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Jared Curtis, Myles McLaughlin headline Maxwell National High School Player of the Year finalists

Lawrence Andrew Fernandezby: Lawrence Fernandez01/02/26lawandfern

The Maxwell Football Club has unveiled the finalists for the National High School Player of the Year Award, which includes the best prep football players in the country.

The seven-person list features Nashville Christian School’s Jared Curtis, the top-ranked quarterback from the Class of 2026, according to the Rivals Industry Ratings. Curtis finished the 2025 Tennessee high school football season with 2,073 passing yards, 36 touchdowns, and a 66 percent completion percentage.

The Vanderbilt signee led the Eagles to their second consecutive Division II-A state championship. Joining him as a finalist is Legacy School of Sports Science quarterback Keisean Henderson, who had 3,880 passing yards, 522 rushing yards, and ten touchdowns. Henderson, a University of Houston commit, ranks second among the Class of 2026 quarterbacks.

Meanwhile, Millard South High QB Jett Thomalla is also a candidate after tallying 3,484 passing yards, 58 touchdowns, and a 73 percent completion percentage. Thomalla, an Alabama commit, threw seven for seven touchdowns to help his school win back-to-back Nebraska high school football Class A state championships.

Also in the running for the Maxwell National High School Player of the Year are two running backs: Myles McLaughlin and Ezavier Crowell. McLaughlin established the national record for most rushing yards in a season (4,846) during his senior year at Knox Community High School. He also collected 71 touchdowns and 307 passing yards.

Crowell, ranked second among Class of 2026 running backs, finished with 159 carries for 2,094 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns. The Alabama commit led Jackson High School to the Alabama high school football Class 4A state championship over Anniston.

Completing the Maxwell National High School Player of the Year finalists are Fort Cherry’s versatile athlete Matt Sieg (2,259 all-purpose yards, 30 touchdowns, four interceptions) and Hun School linebacker Luke Wafle (99 tackles, 23 sacks).