Too-Early National High School Football Top 25: IMG Academy Leads 2026 Preseason Forecast

The 2025-26 school year is winding down around the country, which means the 2026 high school football season is just around the corner.

As top prospects hit the recruiting circuit and players tackle 7-on-7 leagues around the country, making it the perfect time to begin looking forward to who might succeed Buford as High School On SI’s national champion when the season kicks off in mid-August.

Our crystal ball can’t foresee any transfers or injuries that might occur over the next couple of months that could shake up this forecast.

However, with that caveat out of the way, here’s a somewhat-too-early look at what our Top 25 could look like when it debuts in a couple of months.

1. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

Last season: 9-0

Final Power 25 ranking: No. 5

The Ascenders may have won the national title last year had it not opted out of a highly anticipated matchup with St. Frances Academy. However, IMG will be on the shortlist of contenders this year with four players among 247Sports’ Top 100 2027 recruits and six in the 2028 Top 100 led by No. 2 Jayden Wade, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound quarterback who has already committed to Georgia.

2. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore)

Last season: 10-1

Final Power 25 ranking: No. 2

With a pair of future Texas-bound defensive standouts leading the way in edge rusher Anthony Sweeney (Texas Tech) and CB Raylaun Henry (Texas A&M), the Panthers will look to build upon their win in the Overtime Nationals Championship and capture a Power 25 title.

3. Buford (Ga.)

Last season: 15-0

Final Power 25 ranking: No. 1

The Wolves were worthy national champions a year ago. Senior QB DJ Hunter and a defense led by Michigan commit LB Brayden Watson will need to gel if they hope to repeat.

4. St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)

Last season: 9-2

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

Bosco’s loss to Orange Lutheran in the first round of the CIF Southern Section playoffs was one of the stunners of last year’s national postseason. The Braves have a defense with seven Top 100 prospects that should ensure such a result doesn’t occur again this fall.

5. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

Last season: 14-1

Final Power 25 ranking: No. 7

The Raiders won a seventh consecutive state title last year, beating Lakeland 29-0 in the Florida 5A final. With the creation of an Open Division this year, the road to an eighth straight crown will get more challenging, but don’t count STA out.

6. Centennial (Corona, Calif.)

Last season: 11-2

Final Power 25 ranking: No. 24

The Huskies fell twice to Santa Margarita last season, the second time in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 final. With standout QB Jaden Jefferson transferring in from Cathedral during the offseason, they will be a formidable challenger to Bosco in the Southern Section this season.

7. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)

Last season: 11-1

Final Power 25 ranking: No. 3

The Gaels dominated Nevada yet again last season. They’ll face St. John Bosco and Mater Dei early in their schedule this fall, giving them the chance to prove they belong in the national title hunt.

8. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)

Last season: 11-3

Final Power 25 ranking: No. 8

What can the Eagles do for an encore after capturing the CIF Open Division state title in Carson Palmer’s first season as head coach? They graduated standout wide receiver Trent Mosley but have enough pieces to challenge Bosco and Centennial for top honors in the Southern Section again.

Baylor's David Gabriel Georges (0) | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

9. Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.)

Last season: 12-0

Final Power 25 ranking: No. 22

The Red Raiders graduated a stellar senior class led by QB Briggs Cherry from last year’s Division II-AAA state champions, but two-time Mr. Football Award winner RB David Gabriel Georges — the top-rated recruit in the state according to 247Sports — and incoming transfer QB Keegan Croucher make them the favorites to repeat in the Volunteer State.

10. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)

Last season: 8-3

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

Have the Monarchs lost a step? Last year’s three losses were their most in a season since 2015, and they have only one player (CB Danny Lang) among 247Sports’ Top 100 recruits. However, count them out at your peril.

11. Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)

Last season: 11-1

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

The Rams lost to Carrollton in the Georgia 6A quarterfinals, but junior QB Deuce Smith returns after getting a crash course behind center last season when Travis Burgess went down with an injury last year. Smith will lead the Rams into battle again this fall.

12. Basha (Chandler, Ariz.)

Last season: 12-1

Final Power 25 ranking: No. 23

The Bears emerged as Arizona Open Division champions last season, and they’re loaded up front for their bid to repeat, with Arizona State commit Jake Hildebrand at offensive tackle and 6-5, 340-pound DaJohn Yarborough at guard. Senior Jake Rogers took over under center for an injured Brodie Vehrs (now at Oklahoma State) last year and should be ready to take the reins full time.

13. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)

Last season: 10-1

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

The Trailblazers were unbeaten going into the CIF playoffs last year before falling to Santa Margarita in the Southern Section D-1 quarterfinals. They’ll hope to reload rather than rebuild around the likes of Texas commit DL Kasi Currie and Cal commit S Myles Baker.

14. Carrollton (Ga.)

Last season: 14-1

Final Power 25 ranking: No. 6

Led by freshman QB CJ Cypher, the Trojans reached the Georgia 6A final and nearly knocked off eventual national champion Buford. They’ll be counting on him and 4-star junior CB Tyler Boyd, among others, to lead them back into contention again this fall.

15. Duncanville (Texas)

Last season: 12-2

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

The Panthers fell in the Class 6A Division 1 final to North Shore in December, then saw top Class of 2029 QB recruit Bryson Kennedy return to Arkansas after being ruled ineligible. However, there’s still plenty of talent left, including Purdue commit WR Trenton Yancey and 4-star junior OL Kendrick Harris, as they bid to get back to the summit.

16. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)

Last season: 11-1

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

The Ironmen were upset by St. Joseph Regional in last year’s Non-Public A state final, but with a defense led by Notre Dame commit Aidan O’Neil and LB Mikahi Allen and a receiving corps featuring Rutgers-bound WR Isaiah Alvarez and Texas commit TE JT Geraci, they’ll be favored to return the title to campus this fall.

DeSoto's SaRod Baker | Angela Piazza/Caller-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

17. DeSoto (Texas)

Last season: 13-3

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

The Eagles soared at the end of the season to win the Class 6A Division 2 title and landed Class of 2028 prospect Landan Adams from Little Rock, Ark., in January. They also have one of the nation’s top running back prospects in Texas Tech commit SaRod Baker.

18. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.)

Last season: 11-3

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

The Lions lost to Cardinal Newman in last year’s Class 1A title game. They have a strong junior class that will look to make the inaugural eight-team Open Division tournament this fall.

19. East St. Louis (Ill.)

Last season: 10-4

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

The Flyers rebounded from an 0-2 start to reach the Illinois 6A final before falling to Fenwick. They’ll again be one of the Midwest’s top teams with a potent offense, with Auburn commit RB Myson Johnson-Cook as their primary weapon and receivers Ronnie Gomiller (Cincinnati) and Laron Baker Jr. on the outside.

20. Thompson (Ala.)

Last season: 11-3

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

The Warriors won the Alabama 7A championship and return senior QB Trent Seaborn, who threw for 259 yards and three touchdowns in the state final and has committed to Alabama.

21. Edna Karr (New Orleans)

Last season: 14-0

Final Power 25 ranking: No. 4

The Cougars romped to a second consecutive Louisiana state title led by a deep senior class that will be missed. Their experience up front led by Mississippi State commit OT Zylon Wesley and Mississippi commit Juelz Batiste will be key to their chances at a third straight championship.

22. Bixby (Okla.)

Last season: 13-0

Final Power 25 ranking: No. 11

Eight straight championships and counting for the Spartans mean they’re the team to beat in the Sooner State until proven otherwise, even if they suffered heavy graduation losses this month. Five-star Oklahoma commit Kaeden Penny anchors the offensive line, while UCLA commit LB Cain Brackney leads the defense.

Thompson's Trent Seaborn | Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

23. South Oak Cliff (Dallas)

Last season: 15-1

Final Power 25 ranking: No. 13

The Bears lost three stalwarts who signed with FBS schools from their “Death Row” defense that led them to a third state title in the past five years. Senior QB Jayden Williams will need to follow up a banner debut season as they break in a bevy of skill players around him.

24. Mount Carmel (Chicago)

Last season: 14-0

Final Power 25 ranking: No. 16

The Caravan kept rolling along in Class 8A after winning three straight Illinois 7A titles. Senior WR Quentin Burrell and CB Tavares Harrington recently committed to Michigan and will be the leaders as they go for a fifth consecutive championship this fall.

25. La Salle College Prep (Wyndmoor, Pa.)

Last season: 13-1

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

The Explorers won their second PIAA Class 6A championship last year and bring back defensive stalwarts LB Zykee Scott (North Carolina) and CB Trey Hopkins (UCLA) and promising junior QB Luke Gordon looking to step in for record-setting signal-caller Gavin Sidwar.

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