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SEC Quarterback Enrollee Earns Prestigious High School Accolade

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Grant Bricker | Last updated Jan 28, 2025 7:15 PM ET

The Texas Longhorns are losing starting quarterback Quinn Ewers after he declared for the 2025 NFL Draft.

Arch Manning is the next man up in the quarterback room, but the Longhorns have an enrollee from the 2025 class who is tearing it up at the high school level.

On3's Hayes Fawcett reported on Tuesday that Texas signee KJ Lacey was awarded the honor of Alabama's "Mr. Football," the most prestigious in the state for high school football.

Lacey finished his high school career with 10,985 total yards and 132 touchdowns. He spent his freshman season with Daphne High School before transferring to Saraland, where he spent the rest of his high school career.

Lacey's all-time total yards were the second-most in the history of Alabama high school football.

Texas QB signee KJ Lacey just capped off his historic HS career with Alabama’s most prestigious award “Mr. Football”

The All-American QB totaled 10,985 Yards (2nd All-Time in Alabama) & 132 TDs in his HS Career#HookEm https://t.co/x865GAkSYJ pic.twitter.com/HZpzWhpSga
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 28, 2025

Lacey is a four-star prospect in the 2025 class. He is the No. 14 QB and No. 13 prospect out of Alabama in the On3 Industry Rankings for his class.

Lacey committed to the Longhorns in June of 2023 and enrolled at Texas on Jan. 13. Lacey held multiple SEC offers, including Alabama, Ole Miss, Auburn, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Tennessee, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Florida.

Lacey joined a 2025 Texas recruiting class featuring five-star safety Jonah Williams, five-star defensive lineman Justus Terry and five-star receiver Kaliq Lockett. Lacey is Texas' only true quarterback commit from the 2025 class.

The Longhorns reached the semifinal round of the College Football Playoff before losing 28-14 to Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. Texas beat Clemson 38-24 and Arizona State 39-31 in double overtime to reach the Cotton Bowl.

The Buckeyes went on to beat Notre Dame 34-23 in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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