How does USA TODAY create their high school football rankings?
USA TODAY’s national high school sports reporter Logan Newman walks us through the factors considered in the selection process.
It’s mid-July, meaning high school football players around the country are no longer prioritizing recruiting visits, showcases and 7-on-7 tournaments.
Instead, their attention now turns to the highly anticipated 2026 season, which kicks off around the country in a matter of weeks.
Following suit, USA TODAY Sports has its eyes on the upcoming high school football season, officially unveiling its preseason Super 15 regional rankings on Thursday, July 16.
Here’s an inside look at each of the five region’s Super 15:
Southeast region preseason Super 15 high school football rankings
A total of 11 Southeast teams are in the Super 25 national rankings, with three of them earning a spot in the top 10 in the country.
It will be one of the most competitive regions in the United States. With our eyes to the start of the year, here are the opening 15 teams for the Southeast region, which consists of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
Here’s a look at some of the teams inside the top 5:
5. Grayson (Loganville, GA)
2025 Record: 12-1
Key Players: IOL Jordan Agbanoma, Sr.; EDGE Elijah Tillman, Jr.; S Jalen Welch, Sr.
4. Buford (GA)
2025 Record: 15-0
Key Players: EDGE Luke Nabors, Jr.; WR Seven Rashad, Jr.; LB Braden Watson, Sr.
3. Thompson (Alabaster, AL)
2025 Record: 11-3
Key Players: EDGE Cameron Pritchett, Sr.; QB Trent Seaborn, Sr.; S Junior Tu’upo, Sr.
2. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
2025 Record: 14-1
Key Players: OT Mark Matthews, Sr.; WR Julius Jones, Sr.; EDGE Wyatt Smith, Sr.
Who’s No. 1?
See the Southeast’s full preseason Top 15 here
East region preseason Super 15 high school football rankings
While it historically hasn’t attracted the same attention as some Southern and Western states, this year’s East region has made its own noise and continues to rise in national prominence. Maryland’s St. Frances Academy and DeMatha Catholic make up an elite stronghold at the top, both appearing in the Super 25 national rankings, followed by the Hough and Grimsley pair from North Carolina and New Jersey’s Don Bosco Prep.
As the season nears, here are the top 15 teams from the East region, which consists of Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia.
Here’s a look at some of the teams inside the top 5:
5. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ)
2025 Record: 11-1
Key Players: QB Carson Schoen, LB Mikhali Allen, Edge Aidan O’Neil
4. Grimsley (Greensboro, NC)
2025 Record: 14-0
Key Returning Players: OT Gavin Milton, QB Brody Lowe, Edge Andrew Rogers
3. Hough (Cornelius, NC)
2025 Record: 14-0
Key Players: QB Ethan Royal, CB Joshua Dobson, S Davion Jones
2. DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, MD)
2025 Record: 11-0
Key Players: CB Langston Pridgeon, S Kynair Crumb, QB Tristan Sabb, Edge James Pace
Who’s No. 1?
See the East’s full preseason top 15 here
Midwest region preseason Super 15 high school football rankings
Given the talent in states like California, Florida, Georgia and Texas, it can sometime be forgotten just how great the talent in the Midwest is from both a player personnel standpoint to the overall teams.
Every year a few teams from the Midwest typically end the year ranked alongside other national powers. This year appears to be no different.
The Midwest region includes programs and athletes from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
5. East St. Louis (IL)
2025 Record: 9-4
Key Players: RB Myson Johnson-Cook, Sr.; S Raheem Floyd, Sr.; QB Reece Shanklin, Sr.
4. Millard South (Omaha, NE)
2025 Record: 12-1
Key Players: QB Trae Taylor, Sr.; S Tory Pittman III, Sr.; WR Antayvious Ellis, Sr.
3. Brownsburg (IN)
2025 Record: 14-0
Key Players: QB Oscar Frye, Sr.; WR Branden Sharpe, Sr.; DL Dami Sowunmi, Sr.
2. Anderson (Cincinnati, OH)
2025 Record: 14-0
Key Players: QB Owen Scalf, Sr.; CB Ace Alston, Sr.; WR Tysin Weaver, Sr.
Who’s No. 1?
See the Midwest’s full preseason top 15 here
Southwest region preseason Super 15 high school football rankings
Thanks to states like Texas and Oklahoma, the Southwest region boasts some of the nation’s top high school programs on a yearly basis. That appears to be the case again this year as we take a look at the top 15 programs entering the season from the region.
The Southwest Region includes programs and athletes from Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
5. Bixby (OK)
2025 Record: 13-0
Key Players: OL Kaeden Penny, Sr.; LB Cain Brackney, Sr.
4. DeSoto (TX)
2025 Record: 13-3
Key Players: RB Sarod Baker, Sr.; DL K’Adrian Redmond, Sr.; CB Dhillon McGee, Sr.; TE Connor Arant, Jr.
3. Southlake Carroll (TX)
2025 Record: 14-1
Key Players: WR Blake Gunter, Sr.; WR Brody Knowles, Sr.; OT Luke Wilson, Sr.
2. Duncanville (TX)
2025 Record: 12-2
Key Players: QB Maximus Denson, Sr.; WR Trenton Yancey, Sr.; IOL Kendrick Harris, Jr.
Who’s No. 1?
See the Southwest’s full preseason top 15 here
West region preseason Super 15 high school football rankings
Traditionally a strong region, the West is once again loaded this year with its usual powers eying national glory: St. John Bosco (Bellflower, CA), Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) and Centennial (Corona, CA) headline California schools; Arizona has strong representation with a quartet of teams placing in these opening rankings; and Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV) looks as fierce as ever, ready to be battle-tested early against out-of-state competition.
Seven West teams are in the Super 25 national rankings, with five of them earning a spot in the top 10 in the country.
It will be one of the most competitive regions in the United States. With our eyes to the start of the year, here are the opening 15 teams for the West region, which consists of Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
5. Basha (Chandler, AZ)
2025 Record: 12-1
Key Players: OT Jake Hildebrand, Sr.; EDGE Landen Wade, Jr.; QB Jake Rogers, Sr.
4. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA)
2025 Record: 8-3
Key Players: CB Danny Lang, Sr.; DL Montana Toilolo, Sr.; IOL Lex Mailangi, Sr.
3. Centennial (Corona, CA)
2025 Record: 11-2
Key Players: QB Jaden Jefferson, Sr.; WR Quentin Hale, Sr.; S Jaden Walk-Green, Sr.
2. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV)
2025 Record: 11-1
Key Players: QB Chance Thomas, Sr.; CB Hayden Stepp, Sr.; DL Tayaun Lawrence, Jr.
Who’s No. 1?
See the West’s full preseason top 15 here
USA TODAY Sports’ Super 25 preseason national rankings
Wondering how these regions’ top teams stack up at the national level? Be on the look out for the USA TODAY Sports’ Super 25 preseason national rankings, which are set to be unveiled on Tuesday, July 21.
