The Bobby Dodd National High School Player of the Year Award

The Bobby Dodd National High School Player of the Year Award

In 1987, the long time dream of the Touchdown Club of Atlanta was realized with the creation of an award for the best High School Players in the nation. As stated by the 1987 Touchdown Club president C. Everett Thomas, “It’s an honor and a privilege to announce our commitment to amateur sports. It’s something we wanted to do on the national level for some time now. From what we know, this is the only national award given to high school players.” 

The Touchdown Club of Atlanta National Player of the Year award may not have been the first such award but it is still amongst the oldest in the nation. In the creation of this award for the Best Back & Lineman in the nation, the Club put together a 20 member selection committee. One of the members of this original committee was the venerable Bobby Dodd. Regarding the formation of this award Dodd was quoted as saying, “This type of award is what amateur sports is all about. With all the problems with amateur athletics recently, this is a breath of fresh air.”

After a successful launch of the award at the February 12, 1988 Touchdown Club of Atlanta’s annual Jamboree Banquet, the tradition was started. Sadly, on June 21, 1988 coach Dodd succumbed to lung cancer and a big hole was left in the football world. To honor the work he started and the award going forward, the Touchdown Club made Bobby Dodd the namesake of the award for the best High School Back and Lineman in the nation.

Each Year since 1988, in order to best honor coach Dodd, the Touchdown Club of Atlanta’s selection committee looks to find the best Back & Lineman in the nation using all the tools available in today’s day and age as well as coach and administrator recommendations. The emphasis is on on-the-field performance with consideration going to leadership skills and classroom acumen. We wish all of our award winners a little “Dodd’s Luck” in the game of football but most importantly in the game of life.

Bobby Dodd National High School
Back of the Year

1987 Todd Marinovich

1988 Rick Mirer

1989 Robert Smith

1990 Marquette Smith

1991 Chris Walsh

1992 Ron Powlus

1993 Peyton Manning

1994 Kevin Faulk

1995 Michael Usry

1996 LaVar Arrington

1997 Ronald Curry

1998 TJ Duckett

1999 Brock Berlin

2000 Jabari Davis

2001 Gerald Riggs

2002 Chris Leak

2003 Darius Walker

2004 Ryan Perilloux

2005 Mitch Mustain

2006 Eric Berry

2007 Terrelle Pryor

2008 Aaron Murray

2009 Alex Ogletree

2010 Isaiah Crowell

2011 Dorial Green-Beckman

2012 Vernon Hargreaves III

2013 Leonard Fournette

2014 Iman Marshall

2015 Jacob Eason

2016 Najee Harris

2017 Trevor Lawrence

2018 Taulia Tagovailoa

Bobby Dodd National High School
Lineman of the Year

1987 Derrick Brown

1988 Junior Bryant

1989 Kyle Brady

1990 Jason Layman

1991 David LaFleur

1992 Willie Anderson

1993 Travis Stroud

1994 Kory Minor

1995 Andy Katzenmoyer

1996 David Warren

1997 Dennis Johnson

1998 Nick Maddox

1999 Michael Munoz

2000 Marcus Spears

2001 Derrick Morris

2002 Ernest Sims III

2003 Jeff Byers

2004 Eugene Monroe

2005 Andre Smith

2006 Marvin Austin

2007 Omar Hunter

2008 Abry Jones

2009 Garrison Smith

2010 Jadeveon Clowney

2011 Mario Edwards Jr

2012 Robert Nkemdeche

2013 Cameron Robinson

2014 Trent Thompson

2015 Rashan Gary

2016 Trey Smith

2017 Adam Anderson

2018 Nakobe Dean