NEW ORLEANS (October 7, 2025) – The Allstate Sugar Bowl has announced this week's Manning Award Futures – four local high school quarterbacks who turned in outstanding performances on the football field this past weekend.
 
The recognition is entitled "Futures" as these high school stars are potential future candidates for the Manning Award, which recognizes the top collegiate quarterback in the nation on an annual basis. It was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in 2004 to honor the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning.
 
The Sugar Bowl has had the opportunity to recognize 114 quarterbacks from 53 different high schools since the honor's inception in 2020.
 
Manning Award Futures – High School QBs of the Week, 10/7/25:
 
JaJuan Johnson, St. James (16-of-21, 290 total yards, 3 TDs)
Johnson, who posted a 71-yard completion with just under a minute to play, delivered the game-winning 12-yard touchdown pass on the game's final play as St. James upended St. Charles Catholic, 34-28, in a Friday night thriller at Wildcat Stadium.
 
John Johnson, Edna Karr (14-of-28, 252 yards, 5 TDs)
Johnson, who passed for three touchdowns and ran for two more, helped Karr extend its state-best winning streak to 18 games with a 42-21 win over St. Augustine on Friday at Morris F.X. Jeff Stadium
 
Kaiden Thomas, Willow (18-of-36, 283 yards, 5 TDs)
Thomas, who connected on a 23-yard touchdown with two seconds remaining in regulation and then connected on a PAT pass to knot the game at 42 and force overtime, set up an overtime TD and then scored on a PAT run to lift the Lions to a thrilling 50-49 victory over Sophie B. Wright on Friday at Brees Family Field.
 
Mynue Zeno, Abramson (17-of-21, 417 total yards, 5 TDs)
Zeno, who passed for 387 yards, connected on five touchdown passes to lead the Commodores to the first 5-0 start in the history of the program as they took down Crescent City Christian, 55-0.
 
The Allstate Sugar Bowl has established itself as one of the premier college football bowl games, having hosted 29 national champions, 110 Hall of Fame players, 55 Hall of Fame coaches and 21 Heisman Trophy winners in its 91-year history. The 92nd Allstate Sugar Bowl Football Classic, which will double as a College Football Playoff Quarterfinal, is scheduled to be played on January 1, 2026. In addition to football, the Sugar Bowl Committee annually invests over $1 million into the community through the hosting and sponsorship of sporting events, awards, scholarships and clinics. Through these efforts, the organization supports and honors thousands of student-athletes each year, while injecting over $2.5 billion into the local economy in the last decade.