Week 3 is officially in the books, and the Northeast Florida Region delivered more incredible performances here in the early stages of the 2025 season. From game-changing plays to dominating stat lines, athletes all across the region made their mark on opening week.
After reviewing box scores and standout highlights, we narrowed the field down to 10 finalists for the second The Blitz – Northeast Florida Football Player of the Week award. We also spotlighted a few more athletes who were strongly considered.
Now it’s your turn — cast your vote and help crown the Week 3 Football Player of the Week! Voting is open until Wednesday, September 17, 2025 at 11:59 AM ET / 10:59 AM CT. Voting is unlimited, so rally your school, your teammates, and your community to support your pick!
We will reveal the winner on The Blitz – Northeast Florida Edition on Wednesday night at 7:45 p.m. ET / 6:45 p.m. CT.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – WEEK 2
RB Leonard Holton, Old Plank Christian
Racked up 280 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries, plus a touchdown reception and 104 kickoff return yards in a 55–32 win over Duval Charter.
WEEK 3 NOMINEES
QB Knox Annis, Mandarin
The sophomore carved up the defense, completing 9 of 14 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns in the Mustangs’ 42–0 shutout of Sandalwood.
RB/SS Elijah Caldwell-Hardy, Impact Christian
Exploded for 208 rushing yards and a touchdown on just 4 carries, added an 80-yard touchdown reception, and totaled 294 all-purpose yards with 7 tackles and a tackle for loss in the Lions’ 44–0 rout of Wolfson.
QB TJ Cole, Raines
Went 13-of-19 for 271 yards and 3 TDs while rushing for 86 yards and a score, leading the Vikings to a 48–14 win over Trinity Christian.
RB Xander Edwards, Bolles
Dominated on the ground with 248 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns on 22 carries in the Bulldogs’ 40–35 setback against St. Augustine.
WR Brayden Felder, Nease
Hauled in 8 receptions for 135 yards and 2 touchdowns while also delivering multiple key blocks in Nease’s 47–10 win over Lincoln.
QB Brenton James, St. Augustine
Completed 22 of 26 passes for 296 yards and 3 touchdowns while adding 64 rushing yards and a score in the Yellow Jackets’ 40–35 win over Bolles.
QB Cruz James, Fletcher
The sophomore was nearly flawless, completing 17 of 21 passes for 191 yards and three touchdowns to pace the Senators’ 35–6 win over Atlantic Coast.
QB Aiden Phifer, Nease
Completed 16-of-20 passes for 245 yards and 4 touchdowns while adding 30 yards rushing in the Panthers’ 47–10 win over Lincoln.
RB Travis Pinkard, Middleburg
The senior carried 20 times for 138 yards and three touchdowns, powering the Broncos to a 28–27 win over Clay.
QB Cole Rosendahl, Ponte Vedra
The senior was nearly unstoppable through the air, completing 22 of 33 passes for 327 yards and four touchdowns in the Sharks’ 35–10 win over Baker County.
VOTE HERE
Who should be The Blitz - Northeast Florida Player of the Week for Week 3 of the 2025 season?
- WR Brayden Felder, Nease (63%, 31,103 Votes)
- QB Aiden Phifer, Nease (35%, 17,243 Votes)
- RB/SS Elijah Caldwell-Hardy, Impact Christian (1%, 447 Votes)
- QB Knox Annis, Mandarin (1%, 427 Votes)
- QB Cole Rosendahl, Ponte Vedra (0%, 78 Votes)
- QB Cruz James, Fletcher (0%, 36 Votes)
- RB Travis Pinkard, Middleburg (0%, 19 Votes)
- QB Brenton James, St. Augustine (0%, 14 Votes)
- RB Xander Edwards, Bolles (0%, 8 Votes)
- QB TJ Cole, Raines (0%, 6 Votes)
Total Voters: 49,381
