10 North Texas high school football 2024 preseason player of the year candidates

These 10 players will be vying for the MVP of the region in 2024

Duncanville (Texas) senior Keelon Russell is ranked among the top quarterbacks in the nation. /

With the 2024 Texas high school football season fast approaching, SBLive will be looking at potential MVP candidates in each of the state's regions.

>> Top 100 Texas high school football player countdown: Part 1 (100-51) | Part 2 (50-1)

Before the first games of Week 1 kick off on Thursday, we’re go region-by-region — North, South, Central, East, West and Southeast — take a look at 10 potential candidates who may very well take home regional MVP honors by season's end when we unveil our all-North Texas teams and awards.

First, we start with North Texas. Here are 10 preseason player of the year candidates from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and beyond:

NORTH TEXAS PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES

Names are in alphabetical order

Edward Griffin, QB, Coppell, Sr.

A Baylor commit, Griffin definitely made a name for himself last season when he threw for 3,170 yards and 41 TDs while completing 73 percent of his passes as the Cowboys were one of the area’s surprise teams by reaching the regional semifinals. With higher expectations placed on him and his teammates, a similar season with more playoff wins may enable Griffin to snag MVP honors.

Raycine Guillory, RB, Aledo, Jr.

Guillory is one of the more highly sought-after running backs in the Class of 2026. Last season, he rushed for more than 1,230 yards and found the end zone a total of 21 times in his first season with the Bearcats, who repeated as 5A DI champs. If he can help Aledo continue its high standard of winning, Guillory is definitely in the running for MVP consideration.

Chris Jimerson Jr., QB/ATH, North Crowley, Sr.

Jimerson had an outstanding junior season for the Panthers, throwing for more than 3,000 yards and 40 TDs and adding more than 1,100 yards and 12 TDs rushing. His play helped earn him District 3-6A MVP honors while guiding North Crowley to the 6A DI semifinals. Should North Crowley get that far again, and perhaps this time punch its ticket to Arlington to play for a title, the North Texas commit may be the MVP of the region.

Lockett recently made a commitment to play for Texas. With that behind him, he’s now determined to take Sachse to a higher level in his final season. Despite the Mustangs going undefeated in district play last year, they were upended in the opening round of the playoffs, so Lockett - who had nearly 1,300 yards receiving and 13 TDs - is among those more than determined to get Sachse deeper in the postseason this go-round.

Dakorien Moore, WR, Duncanville, Sr.

Duncanville (Texas) wideout Dakorien Moore, an Oregon commit, carries the ball during the 2023 UIL 6A D1 state title against North Shore. / Photo by Tommy Hays

Moore was recently chosen by SBLive Texas as the No. 1 overall player in the state entering the season, so it goes without saying that the playmaking receiver should be an overwhelming favorite to win MVP, not only in North Texas but the entire state. The Oregon commit is coming off a junior season in which he caught 71 passes for 1,523 yards and 18 TDs in helping the Panthers claim back-to-back 6A DI titles.

Davis Penn and/or Riley Wormley, RBs, Southlake Carroll, Srs.

Southlake Carroll running back Riley Wormley fights for yards against DeSoto in the 6A Division II Texas state semifinals in 2023. / Photo by Michael Horbovetz

Penn and Wormley make up arguably the best backfield tandem in the state. Penn - who is committed to Baylor - rushed for 1,577 yards and 30 TDs while Wormley - a USC commit who joined the Dragons last season - added 901 yards and 19 TDs as the Dragons made it to the 6A DII semifinals. A similar season by both players, and a similar run by their team, could bring forth the possibility of co-MVPs.

Deondrae 'Tiger' Riden, DeSoto, Sr.

Deondrae Riden points to his ring finger after a back-breaking touchdown in DeSoto's Texas 6A Division II semifinal win over Southlake Carroll in November 2023. / Photo by Michael Horbovetz, SBLive

Riden overcame a severe injury in last season’s opening game to help the Eagles down the stretch in their successful bid as repeating as 6A DII state champs. Even with the injury, he was still able to top 1,000 yards for the second consecutive season. If he can stay healthy all season, the sky could be the limit for the Texas A&M commit and the Eagles.

Keelon Russell, QB, Duncanville, Sr.

Keelon Russell looks down field against host DeSoto in 2023. / Photo: Robbie Rakestraw

If it isn’t Dakorien Moore, then Russell may very well be the choice should the Panthers run the table again for the third consecutive season. Russell - who in the offseason committed to Alabama after de-committing from SMU - threw for 3,483 yards and 38 TDs in 2023 as Duncanville successfully defended its 6A DI title.

Another standout skill player on an Eagle squad eyeing a three-peat. Singleton - an SMU commit - definitely made his presence felt in DeSoto’s 6A DII title-game win last season, in which he found the end zone three times - all in the opening quarter. That put the finishing touches on a season in which he caught 56 passes for 1,211 yards and 17 TDs.

Ziondre Williams, QB, Anna, Jr.

Anna QB Ziondre Williams attempts a pass against Tyler Chapel Hill in the 4A Division I state championship in 2023. / Photo by Tommy Hays, SBLive

It wasn’t a bad debut season at all for the Coyotes’ starting signal-caller. All he did was throw for 2,930 yards and 39 TDs while adding nearly 850 yards and eight TDs rushing. Oh, and he helped Anna win its first-ever state title. If the Coyotes can do the trick again after moving up to 5A from 4A, then Williams certainly merits consideration.

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2024 Texas high school football preview

Stay with SBLive's preseason coverage in the lead up to the 2024 Texas high school football season and the start of games on Thursday.

• Who are the 25 best teams in Texas, regardless of classification or association? Here are the SBLive Preseason Texas Power 25 rankings, as well as the 20 winningest active coaches. Here are the

• Who are the 100 most important high school football players in Texas? We scoured the state and counted down from 100 to 1: Part 1 (100-51) |Part 2 (50-1)

• We're taking a position-by-position look at the top players returning in the Lone Star State this fall, starting with 50 quarterbacks, 70 running backs, 40 wide receivers, 25 tight ends, 25 offensive linemen, 30 cornerbacks, 25 safeties, 45 linebackers and 25 kickers/punters.

• Who are the most underrated teams in the Lone Star State entering the season? We're taking a look by region at the programs poised to out-perform expectations, starting with North Texas, Southeast Texas and Central Texas.

• We examined offseason player movement and the 12 transfers that will have the biggest impact in the fall.

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-- Buck Ringgold | buck@scorebooklive.com | @SBLiveTX