related: Denton Ryan finishes No. 24 in High School Football America 300 national rankings
Arnold has served as a classroom aide to a math teacher as a senior, and for the past three and a half years, he has been a member and officer in the Texas Young Men’s Service League, Lantana Chapter, which offers opportunities for mothers and sons to perform community service and philanthropic work. He has served as the group’s Vice President, Slating Chair and as a member of its Life Skills committee.
“He can run and pass and has a deadly accurate and a strong arm,” said McKinney High School head coach Marcus Shavers. “He’s a competitor. When the team needs a play, he’s at his best.”
Arnold has maintained a 4.5 weighted GPA in the classroom. Taking advantage of NCAA early signing rules, Arnold inked a financial-aid agreement that paved the way for him to enroll at the University of Oklahoma, where he will play football. He graduated from high school in December and will attend classes in the spring semester.
Arch Manning
The 6-foot-4, 215-pound senior quarterback passed for 2,305 yards and 34 touchdowns this past season, leading the Greenies (8-3) to the Division III Select state tournament quarterfinals. Ranked as the nation’s No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2023 by 247Sports.com and Rivals.com, Manning also rushed for 378 yards and four scores, averaged 10.1 yards per passing attempt and was intercepted only twice. He concluded his prep football career with 8,683 yards and 115 touchdowns through the air.
Manning has volunteered locally at a camp for children with special needs. “Arch’s ability to scramble and keep plays alive is impressive,” said Reynolds Moore, head coach of Benton High School. “His ability to throw it with pinpoint accuracy on the run is deadly. Arch was the driving force that made them go.”
Manning has maintained a 3.50 GPA in the classroom. Taking advantage of NCAA early signing rules, Manning inked a financial-aid agreement that paved the way for him to enroll at the University of Texas. He graduated from high school in December and will attend classes this spring semester.
Malachi Nelson
Also the state’s 2020-21 Gatorade Player of the Year as a sophomore, the 6-foot-3, 180-pound senior quarterback passed for 2,898 yards and 35 touchdowns this past season, leading the Griffins (9-3) to the Southern Section Division 1 postseason semifinals. Ranked as the nation’s No.1 recruit in the Class of 2023 by ESPN.com, Nelson is a 2023 Under Armour Next All-America Game invitee. He concluded his prep football career with 7,988 passing yards and 105 touchdowns.
Nelson has volunteered locally as a youth football coach, and he has donated a portion of his name, image and likeness agreement compensation to Los Alamitos Pop Warner for equipment, uniforms and player fees. “Malachi is an extremely rare talent who can make any throw on the field,” said Jeff Grady, head coach of Edison High School. “At times, he made very difficult throws look easy.”
Nelson has maintained a 3.35 GPA in the classroom. Taking advantage of NCAA early signing rules, Nelson inked a financial-aid agreement that paved the way for him to enroll at the University of Southern California. He graduated from high school in December and will attend classes in the spring semester.
The winner of the Player of the Year Award will be announced later this month.
