The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, today announced Johnathan Gray of Aledo High School as its 2011-12 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year.
Gray got the word a little after 9 a.m. Tuesday at the football indoor practice facility with a phone call from NFL star LaDainian Tomlinson.The two-time Gatorade Texas Player of the Year, Gray has led the Bearcats to a 12-2 record and a berth in the Class 4A, Division II state semifinals against Corsicana on Friday. The 5-foot-10, 202-pound senior has rushed for 3,427 yards and 59 touchdowns on 295 carries entering the postseason round of four. He also hauled in 22 receptions for 458 yards and five scores through 14 games. Gray set state records in career touchdowns, career points, career 100-yard games and single-season rushing touchdowns. He became the third prep athlete in state history to eclipse 10,000 career rushing yards.Gray has verbally committed to play college football at Texas.The selection process is administered by ESPNHS and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.
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