Jett Thomalla Named Gatorade Nebraska Football Player Of The Year

Millard South star, future Alabama Crimson Tide QB honored

Millard South Jett Thomalla (4) looks for receivers against Basha during a game at Basha High School in Chandler on Aug. 30, 2024. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 72 percent completion percentage. Nearly 60 passing touchdowns. Almost 3,500 yards in the air.

That, in a nutshell, summed up the incredible senior season for Millard South High School sensation Jett Thomalla.

But there was so much more to the game of the future Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback.

“Jett Thomalla is one of the most prolific high school quarterbacks to come out of Nebraska,” said rival head coach Allen Burrell, Jr. of Millard North. “What sets him apart is his ability to process the game at a high level and make every throw on the field.

“His ball placement is elite, and when you combine that with his decision-making and command of the offense, it’s easy to see why he’s one of the Top 10 high school quarterbacks in the country.”

Thomalla has been named the Gatorade Nebraska State Football Player of the Year, the organization announced.

The 6-foot-5, 190-pounder led the Patriots to a 12-1 record this past fall - with the lone loss being a contest that was ruled a forfeit. They claimed another Class A Nebraska high school state title, as Thomalla led an offense that put up 204 points during a four-game postseason run.

Millard South Star Set Several State Passing Records

Regarded as one of the top players in the Class of 2026 by 247Sports, Thomalla ended his high school career by setting a single-game state record seven touchdown passes in both the semifinals and finals.

Thomalla sits atop the all-class Nebraska high school football passing lists in yardage, with 10,253 and touchdowns, with 134.

Off the football field, Thomalla holds a 3.4 grade point average and is actively involved in the elementary school literacy outreach initiative, as a YMCA youth sports referee and has donated his time on behalf of  a Special Olympics Unified Sports team and as a football camp counselor for the past three years.

Gatorade Honors Athletes In 12 Different Sports, All 50 States, Including Washington D.C.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one state winner from each of the 50 states and Washington D.C., in 12 different sports: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls track and field.

In total, 610 high school athletes are honored each year. From the pool of state winners, one national winner is selected in each of the 12 sports. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the winners in each sport.

As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport, every Player of the Year also receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner. To date, the Gatorade Player of the Year program has provided more than $6.4 million in grants to winners across more than 2,200 organizations.

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