The reigning Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year is joining the Colorado State football team as a freshman.
The Rams have landed former Cherry Creek superstar running back Jayden Fox after a late switch away from UCLA ended up with Fox as a Ram.
He won the 2025 Gatorade Player of the Year honor as Colorado's top high school player as a senior in the 2025 season. Fox amassed more than 5,000 total yards and 60 touchdowns in high school.
It's a rare feat for the Rams to have a Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year play for them and even rarer for a winner of that award to sign with CSU out of high school.
How rare? The honor has been around since 1985 and Fox is just the sixth winner to join CSU. Here's a look at the list:
Tanner Hollens
Hollens won the 2019 Gatorade Player of the Year in Colorado after rushing for 1,732 yards and 29 touchdowns as a senior to help Columbine reach the Class 5A title game. Hollens signed with CSU after a late flip from Northern Colorado.
He was only a Ram for the 2020 COVID-shortened season, spending time at linebacker and running back. He appeared in one game at CSU.
Joe Hansley
Hansley won the 2011 Gatorade Player of the Year honor at Highlands Ranch High School, where he racked up more than 6,000 all-purpose yards before signing with CSU out of high school.
Hansley starred at receiver and returner for the Rams. He scored 12 career touchdowns as a receiver for the Rams while catching 136 passes for 1,842 yards. He also threw two touchdown passes in his college career, which spanned from 2012-15.
Justin Holland
Holland won the 2000 Gatorade Player of the Year honor at Bear Creek High School before signing with CSU.
The quarterback was a star with the Rams, throwing for 5,668 yards and 36 touchdowns (which both currently rank No. 10 in CSU history). His career completion percentage of 62.5% is second in program history. Holland threw for 3,185 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2005.
Marcus Houston
Marcus Houston won the 1999 Gatorade Player of the Year award out of Thomas Jefferson. Houston didn't sign with CSU, though, but started his college career at Colorado.
Houston played 2000-02 at CU before a high-profile transfer to CSU. He was a Ram in 2003-04, rushing for 842 total yards and five touchdowns at CSU.
Jerry Dunn
Dunn won the 1987 Gatorade Player of the Year award out of Mullen High School and he signed with Florida.
Dunn eventually transferred to CSU and was a Ram from 1990-91, throwing for 29 total yards at CSU in minimal action.
Sports reporter Kevin Lytle can be found on social media on X, Instagram and Threads @Kevin_Lytle and on Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Here's how often CSU has had the Colorado football Player of the Year