Baltimore Metro High School Football Preseason Top 10 Rankings - Aug. 27, 2025

St. Frances is a clear cut No. 1, while five MIAA A scholols also populate our Baltimore Metro Preseason Top 10

St. Frances' Jaylen Burke runs free against Chaminade-Madonna at the Broward County National Football Showcase. In addition to being No. 5 in the nation and No. 1 in the state, the Panthers are No. 1 in their hometown. / Robson Lopes

The start of the 2025 Baltimore area high school football season is fast approaching. Now, it’s time to unveil the High School On SI Baltimore Preseason Top 10.

There are familiar faces at the top with Archbishop Spalding and St. Frances Academy. St. Frances represents the Charm City in the High School on SI National Top 25 rankings while Spalding, last year’s No. 1 in the Maryland state Top 25, is the favorite to win a fourth consecutive Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) A Conference crown.

Arundel, ending a near half-century state title drought, was the lone Baltimore area to win a state public crown at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium last December. The Wildcats along with Broadneck, Dunbar and Milford Mill will be Baltimore’s best hope for state glory in December.

Here’s the High School on SI Baltimore football preseason Top 10.

1. SAINT FRANCES ACADEMY PANTHERS

Last season: 7-3 (1-0 in 2025)

The Panthers, who dominated Florida’s Chaminade-Madonna (42-13) in their season debut last weekend, again have an uber-talented roster, led by five-star defensive end Zion Elee (committed to the University of Maryland), Alabama commit Jireh Edwards and quarterback Jae’Oyn Williams (Virginia). National Top 25 matchups in early September with St. John’s Bosco (Calif.), and St. Joseph’s Prep (Pa.) will tell if St. Frances (ranked No. 4 in this week’s High School on SI National Top 25, is national-title worthy.

2. ARCHBISHOP SPALDING CAVALIERS 

Last season: 12-0; Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference champion (0-1 in 2025)

The Cavaliers, who dropped their season opener at defending Indiana Class 6A state champion Brownsburg (36-23) last week, had their finest season last fall with an undefeated mark and consensus No. 1 ranking in Maryland. Senior Blake Howell is now “QB 1” for the Severn (Md.) school with Malik Washington at the University of Maryland, and has a host of offensive weapons and Florida State commit Sean Johnson (defensive back) anchoring the defense.

3. MCDONOGH SCHOOL EAGLES

Last season: 10-2; MIAA A Conference finalist (1-0 in 2025)

The Eagles, who opened the 2025 season with a 48-6 win over Riverdale Baptist School, will be determined to end Spalding’s reign in the MIAA A this season. Nick Abrams, the state’s top linebacker who’s committed to Georgia and senior quarterback Braden Palazzo will lead McDonogh, which lost to Spalding in the last two MIAA A finals.

4. LOYOLA BLAKEFIELD DONS

Last season: 6-5; 5th in MIAA A Conference

Rich Holzer, who led Mount St. Joseph to the MIAA A Conference championship in 2019 returns to the MIAA after a Maryland public state title-winning stint at Northern-Calvert. Led by Notre Dame commit Khary Adams, all-MIAA A wide receiver Brayden Pross and a veteran offensive line, the Dons could break up the Spalding/McDonogh championship dance.

5. MILFORD MILL ACADEMY MILLERS

Last season: 10-2; Maryland Class 2A state semifinalist

The Millers will be again the top squad in Baltimore County (Md.). Pittsburgh commit Damon Ferguson (running back) and Kody Sarkodie (North Carolina State) are back for Milford Mill, which will contend for the Maryland Class 3A title after four straight trips to at least the 2A state semifinals (won title in 2022). 

6. MOUNT SAINT JOSEPH GAELS 

Last season: 3-8; MIAA A Conference semifinalist (1-0 in 2025)

Gaels coach Donald Davis, who will be the Team Maryland coach for the 2026 Big 33 Classic, will look to guide Mount St. Joseph to a third MIAA A postseason in his three seasons. Boston College commit Xavier Myers (defensive back), defensive linemen Carlos Shird (Kent State) and seniors Ian Wells (linebacker) and Jabari Berry (center) headline the key returners for the Baltimore City private school which knocked off Bullis School (ranked No. 8 in the High School on SI Maryland Top 25), 10-7, in the season opener last weekend.

7. CALVERT HALL COLLEGE CARDINALS

Last season: 7-5; MIAA A Conference semifinalist

The Cardinals start a new era with former Bethlehem Catholic (Pa.) coach Tyler Ward as the new coach. He’ll have one of the state’s most dynamic players in Rutgers commit Chris Hewitt along with seniors Kaleb Davis (defensive line), Harrison O’Connell (running back) Micha Morozov (wide receiver) and Joshua Ritter (offensive line) and junior quarterback Oliver Noll as the Towson (Md.) school aims for a fifth straight postseason berth.

8. BROADNECK BRUINS 

Last season: 10-2; Maryland Class 4A state semifinalist

The Bruins are arguably the best public school program yet to win a Maryland state championship. Seniors Aaron Foote (running back), Jonah Brown (defensive back) and Division I defensive line prospect Kemarri Collison will look to keep the Bruins atop the Anne Arundel County (Md.) league and make another deep run in the Class 4A playoffs (reached state finals in 2023 and state semifinals in 2021, 2022 and 2024).

9. DUNBAR POETS 

Last season: 13-1; Maryland Class 2A/1A state finalist

The Poets are again the favorite to win the Maryland Class 2A/1A title as former player Courtney Bridget takes over as coach. Seniors Eugene Cummings (defensive line), Jabari Torbit (linebacker/fullback) Savion Williams (running back/defensive live) and Darius Wragg (defensive back) will be the tone-setters as Dunbar seeks a fifth straight Baltimore City (Md.) league championship.

10. ARUNDEL WILDCATS 

Last season: 12-1; Maryland Class 3A state champion

After ending a 49-year title drought with a dominant effort to win the Maryland Class 3A state championship last December, the Wildcats should make a formidable title defense in 2025. Seniors Jonathan Coleman and Naseem Tention are poised to be dynamic two-way weapons and Division I prospect Isaiah Fox will key both lines as Arundel will battle Broadneck and Old Mill in the Anne Arundel County (Md.) league.