Spencer Sanders Takes Texas AP High School Player of the Year Honors

Johnathan Gray, Garrett Gilbert, Kyler Murray, Kenny Hill, Sam Ehlinger and Johnny Football all have one thing in common. They all started out their college careers at premiere Texas colleges … oh and they all won the Texas AP High School Player of the Year Award their senior seasons in high school.

You can now add Spencer Sanders to the list with one notable exception: He’s heading north to play at Oklahoma State.

Sanders was named Texas AP POY on Saturday joining that prestigious club after a senior season that included 3,800 passing yards, 1,400 rushing yards and 70 total touchdowns (AP).

Sanders was named in a voting by a panel of eight sports writers and editors who cover Texas high school football. He is the ninth quarterback in the award’s 11-year history and second from his school. Ryan’s Scotty Young was the 2009 winner. [AP]

“This feels great,” Sanders told the Denton Record-Chronicle. “This means I’m being accepted into a group of athletes who were phenomenal at what they do. They played to the best of their ability and always got the job done. To know I’m within that reach makes me want to train that much harder.”

I’m am honored and blessed to receive this award ???? https://t.co/hed541l9FW

— Spencer Sanders (@SpenceSanders) December 22, 2017

The awards keep coming for @DentonRyanFball quarterback, @SpenceSanders. The Texas AP named him their high school player of the year late on Friday. Here are the highlights from the last game of his high school career. pic.twitter.com/dDqt0frkBy

— Denton ISD (@dentonisd) December 23, 2017

Sanders is at the very least going to compete for the starting job next season with Keondre Wudtee and Taylor Cornelius. And if you read between the lines, it sounds like he might end up being the starter.

“He’s a great prospect,” said Gundy recently. “He’s very humble. For all the awards he’s received, he never says a word.

“I like the development of Corn Dog, and I like where Wudtee’s at so in the spring we need to really get into how good are they and what can they do for our team. But … we are not scared to play a freshman. If we have a young man who comes in and has a gift. He’s willing to lead. He’s tough enough. It’s our responsibility … to put the playbook together to where the young man understands it to where he can have success.”

Here is your list of former winners of this award.

2017: Spencer Sanders, QB, Denton Ryan
2016: Charlie Brewer, QB, Lake Travis
2015: Sam Ehlinger, QB, Austin Westlake
2014: Kyler Murray, QB, Allen
2013: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Whitehouse
2012: Kenny Hill, QB, Southlake Carroll
2011: Johnathan Gray, RB, Aledo
2010: Johnny Manziel, QB, Kerrville Tivy
2009: Scotty Young, QB, Denton Ryan
2008: Garrett Gilbert, QB, Lake Travis
2007: Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, Rosenberg Lamar