Jalen Suggs vs. The All Time Greats

If you didn't know, SMB QB, <a href="https://www.northstarfootballnews.com/player/jalen-suggs/">Jalen Suggs</a> was named this year's Mr. Football of Minnesota last Sunday. The Mr. Football Award is an annual award recognizing Minnesota’s best [senior] high school football player. [embed]http://twitter.com/SMB_WOLFPACK_FB/status/1203705260004577281[/embed] The award was well deserved for Jalen who had one of the most ridiculous football single-seasons I have ever seen from a high school football player in Minnesota. Passing: 128 of 253 (50.6%) for 2213 yards and 25 touchdowns; quarterback rating 102.1 Rushing: 115 carries for 978 yards, averaged 8.5 yards per carry and 75.2 yards per game, 12 touchdowns Receiving: 2 receptions for 34 yards, averaged 17.0 yards/reception Kick Returns: 5 attempts for 91 yards, averaged 18.2 yards/return Defense: Played defense in 8 games with 15 solo tackles, 17 assisted tackles, 9 interceptions, two defensive TDs <hr /> This got me thinking–who has had the greatest single season in the history of Minnesota high school football? I thought this would be a great time to look back at which MN football players have had some of the best single seasons in the history of the state (for as long as I can remember).   [caption id="attachment_15778" align="alignleft" width="149"] pictured above: (on the left) <a href="https://www.northstarfootballnews.com/player/jason-williamson/">Jason Williamson</a>[/caption] 2018 <a href="https://www.northstarfootballnews.com/player/jason-williamson/">Jason Williamson</a>, RB/DB, Owatonna: Rushing: 313 carries for 3009 yards (3rd all time), 46 touchdowns (2nd all time); averaged. 9.6 yards/carry Receiving: 12 receptions for 149 yards, 1 touchdown; averaged 12.4 yards/reception Kick Returns: 2 attempts for 43 yards, 21.5 yards/return (long of 26 yards) Defense: 22 solo tackles, 3 assisted tackles, 1 pass break up, and 2 interceptions   Williamson is obviously the most recent of Minnesota's Mr. Football award winners, but his senior season was literally unbelievable while he led Owatonna to a class 5A state championship. 3,000 YARDS??? My goodness. Williamson was unfortunately out with a knee injury, for his entire freshman season at the University of Minnesota, but we can expect him to bounce back in a big way next season.   [caption id="attachment_15779" align="alignright" width="207"] (photo via: MNFootballHub)[/caption] 2011 Phillip Nelson, QB, Mankato West: Passing: 2,784 yards and 35 touchdowns passing (sixth all time) Rushing: 1,243 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns (*most total touchdowns of all time*)   Phillip Nelson had one of the most underrated seasons in the history of the Mr. Football award. In 2011 he led Mankato West to the class 4A state semi-finals, where they would lose to Bemidji. Nelson eventually used his senior year as a stepping stone when he committed to the University of Minnesota. He would appear in 18 games before transferring to East Carolina. Nelson's collegiate career may have not gone as planned, but he will go down in the history books for having one of the best single seasons in the history of MN high school football.   2007 Michael Floyd, WR, Cretin-Derham Hall: Receiving: 59 receptions for 1,247 yards (3rd all time) 21.1 avg. 17 touchdowns (2nd all time) Rushing: 497 rushing yards on 43 carries 11.6 avg. Punt returning: 16 punts for 373 yards 23.3 avg. and 4 touchdowns   Michael Floyd was able to put together one of the most storied careers in the history of Minnesota high school football. Floyd's 2007 stats speak for itself. When he was at Cretin-Derham Hall he was named Minnesota Player of the Year twice by the Associated Press (AP) and Gatorade (2007, 2008). Floyd was ranked as the no. 3 receiver in the country by rivals.com, which led to him committing to play college football for Notre Dame. He continued his success into the NFL, where he would become a first round pick (13th by the Arizona Cardinals). He finished his career with ups and downs playing for the Patriots, Vikings, Saints, Redskins, and Ravens. There is no doubt that Floyd has the argument to be the best high school football player in the history of Minnesota. [embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvOxvCKKpug[/embed]   2001 Joe Mauer, QB, Cretin-Derham Hall: 178 of 269 (66%) for for 3,022 yards (9th all time), 41 touchdowns (third all time) and 5 interceptions   Joe Mauer is obviously widely regarded as the greatest high school athlete in the history of Minnesota, for more sports than just football. I believe <a href="https://www.northstarfootballnews.com/player/jalen-suggs/">Jalen Suggs</a> might finish career having the best argument to un-seat Mauer for that title. Joe's football career often goes under the radar, because he obviously had a pretty successful career in another sport. But he would eventually cap off a prestigious football career where he led Cretin-Derham Hall to back-to-back class 5A state championships. Mauer would finish his career on the gridiron as 17th ranked player nationally IN FOOTBALL, and he reportedly even held an offer to Florida State. [embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Isd5AtaxPZQ[/embed]   Although <a href="https://www.northstarfootballnews.com/player/jalen-suggs/">Jalen Suggs</a>' senior season fell short of a state championship. He certainly has etched his name in the Minnesota high school record books as one of the best MN football players of all time.