Mater Dei, IMG headline early 2025 national high school football Top 25 rankings
In 2025, many of the greatest high school football teams in the nation will be loaded once again, which means that you will likely hear those same programs mentioned often this fall. In addition, many of the country’s premier teams are located in the top states for high school football, a group that includes the likes of California, Georgia, and Florida.
Although we are still several months away from the start of the 2025 high school football season, it never hurts to try to get a head start on the action. Let’s take a look at the high school football teams we project to be among the best in the nation in 2025, starting with No. 25.
25. Thompson Warriors (AL)
24. De La Salle Spartans (CA)
23. Mission Viejo Diablos (CA)
22. DeMatha Stags (MD)
21. Centennial Huskies (CA)
We begin with a trio of California programs within the bottom five of our Top 25. The most notable of those three from last season is likely De La Salle, who went 12-1 overall with their only loss coming in the CIF Open Division state championship. Centennial went 9-3 against a challenging schedule in 2024, while Mission Viejo was 10-1 overall with their only defeat coming at the hands of Centennial.
Alabama’s Thompson went 11-3 overall to win the AHSAA Class 7A state title, and they are set to return one of the state’s top quarterbacks in Trent Seaborn.
Maryland’s DeMatha finished the season at 10-1 overall to win the WCAC state title.
20. Orange Lutheran Lancers (CA)
19. Venice Indians (FL)
18. Bergen Catholic Crusaders (NJ)
17. American Heritage Patriots (FL)
16. St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders (FL)
A trio of Florida programs cracks this next group of five in our national high school football rankings. Recent national power St. Thomas Aquinas is coming off a 12-3 season in which the Raiders won the FHSAA Class 5A state title. Venice went 14-1 overall to win the FHSAA Class 7A state title. American Heritage is coming off a 12-2 year in which the Patriots won the FHSAA Class 4A championship, and they are set to return one of the state’s top quarterbacks in Dia Bell.
California’s Orange Lutheran had the most losses in 2024 of any program on this list at 9-4, but each came to teams within our Top 5.
New Jersey’s Bergen Catholic went 11-1 last season to win the NJSIAA Non-Public A state title.
15. Corner Canyon Chargers (UT)
14. Archbishop Spalding Cavaliers (MD)
13. Carrollton Trojans (GA)
12. Grimsley Whirlies (NC)
11. Buford Wolves (GA)
This group just missing the Top 10 of our national high school football rankings includes a total of three 2024 state champions. North Carolina’s Grimsley went undefeated at 16-0 to win the NCHSAA Class 4A title last season, and the Whirlies will return five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon next season.
Utah’s Corner Canyon will also bring back a notable signal caller in Helaman Casuga.
Archbishop Spalding out of Maryland went undefeated at 12-0 a year ago to win the MIAA Class A state title.
Georgia’s Carrollton went 14-1 to fall in the GHSA Class 6A championship game.
Buford out of Georgia will be talented once again in 2025 with a roster led by defensive lineman Bryce Perry-Wright.
10. Milton Eagles (GA)
2024 Record: 15-0 overall, GHSA Class 5A state champion
Arguably Georgia’s top team in 2024, Milton went undefeated at 15-0 overall to win the GHSA Class 5A state championship last season and enters 2025 having not dropped a game since September 2023.
The Eagles did lose a significant amount of talent, but at the moment are set to return a roster headlined by linebacker Billy Weivoda.
9. St. Frances Academy Panthers (MD)
2024 Record: 8-3 overall
Playing a national schedule, Maryland’s St. Frances Academy went 8-3 overall in 2024, and the Panthers are set to be loaded once again in 2025. This will include many prominent names such as star edge rusher Zion Elee, safety Jireh Edwards, and tight end Damon Hall Jr., among others.
8. Duncanville Panthers (TX)
2024 Record: 13-1 overall, UIL 6A D1 state semifinalist
Texas’ Duncanville ranked among the best high school football teams in the nation once again in 2024, going 13-1 overall to reach the UIL Class 6A D1 state semifinals.
The Panthers will lose a notable amount of star talent, but will return the likes of edge rusher Kevin Ford Jr. and wide receiver Ayson Theus, among others, in 2025.
7. North Crowley Panthers (TX)
2024 Record: 16-0 overall, UIL 6A D1 state champion
North Crowley out of Texas had one of the top seasons in program history last year, with the Panthers going undefeated at 16-0 overall to win the state’s UIL Class 6A D1 state title.
The Panthers will be back once again in 2025, led by a roster featuring one of the nation’s top offensive linemen in John Turntine III.
6. Chaminade-Madonna Lions (FL)
2024 Record: 13-2 overall, FHSAA Class 1A state champion
Florida’s Chaminade-Madonna continued a recent stellar stretch this past fall by going 13-2 to win the FHSAA Class 1A state title, which was their fourth consecutive state championship.
The Lions will once again return a talented team in 2025, headlined by one of the nation’s premier athletes in Derrek Cooper.
5. Grayson Rams (GA)
2024 Record: 14-1 overall, GHSA Class 6A state champion
Georgia’s Grayson had a big 2024 season in which the program went 14-1 overall to win the GHSA Class 6A state title.
The Rams will enter the 2025 season riding a 14-game winning streak, and they will be led by a 2024 ITG Next All-American selection at linebacker in Tyler Atkinson, along with fellow linebacker Anthony Davis and others.
4. IMG Academy Ascenders (FL)
2024 Record: 7-2 overall
The Ascenders’ national team finished last season at 7-2 overall with neither of their two losses coming from in-state teams.
IMG Academy’s roster will be loaded again in 2025, headlined by the likes of edge rusher Jake Kreul, offensive tackle Keenyi Pope, and safety Zech Fort, among others.
3. Bishop Gorman Gaels (NV)
2024 Record: 11-1 overall, NIAA 5A Division 1 state champion
Bishop Gorman out of Nevada had yet another stellar season this past fall, finishing with an 11-1 overall record to win the NIAA Class 5A Division 1 state title, which is their fourth consecutive championship.
The Gaels will be loaded once again in 2025, headlined by safety Jett Washington, defensive lineman James Carrington, edge rusher Prince Williams, and wide receiver Kaina Watson, among others.
2. St. John Bosco Braves (CA)
2024 Record: 11-2 overall, CIF Southern Section runner-up
California’s St. John Bosco was among the nation’s elite high school football programs last year, going 11-2 to reach the CIF Southern Section finals. Their two losses came to Mater Dei.
The Braves will once again be among high school football’s elite in 2025, led by a roster that will feature wide receivers Daniel Odom and Madden Williams, cornerback Joshua Holland, edge rusher Dutch Horisk, and cornerback Jacob Whitehead, among others.
1. Mater Dei Monarchs (CA)
2024 Record: 13-0 overall, CIF Open Division state champion
California’s Mater Dei, who has not lost a game since October 2023, is coming off an undefeated 13-0 season in which the Monarchs won their second straight CIF Open Division state championship.
The Monarchs are set to return one of the nation’s top overall players in 2025 in wide receiver Chris Henry Jr., as well as many other impact players like offensive tackle Kodi Greene, tight end Mark Bowman, and defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui.
