HE’S BUILT FORD TOUGH (AGAIN) | Overton’s Edwards wins another BFT award

Overton High School senior Jayden Edwards is showing out.

And it’s hard to tell, because Edwards puts up big numbers EVERY week.

Edwards, a senior for coach Scotty Laymance, plays wide receiver and defensive back for the Mustangs, and like so many athletes, he plays more than one sport. Right now, though, he excels for Overton on the football field. His team, in fact, will host Tenaha tonight at 7 p.m. in a district game.

Last week, Overton won its fourth straight game, a 41-36 win at Grapeland, and Edwards made his point: 10 catches from quarterback Bryce Still for a ridiculous 281 yards and four touchdowns, but also on defense had two interceptions and three tackles.

For his efforts, Edwards was named the Class 2A Built Ford Tough statewide winner this week. It’s Edwards’ second time to win the award: he also took it home once last year.

 “Jayden is a great young man in the classroom and in the community,” Laymance told the Built Ford Tough folks. “He is one of the top students in his class and is very involved in our other programs at the school. I think his favorite program to be part of is our Little Mustangs program.”

Edwards had 75 catches for 1,346 yards and 19 scores last year, and was a preseason all-state choice of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football. So far this year, through five games, he’s already got 14 touchdowns, which is just flat-out ridiculous – he has 38 catches for 864 yards, the 14 touchdowns, and AVERAGES 22.7 yards a catch!

His longest catch of the season: 97 yards.

Ronnie Sartors will be on hand for ETBlitz.com tonight to capture Jayden and his teammates against Tenaha.

As for the Built Ford Tough award, it’s been a fixture in Texas high school football since 2006.

Joining Jayden this past week were Keelon Russell, the quarterback at Duncanville, who was named the winner for Class 6A, in their win over Skyline; Calvin Harris, the quarterback at Sharyland, a junior, for their win over Mercedes in Class 5A; in 4A, Alvarado senior quarterback Cardea Collier, for helping his team beat Glen Rose; Kohl Collins, a junior at Fairfield, their quarterback, who helped defeat McGregor; and the winner at the private school level, Saint John’s School senior running back Cole Allen, who helped his team top Lutheran South Academy.

Courtesy of Built Ford Tough, the accomplishments of the other players:

Class 6A: Keelon Russell, Senior, QB, Duncanville High School

Opponent:  Skyline High School

Two years ago, Keelon Russell was thrust into the starting lineup for one of the state’s premier programs as a 155-pound sophomore. Today, Russell is the top-ranked dual threat quarterback in the nation, and Duncanville is on a quest to win its third consecutive state title. Russell lit up Skyline last week for 474 yards and six touchdowns in a 63-14 win. The Alabama commit had more TD passes than he had incompletions (five). Duncanville is 4-0.

Class 5A: Calvin Harris, Junior, QB, Sharyland High School

Opponent: Mercedes High School

The Sharyland Rattlers’ offense stepped up its game in a 56-40 win over Mercedes this past Friday, and it was another big night for junior star QB Calvin Harris, who threw for 406 yards and six touchdowns while completing 73 percent of his passes. He also rushed for 171 yards and another touchdown on only 15 carries. His longest rush was for an impressive 65 yards.

Class 4A: Cardea Collier, Senior, QB, Alvarado High School

Opponent: Glen Rose High School

Cardea Collier, a senior at Alvarado High School, is making waves this football season as the star quarterback for the Indians. With an impressive game last week where he rushed 17 times for 322 yards, scoring eight rushing touchdowns, while also showcasing his passing skills completing 17 of 23 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns. He accounted for 10 touchdowns and played a key role in leading the Indians to a 5-0 record and a top 10 ranking in 4A Division I.

Collier’s performance helped secure a stunning 71-50 victory over Glen Rose further solidifying his reputation as a standout player. Collier was recognized as a 2022 Built Ford Tough Player of the Week as a sophomore, he continues to elevate the team’s game as they strive for success this season.

Class 3A: Kohl Collins, Junior, QB, Fairfield High School

Opponent: McGregor High School

Fairfield High opened with back-to-back losses to Maypearl (Double-OT) and Mexia, but you could tell the Eagles were going to score some points and get in the win column. And, led by junior quarterback Kohl Collins, the Eagles are currently riding a three-game winning streak with District 9-3A, Division 1 starting in two weeks. Collins was 15-25 passing for 547-yards and 6-TD’s and scored a rushing touchdown in a 69-40 victory at McGregor and for his efforts has been named the Built Ford Tough Class 3-A Texas High School Player of the Week.

Private School: Cole Allen, Senior, RB, Saint John’s School

Opponent: Lutheran South Academy

Senior running back and Harvard commit Cole Allen from Saint John’s School has been a powerhouse for the Mavericks this season. In a recent high-scoring matchup, he played a pivotal role in leading the team to a 62-35 victory over Lutheran South, showcasing his versatility and athleticism. Allen racked up an impressive six total touchdowns, with 10 rushes for 190 yards and three touchdowns, along with two catches for 101 yards and two touchdowns. He even threw a touchdown pass himself, going 1-for-1 for two yards. Beyond his on-field accomplishments, Allen is also a dedicated leader, serving as captain of both the basketball and lacrosse teams, and actively contributing to the Houston Food Bank and St. John’s Community Service Group. His contributions make him not just a standout athlete but also a valued member of his school community.

During each week of the 2024 regular season, fans, coaches, and media are asked to nominate players at FordPlayeroftheWeek.com, as well as catch up with winners, view video clips of players in action and get the latest program details. Fans will be able to follow the conversation on social media by using #FordPOTW and share the recognition of these outstanding individuals each week. 

Additionally, fans are encouraged to catch all the action on Bally Sports Southwest. The network is teaming with Ford and Texas Ford dealers to keep honor award winners through its weekly television show. Each week, television crews will travel to communities across Texas, spotlighting players who excel on the field, in the classroom and in their communities. The half-hour Built Ford Tough Texas High School Football Player of the Week program will air on Fridays at 9 a.m. and Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. 

How the program works
The Built Ford Tough Texas High School Football Player of the Week program recognizes one high school student-athlete in six of the state’s athletic classifications each week of the regular season.

Nominees must excel in three categories:

• Individual performance on the field, including significant statistics from that week’s game
• Contribution to the team’s success through individual leadership abilities
• Performance off the field, including academic success and good community citizenship

At the end of the regular season, Ford and its advisory board will select one student-athlete from the 11 weekly winners to be the Built Ford Tough Texas High School Football Player of the Year in each classification. Following the championship games, honorees will be recognized at a banquet next year.