How do the 9 finalists for 2025’s Kentucky high school Mr. Football stack up?
Nine finalists for the annual Mr. Football award honoring the sport’s most outstanding high school senior player have been announced by the Kentucky Football Coaches Association.
Among them are Boyle County running back Ji’Dyn Smith-Hisel, who had a breakout 2025 season for the Class 4A state champions. Teammate Darryl Yancey and coach Justin Haddix were also named finalists for lineman and coach of the year, respectively.
Favorites for the KFCA’s Mr. Football award might be Owensboro running back Evan Hampton, a Vanderbilt signee for the Class 5A champions who was named Kentucky Gatorade player of the year and 5A championship game MVP last week, and Ryle running back/linebacker Jacob Savage, an Indiana signee recently named the Louisville Quarterback Club’s Paul Hornung Award winner for its pick as the state’s top senior.
Also on the Mr. Football ballot are four other players who’ve committed or signed with Division I colleges — Campbellsville’s Kace Eastridge, an Eastern Kentucky baseball commit; St. Xavier’s Marlon Harbin, a Louisville signee; Cooper’s Cam O’Hara, a Western Kentucky signee; and Murray’s Wyatt Robbins, a Murray State signee.
Rounding out the finalists are Madisonville North-Hopkins’ Markezz Hightower and Somerset’s Kris Hughes.
Over the next few days, coaches will select their Mr. Football along with the winners of their two other awards, the Jimmie Reed Coach of the Year and the inaugural Philip Haywood Lineman of the Year.
The award winners are expected to be named sometime next week.
The lineman of the year finalists are: Kris Mandy, Kentucky Country Day; Bo Wolford, Belfry; Max Merz, Highlands; Malik Butler, South Warren; Jahbarri Frost, Trinity; Andrew Houk, Green County; Bryten Close, Taylor County; Darryl Yancey, Boyle County; and Ben Myers, Paducah Tilghman.
The coach of the year finalists are: Dale Estes, Campbellsville; Matt Varney, Belfry; Hunter Cantwell, Christian Academy-Louisville; Justin Haddix, Boyle County; William Howard, Greenwood; and Brandon Smith, South Warren.
2005 Mr. Football finalists
Here’s a closer look at this year’s Mr. Football finalists in alphabetical order.
Kace Eastridge, Campbellsville
Bio: 6-1/190/QB/LB/Eastern Kentucky baseball commit.
2025: 1,004 yards, 20 TDs rushing; 1,888 yards, 14 TDs passing; 68 tackles, 6 tackles for a loss
Career: 3,524 yards, 62 TDs rushing; 6,983 yards, 61 TDs passing; 128 tackles, 9 tackles for a loss.
Notes: 2025 KFCA Class A player of the year; two-time KFCA district player of the year.
Evan Hampton, Owensboro
Bio: 6-0/208/RB/Vanderbilt signee.
2025: 2,035 yards, 82 TDs rushing, 288 yards, 3 TDs receiving
Career: 5,259 yards, 82 TDs rushing; 922 yards, 9 TDs receiving
Notes: 2025 Kentucky Gatorade player of the year; 2025 Class 5A state championship game MVP; 2024 Courier Journal third team all-state; 2024 KFCA district player of the year.
Marlon Harbin, St. Xavier
Bio: 5-11/175/ATH/Louisville signee.
2025: 355 yards, 11 TDs rushing; 688 yards, 10 TDs receiving; 47 tackles, 4 tackles for a loss; 3 interceptions, 2 kickoff return TDs and a fumble recovery TD.
Career: 1,049 yards, 23 TDs rushing; 2,390 yards, 25 TDs receiving; 69 tackles, 5 tackles for a loss; 8 interceptions, including 1 for a TD; 3 kickoff return TDs, fumble recovery TD.
Notes: 2024 CJ second team all-state.
Markezz Hightower, Madisonville
Bio: 5-10/190/RB/Undecided.
2025: 1,644 yards, 25 TDs rushing; 159 yards receiving.
Career: 5,440 yards, 71 TDs rushing; 713 yards, 6 TDs receiving, 21 yards passing; 1interception.
Notes: 2025 KFCA Class 5A and district player of the year, 2024 CJ all-state honorable mention.
Kris Hughes, Somerset
Bio: 6-0/200/QB/DB/Undecided
2025: 2,081 yards, 37 TDs rushing; 1,092 yards, 11 TDs passing; 37 tackles, 2 interceptions.
Career: 4,617 yards, 74 TDs rushing, 1,092 yards, 11 TDs passing; 823 yards, 9 TDs receiving; 180 tackles; 6 tackles for a loss, 3 sacks, 7 interceptions, including 1 for a TD
Notes: 2025 KFCA Class 2A player of the year and district player of the year.
Cam O’Hara, Cooper
Bio: 6-2/190/QB/Western Kentucky signee.
2025: 2,231 yards, 26 TDs passing; 47 yards, 3 TDs rushing
Career: 11,227 yards, 146 TDs passing; 275 yards, 9 TDs rushing;
Notes: 2025 KFCA district player of the year; 2024 CJ all-state honorable mention. O’Hara’s 146 career TD passes rank third in KHSAA history behind the still-unofficial totals of Paducah Tilghman’s COVID bonus year QB Jack James (181) and Owensboro Catholic’s Brady Atwell (153).
Wyatt Robbins, Murray
Bio: 6-1/190/QB/Murray State signee.
2025: 3,199 yards, 35 TDs passing; 533 yards, 4 TDs rushing;
Career: 8,818 yards, 87 TDs passing; 939 yards, 15 TDs rushing.
Notes: 2025 KFCA district player of the year. Played first two varsity seasons at Calloway County.
Jacob Savage, Ryle
Bio: 6-1/219/RB/LB/Indiana signee.
2025: 1,222 yards, 24 TDs rushing; 204 yards, 5 TDs receiving; 18 yards, 1 TD passing; 112 tackles; 15 tackles for a loss; 0.5 sack, 2 interceptions.
Career: 2,835 yards, 54 TDs rushing, 749 yards, 11 TDs receiving; 18 yards, 1 TD passing; 509 tackles; 39 tackles for a loss; 6.5 sacks; 6 interceptions.
Notes: 2025 Paul Hornung Award winner; 2025 KFCA Class 6A player of the year; two-time KFCA district player of the year; two-time CJ second team all-state. Led Ryle in tackles all four seasons.
Ji’Dyn Smith-Hisel, Boyle County
Bio: 5-7/160/RB/DB/Undecided.
2025: 1,817 yards, 18 TDs rushing; 247 yards, 1 TD receiving; 6 tackles.
Career: 2,173 yards, 23 TDs rushing; 262 yards, 2 TDs receiving; 23 tackles; 2 interceptions, 1 for a TD.
Notes: Rushed for 208 yards and two touchdowns in Boyle County’s 34-0 win over Franklin County in the 2025 Class 4A state championship.
