2025 High School on SI All-Missouri Football Teams: MVP Rocco Marriott Leads Elite List

Platte County quarterback headlines statewide selections as High School on SI releases its final Missouri football honors and All-Missouri teams for the 2025 season

In the final game of his high school career, four-star quarterback Rocco Marriott guided his Platte County Pirates to an overtime victory against Carthage to win the Class 5 Show-Me Bowl for the second consecutive season. Platte County began the preseason at No. 1 and never relinquished the top spot. / David Smith

While basketball season is well underway in Missouri, we’re still handing out our final football honors for the 2025 season, culminating with the annual High School on SI All-Missouri teams.

These teams are not class specific, and all players in the state are eligible. Please note this is not an overall ranking of the best players in the state, and we weighed a number of factors to make our selections; including a player’s classification, overall production and skill, and, to a lesser degree, team success.

Players who were selected for Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year are considered their own elite group of honorees and were not placed on any of the first, second or honorable mention teams.

Most Valuable Player

Rocco Marriott, QB, sr., Platte County

Platte County four-star senior quarterback Rocco Marriott is the High School on SI All-Missouri Most Valuable Player after amassing 4,593 total yards and 68 touchdowns while leading the Pirates to their second straight Class 5 championship. / David Smith

A four-star prospect headed to UCF after flipping his commitment with James Madison University, Marriott flipped a lot of fields this season while amassing 4,593 total yards and 68 touchdowns while guiding the No. 1 Pirates to a 14-0 record and their second consecutive Class 5 state championship. Marriott passed for 3,707 yards, 54 touchdowns and 6 interceptions while completing 73% of his passes and adding 886 yards on 96 rushes with 14 touchdowns on the ground. 

Offensive Player of the Year

Preston Hatfield, RB, sr., Lee’s Summit

Preston Hatfield bounced back from a broken leg in Week 1, returned by Week 7, and still amassed well over 1,000 yards while helping the Tigers turn around an 0-4 start. With Hatfield back in the lineup, the team never lost again, and his Show-Me Bowl record 457 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns helped the Tigers win the Class 6 championship over No. 2 Nixa. / David Smith

It’s not often a player who misses a large chunk of the year would find a way to qualify as Offensive Player of the Year, but Hatfield is quite deserving. He rushed for 120 yards on 8 carries in Week 1 before breaking his leg. Lee’s Summit struggled during that time, starting the year 0-4, but they won two games before he returned in Week 7 and made it a third win. The Tigers never lost again. Hatfield went on to amass well over 1,000 yards of offense anyway and set a Show-Me Bowl record with 457 yards rushing on 33 carries, scoring 4 touchdowns in a win against Nixa in the Class 6 championship.

Defensive Player of the Year 

Prince Goldsby, LB-Edge, jr., Blue Springs South

Blue Springs South junior Prince Goldsby (38) brought plenty of boom during the 2025 season with 83 tackles (60 solo), 22.5 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks and 18 quarterback hurries to earn High School on SI's All-Missouri Defensive Player of the Year honor. / David Smith

There’s a reason why programs like Alabama, Missouri and Nebraska, among many others, are trying to pin him down. At 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, Goldsby is a problem no matter where he’s lined up on defense. He racked up 83 tackles with 60 solo stops this season. More impressive, he had a whopping 22.5 tackles for loss with 13.5 sacks and 18 quarterback hurries to go along with two pass breakups, a fumble caused and a fumble recovery while helping the Jaguars maintain a place in the state top 25 all season.

Newcomer of the Year

Kayden Downing, QB, soph., Raytown

A player to keep an eye on, Kayden Downing (6-foot-3, 200-pound sophomore) amassed 2,416 yards and 34 touchdowns through the air while throwing only 5 interceptions in his first season as the starter at Raytown. / David Smith

Stepping in as the starter for the first time in 2025, Downing (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) had a massive season while guiding the Bluejays to a 7-5 mark. He completed 63.8% of his passes (178 of 279) for 2,416 yards, 34 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. He also chipped in a pair of rushing touchdowns. He is a player to keep an eye on in the coming years.

Team of the Year

Platte County Pirates

The No. 1 Platte County Pirates extended their winning streak to 28 games when they completed a 14-0 campaign with their second consecutive Class 5 state championship. / David Smith

Back-to-back 14-0 seasons and Class 5 state championships, the Pirates have now won 28 consecutive games after knocking off Carthage in overtime in the 2025 Show-Me Bowl at Spratt Memorial Stadium in St. Joseph. Loaded with a ton of Saturday talent and several Division I commits, the Pirates did the job in all phases — outscoring opponents 724-217 and averaging 51.7 points on offense while holding opponents to 15.5 per clip. The Pirates went wire-to-wire (from preseason to the postseason) as High School on SI’s No. 1 team on the 2025 Missouri top 25 rankings.

Coach of the Year

Bill Utz, Platte County

Platte County head football coach Bill Utz has led the Pirates to back-to-back Class 5 state championships and 28 consecutive wins while developing one of the most talented rosters in the state. / David Smith

With back-to-back Class 5 state championships under their belt, Utz and his staff are reaping the rewards of development. Platte County has molded a host of Saturday talent, including several Division I recruits. The No. 1 team in the state of Missouri from preseason to postseason, the Pirates dominated most weeks, proved themselves capable of winning close games when it mattered, and always showed up prepared.

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2025 All-Missouri Teams

First Team

Offense

QB: Ayden Wilhelm, sr., Blue Springs South

QB: Wyatt Erickson, jr., Blue Springs

RB: Carter Dowell, sr., Troy Buchanan

RB: Jayden McCaster, sr., Nixa

RB: Kingston Miles, jr., St. Mary’s South Side

WR: Devin Staley, sr., Blue Springs

WR: Jerrail West, sr., Pattonville

WR: Leyton Usry, sr., Parkway West

TE: Jack Utz, sr., Platte County

ATH: Nick McClellan, sr., Christian Brothers College

ATH: Dante Dixon, sr., Park Hill

OL: Jackson Cantwell, sr., Nixa

OL: Will Seiler, jr., Lee’s Summit

OL: Jonathan Pearcy, sr,, Liberty

OL: Kyler Kuhn, jr., St. Pius X (Kansas City)

OL: Braylon Ellison, sr., Boonville

Defense

DL: Titan Davis, sr., De Smet Jesuit

DL: Ronelle Johnson, sr., Blue Springs

DL: Jonah Were, sr., Park Hill

DL: Landon Bland, sr., Carthage

LB: Brendan Huddleston, sr., Ladue Horton Watkins

LB: Kobe Rhymes, jr., North Kansas City

LB: Marshaun Ivy, jr., Cardinal Ritter

DB: Randy Flint, sr., Nixa

DB: Keenan Harris, sr., St. Louis University High

DB: Bookee Kritza, jr., Rock Bridge

DB: Mason Casso, jr., Rockwood Summit

K: Cade Williams, sr., Fort Zumwalt West

P: Owen Plocher, sr., Chaminade

RET: Logan Sutton, sr., Liberty

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Second Team

Offense

QB: Adam McKnight, jr., Nixa

QB: Kanon Wetlaufer, sr., St. Joseph Central

RB: Roman Miller, sr., Seneca

RB: AJ Smith, sr., Warrensburg

RB: Manny Ellis, sr., Cardinal Ritter

WR: Tony Woolfolk Jr., sr., Lift for Life Academy

WR: Brayden Stevens, sr., Platte County

WR: Jory Thoma, jr., Jackson

TE: Ridge Janes, soph., De Smet Jesuit

ATH: Karsten Fiene, sr., Lee’s Summit

ATH: Brodie Probert, sr., Seneca

OL: Brysen Wessell, sr., Jackson

OL: Quinn Lightle, sr., Platte County

OL: Jamison Truitt, jr., Nixa

OL: Hayden Mays, sr., Nixa

OL: Santiago Castillo, sr., De Smet Jesuit

Defense

DL: Isaac Beaver, sr., Kearney

DL: George Richter, sr., Liberty

DL: Matt Gass, sr., Rock Bridge

DL: Yarmon Kirksey Jr., sr., Ritenour

LB: Jordan Brunnert, sr., Carthage

LB: Reed Wilson, jr., Nixa 

LB: Carlos Baskerville, jr., Platte County 

DB: Jett Johnson, sr., Parkway West

DB: Cy Wilmes, jr., Blue Springs South

DB: Trashundon Neal, sr., Liberty North

DB: Keiran Govan, jr., Republic

K: Rocco DePrima, jr., Rock Bridge

P: Cesar Romero, sr., Blue Springs

RET: Ahmaun Fowler, sr., Kickapoo 

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Honorable Mention

Offense

QB: Blayne Patterson, jr., Neosho

QB: Carter Temple, Kearney

RB: Keisean Rhone, sr., Neosho

RB: Cam Sharp, soph., De Smet Jesuit

RB: Marcus Lopez-Durman, sr., Carl Junction

WR: Jake Hensel, Park Hill South

WR: Ekeilan Henderson, jr., Lift for Life Academy

WR: Chris Harris Jr., jr., Lee’s Summit West

TE: Jack Brown, jr., Francis Howell Central

ATH: Jaylon Hampton, jr., Jackson

ATH: Cash Lewandowski, jr., Rockhurst

OL: Holden Waring, sr., Lee’s Summit

OL: Brayden Harris, jr., Jackson

OL: MJ Martsolf, sr., Carthage

OL: Bennett Fraser, sr., Kirksville

OL: Gavin Beachner, sr., Carl Junction

Defense

DL: Baron James, sr., Lafayette (Wildwood)

DL: Ben Maskell, sr., Fort Zumwalt West

DL: Landon Harper, sr., Republic

DL: Keronn Parker-Lacey, sr., Cardinal Ritter

LB: Drew Benassi, jr., Lee’s Summit

LB: Elijah Stueckel, sr., St. Mary’s South Side

LB: Cortlaan Collins, sr., Christian Brothers College

DB: Jackson Dudeck, sr., Savannah

DB: Da’yon “DJ” Ross, soph., Cardinal Ritter

DB: Alex Gamble, soph., Fort Zumwalt South

DB: Tim Washington, sr., Lafayette (Wildwood)

K: Nic Calvaruso, sr., Helias Catholic

P: Everett Grower, Park Hill South

RET: Peyton Hatfield, sr., Lee’s Summit

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