High school football rankings: MaxPreps reveals preseason Top 25

Teams from California, Florida, Texas and Georgia litter the national rankings.

Brad CrawfordAug 22nd, 2023, 10:39 AM

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High school football rankings supremacy kicks off the 2023 season with MaxPreps' initial reveal of its top 25 national poll. All of the included teams are equipped with a bevy of future college stars, many of which are ranked inside the Top247 for 2024.

A few of these nationally-ranked squads played season openers last week, but most open Friday night as they begin their march toward a state — a perhaps national —championship. As usual, many of these powerhouse football teams are from talent-rich states including California, Florida, Texas and Georgia. That's fertile recruiting soil for college football's elites and these teams annually churn out high-end prospects.

Most of these programs play national schedules against other ranked teams to create a competitive balance of sorts during the season. That goes a long way in determining bragging rights and MaxPreps' final rankings, too.

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Here is a look at the MaxPreps preseason national top 25 high school football rankings:

1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)

The nation's top-ranked team already has a win after opening with a 28-14 victory over No. 15 Corona (Calif.) Centennial. Elijah Brown threw two touchdown passes as Frank McManus won his debut as head coach. Brown is committed to Stanford and is rated as the nation's eight-best quarterback in the 2024 cycle by 247Sports. Pass rusher Aydin Breeland is a five-star recruit ranked as the No. 6 player nationally. Annually one of the country's most talent-rich programs, Mater Dei's loaded once again. Most recently, Mater Dei produced former Alabama Heisman winner and No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick Bryce Young.

2. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)

Bishop Gorman's long been a national power in the high school ranks and could have the nation's top team this fall. Anchored by Hawaii commit Micah Alejado at quarterback, Bishop Gorman scored 42 points in the second half of last week's 63-42 triumph over Draper (Utah) Corner Canyon in the season opener. Alejado tossed three touchdown passes while Michigan running back commit Micah Kaapana rushed for three scores. Kaapana, who committed to the Wolverines in June, is being recruited by former Michigan great Mike Hart.

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

St. John Bosco was MaxPreps' "national champion" last season and hopes to repeat as America's top team. St. John Bosco opened the season last week with a 42-22 win over Liberty. This season's team will be fueled by UCLA commit Cameron Jones, a talented ballcarrier ranked as the nation's 43rd-best player in California this cycle. Four-star safety Peyton Woodyard is committed to Alabama while four-star linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa made a verbal pledge to Notre Dame last month.

4. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

This football factory in the Sunshine State always produces collegiate stars. IMG Academy beat Nashville (Tenn.) Lipscomb Academy, 35-10, in coach Kevin Mawae's debut as Mustangs coach last week, snapping a 21-game win streak for Lipscomb on the road. Two of Florida's top 5 prospects headline this year's squad — five-star cornerback Ellis Robinson IV (Georgia commit) and uncommitted five-star pass rusher David Stone. Four-star offensive tackle Jordan Seaton, the No. 14 player in Florida, hasn't yet decided on a college choice, either. Nearly a dozen starters this season at IMG Academy are expected to sign with Power Five programs.

5. Miami Central (Miami, Fla.)

Four-star cornerback Jamari Howard is Miami Central's highest-rated prospect this cycle, coming in as the 10th-best player in Florida and No. 8 player at his position. And he's not the only elite-level player for the four-time defending state champions. Armondo Blount, LaWayne McCoy, T.A. Cunningham, Ezekiel Marcelin and Amari Wallace are other highly-regarded recruits. Peeking at the roster, this is one of the fastest and most athletic teams nationally this fall and season results should reflect it.

6. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.)

As noted by MaxPreps, St. Frances Academy is gearing up to face one of the most difficult schedules of all-time this fall and already opened with a loss to nationally-ranked Buford (Ga.). St. Frances Academy will square off with No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), third-ranked St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), No. 4 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) and No. 7. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.). Four-star cornerback Ify Obidegwu, an Oregon commit, is this Baltimore power's highest-rated recruit in the 2024 cycle.

7. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.)

Coach Dameon Jones has a wealth of talent this season at Chaminade-Madonna, including five-star Ohio State commit Jeremiah Smith (No. 2 player nationally, No. 1 wideout) and Zaquan Patterson, one of the 2024 cycle's top defensive backs. Patterson is choosing between five schools later this month — Miami, Michigan, Florida State, Ohio State and Auburn. Chaminade-Madonna plays its season opener this week against St. Frances Academy (0-1), which lost its opener last week to Buford (Ga.).

8. Duncanville (Texas)

Duncanville snapped a 25-year skid last season as state champions and will do what it can to repeat in 2023. Five-star edge Colin Simmons, who recently committed to Texas, is this team's elite prospect. Other future college players include Caden Durham, Dakorien Moore, Alex January, Ka'Davion Dotson and Keelon Russell. Durham, a four-star running back, recently committed to LSU. Texas is a football-rich state and there are several teams hoping to take Duncanville's top spot in these rankings.

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

Four-star wide receiver Chance Robinson is committed to Miami and St. Thomas Aquinas has numerous other starters also heading to the Power Five ranks — linebacker Nicholas Rodriguez (Missouri), cornerbacks Romanas Frederique Jr. (Miami) and Earl Kulp (Purdue), running backs Jordan Lyle (Ohio State) and Stacy Gage (UCF), safeties Allen Bryant (Pitt) and Ryan Mack (Miami) and wideout James Madison II (Missouri). St. Thomas Aquinas is gunning for its fifth straight state championship.

10. Buford (Ga.)

This star-studded group from Georgia is anchored by 2024 No. 1 overall player and Georgia commit Dylan Raiola. The quarterback threw two touchdown passes in his senior season debut during last week's 18-0 win over nationally-ranked St. Frances Academy. Florida State five-star commit KJ Bolden was on the receiving end of one of those scores while Tyshun White hauled in the other. Buford is back in action this week in North Carolina against Mallard Creek (Charlotte).

11. St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia)

St. Joseph's Prep won seven state championships over the past decade and there are several college-committed stars who hope to lead another run, including quarterback Samaj Jones (Cincinnati) and cornerback Omillio Agard (Wisconsin).

12. Carrollton (Ga.)

Five-star quarterback Julian Lewis, the top player in the 2026 class, committed to USC on Tuesday and is trying to make his second straight appearance in Georgia's 7A state title game.

13. North Shore (Houston)

North Shore is a local power in Houston hoping to crack the top 10 nationally this fall behind quarterback Kaleb Bailey, who missed most of the 2022 campaign with an injury.

14. Langston Hughes (Fairburn, Ga.)

Ohio State quarterback Air Noland led his team to a thrilling Week 1 victory and is trying to go back to back as state champions. Langston Hughes set a record for points scored last fall.

15. Centennial (Corona, Calif.)

Centennial lost a tough game in the opener against nationally-ranked competition, but has a roster capable of a bounce back, led by Husan Longstreet, Cornell Hatcher II, Cory Butler Jr., LaRue Zamorano, Wade Helton and Brent Helton.

16. St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio)

MaxPreps notes that St. Edward should have one of the most dominant offensive fronts in the country, led by Ben Roebuck, Devontae Armstrong and Deontae Armstrong.

17. DeSoto (Texas)

Sam Houston State commit DJ Bailey (quarterback) will try and get this team back to the final in defense of their 6A Division 2 state championship. Last year's best player, five-star wideout Johntay Cook II, could be a star this fall as a true freshman at Texas.

18. Basha (Chandler, Ariz.)

Basha won the Open Division state title last fall and among the returning starters asked to lead once more include Demond Williams, Miles Lockhart, Bryson Dedmon, Thomas Prassas and Jack Bleier.

19. Lipscomb Academy (Nashville, Tenn.)

Lipscomb took one on the chin at home against IMG Academy, snapping the program's 21-game winning steak last week. Kevin Mawae takes over for Trent Dilfer (UAB) as the new head coach.

20. Colquitt County (Moultrie, Ga.)

Four-star wide receiver Ny Carr (Georgia commit) is Colquitt County's only top 50 prospect in the state of Georgia, but this team is made elite by the sum of its parts.

21. American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)

American Heritage is always a force to consider in Florida and this year's team is loaded with talent highlighted by Malachi Toney, Byron Louis, Jimmy Williams III, Dia Bell and Deandre Desinor.

22. Good Counsel (Olney, Md.)

Good Counsel returns three players who were MaxPreps All-Americans last fall — Kyle Altuner, Aaron Chiles and Dilin Jones.

23. Columbus (Miami)

A Sunshine State staple out of Miami, Columbus has several 2024 Power Five commits and prospects, including T.J. Capers, Dylan Stephenson, Willis McGahee IV, Alberto Mendoza, Jose Leon and Daylen Russell.

24. Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.)

Bergen Catholic out of New Jersey has won back to back state championships with a total of 19 in program history.

25. Belleville (Mich.)

Quarterback Bryce Underwood directed Belleville to consecutive state championships. He intends to announce his college decision in January.