USA TODAY High School Sports Awards presented by Bridgestone: Dallas football nominees — offense
The USA TODAY High School Sports Awards presented by Bridgestone are coming to Dallas.
On May 15, 2020, the top athletes from around the Metroplex will be honored at Music Hall at Fair Park.
Here are the 12 nominees for Dallas Football Offensive Player of the Year.
Nate Anderson
School: Rick Reedy (Frisco)
Position: Offensive lineman
Class: 2020
College: Oklahoma
Noteworthy: Anderson bills himself as the "#1 OG in the Nation," and he backs it up on the field with the skillful tactics that he will be employing for the Sooners against Big 12 pass-rushers.
Savion Byrd
School: Duncanville
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: 2021
College: Uncommitted
Noteworthy: At 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds, Byrd's refined footwork turned talent evaluators' heads, and he displayed versatility in the playoffs with his ability to suit up on the defensive line as well.
Kaedric Cobbs
School: Guyer (Denton)
Position: Running back
Class: 2020
College: Uncommitted
Noteworthy: Cobbs (5-foot-10, 219 pounds) proved difficult to keep out of the end zone, scoring six two-point conversions in a 60-57 shootout victory over Aledo and tallying five touchdowns in another win as he rushed for more than 2,000 yards.
Quaydarius Davis
School: Skyline (Dallas)
Position: Wide receiver
Class: 2021
College: Uncommitted
Noteworthy: Blessed with top-end speed and a reach that rivals Odell Beckham Jr.'s, Davis reversed field recently when he re-opened his recruitment after previously committing to Texas.
Ja'Quinden Jackson
School: Duncanville
Position: Quarterback
Class: 2020
College: Texas
Noteworthy: Big enough to take a hit - 6-foot-2, 219 pounds - Jackson demonstrated how he plans to disrupt defenses with accurate passing and aggressive running en route to joining the Longhorns.
Jase McClellan
School: Aledo
Position: Running back
Class: 2020
College: Alabama
Noteworthy: McClellan opened the scoring in Aledo's regional semifinal with a 62-yard rushing touchdown that showcased his elusiveness and power. He will keep his legs moving at Alabama next fall.
Garrett Nussmeier
School: Marcus (Flower Mound)
Position: Quarterback
Class: 2021
College: Uncommitted
Noteworthy: With 2,976 passing yards, Nussmeier, a pro-style quarterback whose father, Doug, is the tight ends coach for the Cowboys, led Class 6A with a prolific attack this season.
E.J. Smith
School: Jesuit (Dallas)
Position: Running back
Class: 2020
College: Stanford
Noteworthy: Back-to-back four-touchdown games from Smith in the playoffs were punctuated with a 95-yard scoring reception that spurred Jesuit on to the regional final for the first time since the school joined the UIL in 2004.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
School: Rockwall (Texas)
Position: Wide Receiver
Class: 2020
College: Ohio State
Noteworthy: As only the third player in Texas high school football history to record more than 5,000 receiving yards in a career, Smith-Njigba showed why he is bound for Ohio State with one-handed touchdown grabs and back-shoulder catches.
Preston Stone
School: Parish Episcopal School (Dallas)
Position: Quarterback
Class: 2021
College: Uncommitted
Noteworthy: Billed as "King of Friday Night" on his Overtime show this season, Stone drew rave reviews as a dual threat while leading the Panthers to the TAPPS Division I championship game.
Eli Stowers
School: Guyer (Denton)
Position: Quarterback
Class: 2021
College: Texas A&M
Noteworthy: Whether throwing three touchdowns in a wild comeback or carrying the ball 14 times for 132 yards in the playoffs, Stowers steadied Guyer all season.
Camar Wheaton
School: Lakeview Centennial (Garland)
Position: Running back
Class: 2021
College: Uncommitted
Noteworthy: Wheaton rushed for over 1,000 yards, and he showed just how efficient he can be by gaining 200 yards on just eight carries in one win.
For more information on the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards in Dallas presented by Bridgestone, visit sportsawardsdallas.com. Answers to frequently asked questions about the event can be found here.