Duffey voted the best in DFW

On Monday evening, a collection of Dallas-Fort Worth's best high school football players were gathered as finalists for the 2015 Tom Landry Award - an award that recognizes the top high school football player in the area, chosen by a voting panel of former coaches and players, members of the media and local leaders. Recent winners of the Tom Landry Award include Kyler Murray, Myles Garrett, Johnathan Gray, and now Jett Duffey joins them as the 2015 recipient of the award.

Congrats Mansfield Lake Ridge QB & Texas Tech commit @Jett8Duffey - 2015 Tom Landry Award winner pic.twitter.com/CA5Ik50KAt- Bill Jones (@CBS11BillJones) December 15, 2015

WHAT'S NEXT?:

Duffey and his Lake Ridge teammates are playing George Ranch in the state championship this Friday night at NRG Stadium, a battle of two undefeated teams for the state title. That is clearly the focus for Duffey at the moment, but after the season ends, the early graduate will get his things together and move to Lubbock for the spring semester.

IN HIS WORDS:

"It really hasn't even hit me yet," Duffey said. "This whole season has been surreal and I'm very fortunate to have everything fall into place like it has, both in recruiting and with our team's success this season. To be on a list with guys like Kyler Murray and Myles Garrett is a real honor as well. Like I said, it's still hard to believe and I'm sure it will all soak in after the season."

Duffey recently signed a financial aid agreement with Texas Tech this week, a common document signed by prospects enrolling early, and the occasion was treated as a signing day ceremony by his classmates at Lake Ridge.

"I signed my financial aid agreement and we had a ceremony this week," Duffey said. "That was a lot of fun, the support from the teachers and my classmates was incredible. It was just one big celebration and I cannot wait to finish up the season, then move out to Lubbock and start the next chapter of my football career at Texas Tech. The way everything fell into place with Texas Tech and the coaching staff there is something I'm very happy with. We have a great relationship and I'm looking forward to working with them soon."

OUR REACTION:

Duffey's accomplishments speak for themselves, but allow yourself to remember the day he was offered or the day he committed to Texas Tech for a moment. Most will remember a reaction of "Who is Jett Duffey?" and at the time that was a very acceptable response. Today, and especially this week, anyone who didn't know the name Jett Duffey now knows him as the best high school football player in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. His accomplishments on and off the field this season are impressive to say the least, but more importantly speak to the coaches' ability to evaluate and recruit young men like Duffey to join the Texas Tech program. -- Matt Clare