Tim Mossholder / Unsplash
Audio By Carbonatix
School districts across North Texas have opened their doors for the 2026-27 school year, so it feels like an appropriate time to revamp our list of high school football players to watch for 2026.
Last year we highlighted five players who we expected to put up big senior years, and they didn’t disappoint. This included DeSoto’s Ethan “Boobie” Feaster, who finished third in the state in receiving yards and is now catching attention early at USC, as well as Mansfield Lake Ridge offensive tackle Felix Ojo, who was one of the early pieces of the Texas Tech Red Raiders rebuild through recruiting in the new age of NIL. He’ll now join a team that made its first College Football Playoff appearance last season and is projected to win the Big 12 this year.
It’s worth repeating for the uninitiated: NFL talent runs rampant through the Dallas area, and we saw more of that in this year’s draft, with numerous North Texans getting their names called, such as Flower Mound Marcus quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (Kansas City), South Oak Cliff cornerback Malik Muhammad (Chicago) and Denton Ryan linebacker Anthony Hill Jr (Tennessee). The point is, you never know who you might see go from playing on Friday nights to Sunday afternoons, so it’s worth keeping note of games in your area to catch a glimpse of a future star.
The rankings mentioned come from the ESPN Top 300, although these aren’t just the five highest-ranked Texans, but guys who are noteworthy for one reason or another.
Jalen Brewster, Defensive Tackle (Cedar Hill)
Brewster is the No. 1-ranked player in the entire class of 2027 and is the son of former Cowboys third-round pick Robert Brewster. He was another addition to a strong 2027 Texas Tech recruiting class, choosing the Red Raiders over top programs like Ohio State and Oregon. His size and athleticism make him a monster pass rusher; with a frame at 6-foot-3, 310 pounds, he moves with authority and breaks through offensive lines with ease. He stands out, making it clear to even the most casual of football fans that he’s the best on the field.
Once a powerhouse, Cedar Hill has been in the shadow of Duncanville and DeSoto for a couple of years now, going just 6-5 last season and 3-7 in 2024. Brewster is going to spearhead the Longhorn defense in hopes of getting back to high school football glory and competing for a state title again. With both Duncanville (Sept. 4) and DeSoto (Oct. 23) on the schedule this fall, it’s going to be worth the price of admission to watch Brewster compete against some of the best rosters North Texas has to offer.
Cooper Witten, Outside Linebacker (Liberty Christian)
Does that name sound familiar, Cowboys fans? Well, it’s exactly who you think. Cooper Witten is the son of Cowboys former All-Pro tight end, Jason Witten. The four-star linebacker is ranked No. 32 in ESPN’s Top 300 and is committed to Oklahoma, choosing the Sooners over a plethora of offers that included his dad’s alma mater, Tennessee, and top championship contenders Alabama and Ohio State. He’s listed as a linebacker by most recruiting outlets, but he’s got his father’s abilities as a receiver, making him one of the most dominant two-way players in the country. His game is mature and should translate easily to the college level, with a future in the NFL very much on the table.
Liberty Christian competes in the private school division of Texas high school football, better known as TAPPS. Under Jason Witten as head coach, the Warriors won back-to-back TAPPS Division 1 state titles in 2023 and 2024, going 26-1 combined in those two seasons. This will be Cooper’s first season without his dad at the helm, who, one month before Cooper’s commitment, took a coaching job at Oklahoma, so it will be interesting to see how Cooper and his Liberty Christian teammates do under new leadership in 2026.
Buck Randall, Quarterback (Highland Park)
Randall differs from the other players listed here in that fact that he’s not a top 300 recruit, but he’s damn sure played like one. The SMU commit led the entire state in passing yards last year with 4,392 while leading the Scots to the state quarterfinals, rattling off 12 straight wins in the process before falling to Frisco Lone Star.
He’s one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the region, being able to control the passing game and using his legs as well as anyone. He threw for 51 touchdowns in 2025 and rushed for 11 more. This seems like a really good add for the Mustangs, who are more than likely in their last year with star quarterback and South Oak Cliff product Kevin Jennings before he goes pro. Randall will add youth and projectable talent to a quarterback room that will be searching for their next starter in 2027.
SaRod Baker, Running Back (DeSoto)
This list wouldn’t be a proper preview without DeSoto representation. The talent pipeline there might as well have its own interstate. He’s ranked No. 163 in the 2027 class and is yet another big commitment for Joey McGuire’s Texas Tech Red Raiders, who appear to be building something special out in Lubbock.
He finished seventh in the state in rushing yards last season with 3,081, averaging 205 yards in 15 outings – straight video game numbers. He’s been described by scouts as a shifty, smart runner who can find holes in the defense and fight through contact well, projecting him as an impact player in college who could take on the role of a power back in most offenses.
DeSoto is coming off of a state championship in 2025, so expectations are high for Baker as he and the run game will lead an offense that in 2025 scored 50-plus points in each of its final eight games of the season. They have a gauntlet to start their season, first heading to Florida to take on national powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas before heading home to face Allen and Duncanville in weeks two and three. This early stretch will set the tone for the Fighting Eagles, and Baker will be one of the key players as they look to establish themselves as a championship favorite.
George Toia, Defensive Tackle (Byron Nelson)
Toia comes in at No. 61 on the ESPN Top 300 and is committed to UCLA, which brings up a point of interest in the fact that he’s one of two DFW area prospects who are in the top 100 and are set to play for the Bruins, joining North Crowley’s Jerry Outhouse Jr.
Toia is a huge grab for UCLA, as he’s been described as a player with violent abilities and a short-range burst, making him extremely effective at clogging up the run game and getting into the backfield quickly.
Byron Nelson had a really solid season in 2025, going 10-3 overall and 7-1 in district, notably with the defense holding opposing offenses to less than 10 points four times, which is not an easy task. If you want to check out Toia and the Bobcats this year, they play Southlake Carroll on Oct. 23. This is an interesting matchup because of Carroll’s history of having powerhouse offenses with star quarterbacks, so it’ll be a game within the game to see how they handle Toia and how much he can affect the flow of their passing and running game.
