McClain Named Charlotte Touchdown Club Student-Athlete

Ashbrook High quarterback A.J. McClain will be honored at the Bronko Nagurski Awards banquet on Monday, Dec. 7.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Football

McClain Named Charlotte Touchdown Club Student-Athlete

Ashbrook High quarterback A.J. McClain was named the Charlotte Touchdown Club's 2026 Student-Athlete of the Year. He will accept the award at the Bronko Nagurski Awards banquet on Monday, Dec. 7.

Why it matters

The honor recognizes McClain's production and leadership for Ashbrook, which has built a winning run under him over the past three seasons. It also spotlights a player whose on-field performance has drawn attention across the Charlotte area.

McClain finished 11-of-18 for 233 yards and four first-half touchdowns in Ashbrook's 47-21 6A West playoff opener over Central Cabarrus, and he is 34 rushing yards short of 1,500 career rushing yards. The source does not indicate how these figures compare with other Charlotte-area players or whether he will add to them in the postseason.

The players

A.J. McClain

Ashbrook High School quarterback who has led the team to 28 wins over three seasons and set career highs in passing yards and touchdowns this fall.

Charlotte Touchdown Club

Charlotte-based organization that presents the Student-Athlete of the Year honor as part of its annual awards program.

Ashbrook High School

Charlotte-area high school whose football program won a Big South 5A/6A title in 2025, its first conference championship in 20 years.

The details

Ashbrook won its 6A West playoff opener 47-21 over Central Cabarrus, with McClain passing for 233 yards and four first-half touchdowns and adding 47 rushing yards. The offense rebounded after three straight weeks of 21 points or less, and McClain's career totals stand at 54 passing touchdowns and 3,735 passing yards.

2025: Ashbrook won the Big South 5A/6A title, its first conference championship in 20 years.
Fall 2026: McClain set career highs in passing yards and touchdowns.
Friday night, 2026 season: Ashbrook won its 6A West playoff opener 47-21.
Monday, Dec. 7: McClain will accept the Student-Athlete of the Year award at the Bronko Nagurski Awards banquet.

Season Trajectory

McClain's recognition follows Ashbrook's 2025 Big South 5A/6A title, the program's first conference championship in 20 years. His 2026 career highs and the team's 6A West playoff win extend that run into the current postseason.

McClain's award ties him to the Charlotte Touchdown Club's recognition program, which highlights top Charlotte-area student-athletes. Readers following Charlotte-area high school football can track his remaining postseason and his career rushing total, which sits 34 yards short of 1,500.

The takeaway

McClain's honor shows how sustained production over multiple seasons can translate into state-level recognition. Readers tracking Charlotte high school football should watch how Ashbrook's postseason run develops after its opening-round win.

What happens next

McClain will accept the Student-Athlete of the Year award at the Bronko Nagurski Awards banquet on Monday, Dec. 7, at the Charlotte Convention Center.