Believe it or not, we're officially 100 days away from kickoff of the 2026 Texas high school football season. To get you hyped for some TXHSFB, we've compiled a list of 100 players/teams that we're excited to watch this fall. Let us know who you're pumped to see on our social channels. 

PLAYERS

Gilmer 2027 OL Ismael Camara - This man had 170 pancake blocks last season. 170. Did I mention it was his first year playing against UIL competition? Every school in the country is trying to sign the “French Freak,” including Texas, Texas A&M, Oregon and SMU. (Greg Powers)

Denton Ryan 2027 QB Colton Nussmeier - Nussmeier arrives at Ryan as the No. 2-rated QB in the state and will bring an NFL arm and pedigree. His impact should be felt in a big way. Georgia, Arkansas and Kentucky are chasing his pledge. (Powers)

DeSoto 2027 RB SaRod Baker (Powers)

Cedar Hill 2027 DT Jalen Brewster (Powers)

Argyle 2027 WR Julian Caldwell (Powers)

Lancaster 2028 James Foster II - Foster is the highest-rated defensive underclassman in the state and possesses the size, frame and football IQ to be rated as a national five-star. He will light you up as a tackler and is tremendous in coverage. (Powers)

Frisco Panther Creek 2029 WR Sukora Cooper Jr. (Powers)

Carthage 2028 JD Edwards (Powers)

Mansfield Summit 2027 DE Cameron Hall (Powers)

Smithson Valley 2027 QB Ty Knutson (Powers)

Melissa 2028 RB Jeremiah Tabor - Tabor runs with a physical style, looking to inflict pain on opposing tacklers. Some of the top programs in the nation have offered, including his most recent offer from Oregon. (Powers)

Tyler 2027 RB Cadarius McMiller (Powers)

Anna 2027 OL Peyton Miller (Powers)

Fort Bend Crawford 2027 WR Alvin Mosley (Powers)

South Houston 2027 DE/TE Xavier Muhammad (Powers)

Pflugerville Weiss 2027 WR Tre Moore (Powers)

Frisco Lone Star 2028 QB Trey Wright - Wright is a walking highlight who led the nation with 5,863 yards to go along with 59 touchdowns while pushing the Rangers to the 5A Division I state championship game. (Powers)

Highland Park 2027 QB Buck Randall (Powers)

South Oak Cliff 2027 OL Brian Swanson (Powers)

Richmond Randle 2027 RB Landen Williams-Callis (Powers)

Columbus lineman Keyon Hemphill-Woods: If there's any lineman that could win Player of the Year it's Texas commit Hemphill-Woods. The three-year starter on the offensive line will also play a bigger role on defense for a Columbus program generating preseason state championship buzz. (Carter Yates)

Idalou RB/LB AJ Huddleston (Yates)

Newton RB Kendray Porter Jr: The Houston commit rushed for 2,400 yards and scored 40 total touchdowns as a junior, but he still has unfinished business after a heart-breaking one-point loss in the Class 3A DII State Championship. (Yates)

Hamilton LB Easton Marwitz (Yates)

West Rusk WR/DB Kam Brown (Yates)

Joaquin RB/FS Cooper Bragg: Arguably the fastest kid in Class 2A, Bragg rushed for over 2,000 yards and notched 91 tackles in 2025. (Yates)

Windthorst QB/DB Brock Belcher (Yates)

Ropes QB/DB Chase Lantelme: In one of the most intriguing offseason moves, Lantelme followed his brother, defensive coordinator David, from preseason state championship contender Stratford to now state championship contender Ropes. (Yates)

Shiner LB Brody Popp (Yates)

Gruver LB Bo Cowan (Yates)

Aquilla's TC Hennig: Hennig is Class 1A's rising star after earning First Team All-State cornerback in his sophomore season. After a 12-1 season, what's in store for the encore? (Yates)

EJ Mowery Union Hill (Yates)

Cherokee's Uriah Valdez (Yates)

Rankin's Matthew Ramos (Yates)

Motley County's Culley Lawrence (Yates)

C.E. King 2028 ATH Dillon Mitchell: They don’t call him “Superman” for nothing. He’s the fastest player in Texas, winning gold in the 6A Boys’ 100M Dash, clocking a 9.92. That electrifying speed translates in pads, dominating as a wide receiver and in the return game. (Mallory Hartley)

Humble Summer Creek 2027 WR Benny Easter Jr. (Hartley)

Manvel 2028 WR Carter St. Junious (Hartley)

Humble Kingwood 2027 OT Kennedy Brown: Brown is the No. 4 overall 2027 prospect in Texas, and that alone should give you reason to be excited about him. With only playing in a handful of games last season due to an injury, I think Brown is poised to have a big senior year. (Hartley)

Waxahachie 2028 JayQuan Snell (Hartley)

Waco Midway 2027 RB Lathan Whisenton (Hartley)

2027 Cibolo Steele S Eli Johnson (Hartley)

Denton Guyer 2027 DE Zane Rowe (Hartley): A four-year starter at the 6A level, Zane Rowe has been on the recruiting radar since his eighth-grade year. I can only imagine he’ll go out with a bang his senior year at Denton Guyer. (Hartley)

North Crowley 2028 WR Damarion Mays (Hartley)

North Forney 2027 WR Briceson Thrower (Hartley)

Shadow Creek 2028 WR Jaylen Addai (Hartley)

Willis 2029 QB Lincoln Frazier: Frazier, the freshman quarterback who was trusted to command one of the most prolific offenses at the 6A level, returns for his sophomore season. This time, he’ll be without Mr. Texas Football winner Jermaine Bishop, but that shouldn’t stop him from having a great season. (Hartley)

Coppell 2028 QB Carter Zingelmann (Hartley)

Keller Central 2028 CB Isaiah Taylor (Hartley)

Fort Bend Ridge Point 2030 WR Adrian Peterson Jr.: His last name might sound familiar, and that’s because he’s the son of Adrian Peterson. If Coach LaFavers gives Peterson some reps, he could be poised to have a breakout season as a freshman on a talent-riddled squad. (Hartley)

TEAMS

Sheldon C.E. King: With an absolute speed demon returning in 2028 ATH Dillon Mitchell, along with RBs A'Rhiyan Montgomery & Antwon Sanders headlining a loaded backfield, expect Cory Laxen’s squad to again be Class 6A’s most explosive offense. (Gavin Moritz)

North Crowley (Moritz)

The Woodlands College Park: The Cavaliers return much to be excited about in 2026, from electric 2027 QB & Cincinnati commit Camden Hughes to WR Julian Cromartie, a DCTX 4-star & son of former NFL All-Pro Antonio Cromartie. With former San Antonio Johnson OC Michael Buro taking over, I expect College Park to make an even deeper run this fall. (Moritz)

Denton Guyer (Moritz)

San Antonio Johnson (Moritz)

Harker Heights: If you’re looking for an explosive offense captained by a QB with equal arm strength and swagger, I point you in the direction of Harker Heights & its 2027 signal caller, Hudson Humble. After throwing for 3,400+ yards and scoring 36 TDs last fall, the gunslinger will have UTSA commit Ryan Taylor Jr. to air it out to, along with underrated 2027 two-way star Arshawn Spann. (Moritz)

Laredo United (Moritz) 

Fort Bend Ridge Point (Moritz)

Rockwall (Moritz)

Waxahachie: After playing in the Regional Final a season ago, the Indians bring back plenty of starpower in Texas A&M DB commit JayQuan Snell, who is undoubtedly the hardest hitter in Texas, plus South Carolina QB commit Jerry Meyer leading the offense. With the promotion of Lawrence Williams to head coach, Waxahachie has its sights set on a trip to Arlington in 2026. (Moritz)

Hewitt Midway (Moritz)

Willis (Moritz)

Coppell (Moritz)

Humble Atascocita (Moritz)

Cibolo Steele: After losing a third-round heartbreaker last November to San Antonio Johnson, the Knights are hungry. With David Saenz on the sideline and 2027 Ohio State safety pledge Eli Johnson holding down an elite secondary, look for defense to be Steele’s calling card in 2026. (Moritz)

 

Wall: Coming off their first state championship in program history, the Hawks face dual challenges for a repeat: heavy graduation losses, and a move up to 3A Division I. (Greg Tepper)

Sinton: The Pirates drop down to 3A after a state semifinal run a year ago, and with RB/DB Marcos Zapata Jr. leading the way, they’re a threat to win it all. (Tepper)

Edgewood: The Bulldogs might have the most electrifying offense in all of 3A with Trevor Golightly back at the controls — he accounted for more than 4,500 total yards and 54 touchdowns last year. (Tepper)

Hardin: After the best year in program history, the Hornets drop down to 3A Division II; can their unique offense take hold again behind QB Kolten Bishop? (Tepper)

East Bernard: You doubt the Brahmas at your own peril, considering they were a five-loss state semifinalist last year. And if you’ve never seen WR Amare Jones, you’re in for a treat. (Tepper)

Muenster: The back-to-back defending 2A Division II state champs begin life in Division I, and must find a replacement for all-everything QB Casen Carney. Get to know the name of new signal-caller Carter Heller. (Tepper)

Rosebud-Lott: Looking for a sleeper? Quarterback Pryce Rabroker and running back Zaylon Wells form one of the most powerful one-two punches in all of Class 2A. (Tepper)

Ropes: The Eagles were already intriguing with do-it-all star Zayden Pittman leading the way…but when Chase Lantelme moved from Stratford to Ropes to join his brother (Ropes’ new DC), they became un-missable. (Tepper)

Overton: Coach Scotty Laymance has quietly assembled one of the most consistently fun teams in Texas — and athletes Justin Weir and Jacob Osburn will keep that tradition alive in 2026. (Tepper)

Bremond: With quarterback Sam Kasowski and RB/DL Tyriq Scott leading the way, the Tigers are at least on the short list of 2A Division II state title contenders. (Tepper)

 
Jayton: The Jaybirds have won each of the last two 1A Division II state titles, and while graduation hit them pretty hard, they’re still very much in the hunt for a three-peat, even moving up to Division I. (Tepper)

Rankin: After coming up short in the title game last season, the Red Devils are out for revenge, and star athlete Matthew Ramos is good enough to get it. (Tepper)

Gordon: The six-man football team of record in Texas at the moment, the Longhorns were completely wiped by graduation, but Mike Reed has a way of putting together a contender every year. (Tepper)

Richland Springs: The most decorated program in six-man football is a bit of a mystery, with reports swirling around both the roster and the coaching staff. We may not know what their team looks like until it takes the field in August. (Tepper)

Mount Calm: The Panthers may not have the statewide name cache as other teams on this list, but with SB Von”Travin Walker and a talented group of underclassmen on the way, they could change that this season. (Tepper)

Amarillo Palo Duro: After surprising the state in 2025 with a 10-2 record and a district title, Eric Mims’ bunch has the makings of a real contender in 2026 as QB Julian Reese and WR Kyron Brown make up one of the state’s most lethal passing duos. (Matt Stepp)

DeSoto: Claude Mathis’ team drops down to 5A-Division I after winning three of the last four titles in 6A-Division II, SaRod Baker is back but how do the Eagles handle having the biggest target in the state on their backs? (Stepp)

Fort Bend Crawford (Stepp)

Iowa Colony (Stepp)

Katy Freeman (Stepp)

Mansfield Timberview: There’s a lot of buzz around Timberview heading into 2026, Jacody Coleman’s squad brings back seventeen starters and they are fresh off a boys track state title in May. Does that translate to a big 2026 in the fall? (Stepp)

New Braunfels: With Long Creek High being fully online, the Unicorns drop into a wide open 5A-Division II Region IV after a run to the regional finals in 5A-Division I in 2025. (Stepp)

Pflugerville Weiss: After taking over in early June last year, Malcolm Hill led the Wolves to their best season in school history, they are among the most talented teams in the state, but they play in a very deep District 12-5A Division I. (Stepp)

Sherman (Stepp)

Victoria West (Stepp)

Bridge City (Stepp)

Canton: After sneaking up on the state a year ago with a 9-2 mark, the folks in Van Zandt County are thinking 2026 could be the Eagles best season since now Texas State head coach GJ Kinne was the signal-caller. (Stepp)

Decatur (Stepp)

El Paso Andress: Andress could be El Paso’s best hope at a deep playoff contender in 2026, the Eagles drop to 4A-Division I after a 9-3 mark in 5A a year ago and QB Jamari Milton is one of the state’s best kept secrets. (Stepp)

Houston Yates: The Lions could be primed to bring glory back to the Third Ward after an 11-1 mark a year ago, Yates drops to 4A-Division II, they have half their starters back and help from a 10-0 JV coming. (Stepp)

Kerrville Tivy (Stepp)

Lindale (Stepp)

Lubbock Liberty: The year three bump could be real for the Patriots, Joe Sexton’s squad was 10-2 last year, they return an INSANE 45 letterman and they’ve got an unbeaten JV ready to replenish the ranks, this is a team to watch in 4A-Division II Region I. (Stepp)

Shepherd: The Pirates might be one of the state’s biggest sleepers, they have sixteen returning starters from a 7-4 squad and one of the most dominant defensive lines around led by FBS prospect DL Brayden White. (Stepp)

Waco La Vega (Stepp)