Ohio Mr. Football finalists announced

VW independent sports/submitted information

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Prep Sports Media Association has announced the finalists for the 2025 Ohio Mr. Football Award. The winner will be announced at 5 p.m. next Thursday in Canton prior to the start of the OHSAA football state championships. The prestigious honor has been awarded since 1987.

The OPSMA district chairpersons and officers have selected the finalists. The voting process is nearly identical to that used to determine the Heisman Trophy winner in college football. The 220 registered OPSMA members each get one vote, with voting ending at noon on Monday, December 1.

Ohio’s Mr. Football was selected by the Associated Press from 1987-2016. Since 2017 it has been presented by the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association.

The OPSMA All-Ohio teams will begin being released on Monday, December 8.

2025 Ohio Mr. Football Finalists (finalists listed in alphabetical order)

Levi Davis, Olentangy Orange, 6-0, 187, sr. QB.

A dynamic dual threat weapon, Davis has been the chief catalyst for second-ranked Orange’s winningest season in history (13-0). Entering a state semifinal, Davis had completed 134 of 198 passes (67.7 percent) for 2,016 yards with 15 TDs and 7 interceptions and had rushed for 935 yards on 126 carries (7.4 average) with 15 TDs. A four-year starter and Ohio University football commit, Davis has passed for 7,006 yards and 51 TDs while rushing for 2,631 yards and 37 TDs in his career. Davis made second-team All-Ohio in 2024. Davis also was starting point guard for the state championship basketball team last March (and for the regional runner-up in 2023 and 2024) and in track last spring was regional champion in the long jump (23 feet, 1 1/4 inches) and runner-up in the high jump (6-6), earning All-Ohio in the latter.

Brayden DeVito, Shelby, 5-11, 175, sr., QB

United States Air Force Academy commit led the Whippets to back-to-back undefeated regular seasons and the No. 1 ranking in the final Associated Press poll in 2025. In 12 games, DeVito entered the regional championship on Nov. 21 with 2,783 yards and 35 touchdowns to just three interceptions on 165-of-221 pass attempts (75 percent completion rate). He had also run 106 times for 1,009 yards and 24 TDs on the ground. DeVito had 54 total TDs in just 31 quarters of action. Shelby also entered the regional final having scored 30-plus points in 12 straight games, the longest active streak in Ohio. For his career, entering Week 14, DeVito is 700-of-1,060 passing (66 percent) for 12,440 yards (unofficially No. 4 in OHSAA history) with 120 TDs (13th in OHSAA history) and has rushed 516 times for 4,294 yards and 71 TDs with a career total of 196 TDs. As a sophomore, he faced Van Wert in the Division IV Region 14 quarterfinals and led the Whippets to a 71-41 victory. On track to become a three-time All-Ohio first team selection, DeVito was also All-Ohio first team in basketball and was a state placer in track as the first three-sport all-state player in school history.

Brayton Feister, Archbishop Hoban, 6-3, 230, jr., LB

NE Inland defensive POY had 102 tackles, 32 TFL, two interceptions, four forced fumbles, nine sacks and two defensive touchdowns. Also ran for 895 yards and 13 touchdowns on 92 carries (9.7 yards per carry) in nine games. The four-star athlete counts Oregon, Penn State and Michigan among his 27 offers. Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, Georgia, and Florida indicated they will offer after the season is over. He’s a three-time MaxPreps All-American. 

Ryder Hooks, Liberty Township Lakota East, 5-8, 185, sr., RB/DB

GMC Offensive Player of the Year and three-time First Team All-GMC selection. Rushed for 2,032 yards and 19 touchdowns in addition to catching 25 passes for 400 yards and three touchdowns. Had 290 yards and four touchdowns in a win over Lakota West and 286 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Centerville. Added 31 tackles, two TFL, two Forced Fumbles, a fumble recovery, six pass deflections and three Interceptions (returned two for touchdowns) on defense.

Cincere Johnson, Glenville, 6-3, 225, sr., LB

Johnson is the Northeast Lakes District Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season. Johnson, a four-star prospect according to most recruiting services, is committed to Ohio State. He led Glenville with 112 tackles, 21 TFL and 8.5 sacks. The Tarblooders played a tough schedule that included defending Division II state champ Avon, Massillon, Olentangy Liberty, St. Edward and Akron Archbishop Hoban. Johnson started as a sophomore middle linebacker on Glenville’s 2023 state championship team and led the Tarblooders back to last year’s state semifinals.

Grady Kinsey, Gnadenhutten Indian Valley, 5-8, 205, sr. RB/LB

United States Air Force Academy commit is a two-time Mr. Football nominee and the state’s all-time leader in total touchdowns (136) and rushing touchdowns (131). Has rushed for 2,585 yards and 40 touchdowns this season en route to leading the Braves back to the Division IV state semifinals. Indian Valley won the D-IV state title last year as Kinsey finished with 3,278 yards (ninth in OHSAA history) and 50 touchdowns. He has 8,489 career rushing yards (ranks third in OHSAA history) on 804 carries (a 10.6 yards per carry average). Defensively he has 345 career tackles, 19 TFL and three forced fumbles. Kinsey is a four-time All-East District selection, including a three-time first team and two-time player of the year choice.

Matt Ponatoski, Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller, 6-1, 200, sr., QB

Reigning Mr. Football is a two-time GCL Offensive Player of the Year and three-time First Team all-GCL selection. Team Captain completed 199-of-301 pass attempts for 2,402 yards and 28 touchdowns (one interception) this season. Also had one rushing touchdown. Committed to the University of Kentucky to play football and baseball. Won nearly every POY honor in Ohio last year, including MaxPreps and Gatorade. Career numbers read 9,946 passing yards and 115 touchdown passes.

Rocco Williams, Pickerington Central, 6-2, 205, sr. QB

Owner of virtually all of the tradition-rich program’s single-game, season and career passing marks, Williams guided seventh-ranked Pickerington Central to an 11-2 record and a regional runner-up.  Williams passed   for 2,426 yards with 28 touchdowns and just three interceptions while rushing for 610 yards and nine TDs. A Middle Tennessee State commit, Williams passed for 5,900 yards and 65 TDs while rushing for 650 yards and 17 TDs in his career as a three-year starter (also made a few starts as a freshman) during which the Tigers went 28-9. He made second-team All-Ohio in 2024.

Ohio Mr. Football Recipients (including college choice) 

1987: Buster Howe, RB-DB-K-P, Zanesville, Ohio State

1988: Robert Smith, RB, Euclid, Ohio State

1989: Robert Smith, RB, Euclid, Ohio State

1990: Bobby Hoying, QB, St. Henry, Ohio State

1991: Derek Kidwell, QB-DE, Fostoria, Bowling Green

1992: Marc Edwards, RB-LB, Norwood, Notre Dame

1993: Curtis Enis, RB-LB, Mississinawa Valley, Penn State

1994: Charles Woodson, DB-RB, Fremont Ross, Michigan

1995: Andy Katzenmoyer, LB, Westerville South, Ohio State

1996: Derek Combs, RB-DB-KR, Grove City, Ohio State

1997: Tony Fisher, RB, Euclid, Notre Dame

1998: Ryan Brewer, RB, Troy, South Carolina

1999: Bam Childress, DB-WR-KR, Bedford St. Peter Chanel, Ohio State

2000: Jeff Backes, RB-DB, Upper Arlington, Northwestern

2001: Maurice Clarett, RB, Warren G. Harding, Ohio State

2002: Ben Mauk, QB, Kenton, Wake Forest/Cincinnati

2003: Ray Williams, RB, Cleveland Benedictine, West Virginia

2004: Tyrell Sutton, RB, Archbishop Hoban, Northwestern

2005: Delone Carter, RB, Copley, Syracuse

2006: Brandon Saine, RB, Piqua, Ohio State

2007: Bart Tanski, QB, Mentor, Bowling Green

2008: Erick Howard, RB, North Canton Hoover, Akron

2009: Erick Howard, RB, North Canton Hoover, Akron

2010: Akise Teague, RB-DB-KR, Youngstown Ursuline, Cincinnati

2011: Maty Mauk, QB, Kenton, Missouri/Eastern Kentucky

2012: Mitch Trubisky, QB, Mentor, North Carolina

2013: Dante Booker Jr., LB, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, Ohio State

2014: Joe Burrow, QB, Athens, Ohio State, Louisiana State

2015: Keishaun Sims, RB-DB, Massillon Perry, Ashland University

2016: Michael Warren, RB, Toledo Central Catholic, University of Cincinnati

2017: Joey Baughman, QB, Wadsworth, Elon University

2018: Cade Stover, SS-RB, Lexington, Ohio State University
2019: Evan Prater, QB, Cincinnati Wyoming, University of Cincinnati

2020: Corey Kiner, RB, Cincinnati Roger Bacon, Louisiana State

2021: Drew Allar, QB, Medina, Penn State

2022: Lamar Sperling, RB, Akron Archbishop Hoban, Buffalo

2023: Jordan Marshall, RB, Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller, Michigan

2024: Matt Ponatoski, QB, Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller, Kentucky