High School On SI Preseason Power 25: National High School Football Rankings for 2026

The wait is over.

After months of evaluating returning talent, impact transfers and offseason roster movement, High School On SI is unveiling its 2026 Preseason Power 25 national high school football rankings.

IMG Academy opens the season at No. 1, narrowly ahead of St. Frances Academy, while defending national champion Buford begins its title defense at No. 3.

Twelve teams from last year's final rankings return, while 13 newcomers enter the preseason Top 25, highlighting just how much the national landscape has changed since December.

A month ago, we took a look at what we thought the Power 25 would look like when we selected our "Too-Early" preseason rankings. While many of our mid-June picks stayed put, we’ve also made a few changes over the past month to reflect some transfers that shook up our initial forecast.

Power 25 National High School Football Rankings — High School On SI

1. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

Last season: 9-0

Final Power 25 ranking: 5

When you have 27 three-star recruits led by quarterback Jayden Wade, a 6-foot-3, 190-pounder who has already committed to Georgia, we’re still swayed to keep the Ascenders atop the rankings.

2. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore)

Last season: 10-1

Final Power 25 ranking: 2

The Panthers figure to be in the title conversation all season.

3. Buford (Ga.)

Last season: 15-0

Final Power 25 ranking: 1

The Wolves will not give up their championship without a fight.

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

Last season: 9-2

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

With seven Top 100 recruits on defense, the Braves look to reclaim CIF supremacy.

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

Last season: 14-1

Final Power 25 ranking: 7

The Raiders have a boatload of talent ready to contend for an eighth straight state title.

6. Centennial (Corona, Calif.)

Last season: 11-2

Final Power 25 ranking: 24

The Huskies picked up standout transfers QB Jaden Jefferson and WR Quentin Hale from Cathedral.

7. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)

Last season: 11-1

Final Power 25 ranking: 3

The Gaels face early tests against St. John Bosco and Mater Dei in their quest for a national title.

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

Last season: 11-3

Final Power 25 ranking: 8

Can Carson Palmer make it back-to-back CIF Open titles with the Eagles?

Baylor's David Gabriel Georges | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

9. Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.)

Last season: 12-0

Final Power 25 ranking: 22

The Red Raiders are led by last year’s MaxPreps National Player of the Year in RB David Gabriel Georges.

10. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)

Last season: 8-3

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

The Monarchs are hungry to prove last year’s three-loss campaign was a fluke.

11. Duncanville (Texas)

Last season: 12-2

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

The Panthers have been a Lone Star State power for the past decade and figure to be among Class 6A’s top teams again this fall.

12. Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)

Last season: 11-1

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

Junior QB Deuce Smith leads a stacked roster in Greg Carswell’s first year as head coach.

13. Basha (Chandler, Ariz.)

Last season: 12-1

Final Power 25 ranking: 23

The Bears won’t find it easy to defend their Open Division title, but if senior QB Jake Rogers (a recent Princeton commit) continues to improve, they’ll be in the mix.

14. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)

Last season: 10-1

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

Texas commit Kasi Currie leads one of the West Coast’s top defensive lines as the Trailblazers look to rebound from last year’s postseason disappointment.

15. Carrollton (Ga.)

Last season: 14-1

Final Power 25 ranking: 6

Quarterback CJ Cypher hopes to build off an impressive freshman season to lead the Trojans to a 6A title.

DeSoto's SaRod Baker | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

16. DeSoto (Texas)

Last season: 13-3

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

The Eagles have one of the nation’s top running back prospects in Texas Tech commit SaRod Baker.

17. Creekside (Fairburn, Ga.)

Last season: 15-0

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

Early tests against Clay-Chalkville (Ala.) and St. Joseph Regional (N.J.) will show whether the reigning 4A champions can repeat their dominant run of a year ago, when they outscored opponents 845-125.

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

Last season: 11-1

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

The Ironmen bring back a host of talent as they look to bring the Non-Public A title back to campus.

19. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.)

Last season: 11-3

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

The Lions will look to their talented junior class to get them an invite to Florida’s inaugural eight-team Open Division tournament this fall.

20. Brownsburg (Ind.)

Last season: 14-0

Final Power 25 ranking: 15

The Bulldogs will go for a three-peat in Class 6A behind quarterback Oscar Frye, who threw for 2,505 yards and 29 touchdowns a year ago, and three-star wideout Branden Sharpe.

21. Thompson (Ala.)

Last season: 11-3

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

The Warriors will go as far as senior quarterback Trent Seaborn takes them.

22. Carol City (Miami, Fla.)

Last season: 6-5

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

The Chiefs have benefited from a bevy of transfers, including sophomore quarterback Malik Leonard and four-star receiver Nick Lennear and recent arrivals cornerback Jailen Hill and athlete Za’Kari Johnson.

Brentwood Academy's Crews Jenkins (3) | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

23. Brentwood Academy (Tenn.)

Last season: 11-1

Final Power 25 ranking: Not ranked

The Eagles made it back to the Division II Class AAA final last year, and with QB Crews Jenkins and RB Larry Sanders II leading a talented returning group, they’ll be in the hunt again.