Vote! Who Should Be the New Jersey High School Football Player of the Week? – Nov. 5, 2025

Here are 12 candidates for your voting consideration

New Jersey High School Football Player of the Week / High School on SI

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.

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In last week’s poll, Sayreville junior running back Sherwin Appiah came out on top by garnering 57% of the votes to fend off Don Bosco Prep quarterback Mason Geis who checked in with 24% of the vote.

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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 Nov. 3 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.

Cole Anderson, Shawnee, So., QB

The sophomore quarterback keeps tearing up turf. Anderson carried 23 times for a personal-best 223 yards in Shawnee’s 28-12 playoff romp over Pennsauken in South Jersey Group 4. He’s now eclipsed 100 rushing yards in four straight games and has punched in eight TDs during that span and has rushed for 1,157 yards for the season.

RJ Blount, Pennsauken, Sr., RB

Even in defeat, the senior workhorse churned out a season-high 230 yards on 30 carries and crossed the goal line twice during the Indians’ 28-12 setback at Shawnee. That marked his fourth two-TD outing this fall and pushed his season TD count to 11.

Josh D’Ambrosio, Manville, Sr., QB

The two-way senior etched his name in program lore by leading Manville to its first-ever playoff victory, a 35-0 blanking of Asbury Park in Central Group 1. D’Ambrosio racked up 173 rush yards (1 TD), threw for 116 (1 TD), and chipped in eight stops on defense.

John Franchini, Mainland, Sr., QB

Franchini carved up Ocean City for five total scores—three through the air, two on the ground—in Mainland’s 43-7 first-round laugher in South Jersey Group 3. He hit 12 of 14 passes for 151 yards and scampered 12 times for 107 more. His 71 career TD passes sit sixth all-time in South Jersey. The Mustangs are 40-10 across his 50 starts.

Ahmad Jones, Camden, Sr., QB

The silky smooth southpaw dissected Voorhees for 338 yards and five TDs on 15-of-19 passing, igniting Camden’s 53-0 demolition in Central Jersey Group 2. Jones has 977 aerial yards in six games and has fired nine TD strikes over his last two contests.

Tucker Kanning, Northern Highlands, Jr., RB/DB

Kanning bulldozed Morris Knolls for 186 yards and two TDs on just 13 carries, powering second-seeded Northern Highlands to a 42-28 win in Allendale. The junior also flashed on defense with six tackles.

Jack Kristjanson, Montgomery, Sr., QB

Kristjanson sliced Westfield for 251 yards and three TDs on 13-of-20 passing, delivering Montgomery only its second playoff win ever (32-10) in North 2 Group 4. The Cougars’ first came way back in 2007.

Brayden Longo, Mount Olive, Jr., RB/LB

Rutgers baseball commit Longo went full highlight reel in third-seeded Mount Olive’s 40-0 demolition of Nutley. The junior scored four different ways, piled up 192 rush yards on 17 carries, broke a 33-yard TD sprint, and snagged a 37-yard receiving score before punching in the two-point run.

Brody Nugent, Old Bridge, Sr., QB

Nugent was unstoppable in Old Bridge’s 38-31 thriller over Freehold Township in Central Group 5. The senior gashed for 309 yards and four TDs on 27 carries while tossing for 115 more.

Carson Schoen, Don Bosco Prep, So., QB

The sophomore was at his efficient best, completing 9-of-10 passes (90 percent) for 158 yards, including a 3-yard dart to Isaiah Alvarez (6 catches, 80 yards), as top-ranked Don Bosco steamrolled No. 5 St. Peter’s Prep 31-6.

Trey Tagliaferri, Bergen Catholic, So., QB

Tagliaferri spread the wealth with four TD passes to four different receivers, hitting 19 of 23 for 238 yards in No. 3 Bergen Catholic’s 40-0 whitewash of Seton Hall Prep. Top target Austin Busso hauled in six balls for 75 yards.

Joey Yessis, Ramapo, Sr., WR/DB

Yessis has become QB Casey Grusser’s security blanket. The senior torched Hackensack for six grabs, 110 yards and a career-best three TDs in Ramapo’s 35-0 shutout win. That’s back-to-back multi-TD games for the Oakland product, lifting his season TD total to 10.

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.