In the Lone Star State, public high school football is king. But for a few exceptions, the best players in the state play in the public ranks; only a few ply their trade at the private level. The highest of those public levels in Texas is the 6A classification (enrollment-based), which is arguably the top level of public high school football in the country.
We’re talking about the who’s who of powerhouses, so it came as bit of a shock when Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders on Monday took an unprompted shot at former 6A players in order to illustrate how he’s always had the odds stacked against him.
“I came from a private school so, at the end of the day I dealt with a lot of negativity,” Sanders said Monday. “A lot of negativity, a lot of hate a lot of everything I done dealt with already, year after year. I came from a small private school. All the other kids was going (to) Power Five and they went to big, 6A Texas (high) schools and stuff. I don’t see those same kids around.
“I don’t see them excelling in their programs or whatever they’re doing. I always been against the odds in different ways.”
Sanders might have just been making a blanket statement about proving doubters wrong, but his comments are simply wrong (never mind that he played on the same team as former Georgia safety Lewis Cine, former Arkansas cornerback Dwight McGlothern, Nebraska safety Marques Buford and several other notable recruits while at the now-defunct Trinity Christian Cedar Hill, which was in the second division of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools).
One wouldn’t have to look further than the College Football Playoff to see two of the four quarterbacks playing for a spot in the championship game hailing from 6A programs in Texas — Quinn Ewers of Texas and Jalen Milroe of Alabama. The University of Texas roster was littered with 6A names including offensive line stalwarts Kelvin Banks, Jake Majors and DJ Campbell.
Texas A&M was led by former 6A products Conner Weigman, Ainias Smith, Shemar Turner and Bryce Anderson.
TCU’s run to the national title game in 2022 included 6A names like Jared Wiley, Andrew Coker and Quentin Johnston; Johnson was a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
It really shouldn’t be a surprise that the list of successful 6A products goes on and on, but for the sake of making our case, we’ve curated a look at standouts from the 2023 college football season alone, pulling from 247Sports’ ranking of the top 101 players in the country, its Freshman All-American team and its All-Transfer team. Here are some notable names that played at the highest level of Texas high school football.
TOP 101 PLAYERS
No. 6 Ollie Gordon, Oklahoma State RB (Euless Trinity)
The former Euless Trinity sledgehammer officially arrived on the 6A scene when he ran for 455 yards on 50 carries against 6A powerhouse Allen in a playoff upset. After going on to Oklahoma State, Gordon led the Cowboys to the Big 12 Championship Game and won the Doak Walker Award after running for 1,732 yards and 21 touchdowns.
No. 15 Jalen Milroe, Alabama QB (Katy Tompkins)
The Houston-area star was part of Tompkins’ rise as a program of prominence highlighted by a regular season victory over perennial powerhouse Katy during his senior season to end Katy’s 75-game district winning streak. After flipping from Texas to Alabama, Milroe led the Crimson Tide to the College Football Playoff where they fell to eventual champion Michigan in overtime.
No. 43 Quinn Ewers, Texas QB (Southlake Carroll)
One of the best passers in Texas 6A history, Ewers burst onto the scene as a sophomore at a renowned Southlake Carroll program. Ewers led the Dragons to a 6A state title appearance in his junior season despite significant injuries. Ewers abruptly decided to enroll at Ohio State before his senior year began and later transferred to Texas where he led the Longhorns to a Big 12 Championship and College Football Playoff appearance where they fell to Washington.
No. 52 Harold Perkins, LSU LB (Cy Park)
A two-way star who led Cy-Park as both a running back and linebacker, Perkins proved to be one of the most dangerous defensive weapons in the country during his freshman season at LSU. Though his productivity dropped a bit as a sophomore while the LSU staff figured out how to best use him, he’s still viewed as a major impact player and future NFL draft pick.
No. 60 Byron Murphy, Texas DT (DeSoto)
An undersized defensive tackle out of reigning two-time state champion program Desoto, Murphy was overshadowed by playing on the same line with elite prospect Shemar Turner. After flipping from Baylor to Texas, Murphy was a mainstay for the Longhorns up front and part of one of the best run defenses in college football. Now viewed as a first round draft prospect, Murphy finished the season as an All-American.
No. 87 Nic Scourton, Texas A&M EDGE (Bryan)
Hailing from Bryan High School just a short distance away from the Texas A&M campus, Scourton was an All-American in high school that flew under recruiting radars before landing at Purdue. Scourton played immediately for the Boilermakers, making an impact as a freshman before tallying 50 tackles and 10 sacks as a sophomore. Scourton transferred back home to Texas A&M during the portal window.
PLAYERS FROM THE TRUE FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICAN TEAM
Texas A&M LB Taurean York (Temple)
A four-year starter at the historic Central Texas program, York flipped late from Duke to Texas A&M after the Aggies offered prior to signing day. After grabbing a starting spot coming into the season, York was a tackling machine for the Aggies with 74 tackles and 3 sacks. York enters the spring as one of the bright spots on Texas A&M’s defense.
Baylor CB Caden Jenkins (Lewisville)
A surprise standout from Lewisville High School, Jenkins totaled 37 tackles and 3 interceptions for the Bears as a freshman. Though transfer rumors were heavy, Jenkins decided to stay at Baylor where he will be depended on to lead Dave Aranda’s secondary group.
PLAYERS FROM THE 2023 ALL-TRANSFER TEAM
Texas WR AD Mitchell(Fort Bend Ridge Point)
Mitchell signed with Georgia out of Antioch (TN) Cane Ridge, but he played his first two seasons at Missouri City (Texas) Ridge Point. His Houston heritage is reflected in his social media handle “MoCity Mitch.” The lanky receiver played a significant role for the Dawgs before transferring to Texas and playing a big role in the offense. Mitchell is expected to go in the first or second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Michigan OL Ladarius Henderson (Waxahachie)
Henderson was a late bloomer out of Dallas-area program Waxahachie before signing with Arizona State. After transferring to Michigan, Henderson earned all-conference honors playing up front for the Wolverines on their run to a national title. Henderson is expected to be selected in this spring’s NFL Draft.
Oregon CB Jabbar Muhammad (Desoto)
Another prospect out of Desoto, Muhammad originally signed with Oklahoma State before transferring to Washington where he proved to be one of the best defensive backs in the country. After starting at cornerback for the Huskies in a year that saw them reach the College Football Playoff, Muhammad elected to transfer to Oregon following the departure of Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer.
USC DL Bear Alexander (Dallas Skyline)
Alexander played at several high schools during his career, but his stint at 6A Dallas Skyline earns him a spot on the list. After signing with Georgia out of high school, Alexander transferred to USC where he accumulated 47 tackles and 1.5 sacks for the Trojans. Alexander is expected to play a big role on a revamped defensive unit for Lincoln Riley.
