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Rivals 2025 Florida high school football Player of the Year honors
The high school football season around the country is wrapping up and with that comes honors for coaches and players from the 2025 season. One state that that always produces some of the best talent and teams from around the country is Florida high school football.
The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) state finals just ended last night and we decided to get right to it when it comes to end of the year honors.
We continue into the Sunshine State of Florida as Rivals looked through the season and selected award nominees from this past season. Who were the best players for the 2025 season, though?
Rivals give you the Florida high school football honorees for the 2025 season.
Player of the Year: Noah Grubbs, QB, Lake Mary
We might’ve overlooked Grubbs, the future Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback, when it came to Gatorade Player of the Candidates but after Saturday night’s performance in the FHSAA Class 7A state championship game, who else could honestly take home this pick? the Lake Mary senior quarterback led his team back from a 27-11 deficit in the third quarter of the state title game and finished with 333 yards and three touchdowns. For the season, Grubbs finished completing 233 of 401 passes for 3,235 yards and 40 touchdowns. Reason going with Grubbs is how the season had its ups and downs, but the senior was the glue in keeping the Rams competitive throughout. The Player of the Year personifies the one athlete a team can’t do without and at Lake Mary, without Grubbs, the Rams would have a tough time making a deep playoff run.
Offensive Player of the Year: Xander Edwards, RB, The Bolles School
Edwards had himself a breakout season playing for the FHSAA Class 2A state semifinalists. The sophomore sensation averaged a ridiculous 9.9 yards per carry and rushed for 2,629 and scored 44 times on the ground. Add in his 17 catches for 211 yards and Edwards finishes just shy of 3,000 all-purpose yards for the season. Edwards had his biggest game in a 73-49 victory over Baldwin during the regular season that put him into the Florida high school football record books. The sophomore rushed for 522 yards on 39 carries and set a state record with eight rushing touchdowns. There’s plenty of great players on the offensive side of the ball, but to do it from the backfield the way Edwards did stood out among them all. The scary part about Edwards winning this award is he’s got two more seasons ahead of him at Bolles.
Defensive Player of the Year: Asharri Charles, EDGE, Venice
There was a lot of players to shift through, but we kept coming back to the Miami signee as the state’s top defensive player of this past season when it was all said and done. Charles played on a much improved Venice defense from a year ago, that saw its point per game totals they gave up go from to 25.4 (through 15 games) to 20.6 (through 13 games). The Indians played against some of the best teams in the state, which included eventual 7A champions Lake Mary, nationally ranked IMG Academy, The First Academy and Port Charlotte, which reached the Class 4A state semifinals. The senior EDGE finished the season totaling 129 total tackles, 28 going for a loss, 13.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, recovered fumble and blocked a field goal. When it comes to difference makers coming off the edge, Charles playing for the 7A state semifinalists was an easy pivot to go to.
Coach of the Year: Mike Smith, Plantation American Heritage
Mike Smith gave coaches around not only the state of Florida, but the country a little 101 lesson on how challenging yourself during the season leads to the ultimate result: a state championship. Having to start the season off with losing quarterback Dia Bell after just one game was a tough break for the Patriots as Smith and his staff had to figure things out week-by-week. Coming within a touchdown, 24-17, of Louisiana state champion and nationally ranked Edna Karr, 24-17, was arguably the program’s most impressive performance in a losing effort. After a 5-5 regular season, Smith guided American Heritage on a five-game winning streak, avenging a loss to Archbishop McCarthy and beating Choctawhatchee on the road, over nine hours away. The Patriots capped the season off by beating Orlando Jones for the Class 4A title. With all of the adversity the team had to overcome, Smith kept the team together and led them to an improbably state title run.
How to Follow Florida High School Football
For Florida high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Sunshine State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the high school football excitement across the state of Florida.
