The Texas high school football season begins this month, and nobody has it better than Dallas-Fort Worth. From big, beautiful stadiums like Eagle Stadium in Allen and Farrington Field in Fort Worth, to rocking student sections and afterparties at Whataburger, there isn’t a high school football scene quite like the one in North Texas.
And who knows what greats you might see play? Plenty of NFL superstars have gotten their start here, including Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (Arlington Martin), Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (Allen) and Washington Commanders linebacker Von Miller (DeSoto).
Many prospects from the Dallas area have committed to big-time programs, and more are still being recruited. We could make a list of top talents from South Dallas schools alone if we wanted, thanks to DeSoto, Duncanville and South Oak Cliff having their own superstar rosters. However, variety is a beautiful thing, so we’re going to take a look at five seniors throughout North Texas to watch this season.
The rankings noted on this come from the 2026 ESPN 300, which features 35 players from the Lone Star State.
5 ⭐️ OT Felix Ojo's (@FelixTheOL) commitment to Texas Tech just changed the NIL world FOREVER 🌵💰
— AFA Tyler (@AFATyler) July 23, 2025
Ojo picked Texas Tech over schools like Texas, Ohio State & Michigan making him the highest rated recruit in program history 📈 pic.twitter.com/Rhc5sSu9EE
Felix Ojo, Offensive Tackle, Mansfield Lake Ridge
Ojo is the No. 1-rated offensive lineman in Texas and ranks 20th on the national ESPN 300. In July, he made football history, signing one of the largest guaranteed revenue-sharing contracts in college football history with Texas Tech. Schools being able to pay players directly is still a new concept, but Ojo is an early example of what we’re in for. His contract with the Red Raiders is three years, $5.1 million fully guaranteed, locking him into Lubbock until he’s draft eligible in 2029. For reference, in case you aren’t familiar with football contracts, Dallas Cowboys defensive back Israel Mukuamu, who has been with the team since 2021 and has played in 53 career games, including playoffs, has earned a little over $3.5 million in his career. Ojo is still in high school and has received an NFL-worthy payday.
Needless to say, keep an eye on him. He’s 6 feet, 7inches and 285 pounds, so if you decide to catch him in action at Mansfield Lake Ridge, he won’t be hard to miss. Lake Ridge plays defending 6A Division I champion North Crowley on October 9, a game that will feature the two top offensive line recruits in Texas: Ojo and Texas commit John Turntine III from North Crowley. That game will also feature three-star defensive back and Texas Tech commit Aaron Bradshaw, so it will be a good opportunity for Tech fans to get a glimpse into their future.
Ethan Feaster, Wide Receiver, DeSoto
Ethan Feaster is now entering his senior season after reclassifying from the class of 2027 to 2026 so that he can join the University of Southern California Trojans next year. Even after arranging to graduate early, he is still one of the top wide receivers in his class. He ranks 25th in the ESPN 300 as the No. 1 wide receiver in Texas and No. 3 in the nation. In his freshman season at DeSoto, Feaster played behind guys like TJ Pride, now at New Mexico State and Daylon Singleton, who now plays at SMU. During his sophomore season, he broke out with over 800 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns.If you want to catch him in action this year, I highly recommend going to see him play in the best local football rivalry, DeSoto vs. Duncanville, on October 10. You can also go check out DeSoto vs. North Crowley on September 5 for another powerhouse matchup.
Davian Groce, Wide Receiver, Frisco Lone Star
Groce’s freak athletic ability was proven by winning All-District utility player honors in 2024. He contributed to the Rangers' success all over the field, racking up five touchdowns receiving, seven rushing, one on a punt return and two off kickoff returns. He was a major reason for Lone Star’s 12-2 campaign. He currently sits at No. 36 on the ESPN 300 and is listed as a running back, but it’s hard to put a strict label on a player as versatile as him. After holding out from committing to a school longer than most other top prospects, it was recently announced that Groce plans on playing for the Florida Gators in 2026. Groce chose the SEC school over Oklahoma, Baylor, and Houston.
Touchdown @LSHSRangers
— David Wolman (@david_wolmanFWS) November 10, 2023
Lone Star lines up to go for it on 4th-1. Collin Blackstock hands off to Davion Groce. Nothing but green turf in front of Groce. 53 yards.
Lone Star 14, WT White 0. 0:45 1Q pic.twitter.com/JBWSvpiyhd
Jesse Ford, Defensive End, Arlington Martin
Jesse Ford, who sits at No. 133 on the ESPN 300, is en route to becoming a hometown hero. Ford, who had offers from Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma State, is staying in Tarrant County for college after he committed to TCU. He’s the highest-ranked recruit in TCU’s 2026 class, and for good reason. He is a unit. Standing at 6 feet, 5 inches and 230 pounds, he has a career 14.5 sacks, 89 total tackles, and 33 tackles for loss at Martin High School in Arlington. And there’s no telling how high those numbers could climb in his senior year.Ford is going to be a leader and sparkplug for the Warriors' defense, so expect him to make an impact when they open the year in Austin for a rematch with Lake Travis, whom they lost to last year. If you want to see Ford compete in high-level high school football, Martin hosts Denton Guyer on September 5 in another 2024 season rematch, and then turns around and faces Mansfield High a week later.
Christian Rhodes, Running Back, Lake Highlands
Christian Rhodes is set to become another hometown hero. He’s committed to play at SMU as part of a strong 2026 recruiting class for the Mustangs, which is bringing in five players from the ESPN 300 list. Rhodes is ranked 220 and is the sixth-ranked running back in Texas. He helped Lake Highlands to a perfect 7-0 district record last season and the district title. He then boosted them through round one of the playoffs against South Grand Prairie, rushing for 130 yards with another 29 receiving and a touchdown in a 28-0 Wildcats victory.Rhodes is going to try to top a very impressive 2024 season in which he rushed for 1,271 yards and scored a total of 16 touchdowns. For a player as fast and athletic as Rhodes, it’s not unrealistic to think he could get to 1,500 yards and 20 scores in his senior year. He is also going to be part of one of the best running back showdowns of the season, when in Week 1 Lake Highlands plays Forney High School and Javion Osborne, a four-star Notre Dame commit and No. 81 overall on the ESPN 300. Those two could give us fireworks, showing off the best that Texas high school football has to offer.
