Missouri's Gridiron Elite: Tracing the Journeys of Gatorade Players of the Year

From High School Phenoms to College Stars and NFL Dreams: Where Are Missouri's Top Football Talents Now?

Levi Payton | Jul 17, 2025

When Nixa's Jackson Cantwell won the 2024-2025 Gatorade Missouri High School Football Player of the Year award, he joined a host of Missouri athletes to have won since 2010 and gone on to collegiate and professional success. He is among the favorites to win again in 2025. / Bruce E Stidham Special to the News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

Every year, one high school football player in Missouri stands above the rest, earning the prestigious Gatorade Player of the Year award. This honor marks them as the state's top talent, often propelling them to collegiate stardom and, for some, even the NFL. But what happens after the Friday night lights fade and the high school accolades are tucked away?

We're taking a look back at every Gatorade Missouri High School Player of the Year since 2010, tracing their paths from emerging phenoms like 2024 winner Jackson Cantwell all the way back to 2010's recipient, Dorial Green-Beckham. From high school stars to college impact players to NFL draftees, the trajectories of these standout athletes turns out to be pretty diverse.

2024 Winner

Jackson Cantwell, OL, Nixa

Nixa Eagles Jackson Cantwell (79) holds back a Joplin defender during the championship game of Class 6 District 5 football game at Nixa. / Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

Cantwell had a real shot at becoming the rare athlete to win Gatorade National Player of the Year in multiple sports in the same season, as he also had one of the best track and field seasons – and one of the best throws – that any high school boys athlete has ever had throwing the shot put last year as a junior. Despite that, Cantwell became the first non-skill player to win Gatorade’s Missouri Player of the Year since De Smet Jesuit defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo in 2020-2021 and only the second since Kickapoo offensive and defensive lineman Jared Helming won the award in 2000-2001.

He’ll be kicking off his senior season at Nixa in a little over a month and has to be an early favorite to join three other players who have won the award in back-to-back seasons since 2010 after he recorded 158 pancake blocks as a junior. It was a big leap for Cantwell, who also dominated as a sophomore with 91 pancakes after dishing 55 as a freshman.

2023 Winner

Aneyas Williams, RB/DB, Hannibal

Dec 20, 2024; Notre Dame, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Aneyas Williams (20) runs against Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Amare Ferrell (25) during the third quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Turning in a monster senior season at running back and defensive back, Williams took home the award after leading the Pirates to an 11-2 record and the Class 4 quarterfinals with 1,415 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns, while the three-time all-state selection also caught 44 passes for 815 yards and 17 touchdowns and recorded 21 tackles and had two interceptions – returning one for a touchdown.

Williams is now entering his sophomore season at Notre Dame, where the 5-foot-11, 200-pound running back rushed for 219 yards and had 172 receiving yards as a true freshman while helping the Fighting Irish to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff. He is expected to see an increased workload as a sophomore in 2025.

2022 Winner

Jeremiyah Love, RB, Christian Brothers College (St. Louis)

Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) scores a touchdown while being chased by Indiana Hoosiers defensive back D'Angelo Ponds (5) and Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Jamari Sharpe (22) during the first half of a game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in first round of the College Football Playoff on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in South Bend. / Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Love took home the award in 2023 after leading Scott Pingel’s Cadets to a 13-1 record and the Class 6 state championship. He had some memorable performances – such as his 212 rushing yards and 106 receiving yards and five combined touchdowns in CBC’s 35-28 win over Lee’s Summit North in the state title game. The Class 6 first team all-state selection and Under Armour All-American was ranked the No. 59 overall recruit in the nation by Rivals in 2023.

Entering his third year at Notre Dame in 2025, Love is the lead back for the Fighting Irish and shares carries with aforementioned Hannibal native and fellow Missouri Gatorade High School Football Player of the Year Aneyas Williams. Love (6-foot, 206) carried the ball 163 times last season for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns, averaging 6.9 yards per carry.

He will be eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft.

2021 Winner

Kevin Coleman Jr., WR, St. Mary’s (St. Louis)

Sep 21, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. (3) runs the ball against Florida Gators defensive back Dijon Johnson (27) during the second quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. / Matt Bush-Imagn Images

A four-year letterman under coach Corey Bethany at St. Mary’s, Coleman caught 37 passes for 985 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior and rushed for 435 yards on 37 carries. In his varsity career Coleman secured 179 receptions for 3,968 yards and 56 receiving touchdowns while helping the Dragons win the Class 3 championship in 2021. He helped the Dragons go 32-12 and make four state playoff appearances.

Rated the No. 1 prospect in Missouri by ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports, Coleman’s college journey back home had a few stops along the way. He began his collegiate career at Jackson State in 2022, then spent time at Louisville in 2023 and Mississippi State in 2024 – earning letters at each stop – before transferring to Missouri for his senior season in 2025, where he will look to continue his 29-game reception streak that dates back to his time at Jackson State in 2022.

2020 Winner

Mekhi Wingo, DL, De Smet Jesuit

Sep 15, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) avoids a sack by Detroit Lions defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo (94) in the first quarter at Ford Field. / Eamon Horwedel-Imagn Images

A two-time Class 6 Defensive Player of the Year, Wingo was also a first team all-state selection and the Metro Catholic Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. As a 6-foot-1, 275-pound defensive tackle he racked up 54 tackles (including 16 for loss) and had five sacks as a senior.

He went on to play one year at Mizzou, seeing action in 12 games (four starts) in 2021-2022, recording 14 tackles (two for loss) with one sack, one interception and deflected one pass. He then transferred to LSU, where he started 20 of the 22 games he played in over parts of two seasons (2022-2024). With the Tigers he recorded 71 tackles, including 36 solo and 11 for loss with 7.5 sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, four pass breakups and deflected four passes.

Wingo went on to become a sixth-round pick (No. 189 overall) of the Detroit Lions in the 2024 NFL Draft. In his rookie season with the Lions, Wingo played in 11 games, drawing three starts and had nine tackles (one solo).

2019 Winner

Isaiah Davis, RB/LB, Joplin

Dec 8, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; New York Jets running back Isaiah Davis (32) runs with the football against the Miami Dolphins during the third quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Davis won the award in 2020 after helping lead coach Curtis Jasper’s Eagles to the Class 6 championship game. That season he rushed for 2,283 yards and 45 touchdowns, averaging 9.02 yards on 253 carries, while also catching 19 passes for 220 yards and two TDs. He also had 52 tackles on defense. Davis, who also rushed for 1,676 yards and 28 touchdowns as a junior, finished with 4,354 yards and 83 touchdowns at Joplin and was a two-time all-state selection.

His career only continued to blossom at South Dakota State, where – despite losing his freshman season to the COVID-19 pandemic – he finished as one of the most productive backs in Jackrabbits history. As a senior he rushed for 1,578 yards and 18 touchdowns on 236 carries and caught 23 passes for 199 yards and one score, and he finished his career at South Dakota State a two-time FCS national champion (2022, 2023) and was named first team FCS All-American (2023).

He went on to become a fifth-round pick (No. 173) by the New York Jets in the 2024 NFL Draft. Playing behind future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers as a rookie last season, Davis averaged 5.8 yards per carry – rushing for 174 yards and one touchdown while also catching nine passes for 75 yards and a TD. He will be vying for a backup role again in 2025.

2017 and 2018 Winner

Isaiah Williams, QB, Trinity Catholic (St. Louis)

Jan 4, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Isaiah Williams (18) returns the opening kick-off against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Missouri’s last back-to-back Gatorade High School Football Player of the Year, Williams participated in the 2019 Under Armour All-America Game and was ranked as the nation’s No. 47 recruit by Rivals. As a 5-foot-11, 175-pound senior he led the Titans to a 13-2 record and the Class 3 championship while completing 114 of 226 passes for 2,470 yards and 33 touchdowns while rushing for 1,132 yards and 11 touchdowns on 102 carries.

During his junior season he guided the Titans to a 9-1 record and the third round of the Class 2 playoffs – completing 83 of 135 passes for 1,898 yards, 29 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also rushed for 383 yards on 42 carries with two touchdowns and was named the Archdiocesan Athletic Association Player of the Year. Williams was part of one of the last classes to play football at Trinity Catholic, as the school was closed in 2021. After playing his first two collegiate seasons at Illinois at quarterback, Williams switched to receiver for the 2021 season and finished with 525 yards and four touchdowns – tops on the team. He caught 82 passes for 715 yards and five TDs in 2022.

Williams signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2024 and made the initial Week 1 roster. He saw action in two games with the Lions, catching two passes on three targets for six yards before being cut by the Lions on Nov. 7. The Cincinnati Bengals claimed him off waivers the next day and he spent the rest of the 2024 season with them – seeing action in six games and working his way into becoming the team’s starting punt returner from Week 14 on – returning 11 punts for 93 yards.

2016 Winner

Alex Huston, QB, Glendale

People in Missouri still talk about the insane season Huston – an Ohio native – put up in Mike Mauk’s spread offense after following the coach from Ohio to the Springfield area to play for him. That year Huston (6-1, 185) set a new state record when he passed for 6,131 yards and an insane 76 touchdowns – leading the Falcons to an 11-1 record and the Class 5 quarterfinals. The right hander completed 395 of 563 passes on the season, highlighted by a 706-yard, nine-touchdown game against Ozark in the third round of the playoffs.

Huston, however, is one of the rare GPOY winners who didn’t move on to play collegiately, though he did attend Bowling Green to study. While Mauk’s system certainly put Huston in a great spot to excel, and the talented QB obviously had the ability to excel, many college programs didn’t see it the same way. For whatever reason, Huston was collectively seen as a system quarterback.

2015 Winner

Skylar Thompson, QB, Fort Osage

Sep 22, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson (19) throws the ball during the second quarter against Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. / Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

He was a man of many hats in high school. A four-year letterman and a four-sport star at Fort Osage (football, baseball, basketball, soccer) who was named all-state in football, basketball and soccer, Thompson played quarterback, kicker and punter for the Indians. As a senior, he passed for 2,129 yards, 26 touchdowns and three interceptions on 142 completions. That same year he also led the team to a 13-1 record and the Class 5 state championship with a 63-28 blowout of Chaminade in the title game. He also set the MSHSAA Show-Me Bowl record with 455 yards and seven combined touchdowns in that win. He finished his high school career passing for 6,222 yards, 72 touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing 63% of his passes.

After a career at Kansas State that saw him pass for 7,124 yards, 42 touchdowns and 16 interceptions and rush for 1,087 yards and 26 touchdowns, Thompson heard his name called by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round (No. 247) of the 2022 NFL Draft. He impressed enough in training camp to make the roster as the team’s third quarterback, played in seven games (including two starts) during his rookie season, and played in three games for the Dolphins last year – drawing the one start and passing for 187 yards on 33 attempts. He is currently a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

2014 Winner

T.J. Green, QB, Rockhurst

Northwestern quarterback TJ Green with a pass against Purdue in the first quarter Thursday, August 30, 2018, in West Lafayette. / John Terhune/Journal & Courier,

Trent Jason Green, Jr. – better known as T.J. Green, kept the state buzzing about the talented young Rockhurst signal caller during his high school career – and not only because he’s son of 15-year NFL veteran and Kansas City Chiefs two-time All-Pro quarterback Trent Green.

T.J. was legit in his own right – earning Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year, USA Today Missouri Offensive Player of the Year and first team all-state honors as a senior after amassing 3,000 total yards (2,700 passing, 300 rushing) with 33 touchdowns. A two-year letterman in baseball, as well, Green set Rockhurst football records by collecting the most total yards and passing yards in both a season and a career and most passing touchdowns in a season for the program.

He went on to spend the 2015-2019 seasons collegiately at Northwestern, playing primarily as a backup. He finished his career with the Wildcats after attempting only 47 passes in 13 career games for 236 yards, zero passing touchdowns and one interception. He did score one rushing touchdown during the 2018 season. Green, however, is seemingly doing fine for himself these days. According to his LinkedIn bio, he earned a Master’s in both Management Studies and Data Science and majored in Economics. He now serves as a Senior Associate at EY-Parthenon in Chicago and says his hobbies are “personal finance, personal fitness and anything related to sports.”

2012 and 2013 Winner

Dalvin Warmack, RB, Blue Springs

Sep 15, 2018; Manhattan, KS, USA; Kansas State Wildcats running back Dalvin Warmack (3) carries the ball during the fourth quarter against the UTSA Roadrunners at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The Wildcats won the game 41-17. / Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

Warmack became the first in Kansas City metro history to win the Simone Award twice, earning the top player honor as both a junior and senior. The Blue Springs star was also a two-time Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year and was named Class 6 Offensive Player of the Year by the state coaches in 2013. He made consecutive first team all-state lists from both the Missouri media and MFCA and was twice selected to the USA TODAY All-USA Missouri Team and Kansas City Star All-Metro squad.

Ranked No. 11 nationally among all-purpose backs by Rivals, Warmack ran for 2,223 yards and 29 touchdowns his senior year, also catching three scores while leading Blue Springs to its second straight state title. His junior season included 2,300 yards and 45 total touchdowns, with 40 coming on the ground. He later played in the Blue-Grey North-South All-American Bowl.

He went on to play at Kansas State from 2015-2018, spending his final two seasons there with another Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year – quarterback Skylar Thompson. His best season came as a sophomore in 2017 when he rushed 48 times for 252 yards and three touchdowns and caught two passes for 33 yards. He also rushed for 211 yards in 2016 and 144 yards and had even catches for 86 yards and a touchdown as a senior In 2018.

Warmack returned to the Kansas City area after college where he’s continued to coach and work with young football players. According to LinkedIn, he currently serves in a leadership role at Shamrock Trading Corp. in the Kansas City Metro.

2010 and 2011 Winner

Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Hillcrest

Sep 20, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Tennessee Titans wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham (17) catches a fourth quarter touchdown over Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden (23) at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 28-14. / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Quite possibly the most dominant high school wide receiver Missouri has ever seen, Green-Beckham was a national treasure while at Springfield Hillcrest, where he set the national record for all-time receiving yards in 2011 – a record that was later broken by Alfred M. Barbe (Louisiana) High School’s Trey Quinn in 2013. As a freshman Green-Beckham had 37 receptions for 801 yards and 13 touchdowns before exploding with 1,616 yards and 23 touchdowns as a sophomore.

The St. Louis native continued his rise up prospect rankings in 2010 when he caught 78 passes for 1,706 yards and 15 touchdowns, earning Rivals High School Football Junior of the Year honors and his first of back-to-back Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year awards. He picked up his second Missouri GPOY as a senior, when the Rivals No. 1 recruit in the nation caught 119 passes for 2,233 yards and 24 touchdowns – also earning Sporting News High School Athlete of the Year, first team all-state honors and a spot in the 2012 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He also became the rare athlete to win Gatorade Player of the Year in multiple sports the same season, as he was the 2009-2010 Gatorade Missouri Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Green-Beckham’s final year at Hillcrest would be the last time he would achieve 1,000 yards in a season in his career.

The five-star recruit became the first No. 1 recruit to choose Missouri, and he spent two seasons with the Tigers before being released from the program by coach Gary Pinkel on April 11, 2014, after multiple legal issues. He finished with 28 receptions for 395 yards in 11 games as a freshman and had 883 yards on 59 catches in 14 games as a sophomore. After transferring to Oklahoma but not playing due to transfer rules of the time, Green-Beckham declared for the 2015 NFL Draft and was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the second round (pick No. 40).

He went on to appear in 16 games for the Titans, catching four touchdowns and finishing with 549 yards before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in August of 2016. He played 15 games for the Eagles that year – finishing with 392 yards and two TDs. The Eagles waived Green-Beckham on June 30, 2017, and he never played another snap in the NFL. He has continued battling legal troubles and has had multiple arrests since his playing days ended in 2017.