FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29TH, 2020

HOUSTON, TX – Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, the leading publication for all things football in Texas, and the Mercari Texas Bowl are proud to announce Hallettsville running back Jonathon Brooks as the recipient of the 2020 Mr. Texas Football High School Player of the Year. Brooks will be honored on the field at the Mercari Texas Bowl on Thursday, December 31st at NRG Stadium in Houston, where the TCU Horned Frogs will face the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Mr. Texas Football annually recognizes the most outstanding high school football player in the state of Texas.

Brooks, a 6-foot, 185-pound running back, dazzled the Texas high school football world as a senior, running for 3,530 yards — the 7th most in state history — and 62 touchdowns. When you add in his receiving talents and his sensational play on defense and special teams, his season is even more astounding: 3,849 total yards and 70 total touchdowns, tying former Mr. Texas Football winner Johnathan Gray of Aledo for the single-season scoring mark. His production sparked Hallettsville to its best season ever, as the Brahmas drove to the 3A Division I state championship game, their first title game appearance in their 107-year history. Brooks’ incredible play in all three phases of the game make him a worthy recipient of the 2020 Mr. Texas Football Player of the Year award.

Former winners of the award include 2018 Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray (2013 and 2014 winner, Allen), 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel (2010 winner, Kerrville Tivy), former Texas Longhorns running back Johnathan Gray (2011 winner, Aledo), former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Jacquizz Rodgers (2007 winner, Lamar Consolidated), current Oklahoma State quarterback Spencer Sanders (2017 winner, Denton Ryan) and Carolina Panthers quarterback Garrett Gilbert (2008 winner, Lake Travis). Frisco Lone Star and Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Marvin Mims took home the award in 2019.

The 2020 Mercari Texas Bowl will once again feature a matchup between Big 12 and SEC opponents. The 2019 Texas Bowl, which was among the top-5 most-attended bowls in the country for the sixth consecutive year, featured the Texas A&M Aggies, representing the SEC, and the Oklahoma State Cowboys, representing the Big 12. The Aggies edged the Cowboys, 24-21, in a hard-hitting thriller. Overall, the Mercari Texas Bowl has ranked fourth in attendance since 2014, trailing only the Rose, Cotton and Peach Bowls in that time.

For more information on the Mr. Texas Football Award, visit www.MercariTexasBowl.com or www.TexasFootball.com.

Mercari Texas Bowl

The Mercari Texas Bowl is owned and operated by ESPN Events, a subsidiary of ESPN, and managed locally by Lone Star Sports & Entertainment. The Bowl has showcased teams from the Big 12 and the SEC, two of the country’s premier conferences since 2014. The Mercari Texas Bowl has been a tremendous success both on and off the field over its first 14 years as it is the 5th most-attended bowl in the country since 2016. The bowl generates over $30 million annually for the Houston economy and has donated nearly $2 million in financial support and millions more in promotional support to DePelchin Children’s Center, the bowl’s official charitable beneficiary.

About Dave Campbell’s Texas Football:

For more than 60 years, Dave Campbell’s Texas Football has been “the bible” to millions of football fans across the Lone Star State. The annual summer edition of the magazine remains a rite of passage for all Texans, previewing every football team in the state — from the rabid world of Texas high school football, through the college ranks, and into the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Texans. Over the course of six decades, Dave Campbell’s Texas Football remains the undisputed leader in Texas high school football, Texas college football and more.

TexasFootball.com is the online home of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, covering high school football, college football and recruiting all across the Lone Star State. From thought-provoking commentary to videos to podcasts to its daily live show, nobody covers football in Texas like TexasFootball.com.