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 5A.
Mallory Hartley's Player to Watch
2026 QB Jake Fette (El Paso Del Valle): Nicknamed the “El Passer”, Fette is one of the top quarterbacks in the state, throwing for nearly 2,500 yards and 32 touchdowns in his junior campaign, while adding 589 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. The Arizona State commit earned 1-5A Division II Overall MVP honors and could lead El Paso Del Valle to a deep playoff run.
Carter Yates' Player to Watch
2027 RB Landen Williams-Callis (Richmond Randle): A District MVP with 1,946 rushing yards as a freshman, a 2,103-yard sophomore campaign with a State Championship game Offensive MVP, why not a Player of the Year as a junior?
William Wilkerson's Player to Watch
2026 WR Kaydon Finley (Aledo): Aledo’s going to be in the mix for another state championship, again, thanks in large part to Finley’s dominance in the pass game. He caught 56 passes for 1,003 yards and 14 touchdowns IN THE REGULAR SEASON in 2024. The Bearcats will look his way a ton in their quest for a 13th state title.
Matt Stepp's Player to Watch
2026 RB Ryan Estrada (El Paso El Dorado): After an injury-plagued sophomore season, Estrada exploded for 2,422 yards and 32 touchdowns last year, leading the Aztecs to an unbeaten regular season. The Minnesota commit is capable of putting up 300 yards on any given night and hopes to lead his team to postseason glory in 2025.
Greg Powers' Player to Watch
2026 RB Tradarian Ball (Texas High): The Oregon commit is a true two-way offensive threat, and that adds a layer of diversification to his skillset that is unmatched. He could be a guy who rushes for over 1,000 yards and also has over 1,000 yards receiving. I bet you can't name another TXHSFB player who has ever accomplished this feat.
Greg Tepper's Player to Watch
2026 WR Aljour Miles II (Kaufman): Pop quiz: who led all of Class 5A in receiving yards last season? If you guessed Aljour Miles, congratulations — you're a certified ball-knower. Still one of the best-kept secrets in Texas high school football, the SMU commit is coming off a junior season in which he caught 81 passes for 1,437 yards and 14 touchdowns, leading the Lions' high-powered attack.
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