The Texas Sports Writers Association (TSWA) released their 2021 all-state high school football teams over the last week, in which 72 Dallas-area athletes were named to teams for Class 6A, 5A, 4A, and 3A.
Denton Ryan had the most players recognized, with six in the 5A division. Denton Guyer followed with five players honored in the 6A division.
South Oak Cliff head coach Jason Todd is the only Dallas-area superlative winner. Todd was named the Class 5A Coach of the Year after leading South Oak Cliff to its first-ever state championship in school history. The championship was the first for a Dallas ISD school since 1958.
Several Dallas-area standouts made the Class 6A first-team offense, including wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (Allen), tight end RJ Maryland (Southlake Carroll), and running backs Ollie Gordon (Euless Trinity) and Owen Allen (Southlake Carroll).
The Class 6A first-team defense includes defensive linemen Ernest Cooper IV (Arlington Martin) and David Hicks Jr. (Allen), as well as linebacker Jordan Crook (Duncanville). Punter Reagan Tubbs (Flower Mound) was also named a Class 6A first-team member.
Three secondary players from the Metroplex made the first team: Devyn Bobby (DeSoto), Terrance Brooks (Little Elm), and Peyton Williams (Rockwall Heath).
Denton Guyer quarterback Jackson Arnold was named to the second team in Class 6A. Arnold passed for 3,931 yards and accounted for 46 total touchdowns for a Guyer team that lost in the state title game to Austin Westlake. Arnold is rated as a four-star prospect by 247Sports and is verbally committed to attending Oklahoma University when he graduates with the class of 2023.
Guyer defensive lineman Rowan Briggs and kick returner Peyton Bowen join Arnold on the Class 6A second team.
Among the Class 5A honorees, three Denton Ryan players were named to the first team: offensive tackle Henry Appleton, defensive lineman Michael Gee, and linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. Hill is rated as a five-star prospect and No.1 linebacker in the nation for the class of 2023 by 247Sports.
Hill had 131 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and eight sacks, while Gee had 117 tackles, 30 tackles for loss, ten sacks, and five forced fumbles this season. Denton Ryan finished the season 12-2 and lost in the state quarterfinals to College Station.
South Oak Cliff also had three players named to the 5A first team: offensive guard Brione Brooks, quarterback Kevin Henry-Jennings, and defensive back Kyron Chambers.
Henry-Jennings, who will be attending SMU, passed for 3,028 yards and accounted for 49 total touchdowns for the 15-1 state championship team. Chambers had five interceptions, returned three for touchdowns, and will attend TCU.
Other Class 5A first-team honorees from the Metroplex include offensive linemen Cole Hutson (Frisco), Austin Kawecki (Frisco Lebanon Trail), and Sam Reynolds (Lucas Lovejoy) as well as wide receiver Jaxson Lavender (Lucas Lovejoy) and kicker Bryan Hansen (Colleyville Heritage).
The Class 5A first-team defense also includes linebacker Chris Knight (Colleyville Heritage) and secondary players Dylahn McKinney (Colleyville Heritage) and Ahmaad Moses (Mansfield Summit).
The Class 4A and 3A teams can be viewed on the ScoopTexas blog.