East Texas high school football player of the year candidates in 2023

From Timpson's Terry Bussey to Longview's Taylor Tatum, here are 15 players who have stood above the pack

With the 2023 Texas high school football regular season in the books, SBLive is taking a look at the players who have made the biggest impacts on their teams.

After starting with Central Texas, South Texas, Southeast Texas and North Texas, we are moving on to East Texas, and West Texas.

Throughout the regular season, we examined the top players in the state at each position by region, starting with the top quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers.

Now, we're taking an up-to-date look at the players who have stood tall above the pack, spanning all positions and schools of all classifications.

Scroll down and read about these 15 candidates for SBLive's East Texas Player of the Year award, given out at the end of the season, and stay tuned for a reader poll to pick the winner:

EAST TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST

Kaegan Ash, running back, sophomore

High school: Mount Enterprise

Talk about a super sophomore. Ash has tallied 2,461 yards (273 per game) and 35 touchdowns in nine games to put himself among the top three rushers in the state at any level. Mount Enterprise (5-4) opens the playoffs at Deweyville on Nov. 10.

Cody Atkinson, linebacker

High school: Center

Another stellar 10th-grader, Atkinson is a tackling machine for the Roughriders. Heading into the regular-season finale, he led every level of the state with 164 tackles (112 solo). Center (7-3) plays at Gilmer in the bi-district round of the playoffs on Nov. 10.

Terry Bussey, quarterback, senior

High school: Timpson

The five-star Texas A&M commit is having another big season for the Bears. He rushed for 197 yards and three touchdowns and had a 49-yard kickoff return last week to lead Timpson past Garrison, 35-26. The Bears went undefeated for the fourth straight regular season. Timpson takes on Corrigan-Camden (3-7) to open the playoffs in Lufkin on Nov. 10.

Calan Castles, linebacker, senior

High school: Beckville

Through the first nine games of the season, the Louisiana-Monroe commit tallied 123 tackles (13.6 per game). The Bearcats, who open the playoffs against Alba-Golden in Tyler on Nov. 9, finished the regular season with a 9-1 record and wrapped up their third consecutive district title. 

Trae Davis, wide receiver, senior

High school: Troup

Davis, a Washington State commit, hit the 1,000-yard mark on 51 catches in the first nine games of the season. The four-year varsity player has 17 touchdowns heading into Troup’s first-round playoff game against New Boston (5-5) on Nov. 9 in Marshall.

Jayden Edwards, wide receiver, junior

High school: Overton

Edwards is having a monster junior season for the 9-1 Mustangs. Through the first nine games, he had 52 catches for 1,057 yards and 17 scores, along with two carries for 80 yards and another touchdown. Overton (9-1) will battle Evadale (4-6) to open the postseason on Nov. 9 in San Augustine.

Kyler Finney, quarterback, senior

High school: Winnsboro

Finney and the Red Raiders are having a stellar 2023 season. In nine games, the senior signal-caller has thrown for 2,305 yards with 24 touchdowns and one interception and rushed for 235 yards and two more scores. Winnsboro (9-0) takes on Atlanta (5-5) in bi-district on Nov. 9 in Longview.

Mikel Fields, wide receiver, senior

High school: Carthage

Fields is the top receiver for the defending Class 4A Division II state champion Bulldogs. Through nine games, the senior had 32 catches for 680 yards and 10 touchdowns. Carthage (10-0) begins what should be another deep playoff run against Liberty-Eylau (3-6) on Nov. 9 in Longview.

J.J. Garner, running back, junior

High school: Timpson

Another incredible weapon in the Timpson offensive arsenal, Garner racked up 1,302 yards and 22 touchdowns on 81 carries through eight games. He hopes to wrap up his junior season by leading the undefeated Bears to their first football state championship.

Grayson Hearon, quarterback, senior

High school: Troup

Hearon has spent most of his senior season obliterating the record books at Troup. With 2,193 yards, 36 touchdowns and two interceptions through nine games, he has 6,759 career yards and 76 touchdowns on 389 completions (all school records). After finishing 6-5 last year, Troup is 9-1.

Rickey Stewart, running back, junior

High school: Chapel Hill

After a big sophomore campaign, Stewart is at it again for the Bulldogs. Through eight games, he tallied 1,609 yards and 23 touchdowns on 112 carries and had seven catches for 127 yards and another score. Chapel Hill (8-2) will open the Class 4A Division I playoffs against Little Cypress-Mauriceville (6-4) on Nov. 10 in Nacogdoches. 

Bryce Still, quarterback, junior

High school: Overton

Still is anything but immobile. Through nine games this season, he led the Mustangs in passing and rushing with 2,099 yards (135-of-194), 25 touchdowns and six interceptions to go along with 370 yards and a touchdown on 61 carries. He and his top target, Edwards, have already sparked a seven-win turnaround for Overton, which went 2-9 in 2022.

Jett Surratt, quarterback, sophomore

High school: Carthage

The son of head coach Scott Surratt is hoping to lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back state championships this season. Through nine games, the sophomore had 2,640 yards with 31 touchdowns and seven picks on 178-of-254 passing. Carthage has not lost a game in nearly two years.

Taylor Tatum, running back, senior

High school: Longview

The four-star, two-sport Oklahoma commit is at it again. Through the first eight games of the season, Tatum, a four-star recruit, had 1,212 yards and 15 touchdowns on 160 carries, along with six catches for 138 yards and another score. He also threw a touchdown. The Lobos (9-1) host New Caney Porter (7-3) on Nov. 10. 

Clint Thurman, running back, senior

High school: Lindale

The versatile senior has been huge for the Eagles, who finished 5-1 in a brutal District 9-4A Division I. He wrapped up the regular season with 245 carries for 1,770 yards and 26 touchdowns. Thurman had a massive 46-carry, 310-yard, four-touchdown performance in a win over then-No. 1 Chapel Hill. Lindale (6-4) takes on Vidor (6-4) on Nov. 9 in a bi-district game in Nacogdoches.

-- Chuck Cox | @sblivetx