Cowboys Quarterback Zane Flores Honored on NFF 2023 Team of Distinction

(The National Football Foundation contributed to this story written by Pokes Report publisher Robert Allen.)

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State Cowboys freshman quarterback Zane Flores has yet to take the field in a game collegiately, but he comes into his first full year as a college quarterback after collecting one of the most prestigious football honors that a high school player can achieve. Flores led his Gretna team to back to back state championship games, left Nebraska as the record setter in yards passing and passing touchdowns. Now, the National Football Foundation has honored him as one of 79 prep players from across the nation on their 2023 NFF Team of Distinction. 

The selection comes from a pool of 3,500 scholar-athletes identified by a nationwide Chapter Network, the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced today the 79 members of the 2023 NFF Team of Distinction. As part of its mission to promote the scholar-athlete ideal, the initiative allows the NFF to honor the top high school scholar- athletes from around the country as the best and the brightest at the local level while highlighting the work of the NFF Chapter Network.

The members of the team all played their final high school football season during the 2022-23 school year. As part of the award, all of the honorees will be part of a permanent digital display at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

Criteria to make the team include (but are not limited to) academic achievement, athletic accolades and community involvement. Each chapter is limited to one honoree, distinguishing them as the top scholar-athlete from all the high schools covered by the chapter.

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Zane Flores projected a big image with his career at Gretna High School.

Not every state is represented (only 35 on this edition). The teams average GPA was a 4.0. There were 67 team captains, 43 All-State selections, five valedictorians, 48 National Honor Society members, and nine National Merit Finalists and honorees. 

Flores qualified on several counts, team captain, All-State, and National Honor Society member. 

His senior season stats include 3,117 yards and 31 touchdowns through the air with 274 yards and 10 scores on the ground. Flores was a two-time all-state selection as a junior and senior and was named the 2022 Nebraska Max Preps Player of the Year as well as the Gatorade Nebraska Player of the Year. At Gretna, he went 30-4 over three seasons as a starter with career totals of more than 9,000 passing yards, 82 passing touchdowns and 29 rushing touchdowns. He also competed on Gretna’s basketball and track and field teams, and excelled in the classroom with a 3.97 GPA. Flores committed early in the spring of 2022 and he signed with Oklahoma State over offers from Nebraska, Oregon State, Kansas, Kansas State, Pittsburgh, Washington among others.

The National Football Foundation Team of Distinction dates back to 1954 and is one of the highest honors for a high school football player.

"This initiative allows us to shine a national spotlight on some of the most deserving high school student-athletes honored at the local level by our expansive Chapter Network," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. "This honor is one of the most prestigious national awards that a high school player can receive. We would like to congratulate all 79 honorees for their success on and off the field, especially with the challenges caused by the pandemic during their senior year. We also want to salute all of our NFF Chapters who continue to play an important role in promoting football in their communities."