Georgia High School Football Preseason Top 25: Buford Leads Loaded 2026 State Rankings

A preseason ranking can ask you to sort high school teams before the first coin flip of the season, and then the byline defends the order as if it came down the mountain with Moses on two tablets. Sorry, I didn’t write the rules.

High School on SI has four Georgia teams on its National Preseason Power 25, and that undersells the state's depth: seven of eight classifications crowned an undefeated champion last season, and six teams finished 15-0. We think we deserve more, but hey, we’re a little biased. Somebody’s always going to be underrated. Probably several somebodies.

Here's our preseason Georgia Top 25 state rankings.

Top 25 Georgia High School Football State Rankings — High School On SI

1. Buford

Last Season: 15-0

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 1

The Wolves graduated enough players last year to justify asking their fans to trust the process as the team rebuilds, but Buford is not just any team. DJ Hunter steps in at quarterback behind a defense that includes names like Brayden Watson, Ethan Hauser, Joshua Echols and Luke Nabors — all of whom know how to close a game. Buford reloads. It's what they do.

2. Grayson

Last Season: 12-1

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 4

The season ended cold against Carrollton, but Deuce Smith is back after throwing for 2,355 yards and 24 touchdowns. Former defensive coordinator Greg Carswell has been promoted to head coach, meaning the standard will remain the standard in Loganville.

3. Carrollton

Last Season: 14-1

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 2

CJ Cypher threw 26 touchdowns against three interceptions as a freshman. It was only seven points from a title, which is the kind of stat line that makes opposing coordinators quietly close their laptops and consider taking a mental health day.

4. Creekside

Last Season: 15-0

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 5

The Seminoles scored 845 points last season. That’s not a typo, no asterisk here. Entering their senior year, running back Gary Walker and wide receiver Armani Hill are back, and early dates with Clay-Chalkville (Alabama) and St. Joseph Regional (New Jersey) will settle quickly whether this is just a very good team or last year's demolition crew reassembled.

5. Thomas County Central

Last Season: 15-0

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 3

Undefeated, a champion, and still coming up fifth among Georgia teams. Who needs bulletin board material when we’re giving it to you? Senior quarterback Jabari Watkins returns, and Duke commit Aidan McPherson is eligible after winning his GHSA eligibility appeal to transfer from Rome — a meaningful upgrade for a team that didn't need one to begin with.

6. Gainesville

Last Season: 12-3

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 7

QB Kharim Hughley accounted for 41 touchdowns, and in the backfield, Nigel Newkirk ran for 1,496 yards. The offense will be fine. The story is their schedule. Gainesville opens at Buford, then travels to East St. Louis, usually the No. 1 high school program in Illinois. Which makes you wonder, who in scheduling did they upset?

7. Langston Hughes

Last Season: 12-1

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 10

Twelve wins and a loss before the semifinals now counts as a letdown here, which tells you everything about their potential. UGA offensive tackle commit Kelsey Adams gives the Panthers a four-star anchor at offensive tackle, and with Grayson and Creekside on the schedule, they won't have to argue their case in the abstract.

8. North Gwinnett

Last Season: 12-2

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 11

A semifinal team returning enough to think last year was the floor, not the ceiling, including Pitt tight end commit Max Patterson, who caught 38 passes for 439 yards and seven touchdowns. They won’t be easing into the season, though. They open against Grayson at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Aug. 12.

9. Douglas County

Last Season: 9-4

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 18

Four losses usually mean a drop. But don’t forget to read the fine print. The Tigers reached the quarterfinals and lost to Buford 30-15, closer than most managed. With Georgia safety commit Adryan Cole and four-star offensive tackle Joshua Sam-Epelle returning, nobody's circling this opponent on the schedule as a gimme.

10. Roswell

Last Season: 12-2

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 14

Twelve wins, a semifinal appearance, and a bunch of preseason predictions leave the Hornets outside of the top 15 conversation. Georgia commit Miller Westerfield gives Roswell a major presence on the offensive line. The good news is that the Hornets can settle any disagreements on the field, which is the only place it counts.

11. Lowndes

Last Season: 10-2

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 21

Thirteen returning starters, including three-year starter Jayce Johnson at quarterback. Don’t be surprised if you see a Viking row coming your way in December.

12. Valdosta

Last Season: 12-2

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 13

QB Tyrieke Wade and most of the defense are gone, but the backfield puts Titletown a little at ease. Running back Deron Foster ran for 1,329 yards, and Marquis Fennell put up 1,480 rushing and 764 receiving, while scoring 33 total touchdowns. There will be plenty of ball to go around.

13. Benedictine

Last Season: 11-3

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 12

After coming within three points of Creekside in the title game, the Cadets don't need to be told they belong. Leading rusher Stanley Smart and second-leading receiver Eron Mallard return, but the question that remains is how fast a program built for deep runs can restock the other pieces needed to get back to Atlanta.

14. Rome

Last Season: 11-3

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 15

A semifinal team surrounded by questions — after losing Aiden McPherson to Thomas County Central and John Reid, the program's winningest coach — has finally found an answer in veteran Bill Stewart as their new head coach. There's enough here to start in the Top 15, but few contenders open August with a TBD at the quarterback position.

15. Colquitt County

Last Season: 9-3

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 22

They beat Valdosta and Lee County and then dropped three before they had a chance to carve the turkey last year. Not a lot to give thanks about here, but that was last year’s Colquitt, and we’re looking ahead. The program is capable of stringing one hot month into a long January.

16. Milton

Last Season: 8-4

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: Not ranked

At most schools, 8-4 and a second-round exit is an okay season. However, at Milton, coming off back-to-back titles, it registered as a glitch in the matrix. Tennessee quarterback commit Derrick Baker and tight end Grant Haviland give the Eagles proven pieces to build around, and the program’s pedigree says this ranking won’t last long as we get into October.

17. McEachern

Last Season: 10-1

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: Not ranked

Ten regular-season wins, followed by a playoff-opener loss to Walton, proves that a clean opening promises nothing in November. Four-star receiver Zyon Robinson arrives from Stockbridge to help rewrite a new ending.

18. Carver-Columbus

Last Season: 15-0

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 6

Two straight titles. Undefeated. And now the Tigers are moving up a classification. This is a projection, not a trophy presentation, which is why an unbeaten champion sits at No. 18.

19. Sandy Creek

Last Season: 15-0

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 9

A perfect season closed with a 27-7 win over Jefferson, with returning quarterback Caleb Hill rushing for two touchdowns in the championship game. The Patriots earned our benefit of the doubt. The question left behind is how much of last year's physical edge survives a new roster.

20. Lee County

Last Season: 8-4

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 25

Lee County’s four losses came against Colquitt, Thomas County Central, Houston County and Langston Hughes. Texas A&M receiver commit Jaden Upshaw gives the Trojans a proven playmaker as they work through that schedule again. In Georgia, surviving your schedule can tell you as much about a team as running it.

21. Cartersville

Last Season: 12-1

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 20

Twelve wins before Kell ended things in the quarterfinals. There are key offensive pieces to replace, but this program has turned unfamiliar names into familiar results before. We expect more of the same this year.

22. Houston County

Last Season: 10-2

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: 24

Houston beat Lee County to close the regular season, then reached the second round of the playoffs before running into Rome. Georgia Tech commits Joshua Pettigrew and Braylin Mills give the Bears two highly recruited building blocks up front. Ten wins earn our attention, but the next step the program needs to take is being more than a hard out in a crowded class.

23. Mill Creek

Last Season: 7-4

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: Not ranked

By the standard the Hawks set with their 2022 title, their recent 7- 4 season was a quiet year. However, major polls still have them inside the top 25, and with linebackers Brady Wendt and William Backus among the returning talent, nobody is ready to write the program off.

24. Newton

Last Season: 8-4

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: Not ranked

Newton won seven of its last nine, including a playoff win over Peachtree Ridge, before Buford ended it. Two-way prospect Omarion Wallace gives the Rams a Power Four recruit in the secondary who can also contribute at receiver. Newton isn’t top-tier yet, but good enough to keep a seat at the table.

25. Worth County

Last Season: 15-0

Final Georgia Top 25 ranking: Not ranked

From 0-10 in 2017 to an undefeated first title since 1987. Lyndon Worthy returns at quarterback as the Rams move up to Class 3A. A team that learned how to win last year now finds out how well it travels.

Under Consideration:

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