2026 South Sound football predictions: Who will win 4A NPSL MVP honors?
The high school football season is just around the corner in Washington. Wondering who might snag player of the year honors in the leagues around the South Sound in 2026? We have some predictions. In the coming days, we’ll offer predictions for overall MVP, offensive MVP, defensive MVP, offensive line MVP and defensive line MVP in local leagues.
Some leagues have certain voting stipulations, e.g. players have to be two-way players to be named MVP, for instance. But for the sake of simplicity, I’m predicting MVPs based solely on impact, rather than tailoring predictions around the specific voting rules of each league.
Up next: the Class 4A North Puget Sound League.
PREVIOUS PREDICTIONS: 4A SPSL (NORTH & SOUTH DIVISIONS)
4A NPSL
MVP: WR/DB Jordan Noel, Kennedy Catholic, sr.
It’s been ages since Kennedy Catholic lost a league game in the 4A NPSL and the Lancers will enter as the favorite yet again. I’m banking on the speedy Noel to be a difference maker on both sides of the ball. Noel, a three-star recruit who holds offers from Oregon State and New Mexico, is a tough defender and a constant home run threat on offense. Big season loading.
Offensive MVP: QB Brady Bonnell, Tahoma, jr.
Bonnell has generated some buzz in the offseason. Internally, Tahoma coach Zach Myers is bullish on the three-star recruit, who can make all the throws. Myers said he’s seen Bonnell throw a 65-yard pass through the air, in fact. Bonnell’s dad, Carl, played quarterback for the Washington Huskies in the 2000s. Bonnell is a tough, capable runner, too. With a veteran supporting cast and handful of talented receivers around him, Bonnell should rack up plenty of yards this fall.
Defensive MVP: LB Nikko Lecksiwilai, Kennedy Catholic, sr.
Built like a tank, any opponent emerging from the backfield will feel it when the 5-foot-10, 225-pounder collides with them. A first-team 4A NPSL selection in 2025, Lecksiwilai should make an even bigger impact in 2026. He’s a bruising fullback on offense, too.
Offensive line MVP: Eli Payton, Tahoma, sr.
There could be a few players in contention here, but I see a breakout season coming from the 6-foot-4, 280-pounder, who played guard last year and will slide to tackle this fall. The lean, athletic lineman is drawing interest from Big Sky programs and will have plenty of opportunities to show what he’s made of in pass protection with Tahoma QB Brady Bonnell in 2026.
Defensive line MVP: JayLinn Haywood, Kennedy Catholic, sr.
The 6-foot-3, 306-pounder is a game wrecker on both sides of the ball. He figures to be one the league’s most disruptive defensive tackles again this fall and will need to take on a bigger load with the graduation of star national recruit Derek Colman-Brusa (UW).
