The Colorado State football team just landed the reigning Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year, and honestly, this is a massive deal. Former Cherry Creek superstar running back Jayden Fox is officially a Ram as a freshman, making a late switch from UCLA to Fort Collins. Talk about a statement!
Fox was straight-up electric as Colorado’s top high school player, winning the 2025 Gatorade Player of the Year honor as a senior. This dude racked up more than 5,000 total yards and an insane 60 touchdowns during his high school career. Think about that for a second: 5,000 yards! He was tearing it up! It’s super rare for CSU to grab a Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year, especially one signing straight out of high school. We’re talking about an award that’s been around since 1985, and Fox is only the sixth winner *ever* to join CSU. That’s a wild stat.
The Rare Breed: Who Else Joined the Rams?
So, who are these other five legends who paved the way? Let’s take a quick look because this is some serious Colorado football history.
First up, there was Tanner Hollens, the 2019 Gatorade Player of the Year. He rushed for 1,732 yards and 29 touchdowns his senior year, getting Columbine to the Class 5A title game. Hollens also flipped late, ditching Northern Colorado for CSU. He only played one game in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, splitting time at linebacker and running back.
Then you’ve got Joe Hansley, the 2011 winner from Highlands Ranch High School. This guy put up more than 6,000 all-purpose yards before signing with CSU. He was a beast at receiver and returner for the Rams from 2012-15, hauling in 136 passes for 1,842 yards and 12 career touchdowns. Oh, and he even threw two touchdown passes in college. What a playmaker!
From Quarterbacks to Transfers: The CSU Legacy
The Rams also saw Justin Holland, the 2000 Gatorade Player of the Year from Bear Creek, sign with them. Holland was a star quarterback for CSU, throwing for 5,668 yards and 36 touchdowns, both of which are still No. 10 in CSU history. His 62.5% career completion percentage is second best in program history. In 2005 alone, he threw for 3,185 yards and 23 touchdowns. That’s big-time production.
Next, there’s Marcus Houston, the 1999 award winner from Thomas Jefferson. Now, Houston didn’t initially sign with CSU. He started his college career at Colorado from 2000-02, but then made a high-profile transfer to CSU. He was a Ram in 2003-04, rushing for 842 total yards and five touchdowns for them. Finally, Jerry Dunn, the 1987 Gatorade Player of the Year from Mullen High School, signed with Florida first. He eventually transferred to CSU and played from 1990-91, but only saw minimal action, throwing for 29 total yards.
This tells you how special Jayden Fox’s arrival truly is. After years of mixed success from these in-state phenoms, Fox is here, and he’s bringing a ridiculous high school resume with him. Everyone’s gonna be watching to see if he can translate those 5,000 yards and 60 TDs into college glory. What a pickup!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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