COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced Wednesday its finalists for its annual Mr. Football award, which is determined by statewide panels that select all-district teams before a vote of media across the state.
The winner will be announced next week on Thursday in Canton before the start of the OHSAA state championships. The honor has been awarded since 1987.
Ohio Prep Sports Media Association district chairpersons and officers have selected eight finalists. The voting process is nearly identical to that used to determine the Heisman Trophy winner in college football. The 221 registered OPSMA members each get one vote, with voting ending at noon on Monday, Dec. 2.
Ohio’s Mr. Football was selected by the Associated Press from 1987-2016. Since 2017 it has been presented by the OPSMA.
Additionally, All-Ohio teams will begin being released on Monday, Dec. 9.
Here are the Mr. Football finalists in alphabetical order.
Scotty Fox, Mentor, QB, 6-2, 215, sr.
Fox steered Mentor to an undefeated regular season, Greater Cleveland Conference championship and the No. 1 seed in Division I, Region 1. He is a West Virginia commit at quarterback and the Northeast Lakes District Offensive Player of the Year. Fox completed 64.6 percent of his passes for 2,170 yards with 28 TDs to six interceptions during the regular season. He is a four-year starter after stepping into his starting role because of an injury during his freshman season.
Nolan Good, Avon, QB, 6-2, 200, sr.
Avon appeared poised to make a run at last year’s Division II state championship until Good suffered a season-ending injury in the regional semifinals. A Kent State commit at quarterback and already an All-Ohioan after that junior season, Good guided Avon to another undefeated regular season as a senior and a ninth straight Southwestern Conference championship. The Eagles entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in Division II, Region 6 after Good completed 67 percent of his passes this year for 2,375 yards and 23 TDs to six INT. He added 353 yards rushing and five TDs on 37 carries.
Grady Kinsey, Gnadenhutten Indian Valley, RB, 5-9, 197, jr.
Kinsey has developed into one of the most dynamic backs in the East District, running for 2,347 yards and 33 touchdowns on 178 attempts in 10 regular season games. He averaged 13.2 yards per carry and only played in 27 of 40 quarters for the undefeated Braves. Kinsey, who was Second Team All-Ohio as a sophomore, also contributes on defense with 56 tackles. For his career, he has surpassed 5,000 rushing yards and has nearly 80 touchdowns and made more than 250 tackles.
Andrew Leonard, Olentangy Liberty, QB, 5-10, 180, sr.
Central District Division I OPOY, Leonard completed 140 of 205 passes for 1,982 yards and 28 TDs with 4 INT, and also rushed for 505 yards on 104 carries with 4 TDs in the regular season for a top-seeded 8-2 team that has since reached the state semifinals. The three-year starter and program career record-holder in passing did this against one of the state’s toughest schedules. Stats updated through week 14: 192 completions in 272 attempts for 2,776 yards passing with 38 TDs, 5 INT and 550 yards rushing with 4 TDs. Getting some interest from smaller Division I programs like Valparaiso, Morehead State for football. Also was an all-district shortstop for the regional qualifying baseball team and an all-district forward for the regional runner-up ice hockey team as a junior.
Bodpegn Miller, Ontario, QB, 6-4, 190, sr.
Adopted from Ethiopia as a young child, Miller is committed to The Ohio State University to play wide receiver despite not having a single catch in his high school career. He is the Division IV Northwest District Co-Offensive Player of the Year, first team All-Northwest District and first team All-Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference. He was a second team All-Ohioan last year. For the 2024 season, his 14-week stats are: 149-for-253 passing, 2,216 yards, 20 TDs passing | 211 carries, 1,988 yards rushing, 21 TDs | 18 punts, 644 yards, 35.8 yards per punt average |41 tackles, 3 TFL, One Sack, 3 INTs | 17 touchbacks on kickoffs. In a Week 13 win over previously undefeated Shelby, he ran for 209 yards on 24 carries with two TDs and completed 13-of-28 passes for 294 yards and three TDs to take his team to its first-ever regional championship game appearance. He has 6,398 passing yards and 54 TDs in his career along with 3,610 rushing yards and 47 TDS for 10,008 total yards of offense and 101 TDs. He holds program records for career passing yards, career passing TDs, career rushing yards, single season passing yards (2,328 in 2023), single-season rushing yards (1,988 in 2024) and is No. 2 in career rushing TDs, No. 2 and No. 3 in single-season passing TDs and No. 2 in single-season rushing TDs. He is the only player in program history to have three 1,000-yard passing seasons and is one of just four to have two 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He owns four school records in track and is an All-Ohioan in the 200-meter dash and 4×200 meter relay.
Keller Moten, Walsh Jesuit, QB, 5-11, 185, sr.
Inland District Division II Offensive Player of the Year. Stats through 13 games. Passing: 113 of 179 for 1,645 yards, 17 touchdowns, 4 interceptions. Rushing: 127 carries for 1,209 yards and 22 touchdowns, 1 fumble. He holds FCS offers from St. Francis and Mercyhurst and still expects more opportunities to come his way. Ohio State has reached out in the last few weeks and told Moten it has STRONG interest in bringing him to Columbus as a preferred walk-on. Pitt, Army, Kent State, Marshall, Princeton, Dayton are all interested in him. Mr. Football perfectly encapsulates Keller Moten’s extraordinary performance, leadership, and influence on the field. Keller is not only the heart of his team’s offense—he is a dynamic dual-threat quarterback whose remarkable stats and unparalleled contributions helped lead his team to their first undefeated season since 1998. Moten also led the Warriors to their first victory over state power Archbishop Hoban since 2014.
Matt Ponatoski, Cincinnati Moeller, QB, 6-1, 195, jr.
Southwest District Division I Offensive Player of the Year and the GCL Offensive Player of the Year. Has completed 252-of-357 passing attempts this season for 3,644 yards, 50 TDs and just two interceptions. Has set Moeller career records for passing yards (7,081) and TD passes (80) as a junior. Tied the Moeller single-game record with six TD passes against St. Xavier this season. Owns offers from Cincinnati, Purdue, Louisville, Vanderbilt, Miami (Ohio) and Kent State.
Tavien St. Clair, Bellefontaine, QB, 6-4, 228, sr.
Two-time Southwest District Division III Offensive Player of the Year and three-time Central Buckeye Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Consensus No. 1 senior prospect in Ohio and a Top 10 senior prospect nationally. Committed to Ohio State. Finished senior season 166-of-244 passing for 2,536 yards and 29 TDs. Also rushed for 254 yards and nine TDs. Four-year starter has thrown for 9,794 career passing yards and 104 TDs. Has rushed for 17 TDs. Four-time first team All-CBC selection.
Ohio Mr. Football Recipients (including college choice)
1987: Buster Howe, RB-DB-K-P, Zanesville, Ohio State
1988: Robert Smith, RB, Euclid, Ohio State
1989: Robert Smith, RB, Euclid, Ohio State
1990: Bobby Hoying, QB, St. Henry, Ohio State
1991: Derek Kidwell, QB-DE, Fostoria, Bowling Green
1992: Marc Edwards, RB-LB, Norwood, Notre Dame
1993: Curtis Enis, RB-LB, Mississinawa Valley, Penn State
1994: Charles Woodson, DB-RB, Fremont Ross, Michigan
1995: Andy Katzenmoyer, LB, Westerville South, Ohio State
1996: Derek Combs, RB-DB-KR, Grove City, Ohio State
1997: Tony Fisher, RB, Euclid, Notre Dame
1998: Ryan Brewer, RB, Troy, South Carolina
1999: Bam Childress, DB-WR-KR, Bedford St. Peter Chanel, Ohio State
2000: Jeff Backes, RB-DB, Upper Arlington, Northwestern
2001: Maurice Clarett, RB, Warren G. Harding, Ohio State
2002: Ben Mauk, QB, Kenton, Wake Forest/Cincinnati
2003: Ray Williams, RB, Cleveland Benedictine, West Virginia
2004: Tyrell Sutton, RB, Archbishop Hoban, Northwestern
2005: Delone Carter, RB, Copley, Syracuse
2006: Brandon Saine, RB, Piqua, Ohio State
2007: Bart Tanski, QB, Mentor, Bowling Green
2008: Erick Howard, RB, North Canton Hoover, Akron
2009: Erick Howard, RB, North Canton Hoover, Akron
2010: Akise Teague, RB-DB-KR, Youngstown Ursuline, Cincinnati
2011: Maty Mauk, QB, Kenton, Missouri/Eastern Kentucky
2012: Mitch Trubisky, QB, Mentor, North Carolina
2013: Dante Booker Jr., LB, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, Ohio State
2014: Joe Burrow, QB, Athens, Ohio State, Louisiana State
2015: Keishaun Sims, RB-DB, Massillon Perry, Ashland University
2016: Michael Warren, RB, Toledo Central Catholic, University of Cincinnati
2017: Joey Baughman, QB, Wadsworth, Elon University
2018: Cade Stover, SS-RB, Lexington, Ohio State University 2019: Evan Prater, QB, Cincinnati Wyoming, University of Cincinnati
2020: Corey Kiner, RB, Cincinnati Roger Bacon, Louisiana State
2021: Drew Allar, QB, Medina, Penn State
2022: Lamar Sperling, RB, Akron Archbishop Hoban, Buffalo
2023: Jordan Marshall, RB, Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller
Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on X (@mgoul), Threads (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com).