Vote! Who should be New Jersey’s High School Football Player of the Week? - Sept. 30, 2025

Here are 14 candidates for your voting consideration

Holmdel quarterback Jack Cannon runs the ball around SJV's Victor Montalvo during the St. John Vianney vs. Holmdel football game at Holmdel High School in Holmdel, NJ Friday, September 13, 2024. / Tanya Breen/Asbury Park Press / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Each week during the fall sports season, High School On SI New Jersey will gather and compile the top high school performances across the state.

Now, it’s your turn to choose a standout among the pack, the best of the best.

Want to nominate an athlete? Please email  John Beisser at jbeisser86@gmail.com or tag us on Twitter or Instagram at @HighSchoolonSI.

In last week’s poll, Pitman High School senior wide receiver/defensive back Aiden Upham came out on top by garnering 56% of the votes (1,998 votes) to outdistance the second-place finisher, senior quarterback Devin Thomas of Plainfield High School who was selected on 36% of the ballots (1,280 votes.)

Editor’s Note: Our high school player of the week and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes that receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.

Voting ends Oct. 5 at 11:59 p.m. PT. The winner will be announced in next week's poll.

OK, it’s time to get started with this week’s candidates, each of whom is listed in alphabetical order below.

Dante Benvenuti, Passaic Valley, Sr., WR/LB/K/P

Benvenuti dominated in a 40-0 rout of Millburn, rushing for 186 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries, completing 4-of-5 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown, and adding several tackles on defense while converting 4-of-6 PATs as a kicker.

Carter Bujno, Hackettstown, So., QB

Bujno was nearly perfect, completing 7-of-8 passes for 215 yards and four touchdowns in Hackettstown’s 55-26 win over North Warren. The sophomore has thrown for over 200 yards twice and has 10 touchdown passes this season.

Jah’naad Cady, Franklin, Jr., QB

Cady sealed a 33-28 comeback win over Edison with an 8-yard touchdown run as time ran out. The junior quarterback went 11-for-23 for 177 passing yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 73 yards and two scores on 19 carries.

Jack Cannon, Holmdel, Sr., QB

Cannon, a senior standout, amassed 307 total yards and scored all four Holmdel touchdowns in a 29-28 loss to No. 13 Red Bank Catholic. He completed 20-of-25 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 92 yards and three scores on 20 carries, including a dazzling 52-yard zig-zag touchdown run.

Aamir Dunbar, Cedar Creek, Sr., RB/LB

The Maine commit rushed for a career-high 293 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries in a 43-33 win over Holy Spirit, scoring on runs of 25, 9, and 5 yards. Dunbar also had four tackles, one for loss, and leads the league with 818 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.

Callum Fynes, Scotch Plains-Fanwood, Sr., WR/DB

Fynes scored three ways in a 39-38 win over Carteret, rushing for a touchdown, catching a 56-yard touchdown pass from Logan Weiss, and returning an interception for a score. He also recorded eight tackles from the secondary.

Kobe St. Hilaire, New Milford, Jr., RB

After sitting out four games due to NJSIAA transfer rules, St. Hilaire debuted with 229 yards and four touchdowns on 19 carries, powering New Milford to a 28-21 road win over Hawthorne. Three of his scores came in the first half. The speedy St. Hilaire is also a standout in track and field where he stars in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes.

Ryder Izzo, Rumson-Fair Haven, Jr., RB

Izzo, a junior, set a school record with 344 rushing yards on 26 carries and two touchdowns in No. 3 Rumson-Fair Haven’s 48-29 win over No. 14 Middletown North. His performance surpassed Charlie Volker’s previous record of 328 yards, stepping up in place of injured senior Kellen Murray.

Gabe Kemp, Red Bank Catholic, Fr., RB

Kemp, a freshman, rushed for a career-best 189 yards on 23 carries, including a crucial 48-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter and a 3-yard first-down run on third-and-3 late in the game, securing No. 13 Red Bank Catholic’s 29-28 victory over No. 18 Holmdel.

Zaiden McDonald, Shabazz, Sr., RB/S/LB

McDonald averaged 31.8 yards per carry, rushing for 127 yards and two touchdowns on four attempts, and added 14 tackles in a 38-17 win over Immaculata. The Stanford commit has 223 rushing yards, two touchdowns, and 39 tackles this season, with 182 career tackles.

Tyler Nickles, Shawnee, Sr., RB/DB

Nickles shone in Shawnee’s win over Lenape, returning the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, adding 58- and 88-yard punt return scores in the second quarter, rushing for 68 yards on 10 carries, and recording five tackles on defense.

Jalen Parker, Winslow, Jr., QB

Parker, a first-team All-State selection last year, threw for 274 yards and four touchdowns on 18-of-28 passing in a 49-6 win over Millville. Winslow’s all-time passing leader with nearly 5,550 yards, he has thrown for 1,054 yards and 11 touchdowns this season.

Mekhi Parker, Glassboro, So., WR/DB

Parker, a sophomore, had four catches for a career-high 139 yards and two touchdowns on 46- and 55-yard passes in Glassboro’s 52-13 win over Woodbury. He also nabbed two interceptions on defense for the defending Group 1 state champions.

Se’mir Tolbert-Brimage, Spotswood, Sr., QB/DB

The senior exploded for four touchdowns in a seven-minute second-quarter burst, leading Spotswood to a 34-3 rout of Highland Park. He threw an 85-yard touchdown pass, scored on 1- and 7-yard runs, and returned a tipped interception 23 yards for a score.

About Our Athlete of the Week Voting
High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals.Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports.Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.