2025 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year Finalists Announced

Atkinson, Cantwell and Williams-Callis emerge from standout seasons to headline national award race

One of the nation's top linebackers, Grayson's Tyler Atkinson has been named one of three finalists for the 2025 Gatorade National Player of the Year after leading his Rams to a 12-1 record and the Georgia 6A state quarterfinals this season. / Tyler Atkinson Instagram/OT7

With football season winding down across the country, finalists for the prestigious Gatorade National Player of the Year have been revealed.

State winners were released Friday. Gatorade will announce its National Player of the Year next week.

This year’s finalists are linebacker Tyler Atkinson (Loganville, Georgia; Grayson High School), offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell (Nixa, Missouri; Nixa High), and running back Landen Williams-Callis (Richmond, Texas; Richmond Randle High).

Longhorns Signee Among Finalists

Atkinson, a Texas Longhorns signee and four-star prospect by 247Sports, helped lead his Grayson Rams to a 12-1 record and a trip to the Georgia 6A state quarterfinals. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound senior recorded 91 tackles in 11 games, including 43 solo stops, with 27 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 24 quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. He is the No. 4 linebacker prospect in the country, per On3.

Tyler Atkinson, Jackson Cantwell and Landen Williams-Callis are the 2025 football finalists for Gatorade National Player of the Year. / Jesus Baca

He followed a standout junior season in which he posted 153 tackles (70 solo), 29 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, 42 hurries, one interception, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. A four-year starter, he had a career-high 197 tackles during his sophomore campaign in 2023.

Atkinson finished his 51-game high school career with 553 tackles, including 286 solo stops, 103 tackles for loss, 39.5 sacks, 113 hurries, one interception, five pass breakups, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, a blocked punt, and two blocked field goals while helping the Rams go 48-8.

Cantwell and Williams-Callis, meanwhile, are still chasing state championships.

Cantwell’s Dominance Continues as Nixa Pushes for History

Cantwell, a five-star offensive tackle for Missouri’s No. 2 Nixa Eagles, is a Miami Hurricanes signee, the No. 1 2026 offensive tackle prospect in the country, and a national champion in the shot put. The 6-foot-8, 320-pound senior is one of the nation’s most dominant linemen across all classes.

The son of Olympic silver medalist Christian Cantwell helped Nixa reach the MSHSAA Class 6 state championship game for the second straight year. His final high school game will be Saturday in St. Joseph, Missouri, against No. 5 Lee’s Summit as Nixa chases its first state title.

Nixa offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell has set a career-high in pancake blocks this season and is a finalist for the 2025 Gatorade National Player of the Year. He and the Eagles will be chasing their first Class 6 state championship on Saturday. / David Smith

Through 13 games, Cantwell has recorded a career-high 178 pancake blocks while protecting junior all-state quarterback Adam McKnight and opening lanes for senior all-state running back Jayden McCaster. He set a season-high 21 pancake blocks in a win against Glendale and matched that total in a playoff win against Helias Catholic.

Cantwell owns the nation’s second-longest outdoor throw all-time in the high school shot put and has won three straight state championships in the event. He posted 158 pancake blocks as a junior and has 459 through 45 career games. He maintains a 4.0 GPA and will graduate early to join the Hurricanes next month, ending his high school track and field career.

Williams-Callis Surges Toward Becoming Nation’s Top 2027 RB

Richmond Randle junior running back Landen Williams-Callis has rushed for 2,885 yards and 48 touchdowns through 13 games this season to help the Lions reach the Texas 5A Division II quarterfinals and earn his place among the finalists for 2025 Gatorade National Player of the Year. / Photo by Tommy Hays

Williams-Callis, the youngest of the finalists, is a 5-foot-8, 196-pound four-star running back and one of the premier prospects in the 2027 class. He has helped guide his Richmond Randle Lions to a 13-0 record while rushing for 2,885 yards and 48 touchdowns on 237 carries, an average of 12.2 yards per carry. He also has 208 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown on 17 receptions. He holds 62 collegiate offers.

Williams-Callis and the Lions will face Iowa Colony on Friday evening in the Texas 5A Division II state quarterfinals.

A three-year starter, Williams-Callis has rushed for 6,937 yards and 114 touchdowns on 669 carries. He also has 671 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 47 catches across 42 games. He rushed for 2,108 yards and 43 touchdowns as a sophomore and posted 1,944 yards and 23 touchdowns as a freshman.

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