New Jersey High School Football Rankings: Preseason Top 25 teams

The state of New Jersey is still busy preparing for the beginning of its high school football season as some parts of the country kick off the 2024 schedule this week.

The On3 Massey Ratings — which were officially used during the BCS era and have generated college high school sports team rankings since 1995 — rank sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule and margin of victory. According to this model, one program from the Garden State ranks in the nationwide top 100.

Below are the top 25 programs in New Jersey heading into the 2024 season.

1. Oradell Bergen Catholic

Bergen Catholic comes into 2024 as the New Jersey Non-Public A defending state champions after the Crusaders downed Delbarton 24-14 in the title game last season. Bergen Catholic’s lone loss of the year came against Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna. It enters the season No. 52 nationally with the 22nd-rated strength of schedule, opening on Aug. 29 against Florida’s IMG Academy. Four-star wide receiver Quincy Porter is a top-50 recruit nationally and committed to Ohio State. Big Ten commits Naiim Parrish and Chris Vigna also feature in this senior class. Among the juniors are four-star defensive lineman Jermaine Kinsler and four-star athlete Jordan Thomas.

2. Ramsey Don Bosco Prep

Don Bosco Prep was knocked out of the playoffs by Delbarton last season in the quarterfinals. The Ironmen will look to improve upon their 5-6 season this year against the likes of Akron (Ohio) Archbishop Hoban, Red Bank Catholic, Bergen Catholic, St. Joseph and St. Peter’s. Northwestern cornerback commit Marquet Dorsey Jr. is the highest-rated senior on the team.

3. Montvale St. Joseph

A 6-4 season ended with a quarterfinal loss to Seton Hall Prep last season, but the Green Knights are poised to be one of the best programs in the Garden State in 2024. They open with Baltimore St. Frances with a chance for revenge against Seton Hall Prep in week two. Four-star Penn State CB commit Jahmir Joseph, Rutgers RB commit John Forster and Duke safety pledge Ma’khi Jones headline a talented senior class for the Knights.

4. Morristown Delbarton

Delbarton made it all the way to the Non-Public A state title game last year before falling to Bergen Catholic to cap an impressive 10-2 season. The Green Wave will get another shot at Bergen on Oct. 19 in the middle of a schedule that includes games against St. Peter’s, Seton Hall, Pope John XXIII and DePaul Catholic.

5. West Orange Seton Hall Prep

The Pirates struggled against Don Bosco Prep in the postseason last year to finish 6-6 on the season. Seton Hall will once again play one of the state’s toughest high school football schedules in 2024, which includes the likes of St. Joseph Regional, DePaul Catholic, Delbarton, St. Peter’s, Pope John XXIII, Don Bosco Prep and Bergen Catholic. Junior three-star safety KJ McClain will hold down the defensive secondary this season for the Pirates.

6. Millville

Millville fell to Mainland Regional in the Group 4 quarterfinals last year to finish off a 9-2 season for the Thunderbolts. Sept. 13 will be the rematch between those two schools following Millville games against Holy Spirit and Atlantic City. Speedster wide receiver Lotzeir Brooks has been committed to Alabama since April and will be a lethal threat for the Bolts. The junior class features three-star linebacker Jayden Jones.

7. Wayne DePaul Catholic

DePaul Catholic lost the Non-Public B state championship game to Red Bank Catholic in a 14-7 nailbiter in 2023, and this year, the Spartans hope to get past that final obstacle. They open against Pope John XXIII with future games against Seton Hall Prep, Don Bosco Prep, St. Peter’s Prep, Delbarton and St. Joseph Regional. The senior class is loaded for the Spartans with the likes of Ohio State wide receiver commit De’zie Jones, Buckeyes cornerback pledge DeShawn Stewart, Notre Dame WR commit Elijah Burress, Penn State IOL commit Michael Troutman and Boston College ATH pledge Nolan James. DePaul is quarterbacked by junior four-star QB Derek Zammit.

8. Red Bank Catholic

Red Bank Catholic took home the New Jersey Non-Public B state title last season with a win over DePaul Catholic. The Caseys kick off on Sept. 6 against Don Bosco Prep. Future opponents include Donovan Catholic and Rumson-Fair Haven. Red Bank Catholic loses a pair of Power 4 recruits from last year’s senior class in Syracuse wide receiver Emanuel Ross and Pittsburgh linebacker Davin Brewton.

9. Richland St. Augustine Prep

Donovan Catholic knocked St. Augustine Prep out of the Non-Public A quarterfinals a year ago, and the Hermits will get a shot at avenging that loss in week one of 2024. St. Augustine will also play Mainland Regional and Millville this season.

10. Linwood Mainland

Mainland cruised to a perfect 14-0 season in 2023 with a Group 4 56-0 championship win over Ramapo. The Mustangs will open with Atlantic City on Aug. 29 before facing Millville and St. Augustine Prep later on.

Teams 11-15

11. Jersey City St. Peter’s Prep
12. Franklinville Delsea
13. Toms River Donovan Catholic
14. Toms River North
15. Princeton Hun

Teams 16-20

16. Atco Winslow
17. Phillipsburg
18. Marlton Cherokee
19. Sparta Pope John XXIII
20. Ridge

Teams 21-25

21. Absecon Holy Spirit
22. Northern Highlands
23. Franklin Lakes Ramapo
24. Rumson-Fair Haven
25. Washington