Vote: Who is the 2025 Louisiana High School On SI Class 1A Preseason Player of the Year?

Here are 25 nominations for your voting consideration

Jerry Bottley X

The 2025 high school football season is right around the corner in Louisiana. Please read through our list of 25 nominations for Class 1A Preseason Player of the Year and cast your vote(s).

Voting concludes Aug. 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Jerry Bottley, Sr., Southern Lab (Quarterback)

A precision passer, Bottley completed 129 of 171 passes for 2,672 yards and 25 touchdowns for a No. 13 Southern Lab team that beat No. .4 St. Frederick to reach the Division IV select quarterfinals. He also ran for 564 yards on 66 carries with 10 touchdowns. The Delaware State commit is a state champion in the 4 X 400 relay and is ranked three stars by the QB Hit List. 

Javon Vital, Jr., Hamilton Christian (QB)

Vital is taking the Warriors from Lake Charles to new heights. The dual-sport standout, who also excels in basketball, is the first player in school history to secure a football scholarship offer from LSU. He connected on 82 of 137 passes for 1,226 yards and 18 scores, while carrying 163 times for 1,528 yards and 25 touchdowns. The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder runs the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds.

Makelin Lemoine, Jr., Elton (RB/DB)

The Indians' running back/safety should see his offensive numbers ignite even more with the graduation of 2,000-yard rusher Tristan LeBlanc. A defensive starter since the eighth grade, Lemone ran for 1,648 yards on 152 carries (10.84 ypc) and 21 touchdowns. as a sophomore. The No. 11-seeded Indians lost to No. 6 Logansport in the Division IV nonselect regional round. On defense, Lemoine had 54 tackles (six TFL) and returned two interceptions for TDs.

Charles McFarland, Sr., Grand Lake (RB)

The 5-foot-9, 175-pounder logged 177 carries for 1,480 yards and 17 touchdowns for the  No. 13-seeded Hornets, who dropped a 46-24 regional playoff game to No. 4 Jeanerette. His 53-yard run in the fourth quarter helped Grand Lake overcome a 20-6 deficit to tie its bi-district playoff game vs. Jonesboro-Hodge at 20-20. The Hornets advanced on a late field goal, according to Clay Williams of The Jackson Parish Journal.

Jayden Bokemeyer, Jr., Oberlin (WR)

Four-sport (football, baseball, basketball, track) athlete with 4.5 speed who hauled in 28 catches for 608 yards and seven touchdowns for a team that lost in bi-district to No. 5 North Iberville. Placed first in the 100 meters at the 2025 Kinder Yellow Jacket Relays. Made LSWA Class 1A honorable mention all-state in football.

Bra'jon Melancon, Jr., North Iberville (WR/DB)

The Bears were a surprise team under coach Josh Gast that earned a No. 5 playoff seed in their first gridiron season in over a decade. A first team all-district receiver and cornerback, Melancon recorded 43 receptions for 703 yards and 13 TDs for the Bears, who went 9-3 and blew out No. 28 Oberlin in bi-district 44-6. Kentucky State offered Melancon over the summer. 

Roderick Tezeno

Roderick Tezeno, Sr., Opelousas Catholic (WR)

The USC receiver commit has been ranked as the state's No. 1 basketball player by Prep Hoops Louisiana. The 247Sports Composite issued a four-star rating to Tezeno, who is listed as the No. 12 player in Louisiana and is ranked nationally (No. 344), a label only bestowed on elite prospects. Last year, the 6-foot-3, 175-pounder caught 52 balls for 1,106 yards and 17 scores, even though starting quarterback Kross Gillen missed a large chunk of the season (injury). The No. 15-seeded Vikings edged district rival No. 18 Westminster Christian-Opelousas in the first round 34-33 before losing to second-seeded Ascension Catholic. 

Ahmad Cage, Jr., Riverside Academy (DL)

The LSWA Class 1A first team all-state pick is built low to the ground at 5-foot-9 and 250 lbs, allowing him to play with excellent leverage.  He helped the seventh-seeded Rebels to the quarterfinals where they lost by single digits to No. 2 Ascension Catholic, finishing the season with 27 tackles (10 for loss), two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. 

Josh Barber, Sr., Ascension Catholic (DL/RB)

Registered 44 tackles, 10 stops for loss, four sacks and two fumble recoveries for an 11-2 Ascension Catholic team that reached the semifinals. The 6-foot-0, 240-pounder has played running back in the past, according to Troy LeBoeuf of The Baton Rouge Advocate. Barber competes in powerlifting and played on the district champion basketball squad. ACHS powerlifting has captured three state titles in the past four years, including 2025.

Landon Ramagos, Sr., Central Catholic (WR/DB)

Slot receiver for the Eagles of Morgan City caught 47 passes for 852 yards and 11 touchdowns. In a 14-0 win over Lincoln Prep in the playoff opener, Ramagos returned an interception 63 yards to paydirt in the fourth quarter, according to The Morgan City Review. He added four receptions for 28 yards and was named first team all-district (7-1A). 

Jude Morrison, Sr., Catholic of Pointe Coupee (QB)

The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder plays for a young coach who is also an offensive guru: Jacob Curruth. Last year, Morrison passed for 1,000 yards, averaging 15.3 yards per completion, with 15 touchdowns for a 9-2 team that landed the No. 6 seed in Division IV select. Morrison ranked third on the team in rushing (120-516, seven TDs). He also shines in basketball, making first team all-district (5-1A) as a sophomore (16.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg). Two years ago in football, he started the first five games due to an injury and made first team all-district on both sides of the football. 

Javonte Williams, Sr., Jeanerette (DL)

Coach CC Paul's Tigers are a program that has been on the rise, reaching the quarterfinals the past two years. The 2023 appearance, a loss to Haynesville, was Jeanerette's first trip to the third round since 1990. Williams, a 6-foot-2, 240-pound Edge, made first team all-state last year, racking up 94 tackles (14 TFL), six sacks and two forced fumbles. The district's defensive MVP pulled in an offer from Stephen F. Austin in April and offers from Louisiana Christian and Tuskegee in March, and his 247Sports profile lists offers from Sacramento St. and UTSA. As a junior, Williams was the Class 1A state champ in the shot put (50-10.5 feet). 

Andre Abshire / Mike Coppage

Andre Abshire, Sr., Ascension Episcopal (RB)

The Blue Gators' lost only one regular season game - to state champion Vermilion Catholic - and got heavy production from Abshire, who found the end zone 19 times (108-866) on the ground. He tacked on another 131 receiving yards and three scores. Abshire had a big game in a non-district win over rising program Lafayette Renaissance, gaining 123 yards with two TDs on only five carries, according to Eric Narcisse of The Acadiana Advocate. Abshire added two receptions for 61 yards and another score in the 35-22 win. 

Nathan Burleigh, Sr., St. John-Plaquemine (LB)

The 5-foot-11, 195-pound linebacker registered 52 tackles, two for loss, with a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries for the Eagles. The big-time baseball prospect (catcher/first base) had a productive summer with the prestigious Knights Knation organization and was named Iberville Parish MVP in the spring. 

Wyatt Dubois, Sr., St. Edmund (LB/DB)

The versatile defender will be a welcome sight for coach James Shiver after the Blue Jays graduated a large senior class. As a junior, Dubois totaled 83.5 tackles (10.5 TFL), four sacks, three forced fumbles, three interceptions and two blocked kicks for the 10-2 Blue Jays, who lost to champion Vermilion Catholic in the quarterfinals.

Kyle Horde / Mike Coppage

Kyle Horde, Jr., Westminster Christian-Opelousas (RB/LB)

We're projecting the Crusaders as a team that could go deep in the playoffs after sizing up the squad at media day. Horde, an LSWA Class 1A honorable mention all-state pick as a sophomore, has tremendous size at 6-foot-2, 220 lbs. He posted 127 tackles and had a pick-six last year for WCA, which is in a highly competitive district that's a small-school version of NOLA's Class 5A Catholic League. Horde, who will also be the starting tailback, should wreak havoc on this level.

Luke McLain / Mike Coppage

Luke McLain, Sr., Vermilion Catholic (RB/LB)

The 6-foot-0, 180-pounder was instrumental in the Eagles' perfect season that culminated in a Division IV select crown, registering 97 tackles (14 TFL), 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions with a defensive touchdown. McLain added four touchdowns on the ground with 500 rushing yards.

Owen Trosclair, Sr., Covenant Christian (QB/DE)

The state's most accurate passer, Trosclair completed 105 of 138 attempts for 1,755 yards and 24 scores and ran for 425 yards on 49 carries with four touchdowns. A first team all-state honoree in football and baseball, Trosclair was an ironman for the 11-1 Lions who found the stamina to notch 28 tackles (12 for loss), five sacks and a forced fumble at defensive end. He is committed to the Univ. of New Orleans for baseball.

Hunter Martin, Sr., Logansport (LB)

A stalwart for one of the state's best small public school programs, Martin followed a District 3-1A Defensive MVP season two years ago with another stellar campaign (162 tackles, 22 TFL, six sacks, two interceptions, three fumble recoveries, a blocked kick and a defensive touchdown). The sixth-seeded Tigers went 10-3 and lost by six points in the semifinals to state champion South Plaquemine.

Chance Bovie, Sr., West St. John (DB/WR)

The Rams are returning to past prominence with a roster of 18 seniors that propelled the four-time state champs to a 7-4 mark last year. Bovie (6-0, 170) gets it done on both sides of the ball, catching 25 passes for 437 yards and six scores with 50 tackles and five interceptions at defensive back, according to Ken Trahan of Crescent City Sports.

Demarion Berry, Sr., General Trass (DB/WR)

Berry tallied 54 tackles, four pass break-ups and seven interceptions for 12th-seeded General Trass, which took down No. 4 Jeanerette and No. 5 North Iberville to reach the semifinals where the upstarts lost to undefeated No. 1 Haynesville. 

Ethan Simon / Mike Coppage

Ethan Simon, Jr., Westminster Christian-Lafayette (RB/LB)

The Chargers made vast strides in their first varsity season, winning seven games and losing by one point in the playoffs to Opelousas Catholic. Simon was the top rusher in coach Kent Gable's veer offense, carrying 157 times for 811 yards and 12 touchdowns. The 5-foot-8, 165-pounder is a returning starter at linebacker as well.

Owen O'Neal, Sr., St. Frederick (DB)

Also a baseball star, O'Neal was named to the Monroe area's Preseason Elite 11 by Jake Martin of The Ouachita Citizen. Last year, he finished with 85 tackles, two forced fumbles, three tackles for loss and four pass break-ups for the fourth-seeded Warriors. 2D Sports Baseball called O'Neal "a confident catcher with a strong presence behind the plate."

Haynesville quarterback Isaiah Washington on the move vs. South Plaquemines / SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Isaiah Washington, Sr., Haynesville (QB/DB)

The LSU commit is ranked as the No. 13 player in Louisiana by the 247Sports Composite. He's projected as a safety and has nice length at 6-foot-2 with superior athleticism (state champ in the triple jump and 110-meter hurdles). Washington took third in the 300-meter hurdles and led the Golden Tornado to a runner-up finish in Division IV nonselect.

Ashton Duos, Sr., Sacred Heart (LB)

Linebacker made 54 tackles with four stops for a loss, three sacks, a pass break-up and an interception. Duos, who also plays H-Back for the Trojans, is a leader by example, coach Jacob Aguillard told Ken Trahan of Crescent City Sports. 

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