Latest honor for Washington’s record-breaking quarterback comes from the National Sports News Service. Browne ranks as one of the easier choices in recent memory and is latest on all-time list of honorees that began with the 1970 season.
By Mark Tennis
There’s no need to get cute with this year’s top individual high school football honors and you can now add another one for senior Max Browne from Skyline of Sammamish, Wash.
Browne, who already has been chosen as the Gatorade National Player of the Year and the U.S. Army National Player of the Year, has now been selected as 2012 Mr. Football USA , the designation for the nation’s national high school player of year as selected by HighSchoolGridiron.com editors for the National Sports News Service.
The senior quarterback, who will play next at USC, is the first Mr. Football USA national player of the year from the state of Washington. Our 1970 honoree Pat Haden is the current athletic director at USC.
In his final game for Skyline, Browne connected on 21 of 28 passes for 384 yards and four touchdowns in a win against Bellarmine Prep (Tacoma, Wash.) that decided the Class 4A state title. It was the second straight state title in which Browne led the team, but he also was a standout as a sophomore, following in the path of Skyline’s previous quarterback, Jake Heaps, who at the time was regarded as one of the best in state history.
Browne’s own legacy in Washington prep annals may be even greater. After throwing for 4,526 yards and 49 touchdowns (with just five interceptions) as a senior, he ended his career with a new state record of 12,947 yards and 146 touchdowns (third-best in state history).
As a student-athlete, Browne’s 3.5 GPA only adds to his resume. He’s also been the nation’s No. 1 ranked prep quarterback as a college recruit by both Rivals.com and Scout.com and is No. 2 according to ESPN Recruiting. In addition, Browne was one the top quarterbacks in attendance at last summer’s Elite 11 camp in Redondo Beach, Calif.
National Sports News Service
Mr. Football USA Players of the Year (All-Time List)
2012 – Max Browne (Skyline, Sammamish, Wash.) QB
2011 – Johnathan Gray (Aledo, Texas) RB
2010 – Johnathan Gray (Aledo, Texas) RB (Jr.)
2009 – Dillon Baxter (Mission Bay, San Diego, Calif.) QB-LB
2008 – Garrett Gilbert (Lake Travis, Austin, Texas) QB
2007 – Jacory Harris (Northwestern, Miami, Fla.) QB
2006 – Darren Evans (Warren Central, Indianapolis, Ind.) FB
2005 – Matthew Stafford (Highland Park, Dallas, Texas) QB
2004 – Chase Daniel (Carroll, Southlake, Texas) QB
2003 – Jeff Byers (Loveland, Colo.) OL-DL
2002 – Chris Leak (Independence, Charlotte, N.C.) QB
2001 – Vince Young (Madison, Houston, Texas) QB
2000 – Cedric Benson (Robert E. Lee, Midland, Texas) RB
1999 – D.J. Williams (De La Salle, Concord, Calif.) RB-LB
1998 – J.R. House (Nitro, W. Va.) QB
1997 – Ronald Curry (Hampton, Va.) QB-RB
1996 – Travis Henry (Frostproof, Fla.) RB
1995 – Tim Couch (Leslie County, Hyden, Ky.) QB
1994 – Chris Redman (Male, Louisville, Ky.) QB
1993 – Peyton Manning (Newman, New Orleans, La.) QB
1992 – James Allen (Wynnewood, Okla.) RB
1991 – Steven Davis (Spartanburg, S.C.) RB
1990 – Derrick Brooks (Washington, Pensacola, Fla.) LB
1989 – Robert Smith (Euclid, Ohio) RB
1988 – Terry Kirby (Tabb, Va.) RB
1987 – Carl Pickens (Murphy, N.C.) WR
1986 – Emmitt Smith (Escambia, Pensacola, Fla.) RB
1985 – Jeff George (Warren Central, Indianapolis Ind.) QB
1984 – Andre Rison (Northwestern, Flint, Mich.) WR-DB
1983 – Chris Spielman (Washington, Massillon, Ohio) LB
1982 – Rod Woodson (Snider, Fort Wayne, Ind.) WR-DB
1981 – Marcus Dupree (Philadelphia, Miss.) RB
1980 – Bill Fralic (Penn Hills, Pittsburgh, Pa.) OL
1979 – Herschel Walker (Johnson County, Wrightsville, Ga.) RB
1978 – Eric Dickerson (Sealy, Texas) RB
1977 – Marcus Allen (Lincoln, San Diego, Calif.) QB-DB
1976 – Freeman McNeil (Banning, Wilmington, Calif.) RB
1975 – Charles White (San Fernando, Calif.) RB
1974 – Billy Sims (Hooks, Texas) RB
1973 – Earl Campbell (John Tyler, Tyler, Texas) RB
1972 – Tony Dorsett (Hopewell, Aliquippa, Pa.) RB
1971 – Dave Logan (Wheat Ridge, Colo.) WR
1970 – Pat Haden (Bishop Amat, La Puente Calif.) QB
Corrections or comments? Email markjtennis@gmail.com or ronnie@studentsports.com.
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