DUNCANVILLE, Texas — Duncanville High School quarterback Keelon Russell has been named the 2024-2025 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year -- widely considered the most prestigious honor in high school football.
On Tuesday afternoon, Russell -- who'd been named a finalist for the honor earlier this month -- finished up practice and was surprised by Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs with the trophy.
Russell's family, coaches and teammates were also there to celebrate the achievement.
Throughout the award's 40-year history, Gatorade National Football Player of the Year honorees have combined for more than six NFL MVP awards, 31 Pro Bowl appearances, six NFL first-round draft selections and two Hall of Fame inductions in Emmitt Smith and Peyton Manning.
"The Gatorade Player of the Year Program has a 40-year history of recognizing athletes on their journey to greatness," Gatorade Chief Brand Officer Anuj Bhasin said in a press release naming Russell this year's winner. "Russell's accomplishments have earned him a spot on the trophy alongside so many iconic athletes, and we can't wait to see the legacy he will leave behind."
According to the release naming him the award's winner, Russell has thrown for 3652 yards, 52 touchdowns and just two interceptions during Duncanville's 2024-2025 campaign.
“Russell is an elite playmaker for the quarterback position who feathers the line between risk and reward like few others,” 247Sports Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins said. “He’s extremely accurate at all three levels [of the passing game] and there are few throws that he can’t make. He has had a star-studded supporting cast around him, but he has done more than just drive the bus. Multiple times throughout the season, he rose to the occasion and essentially turned into a superhero.”
While his stats and evaluations are impressive, they represent only part of the criteria that goes into the Gatorade National Football Player of the Year honor. The award recognizes athletes who also excel off the field by demonstrating character, leadership and community involvement.
Russell, who is committed to play at Alabama next year, has maintained a 3.4 GPA in the classroom and is also a member of Duncanville's National Honor Society. The senior quarterback has also volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters and helped distribute turkeys to families in the Duncanville community.
As he celebrates this honor, Russell will still have to remain focused on the task at hand: He'll lead his team into a 6A-Division I State Semifinal matchup against North Crowley -- another one of the best teams in the state and across the country -- on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 3 p.m.
See highlights of Russell from this year's matchup between Duncanville and DeSoto below:
