Dallas-Fort Worth highlights 2017 ALL-USA Texas Football Team
The Texas high school football season wrapped up on Dec. 23 with the final three of 12 state championship games at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. College Station, Allen and Cypress Fairbanks won state titles.
Four days later, USA Today published its 2017 ALL-USA Texas Football team and 17 of the 45 players selected came from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
Denton Ryan senior quarterback and Oklahoma State commit Spencer Sanders was voted Offensive Player of the Year. Sanders finished his final season by throwing for 3,845 yards and 54 touchdowns, leading the Raiders to a 14-1 season and the Class 5A Division I state semifinals.
Sanders, who also was named Texas Gatorade Player of the Year and a Landry Award finalist, rushed for 1,380 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Joining Sanders on first team is Keller Fossil Ridge senior receiver and Boise State commit Stefan Cobbs.
The District 3-6A MVP and first-team 6A all-state pick recorded 67 catches, 1,332 yards and 24 touchdowns. Cobbs had 100 or more receiving yards in six games and twice surpassing 200 yards. He caught a touchdown pass in 10 of 11 games and had four in two games.
Offensive linemen from Aledo, senior Truett Knox, and Southlake Carroll, senior Matt Leehan, made the second team.
Dallas Bishop Dunne junior safety Brian Williams was voted Defensive Player of the Year.
Williams recorded 40 tackles and intercepted five passes, leading Bishop Dunne to the TAPPS state quarterfinals.
Joining Williams on first team is Richland senior linebacker and Texas A&M commit DaShaun White.
White recorded 149 tackles, 12 for loss, 3 1/2 sacks, two interceptions and three forced fumbles as the Rebels had their deepest playoff run in program history with a trip to the Class 5A Division II state quarterfinals.
Fellow Richland senior linebacker Matt Quenichet made the second team along with Fossil Ridge senior defensive end and New Mexico State commit Arnold Saidov and Mansfield Legacy junior safety Jalen Catalon.
Allen coach Terry Gambill was named Coach of the Year after leading the Eagles to a 35-33 win over Austin Lake Travis in the Class 6A Division I state title game, their fifth UIL state football championship.
Offense First Team
QB Spencer Sanders, Denton Ryan
RB Daimarqua Foster, Wichita Falls Hirschi
RB Keaontay Ingram, Carthage
WR Stefan Cobbs, Keller Fossil Ridge
WR Caden Leggett, Georgetown
TE TJ Rogers, New Diana
OL Garrett Aylor, Austin Westlake
OL Brannon Brown, Helotes O’Connor
OL Ian Burnette, Wimberley (Signed with TCU)
OL Joshua Jynes, DeSoto
OL Mike Ruth, Coppell
Second Team
QB Grant Gunnell, Houston St. Pius X
RB Brock Sturges, Allen
RB Craig Williams, Crosby
WR Kobe Clark, Sweetwater
WR Cameron Thomas, Austin Westwood
TE Henry Teeter, San Angelo Central
OL Brycen Castillo, Victoria West
OL Mason Grosser, Allen
OL Truett Knox, Aledo
OL Matt Leehan, Southlake Carroll
OL Silas Robinson, Yoakum
Defense First Team
DL Braden Cassity, Austin Westlake
DL Jeremiah Gray, Dallas Skyline
DL Oso Ifesinachukwu, Austin Vandegrift
DL Gary Wiley, Longview Pine Tree
LB Connor Lee, Flower Mound
LB Bumper Pool, Lucas Lovejoy
LB DaShaun White, Richland
DB Anthony Cook, Houston Lamar
DB BJ Foster, Angleton
DB DeMarvion Overshown, Arp
DB Brian Williams, Dallas Bishop Dunne
Second Team
DL Derrion Clark, Dallas South Oak Cliff
DL Matt Quenichet, Richland
DL Tydrick Ranson, Lubbock Monterey
DL Arnold Saidov, Keller Fossil Ridge
LB Ty Patterson, Linden-Kildare
LB Isaiah Paul, San Antonio Brennan
LB Kobe Renfro, Gladewater Sabine
DB Bryan Broussard, Dickinson
DB Jalen Catalon, Mansfield Legacy
DB Jordan Moore, Yoakum
DB Caden Sterns, Cibolo Steele
Special Teams
K/P Seth Small, Katy
This story was originally published January 1, 2018 at 12:41 PM with the headline "Dallas-Fort Worth highlights 2017 ALL-USA Texas Football Team."