Check out the Gridiron Football Player of the Week (Week 12 Edition) Show hosted by Alex Allison below!
#1 Pine (LA) 2025 WR/S DJ Garrett: 12,100 votes
Coming in at our number one spot, with over 12,000 votes, we have DJ Garrett. He would dominate on both sides of the ball. On offense, he would have 7 catches for 193 yards and 2 TDs. But on defense, he would have 5 tackles and 3 interceptions. HIs performance would lead the team to a 21-6 win on the road against Kaplan. They are back at home this Friday against St. James in their quarterfinal matchup.
#2 Bunkie (LA) 2026 WR Cain Milligan: 9,307 votes
Next up, raking in almost 10,000 votes, we have Cain Milligan from Bunkie who has as great of a perfomance as he personally could. While he would only have 3 catches on the night, he would end the game with 99 yards, while also scoring every time he touched the ball, finishing the game with 3 TDs. He would outscore the opponents by himself on only 3 touches on their way to a 39-14 win over Amite, while improving to 12-0 on the season. Bunkie has one of their toughest games of the season though in the quarterfinals against Jewel Sumner.
#3 Plaquemine (LA) 2026 DB Roderick Bingham: 1,497 votes
Roderick Bingham had one of the most simple stat lines of the week but simple does not mean ineffective. He would grab 3 INTs at the safety position to help his team secure a 49-34 win over Northwest. They face off against the reigning state champions in this bracket, Opelousas, who is the 14-seed but everyone knows better than to look past them. The Green Devils look to continue their win streak that has been rolling since their Week 1 loss to Zachary.
#4 Hawley (TX) 2025 QB Keagan Ables: 503 votes
For our #4 spot, we head to Texas for Keagan Ables from Hawley High. They would face off against Sunray, who is currently chasing an undefeated season, but Ables and his team had a chance to snap the streak and end their season. He would show up huge for his team completing 23 of 40 passes for 444 yards and pouring on 4 TDs. While he did all that he could, his team would come up just short in a heartbreaking 49-40 loss to end their season.
#5 Hawley (TX) 2027 WR Camden Ables: 453 votes
Following up his big brother on the list, WR Camden Ables was his favorite target in their huge matchup against undefeated Sunray. He would have 9 catches for 212 yards and also a receiving TD. ON special teams, he would have 3 kick returns for 78 yards, putting him at 290 all-purpose yards to end the game. While Hawley came up short in this game, Camden is only a sophomore, who will be vouching for revenge over the rest of his high school career to get that state championship.
#6 Jeanerette (LA) 2026 OLB Javonte Williams: 278 votes
Hailing from Jeanerette, we have one of our best defensive performances of the week by Javonte Williams. As a linebacker he would have 18 total tackles, making 12 of them solo and assisting on 6 more. But he would also get in the backfield for 3 TFLs and a sack. To put the icing on the cake of this monster perfomance, he would also add a fumble recovery and an interception. Jeanerette would get a 46-24 win over Grand Lake. They face off at home against General Trass this week.
#7 Catholic- New Iberia (LA) 2025 QB Luke Landry: 276 votes
Luke Landry had one of the cleanest games from the second round with only 2 incompletions throughout the entire game. He would have 19 completions on 21 attempts for 326 yards and also threw 4 TDs. While he was amazing through the air, he also got the job done on the ground with 4 carries for 24 yards and added another 2 TDs to end the game with 6 total. He would propel the team to a 59-22 win over Northlake Christian, as they head on the road to face off against the #2 seed, undefeated Isidore Newman.
#8 Madison Central (MS) 2025 QB Jaiden Johnson: 214 votes
We head out of state once again, but this time to Mississippi for Jaiden Johnson who had one of, if not the most impressive stat line from this list. While our last spot had only 2 incompletions which was a great perfomance in itself, Johnson would top that with 0 incompletions through the entirety of the game. He would complete 11/11 passes for 213 3 TDs through the air. But his dual-threat skills came to play as well as on only 5 rushes he would run for 137 yards and add another TD. Madison Central would get a win over Germantown with a final of 45-14. This week they head to the 7A North State Championship and Johnson hopes to end his career off with no better feeling than taking the trophy back home to his school.
#9 St. Edmund (LA) O-Line: 198 votes
For the first time this season, we have a group award but this was a performance that was more than deserving. The St. Edmund offense would rack up over 700 yards and 78 points. With so many points and yards, there was not just one player that was deserving, but the offensive line’s consistency in the run and pass game was what stood out the most for this team. This was a great tune-up game for them, as they have a matchup on the road against the 1-seed undefeated Vermilion Catholic next round.
#10 Destrehan (LA) 2027 RB Malachi Dabney: 72 votes
Malachi Dabney and the Destrehan offense have been rolling since the return of their starting QB. This game with a comfortable lead over Northwood- Shreveport, the Wildcats would lean on the running game to shorten this game and reduce risk of injuries. Dabney is a very tough runner and he made the most of his 26 carries, rushing for 270 yards and a monstrous 6 TDs. They head up to Shreveport this week to go up against one of the most high-powered offenses in the state, Airline, led by one of Louisiana’s all-time passing leaders QB Ben Taylor, in what should be an offensive dogfight to go to the semifinals.
#11 Cecilia (LA) 2025 ATH Diesel Solari: 8 votes
With one of the biggest upsets from last week, Cecilia took down Lutcher 49-41, giving them their first loss of the season. While Diesel Solari has played many positions over the course of the season, he is back under center, where he is arguably most impactful. The Cecilia offense is one of the most explosive in the state and they showed it against one of the best defenses in the state. This was a complete game for Solari as through the air, he would complete 13/20 passes for 203 yards and 3 passing TDs. But on the ground is where he is really dangerous and he would have 13 carries for 94 yards and added on 2 more TDs. Solari would score 35 points himself and the team would score 49, while the Lutcher defense had previously only allowed 50 points all season. They head up to North DeSoto this week for a huge matchup to keep their season alive.
#12 Vermilion Catholic (LA) 2025 QB Jonathan Dartez: 7 votes
Jonathan Dartez has become a regular on this list but the stakes have never been higher and he continues to show up. The senior QB had 19 carries for 199 yards and 4 TDs on the ground. Through the air, he was 6/10 for 86 yds, but added on another 2 TDs. On kick return, at the quarterback position, he would have 88 return yards, helping his team to the 47-17 victory, however they needed. As the 1-seed they will have home field advantage through the semifinals before heading to the dome, but they can not look ahead as they have St. Edmund on their plate this week, who is coming off of a 78-point perfomance last week.
#13 Chalmette (LA) 2025 WR/S Jaden Williams: 6 votes
In one of last week’s closer games, we have one of our most impactful performances from Jaden Williams. He was all over the field and could be looked at as the X-Factor for Chalmette in this game. At receiver, he had 5 catches for 97 yards and 1 TD. On special teams, he would have 2 kick returns for 120 yards including a 99-yard kick return TD. He mixed it up on a trick play and also had a completion for 29 yards. But his biggest play came on the final play of the game as he would make the game-winning PBU in their 35-31 win over Hahnville. Chalmette has gone on the road in back-to-back games and upset the 8 and 9-seeds in this bracket. But they are faced with the bracket’s toughest task, the 1-seed Neville this week, as they hope to continue the cinderella run to the state championship.
#14 Jackson (AL) 2027 RB Ezavier “EJ” Crowell: 4 votes
If you are not familiar with this name, get ready to get used to hearing it over the next 2 seasons. EJ Crowell is the #1 RB in the Class of 2027 and is already making waves in the college football scene. In last Friday’s game, he would have only 11 rushes but would run for almost 200 yards, ending the game with 195 and 4 TDs. Jackson would go on to win the game 41-10 over Tallassee. They have not lost since Week 1 and look to continue the win streak next week against St. Michael in a regular season matchup that they won 55-16.
#15 DeSoto (TX) 2025 RB Deondrae “Tiger” Riden: 3 votes
Rounding out our list, at #15 we have Deondrae Riden from DeSoto. The Texas RB, who is committed to staying in the state at Texas A&M, had 32 carries for 300 rushing yards and 4 TDs in last Friday night’s game. DeSoto would dominate on their way to a 51-17 win over Wylie East. This was a huge single-game performance for Tiger, but also a huge performance for his high school career at DeSoto. He would break 3 different all-time records for the school, surpassing the single-game rushing record and the career rushing yards and all-purpose yards. They have a matchup next week against Willis, who is 12-0 and a top-25 team in the state.
Honorable Mentions: (No Particular Order)
Episcopal RB Reid Chauvin: 30 carries for 225 yards and 2 TDs
C.E. Byrd RB Desmond Simmons: 24 carries for 124 yards and 1 TD
Plaquemine RB Tyrese Mosby: 200 yards and 4 TDs
Archbishop Rummel RB Norman Taylor: 17 carries for 177 yards and 4 TDs
2024 Gridiron Football Player of the Week Winners:
Week 1: STM 2025 DB Brian Broussard
Week 2: Liberty Magnet 2026 RB Zaiden Foster
Week 3: Iowa 2025 RB/WR Jonathan Walker Jr.
Week 4: Southern Lab 2026 QB Jerry Bottley
Week 5: Assumption 2025 QB Landen Sanchez
Week 6: Riverside 2025 RB Dedric Lastie
Week 7: Episcopal 2025 RB Reid Chauvin
Week 8: Delta Charter 2025 RB Tyrin Singleton
Week 9: Fisher 2025 S Jaiven Lewis
Week 10: Abbeville 2027 QB Kobe Vital
Week 11: Loyola Prep 2027 QB Bryce Restovich
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