Top players by position in Texas High School Football

The state of Texas produces a litany of top high school football prospects every year, often-times pushing 50 or more of the nation’s best recruits.

And the 2025 cycle is no different, with seven five-stars and dozens of four-stars hailing from programs across the Lone Star State.

Using the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies, here are the top players by position in the state of Texas this year:

QB Keelon Russell – Duncanville
Few prospects have ascended faster in the 2025 class than Russell, who jumped from outside the top 100 prospects nationally this spring to a five-star by the summer. The 6-foot-3 ⅛, 181-pounder was the Elite 11 MVP in June and has led Duncanville to back-to-back state titles in Texas highest classification as a sophomore and junior. Russell had arguably the best junior season of any QB in the country, completing 74.1% of his passes for 3,267 yards and 35 touchdowns against 3 interceptions over 15 games. Also rushed for 304 yards and 4 touchdowns.

RB Davian Groce (2026) – Lone Star
Groce broke out as a freshmen two years ago, finishing the season with 614 yards and four touchdowns on 7.2 yards per carry, while also hauling in 10 passes for 158 yards. But given a bigger role as a sophomore, he really shined. Playing both running back and receiver, he accounted for nearly 1,800 scrimmage yards and 22 touchdowns. Of that, 936 yards (7.67 yards per carry) and 13 TDs came on the ground, while he also pulled in 45 passes for 860 yards and 9 TDs.

WR Dakorien Moore – Duncanville
Not only is Moore — an Oregon commit — the top player in the Lone Star State, but he’s also the No. 1 wide receiver nationally. As a junior in 2023, he caught 71 passes for 1,523 yards and 18 TDs on 21.4 yards per reception to help Duncanville to a second consecutive Texas 6A D-I state championship. He’s also a star on the track as well. In the spring of 2024, he ran 100-meter times of 10.40 and 10.45, along with a season-best 21.70 200, per MileSplit. He also placed fifth in the Texas 6A long jump finals with a leap of 23-7.5.

ATH Michael Terry III – Alamo Heights
Alamo Heights coach Ron Rittimann said he’s yet to find something that Michael Terry can’t do on the football field. The 6-foot-2.5, 211-pounder with 32 ⅛-inch arms and 9-inch hands could play multiple positions at the college level, including receiver, tight end and even running back. As a junior, he rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and 20 touchdowns, also accounting for over 500 receiving yards and 10 more scores as a junior. He also registers as a strong athlete in track and field, posting 6-4 foot high jump and a 11.05 second mark in the 100 meters.

TE Kiotti Armstrong – Jasper
The massive 6-foot-6, 250-pounder was a major weapon for Jasper in 2023, hauling in 26 catches for 268 yards and nine touchdowns as a huge red-zone threat. He’ll look to improve upon those numbers even more in 2024.

OT Ty Haywood – Denton Ryan
Haywood has established himself as one of the nation’s premier offensive tackles, despite spending the early part of his football career playing defense. He’s a physical specimen at left tackle though, measuring in at around 6-foot-4.75, 297 pounds with 33 ⅞-inch arms and 10-inch hands at the On3 Elite Series prior to his senior season. He also doubles as a standout in track and field with a stellar 58-6 foot shot put throw as a junior. 

IOL Demetris Dean – Jasper
The 6-foot-4, 295-pounder is the highest-ranked member of the Houston’s 2025 recruiting class. As a sophomore, he was named a Texas District 9-4A D-II unanimous first-team selection and helped lead the team to a deep playoff run in 2023.

Top defensive players in the state of Texas

EDGE Lance Jackson – Pleasant Grove
The younger brother of former five-star recruit and Arkansas captain Landon Jackson, Lance has been making an impact at the varsity level for going on three years. In 2022 as a sophomore, he finished with 63 tackles, 11.5 for loss, two sacks and a pair of pass breakups. He was named a first-team all-district selection in 2022 and 2023 and projects as a five-star prospect by On3.

DL DJ Sanders – Bellville
The hulking 6-foot-4, 290-pounder was the Texas District 12-4A-II Defensive Newcomer of the Year as a freshman and Texas District 10-4A-II Defensive MVP as a sophomore. In 2023, he was credit with 115 tackles, 28 tackles for loss and 15 sacks.

LB Riley Pettijohn – McKinney
The Ohio State commit is a supremely athletic linebacker, measuring in at around 6-foot-1.5, 215 pounds prior to his senior season and turning in 10.77 second mark in the 100 meters as a junior. Pettijohn has a very productive junior season on the field, tallying 125 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 interception and 5 pass breakups.

CB Devin Sanchez – North Shore
The nation’s top cornerback, Sanchez measured in at an impressive 6-foot-2, 180 pounds with 32-inch arms at the On3 Elite Series prior to his senior season. He touts a strong size and speed combination, running 10.69 seconds in the 100 meters as a junior. Was a lockdown defender as a junior, making plays at a very high rate when targeted. Despite not seeing a heavy number of targets, he finished with 11 pass breakups and five interceptions.

SAF Jonah Williams – Galveston Ball
Another No. 1 player at his position nationally hailing from the Lone Star State, Williams is a stud dual-sport athlete in both football and baseball. On the diamond, he’s reached 94 MPH as a pitcher and projects to be a multi-tool player at the next levels. And he might be even better on the football field. He checked in 6-foot-3 ⅛, 206 pounds with 32.25-inch arms at the On3 Elite Series prior to his senior season. As a junior, he was named the Texas District 9-5A D-I Defensive Player of the Year. On offense, he caught 20 passes for 474 yards and 8 TDs, while rushing only 2 times for 144 yards and 2 TDs. Defensively, he recorded 58 tackles, 4 TFL, and 4 INTs, including 3 INT return TDs for the second consecutive season.