The Built Ford Tough Player of the Year Award celebrates the top high school football athletes in Texas across classifications 6A through 2A and eligible private schools.
Each week during the season, one standout is named the Built Ford Tough Player of the Week, leading up to the prestigious Player of the Year honors in each classification.
The experts at Dave Campbell's share their players to watch for 3A.
Mallory Hartley's Player to Watch
2027 QB Luke Babin (Woodville): Babin broke out as a sophomore on varsity last season, throwing for more than 2,100 yards and 23 touchdowns and leading Woodville to a 3A Division II state championship appearance. He returns this season with plenty of weapons around him in search of redemption in Arlington.
Carter Yates' Player to Watch
2026 ATH X’Zavier Barnett (Yoakum): TXHSFB fans should pony up for a stellar senior season from this SMU commit. At 6’3, 195 with 4.5 speed, who can stop this man?
William Wilkerson's Player to Watch
2026 QB Major Luna (Poth): Luna set the school single-season passing record with 2,680 yards and 34 touchdowns in 2024. The District 15-3A DII Offensive MVP has plenty of weapons at his disposal as the Pirates aim for a state title.
Matt Stepp's Player to Watch
2026 QB Kase Evans (Lexington): For three seasons, Evans has quietly torched the competition in relative obscurity in the small Central Texas town of Lexington, but the Oklahoma State commit has all the tools to put up a record-breaking season and lead the Eagles to a possible state title.
Greg Powers' Player to Watch
2027 QB Kavian Bryant (Palestine Westwood): Bryant powered the Panthers to an 11-1 season, falling only to state champ Columbus. A two-way standout with 20-plus football and basketball offers, he scored 51 TDs as a junior.
Greg Tepper's Player to Watch
2026 QB Landon York (Wall): The leading returning passer in Class 3A, York threw for 3,767 yards and 48 touchdowns as a junior, completing 66 percent of his throws in leading the Hawks to the state semifinals. His coach, Craig Slaughter, calls him "a phenomenal player and leader," and he could be on the cusp of something special in his senior season.
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