NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas Announces 2026 Scholar-Athlete Honorees from Across North Texas
Chapter will honor four collegiate and 21 high school scholar-athletes during the chapter’s 17th Annual Awards Banquet on March 28 in Plano
Pictured: 2025 NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas Scholar-Athletes including such notables on front row (L to R) as Randy Allen (Highland Park head football coach), Steve Hatchell (NFF CEO), Bob Lilly (Dallas Cowboys legend), Scott Murray (award winning sportscaster), Mike Doocy (award winning sportscaster), and Gerald Brence (President of the NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas). NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas board members, Scott Smith and Gary Peek, are on the back row.
DALLAS, Texas (March 26, 2026) – The NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas, the north Texas chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, Inc., today announced the scholar-athletes who will be recognized for excellence in academics, athletics, and community service during the chapter's 17th Annual Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet this Saturday, March 28, from 6:00 – 8:00pm, at the Haggard Party Barn in Plano, Texas. Award-winning sportscaster Scott Murray, who was the recipient of the chapter's 2021 Distinguished Texan Award, will emcee for the 17th consecutive year.
The chapter will honor four collegiate and 21 high school scholar-athletes from the north Texas region. Four high school students will be recognized with special awards and scholarships including one who will be named as the NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas Scholar-Athlete of the Year. This student will also receive national recognition as a member of the NFF Team of Distinction and their high school will receive the Clearview Foundation trophy to place in their trophy case for one year. The 2025 Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Preston Tarpley, and Head Football Coach, Jordan Gill, of Gunter High School, will be on hand to present this prestigious award.
A limited number of tickets for the banquet are available and may be purchased online at: www.nffdallas.org/store/banquet-tickets
"We have the privilege of honoring another group of remarkable high school and collegiate scholar-athletes who not only excel on the football field, but also in the classroom and in their communities," said NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas Chapter president Gerald Brence, a member of the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor and current assistant football coach at McKinney Christian Academy. "We are also looking forward to honoring Rutledge Haggard and our other major award winners who have all made a lasting impact on the game and the area."
2026 Major Award Winners
Rutledge Haggard – Lifelong Texan and resident of Plano recognized for decades of civic, educational, and community leadership.
Todd Dodge (Legends Award) – Iconic Texas coach and quarterback with multiple state championships and Hall of Fame honors.
Jerry Bishop (Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football) – Educator and former coach whose career exemplifies service to students and the game.
Tab Slaughter (Steve Storie Official of the Year) – NFL and Big 12 official distinguished by excellence on the field and in leadership.
Sean Hamilton (Media Person of the Year) – Emmy‑winning sports director and journalist covering the nation’s biggest sporting events.
Claude Mathis (6A High School Coach of the Year) – DeSoto head football coach who built a national powerhouse and won UIL 6A state championships in 2022, 2023, and 2025
Aaron Beck (TAPPS DII High School Coach of the Year) – All Saints’ Episcopal School (Fort Worth) head football coach and 2024 and 2025 TAPPS Division II state champion
The college and high school candidates were selected based on their athletic accomplishments, academic performance, and leadership in the community. The high school honorees will enroll in the fall at a prestigious list of institutions, including Ivy League schools, state universities and the service academies, with many continuing to play football at the next level.
2026 Collegiate Scholar-Athletes
Ken Seals – Texas Christian University
Evan Dennis – Austin College
Amarion Berry – University of North Texas
Logan Parr – Southern Methodist University
2026 High School Scholar-Athletes
Watson Bell – Argyle HS
Duke Black – The Covenant School (Dallas)
Drew Bossen – Sherman HS
Cannon L. Bozman – Highland Park HS
Keon Burke – North Mesquite HS
Thomas Collier-O'Neal – Bryan Adams HS Leadership Academy (DISD)
Coleman Cravens – Arlington HS
Marcel P. Dominguez – Frisco Lone Star HS
Cody Dow – McKinney Christian Academy
Ethan M. Feaster – DeSoto HS
Ian Glendenning – Lake Ridge HS (Mansfield)
Henry Hastings – Allen HS
Dax Hebeisen – Colleyville Heritage HS (GC-ISD)
Jackson Howard – Plano East Senior High
Zyderes Junior – Wilmer-Hutchins HS (DISD)
Anthony J. Kohler – Jesuit College Preparatory of Dallas
Gordon Mohetau – Trinity HS (Euless)
Hudson Reasor – All Saints’ Episcopal School (Ft Worth)
Alexander Richmond – Western Hills HS (FWISD)
Major Smith – Lovejoy HS
Smith J. Tilger – Plano Senior High
Dillon Wylie – Gunter HS
Click here to join the NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas chapter. Along with providing a rebate that supports the chapter's initiatives, membership benefits include a vote in the annual College Football Hall of Fame election.
About NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas
Founded in 2008, the NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas is one of 120 nationwide chapters of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF). The NFF, founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik, and journalist Grantland Rice, is a nonprofit organization that leverages the power of amateur football to build leaders. With 120 chapters in 47 states, the NFF oversees initiatives such as the NFF College Hall of Fame, the NFF William V. Campbell Trophy®, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments, Future For Football, and I Played. Learn more about the NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas at www.nffdallas.org and the NFF at www.footballfoundation.org.
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Media Contact
Gary Peek
gpeek@nffdallas.org
972.465.0173