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Randle's Williams-Callis named Texas Gatorade Player of Year; national finalist
CHICAGO (December 5, 2025) — In its 41st year celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Landen Williams-Callis of Randle High School is the 2025-26 Gatorade Texas Football Player of the Year.
Gatorade Player of the Year is the top honor in high school sports, celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes for their excellence in sport, academics and community. The award recognizes Williams-Callis as Texas’ best high school football player, and he’s also been selected as a finalist for the distinguished Gatorade National Football Player of the Year award to be announced in December. Williams-Callis joins an elite legacy that spans professional athletes and coaches to CEOs, such as Peyton Manning (1993-94, Isidore Newman School, LA), Nick Singleton (2021-22, Governor Mifflin High School, PA) and Keelon Russell (2024-25, Duncanville High School, TX).
At the time of his selection, the 5-foot-8, 190-pound junior running back had led the Lions to a 13-0 record and the 5A Division II state quarterfinals. Williams-Callis had rushed for 2,868 yards and 46 touchdowns while averaging 12.1 yards per carry. He also caught 17 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown, and threw a touchdown pass as well.
Williams-Callis has volunteered locally with the YMCA and at animal shelters. He has also donated his time as a coach at the Jacquizz Rodgers Football Camp and as a speaker and mentor/presenter at elementary and middle schools. “Seldom do you hear about a kid during peewee football who lives up to the hype once they get to high school,” said Shone Evans, head coach at Texas City High School. “Not only has this young man lived up to it, but he surpassed it. His vision, strength and speed are impressive on film, but they pale in comparison to what you see from him in person. Lastly, in a world of ‘look at me,’ this young man gives off [NFL Hall of Famer] Barry Sanders vibes. Once he scores, makes a big run or runs over a defender, he finds the nearest referee to hand the ball to.”
Williams-Callis has maintained a 3.34 weighted GPA in the classroom. He will begin his senior year of high school next fall.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one state winner from each of the 50 states and Washington D.C., in 12 different sports: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls track & field. In total, 610 high school athletes are honored each year. From the pool of state winners, one national winner is selected in each of the 12 sports. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the winners in each sport.
As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport, every Player of the Year also receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner. To date, the Gatorade Player of the Year program has provided more than $6.4 million in grants to winners across more than 2,200 organizations.
To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, check out past winners or to nominate student-athletes, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com or follow us on social media on Instagram at instagram.com/Gatorade, Facebook at facebook.com/GatoradePOY and X(Twitter) at x.com/Gatorade.
BOX OFFICE: Juniors Williams-Callis, White show off elite talent in instant classic
Having covered high school sports for over 20 years, you know when you see “special”.
On the VYPE Thursday Night Game of the Week call for the Space City Home Network, two players simply jumped off the screen.
The much-anticipated rematch between No. 1 Randle vs No. 2 Iowa Colony, 49-42, would become an instant classic, and a look into the future of Texas high school football.
Both juniors and national recruits, Randle running back Landen Williams-Callis and Iowa Colony QB Carson White were playing at a different level.

Williams-Callis fumbled twice in the first two Lion drives and White directed his aerial attack going up 21-0 in the first quarter.
The upset alert was heard statewide.
White’s arm talent was elite. The ball jumps out of his hand with power. A flick of the wrist for a 40-yard rope into a tight window to UH-commit Jayden Warren for a score had college recruiters on hand taking notice.
The little things, like how he stepped into the pocket buying himself for his receivers to run to open space or his ability to run off tackle for chunk yardage showed how bright his future will be. Because of his baseball ability, he can make every throw from several arm angles.
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Williams-Callis, however, calmly came to the sideline after two early fumbles in the first quarter, seemingly ensuring his coach that things would be just fine. His five touchdowns and over 200 yards on the ground by game’s end would make it so.
Yes, he is one of the most coveted prospects in the 2027 class, but sometimes kids can be overhyped… not Williams-Callis.
One small play definines him. On an imporant 4th and 5 with the game in the balance, he goes off the right side. He seems to be bottled up before a nimble spin-move before lowering his pads through contact for the first down. It just showed his football IQ and determination in one five-yard gain.
His comboniation of spins, jab-steps, acceleration, speed and power is unmatched in Texas… unmatched. Up the middle for a 40 yard score… bouncing off three trackles and out-racing the secondary for a 50-plus yard score… back up the middle for another 30-yard score for the game-winner. As the game got tighter, he got better. The later the game got, he got stronger and faster. He simply wouldn’t be denied.
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Every time Williams-Callis was dishing out scores, here came Carsen White doing his thing. Long passes to the sideline, darts in the middle of the field, slashing runs, driving the pile to move the chains… it was a battle of wills.
In the end, the Class 5A, DII defending State Champs would win out, but these two powerhouses should meet again deep in the playoffs, just like last year in the Regional Finals. The Randle Lions are 3-0 in the series, but things are tightening up.
We can only hope as these pair of stars continue to build their resumes on the way to becoming household names at the next level.

































