Check out the Gridiron Football Player of the Week (Week 14 Edition) Show hosted by Jace LeJeune & Alex Allison below!
Check out Alex Allison’s interview with Jacob and OC Matt Hughes below:
#1 Franklinton (LA) 2026 QB Jacob Crain: 17,140 votes
Coming in at our first place spot, we have QB Jacob Crain totaling over 17,000 votes in a huge turnout from the Franklinton community to help push him past the rest of the nominees. Crain had a deserving performance sending the school to the dome with a 15/24 performance, throwing for 366 yards and 3 TDs, including the game winner at the end of the game. They would win over Iowa with a final score of 35-29. He also became only the 5th QB in school history to surpass the 2,000 passing yards mark which was just the icing on the cake. Also Head coach, Coach Saltaformaggio solidified himself as a Louisiana high school football legend by reaching the state championship game with 3 different schools. Their road is not done yet though as they will face off against Cecilia, who has been hot, but the Demons look to knock them off and take the trophy back home to their community.
#2 Edna Karr (LA) 2026 QB John Johnson: 6,560 votes
In one of Louisiana’s biggest games of week 14, John Johnson stepped up huge for the Edna Karr Cougars as he has done all season. In one of their toughest matchups this season against the defending state champion, Catholic Bears, he would do just enough to help them pull out the win in the end. While surrounded with talent at receiver, he would put up some numbers in the passing game throwing 10/19 for 146 yards and 1 passing TD. But this was against one of the best secondary’s that the state has to offer and they were able to slow up the usually explosive passing game. But Johnson is a winner and took over this game, using his legs, rushing for an additional 2 touchdowns to help send his team to the dome. With a 21-19 win over Catholic, they head around the corner to the Superdome against undefeated Alexandria, where one of these teams will be leaving with their first loss of the season and the other will walk out as state champions and crowned the best team in Louisiana.
#3 St. James (LA) 2028 QB Ja’Juan Jackson: 960 votes
The freshman QB coming out of St. James, Ja’Juan Jackson has led them to a miraculous season and his performance did not stop in the semifinals. He would show great efficiency, completing 20/26 of his passes for 325 yards and 3 TDs. This perfomance would be enough to help his team secure a narrow 43-36 win against Union Parish and send his team off to play under the bright lights in the championship game vs Sterlington.
#4 Central (LA) 2027 ATH Marvin Joseph: 316 votes
Marvin Joseph did not have the craziest stat line from our nominees this week, but his personal impact on the outcome of their game vs Central earned his spot on this list. On offense, he would have a rushing TD, but his most important stat would come with under 5 minutes left in this game. On a field goal blocked by KD Mays, Joseph would scoop the ball and run it all the way back for the game-winning 92 yard return touchdown to give Central their 17-13 lead. The defense would hold on to the narrow lead and get the win over Neville, locking up their spot in the state championship to face off against Ruston in what sets up to be a great matchup.
#5 Sterlington (LA) 2027 RB/LB TJ Burch: 311 votes
TJ Burch, the sophomore RB/LB, showed up huge for his team in their semifinal matchup vs Jena. He would end the game with 13 carries for 97 yards and 2 TDs and also 1 catch for 32 yards and another TD. His 3-touchdown performance propelled the team to a dominant 48-14 win to secure their spot in the state championship game. They head off to face off against St. James and their freshman QB to try to end their season by taking the championship trophy back home to the school and community.
#6 Vermilion Catholic (LA) 2025 QB Jonathan Dartez: 234 votes
As he has become a regular on this list, Jonathan Dartez’s performance all season has pushed his team to a perfect season and also put his name in the Louisiana high school football record books. In the semifinals, he would have a whopping 40 carries for 213 yards and 4 rushing touchdowns. He always gets a little of his work done through the air as well, as this game he would complete 6/9 of his passes for 103 yards and another touchdown. Vermilion Catholic would get a 33-0 shut out victory vs Kentwood who was coming off of a 50-point performance in a win over Southern Lab. Dartez would win the nomination for his 5 touchdowns, but the Screamin Eagles defense was huge for the team as well. They head off to the Superdome for a rematch of their 2022 state championship where they would fall short to Ouachita Christian. But the then sophomore QB is a senior now and ready for the challenge.
#7 Alexandria (LA) 2025 RB JT Lindsey: 201 votes
The senior, LSU signee RB JT Lindsey has helped Alexandria all season on their way to a perfect season leading up to the Superdome. The team would rely on him heavily in their semifinal matchup against a tough John Curtis team, who is coached by one of the best coaches in Louisiana football history. But the Trojans put their faith in Lindsey and he showed up for them with 41 carries on the night for 252 yards and 2 TDs. This was a great 24-13 win for the team in their last home game of the season before they head off to play their only competition, at this point in the season, for the best HS football team in Louisiana in Edna Karr. Fans will not want to miss this matchup and it lines up for a game to be remembered well after it ends.
#8 Cecilia (LA) 2025 QB/CB Diesel Solari: 21 votes
Diesel Solari has stepped up huge for the Bulldogs on their journey to the state championship. Taking down some of this bracket’s best competition in Lutcher and North Desoto, their offense has been on an absolute tear as of lately. Through the air, he would complete 13-16 passes for 204 yards for 4 TDs and 0 interceptions. HIs dual-threat ability has also been a huge part of his dominance and this game was no different with him ending with 13 rushing attempts for 115 yards and added another 2 TDs to his night. Ending the game with 6 touchdowns, the offense just proved to be too much for Plaquemine to keep up with. Cecilia would get the 55-35 win over Plaquemine, who took down the reigning state champion on their way to the semifinal. Cecilia will face off against Franklinton for the state championship in Solari’s final high school football game.
#9 Neville (LA) 2025 RB Jaylon Nichols: 18 votes
Jaylon Nichols has given his all every game this season and this game was no different. He would put up great numbers for his team, keeping them in the game down to the wire. He would finish the game with 22 carries for 258 yards and 2 TDs. But his performance would not be enough as they would take a heart-breaking loss to the Central Wildcats 13-17, losing off of a blocked field goal returned for a TD. It is safe to say that Nichols did all that he could in this game, but that is the way the game works sometimes.
#10 Dunham (LA) 2027 QB Elijah Haven: 11 votes
Elijah Haven is the top QB in the 2027 class and even the #1 overall prospect on some sites. He would show up for one of his biggest performances of the season against one of the best teams they have faced, an undefeated Bunkie team. Dunham would actually pour it on with a 46-22 win, led by Haven completing 18/36 of his passes for 295 yards and 3 TDs. But he showed off his mobility and skills as a runner more importantly for 179 rushing yards and 3 TDs on the ground. He would end the game with 474 total yards and 6 total TDs to send his team to the dome to face off against Catholic- New Iberia. Haven would also surpass the 100 touchdown mark in this game for his high school career only halfway through.
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
Week 12: Bunkie 2026 WR Cain Milligan & Pine 2025 WR/S DJ Garrett
Week 13: Sterlington 2025 RB Hagen Herring
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