First Marcus Dupree POTY winner honored

The inaugural Marcus Dupree National High School Player of the Year award winner was honored recently, as Bellefontaine, Ohio native Tavien St. Clair brought home the award. 

Dupree is one of the greatest players in high school football history, rushing for 7,355 yards and 87 touchdowns during his time at Philadelphia High School from 1978-1981, which was good for the national high school record at the time. 

Now, Dupree will have his football legacy carried on through this award, which is given in conjunction with the National High School Football Hall of Fame.

The inaugural award was given to Tavien St. Clair of Bellefontaine High School in Bellefontaine, Ohio. St. Clair put together a phenomenal senior campaign at quarterback, completing 166 of 224 passes, for 2,536 yards, and 29 touchdowns, with only 4 interceptions. 

St. Clair is ranked as the seventh-best prospect in the entire country by the 247Sports composite rankings, which includes recruiting rankings from all the major recruiting sites. 

St. Clair signed with Ohio State and joined the Buckeyes in January to go through spring practice and prepare for his freshman season.

“Tavien St. Clair has proven himself to be one of the most dynamic quarterbacks to ever grace the high school football stage,” Chairman Lamont Robinson said. “His remarkable talent and leadership qualities embody the essence of what this award stands for. We are thrilled to recognize him as the 2025 Player of the Year.”

St. Clair was honored at a ceremony in Canton, Ohio, alongside Dupree and other members of the National High School Football Hall of Fame.