Jackson Cantwell Among Finalists for Gatorade National Football POY Award 2025

Tyler Atkinson, Jackson Cantwell and Landen Williams-Callis are one step closer to high school sports royalty.

All three were named finalists for the 2025-26 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year award on Friday. The award is given annually to the nation's best high school athletes who excel in sports, academics and serving the community.

Whoever takes it home will join a list of winners that includes Peyton Manning, Jayson Tatum, Paige Bueckers, Emmitt Smith, Mallory Swanson and more.

All three are deserving candidates for the Gatorade Player of the Year, which has a 40-year history of recognizing excellence.

Cantwell is the No. 4 overall player and No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2026 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and will be joining Miami next season. While the 5-star prospect is best known for his dominance along the offensive front, he also has a 4.0 GPA in the classroom.

He is talented enough to potentially step right into Miami's starting lineup as soon as his freshman season and help the Hurricanes compete for an ACC title and potential spot in the College Football Playoff for years to come.

Perhaps he will run into Atkinson in a future CFP, as the linebacker is joining the University of Texas as a highly regarded 2026 prospect. According to 247Sports' composite rankings, he is a 5-star prospect and the No. 20 overall player and No. 2 linebacker in the 2026 class.

Atkinson is a tackling machine who makes plays all over the field, which should fit right into Texas' defensive approach.

Unlike the other two finalists, Williams-Callis is not a member of the 2026 class. Instead, he is a 5-star prospect and the No. 3 running back in the 2027 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and stands out with his ability to make plays as both a rusher and receiver out of the backfield.

Williams-Callis has landed offers from the likes of Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Texas A&M, Notre Dame, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Oregon, Oklahoma, Penn State, USC and Michigan, among others, underscoring just how notable his talent is to some of the best programs in the country.

And now he is a finalist for the Gatorade Player of the Year as well.