Former
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) quarterback
Bryce Young was named the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner Saturday night as the Alabama quarterback became the third former Monarch to win college football's top individual honor.
Young, who played for Mater Dei from 2018 to 2019, joined Matt Leinart and John Huarte and make the Monarchs the only high school program with three Heisman winners and the first University of Alabama quarterback to win the honor. Young's victory pushed Mater Dei past Wilson (Dallas), which claims Davey O'Brien (1938) and Tim Brown (1987).
And while Young won the the Heisman Trophy at the Downtown Athletic Club in New York City, across the country his former high school team is looking to cap off an unbeaten season in the CIF Open Division finals against Serra (San Mateo). With sophomore quarterback Elijah Brown, the Monarchs are 11-0 and could wind up winning the school's third state title and second MaxPreps National Championship a few hours after Young's trophy presentation.
All four finalists had standout prep careers.
Stroud of
Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) was the 2019 Elite 11 MVP and threw for 3,878 yards and 47 touchdowns in his senior season.
Pickett of
Ocean Township (Oakhurst, N.J.) was the No. 11 overall prospect in New Jersey, according to 247Sports, and had 4,670 yards passing and 43 TDs in his senior season.
Hutchinson of
Divine Child (Dearborn, Mich.) was a four-star prospect in high school that played defensive end, tight end, offensive line and was the team's long snapper. As a junior, Hutchinson had 68 tackles and 11 sacks.
But like Young's 2021 season at Alabama, the Crimson Tide quarterback was equally as impressive with Mater Dei. He was the 2019 MaxPreps Co-Player of the Year after throwing for 4,528 yards and 58 touchdowns as the Monarchs finished 12-1 and No. 2 behind Trinity League rival St. John Bosco.
Former Mater Dei quarterback Bryce Young could become the third Heisman Trophy winner from the Southern California school.
File photo by Mark Jones
