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

15 players who have stood above the pack this fall, from El Paso to Amarillo, to Stephenville

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, North Texas and East Texas, we are moving on to 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 West 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:

WEST TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST

Jude Blanco, wide receiver, senior

High school: El Paso Hanks

One of the top pass-catchers in the state at any level, Blanco hauled in 57 catches for 1,473 yards and 16 touchdowns for an average of 25.8 yards per catch through nine games. He and the Knights (6-4) will open the state playoffs at Abilene (8-2) on Nov. 9.

Mikey Cota, quarterback, junior

High school: Odessa

Cota held his own with the elite quarterbacks across the state in all classifications. Through nine games, he was 186-of-313 for 2,851 yards with 36 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The Bronchos finished the 2023 season with a 5-5 record.

JaeSean DeBouse, running back, sophomore

High school: Andrews

Another West Texas player whose stats are among the best in Texas, DeBouse rushed for 1,690 yards and 16 touchdowns on 160 carries through nine games. The sophomore standout and the rest of the Eagles (5-5) take on El Paso Austin (5-5) in a bi-district playoff game on Nov. 9.

Rudy Garcia, wide receiver, senior

High school: El Paso Eastwood

Garcia is a big reason the Troopers are having another big season. Through nine games, the senior had 59 catches for 1,040 yards and six touchdowns. Eastwood (9-1) hosts Wolfforth Frenship (8-2) in a Class 6A Division II bi-district game on Nov. 10.

Tristian Gentry, wide receiver, junior

High school: Stephenville

Gentry is having a big junior season for the Yellow Jackets with 58 catches for 1,273 yards and 12 touchdowns through nine games. He is in the top 10 in receiving yardage among all pass-catchers in the state. Stephenville (8-2) will battle Fort Worth Western Hills (5-5) in a home playoff game on Nov. 9.

Juan Gomez, linebacker, senior

High school: El Paso Parkland

This Matador is not messing around. Through nine games, Gomez tallied 159 tackles with four sacks to rank among the top three players in tackles in Texas across all classifications. Parkland (6-4) opens the state playoffs with a bi-district contest at Lubbock-Cooper (7-3) on Nov. 9.

Adam Hill, running back, senior

High school: Albany

Coming off a Class 2A Division II state championship, Albany looks to repeat with the help of this talented senior. Through nine games this season, Hill had 162 carries for 1,538 yards and 22 touchdowns. The Lions (10-0) host Eldorado (5-4) in a Nov. 9 bi-district game.

Hudson Hutcheson, quarterback, senior

High school: Wolfforth Frenship

Second only to Hutto’s Will Hammond in passing yardage in the state, Hutcheson is having a monster senior season for the Tigers. Through nine games, he tallied 3,265 yards with 33 touchdowns and six interceptions on 220-of-309 passing. Frenship (8-2) plays at El Paso Eastwood (9-1) in bi-district on Nov. 10.

Xavier Jimenez, running back, junior

High school: Lockney

Jimenez is having quite a junior season. Through the first nine games of 2023, he racked up 1,480 yards and 17 touchdowns on 222 carries. The Longhorns (7-2) host Morton (5-5) in an opening-round playoff game on Nov. 9.

Brayden Loyd, quarterback, junior

High school: Seymour

Ranking among the top 10 quarterbacks in the state in passing yardage, Loyd has the Panthers primed to make a deep playoff run. Through nine games, the junior was 166-of-264 for 2,838 yards with a whopping 41 TDs against four interceptions. Seymour (8-2) opens the state playoffs at the Celeste Blue Devils (7-3) on Nov. 9.

Armando Lujan, quarterback, junior

High school: Sunray

Lujan has been Mr. Offense for the Bobcats, leading the team in passing and rushing. Through nine games, he was 194-of-298 for 2,725 yards and 44 touchdowns with six interceptions and tallied 634 yards and 13 touchdowns on 52 carries. Sunray (8-2) opens the playoffs at Wheeler (4-6) on Nov. 10.

Noah Moreno, quarterback, senior

High school: El Paso Bel Air

One of the most accurate passers in the West Texas region, Moreno was 130-of-201 for 2,548 yards with 32 TDs and five interceptions through nine games. The Highlanders (8-2) will look to keep on rolling when they host Amarillo (5-5) in bi-district on Nov. 10.

Edgar Quinonez, wide receiver, junior

High school: McCamey

Quinonez has established himself as one of the best pass-catchers in the state at any level. Through nine games this season, he has 61 catches for 1,359 yards and 20 touchdowns. The Badgers (5-5) open the postseason with a bi-district road game against Roscoe (8-2) on Nov. 9.

Leyton Stone, wide receiver, junior

High school: Wolfforth Frenship

Stone is taking full advantage of having one of the state’s top quarterbacks throwing the ball to him. Through nine games, the stellar junior had 69 catches for 1,236 yards and 14 touchdowns. Frenship heads into the postseason with three consecutive wins.

Brady Thompson, quarterback, senior

High school: Amarillo Highland Park

The Hornets missed out on the playoffs with a 5-5 overall record, but Thompson managed to put together a huge senior season. He finished the year by going 144-of-198 for 2,574 yards with 28 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

-- Chuck Cox | @sblivetx