2024 Midseason Offensive Player of the Year Watchlist

As we approach the end of the month of September, we are now at the halfway point in the 2024 high school football season in the state of Kentucky. While there have been a lot of standout performers so far this season, some have stood out above the rest. With that being said, I wanted to take some time to recognize my midseason Player of the Year watchlists, starting with the offensive side of the ball.    [player_tooltip player_id='735547' first='Jack' last='James'] is a quarterback who I had high expectations for heading into this season and he has truly lived up to them so far. Through five games, James has completed 124/186 passes for 1,629 yards, 18 touchdowns, and four interceptions. James has a strong arm which he is able to use to stretch the field in the deep passing game. He is also very accurate, showing the ability to fit passes into windows where only his intended receiver can catch it. Jack has also scored four rushing touchdowns this season. James is committed to Troy where I believe he has a very good chance to be their quarterback of the future.     [player_tooltip player_id='373782' first='Brady' last='Atwell'] is another quarterback who has met his very high expectations this season. He is off to a hot start to his senior year, completing 81/132 passes for 1,287 yards, 19 touchdowns, and four interceptions in five games. Atwell has impressive accuracy, showing the ability to hit his receivers out of their breaks so that they can make catches in stride. He also has the arm talent to make big throws down the field in the deep passing game. Atwell has also continued to show his dual threat ability, leading his team in rushing with 42 carries for 303 yards and eight touchdowns. Brady is committed to play baseball at Western Kentucky but he also has some Division I football offers and will be one of the top players to watch in the state this season.     [player_tooltip player_id='283958' first='Cam' last='O'Hara'] has continued to prove that he is one of the best players in the state, regardless of class. He is off to a strong start to his junior year, completing 83/124 passes for 1,291 yards, 20 touchdowns, and zero interceptions through five games. O'Hara has a cannon for an arm which he is able to use to lead his receivers down the field in the deep passing game. He also puts a nice amount of touch on his passes, putting the ball where only his intended receiver can catch it. Cam has also scored three rushing touchdowns so far this season. O'Hara currently holds multiples Power 4/Division I offers and I expect more to come his way as he is a high-caliber quarterback prospect.     [player_tooltip player_id='1489400' first='Cavalli' last='Pittman'] is a player who has jumped onto my radar with a very strong season so far. Through the first five weeks, Pittman is the statewide rushing leader with 125 carries for 1,229 yards and 16 touchdowns. Pittman is a strong, downhill runner with the contact balance to break tackles without losing stride. He also has the speed to break away on long runs once he hits the open field. Cavalli doesn't currently hold any offers but he should definitely be a player to keep an eye on this season.     [player_tooltip player_id='1008393' first='Andrew' last='McCutcheon'] is another running back who has stood out this season. He is off to a strong start to his senior year, carrying the ball 88 times for 1,083 yards and 15 touchdowns in five games. Andrew is an elusive ball carrier, showing the ability to make cuts in the open field to make defenders miss. He also has explosive speed which he uses to run away from the defense on long runs. McCutcheon has also caught five passes for 164 yards and three touchdowns, and has returned one kickoff for a touchdown this season. Andrew currently holds offers from Otterbein and Minnesota North College Vermillion, and I expect more to come his way as he has the talent to be a productive back at the next level.     [player_tooltip player_id='662334' first='DeVuan' last='Jones'] has made a quick impact this season after transferring to Valley from Indianapolis Lutheran. Jones is the current statewide receiving leader with 37 catches for 843 yards and 13 touchdowns through five games. He is a dangerous deep threat on the outside, using his speed to blow by opposing defensive backs to create separation. DeVuan is also electric in the open field after the catch, showing the speed and elusiveness to turn short passes/screens into big gains at any given moment. Jones currently holds offers from UAB and Kentucky State, and I expect more to come his way as he definitely has the talent to play at the next level.     My final player on my midseason Offensive Player of the Year watchlist is [player_tooltip player_id='331736' first='Isaiah' last='Johnson']. Isaiah is off to an impressive start to his senior year, catching 24 passes for 468 yards and 10 touchdowns in five games. Johnson does a great job of finding ways to create separation, whether it be using his speed to blow by defenders on deep routes or using his smooth breaks in his routes to find an opening in the secondary. He is also very reliable in contested jump ball situations as he is able to use his athleticism and high catch radius to go up and catch passes at their highest point, regardless of the coverage around him. Johnson currently holds offers from Eastern Kentucky, Indiana State, Army, and Thomas More, and I expect that list to grow as he is a Division I caliber wide receiver prospect.

As we approach the end of the month of September, we are now at the halfway point in the 2024 high school football season in the state of Kentucky. While there have been a lot of standout performers so far this season, some have stood out above the rest. With that being said, I wanted to take some time to recognize my midseason Player of the Year watchlists, starting with the offensive side of the ball.