Isaac Wilson Named 2023-2024 Gatorade Utah Football Player of the Year

Isaac Wilson, who signed his letter of intent to play football at the University of Utah last December, recently earned one of high school football’s most prestigious awards.

For his incredible season on and off the field, Wilson achieved the distinction of being named the 2023-24 Gatorade Utah Football Player of the Year.

In a press release regarding Wilson’s achievement, the sports drink company said, “The award, which celebrates the nation’s top high school athletes for excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community, distinguishes Wilson as Utah’s best high school football player.”

There was no player more deserving of Utah’s Football Player of the Year than Wilson, whose 2023-2024 campaign broke multiple state football records. In total, Wilson threw for 4,595 yards and 49 touchdowns this past season while leading Corner Canyon to a Utah 6A State Championship victory. The 6’1 signal-caller also added over 1,300 yards rushing and 13 scores to show the nation that he is dangerous as a dual threat.

Now in its 39th year of being awarded to the nation’s top high school athletes, Gatorade's “Football Player of the Year” award has been a consistent marker of generational football talent. Some of the awards' most notable winners were Emmitt Smith (1986-87) and Peyton Manning (1993-94).

In terms of previous Gatorade award winners from Utah, names like Smith Snowden (2022-2023), Jaxson Dart (2020-2021), and recent NFL Pro Bowler Puka Nacua (2018-2019) all come up.

Moreover, with Wilson winning the award this year, the Utes have signed Utah’s two most recent Gatorade winners. Snowden was signed by Utah in the 2023 recruiting class and had a strong late-year showing at cornerback for the Utes in the same year.

Wilson is one of the most anticipated recruits in program history. He was sought after by blue blood programs like the Georgia Bulldogs, but stayed committed to Utah and will usher the school into a new era of Big 12 football.

In terms of what's next, Wilson is expected to join the team this month (January) as an early enrollee. He will then most likely spend the year learning from Utah’s incumbent starter Cam Rising while honing his already impressive skill set. All the while, Utah fans from around the country will wait and see if he can become the answer to Utah's quarterback future.