The 2025 UIL Football State Championships are set, and this year’s slate features a star-studded lineup, including three of the state’s seven current five-star prospects.

With so much talent on display, we break down the top 15 highest-rated prospects and a couple of bonus picks you won’t want to miss.

2027 RB Sarod Baker – DeSoto

Baker has been absolutely dominating the playoffs, collecting 1,507 yards and 19 touchdowns on the march to AT&T Stadium. 

"At the beginning of the season, nobody thought we'd be here," Baker explained. "People thought that loss was the downfall of DeSoto. But we got on track, listened to our coaches (and) stayed coachable."

All the rankings and offers are coming in for Baker, who already reports receiving over 20 scholarships from programs like Texas Tech, TCU, SMU, Iowa and UCF early on. 

2026 ATH X’Zavier Barnett – Yoakum

The DCTX four-star signed with SMU in the Early Signing Period and is a rare two-way talent who has been starring down the stretch, including a two-touchdown performance in a 71-27 win over Llano in the state semifinals. Barnett checks in as the No. 48 prospect in the 2026 DCTX Rising 100. 

2026 DE Landon Barnes – Duncanville

Barnes, who signed with Ole Miss, ranks as the No. 8 prospect in the state. A true edge rusher, he overwhelms offensive linemen with his speed and amplifies it with a relentless motor. Barnes is poised to become the next Duncanville standout to make his mark in the SEC.

2026 LB Daquives Beck – Carthage

The Texas A&M signee was last year's Defensive MVP in the Class 4A Division II state title game, and he is looking to run it back in 2025. The state's No. 31 prospect has collected over 300 tackles over the past three seasons and is set to enroll early in January. 

2026 LB Carson Crawford – Carthage

Crawford burst onto the recruiting scene with a standout performance in last year’s state championship game and has continued to elevate his profile, cementing his status as a DCTX four-star. He is expected to settle in at linebacker at Colorado, where he signed, but his value lies in his versatility. At Carthage, Crawford lined up at multiple spots across the defense, impacting the game as a true do-it-all defender who could be deployed wherever he's most needed.

2026 S Jordan Deck - Frisco Lone Star

After transitioning from wide receiver to safety a couple of years back, he’s developed into one of the nation’s top-rated prospects at the position. A consensus four-star, he offers range, instincts, and playmaking ability that helped him earn offers from top colleges across the nation. Deck inked with Michigan in the Early Signing Period. 

2026 RB KJ Edwards – Carthage

The DCTX five-star is an absolute offensive force with the ability to completely take over games with his speed, but he will also punish defenses in the middle of the field. Edwards holds the record for career rushing yards and rushing touchdowns at Carthage and was named the Class 4A Division II state title game Offensive MVP in 2024. 

2026 WR Ethan Feaster – DeSoto

Feaster already holds DeSoto’s single-season records for receptions and receiving yards and is closing in on the program’s all-time mark, a record he could eclipse on the state championship stage. The DCTX five-star boosted his value by flipping to defense and contributing at cornerback down the stretch. The No. 5 prospect in the 2026 class is signed with USC.

2026 DE KJ Ford – Duncanville

The Under Armour All-American is a key piece of one of the state's most dominating defensive units. He is a run enforcer who will chew up blocks, but his quick get-off allows him to pressure quarterbacks and make plays behind the line of scrimmage. The No. 16 prospect in the DCTX Rising 100 signed with the Florida Gators. 

2026 ATH La’Keyleon Graves – Kilgore

Graves stars on offense, defense and special teams for a Kilgore team known for its punishing defense, which has not allowed a touchdown since the first game of the playoffs. Texas State’s coordinators are likely to battle over where he lines up at the next level. Graves is the highest-rated G5 commit in the state, and the highest-rated Texas State commit in DCTX prospect rankings history, dating back to 2012.

2026 ATH Davian Groce - Frisco Lone Star

A four-year varsity starter in one of the state’s most prolific offensive systems, Groce appears poised to be the next standout from Jeff Rayburn’s program, which has produced NFL and college stars such as Nick Bolton and Marvin Mims. He has split time between running back and wide receiver throughout his prep career, making him one of the most versatile playmakers in the state. The DCTX four-star signed with Florida.

2028 ATH Dillon Mitchell – C.E. King

Mitchell earns his spot on this list for pure speed, clocking a 10.37 40-yard dash. That speed translates to the field, where he ranks among the two fastest players I’ve seen in pads and may be the fastest since Jakeem Grant at Mesquite Horn. He can run past defensive backs with ease and is also a dangerous threat in the return game. Offers have poured in from Houston, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Florida, Georgia, Ole Miss and more.

2027 OL Brian Swanson – South Oak Cliff

South Oak Cliff has an intimidating defense, but the team's highest-rated recruit is this monster offensive lineman who has secured offers from all over the country, including Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Arizona State. Swanson has the footwork of a tackle and the size to play on the interior, so it does not take long to see why he has collected over 30 early scholarships. 

2027 RB Landen Williams-Callis – Richmond Randle

Williams-Callis is one of just two 2027 prospects with a DCTX five-star ranking and a must-watch for any football fan. His elite footwork and balance allow him to make explosive plays, while his lower body strength lets him break tackles with ease. With 54 FBS offers, he is the state’s most heavily recruited player, regardless of class.

2027 WR Trenton Yancey – Duncanville

Yancey is the top target on a loaded Duncanville receiving unit. The DCTX four-star is among the most-offered juniors in the state, with 39, including Texas, Texas A&M, Alabama, Florida, Oregon, Oklahoma, and LSU. He is a well-rounded receiver who can beat you deep or take an underneath route and make something special happen.

BONUS PICK: 2027 RB Khelvy Jefferson - West Orange-Stark

At just 5'3", Jefferson plays like he’s six feet tall. With home-run power and a 550-pound squat, he has been a highlight machine throughout the Mustangs’ march to the state finals. If Jefferson is going to help pull off an upset over heavily favored Carthage, he will need to put on a show. If he does, he could cement his status as a legend in the '409.'

BONUS PICK: 2027 RB Kendray Porter – Newton

'KJ' has offers from programs like Houston and Texas Tech, yet he remains one of the state’s true under-the-radar gems. For over five months, he’s been giving defensive coordinators headaches with his playmaking out of the backfield and his ability to flex out as a receiver in the Eagles’ difficult-to-defend Wing/Gun offense.