Everything is bigger in Texas, even the number of players from the state represented on our list of Preseason Small Town All-Americans.
Bussey is regarded as the No. 15 prospect in the Class of 2024 by 247Sports and holds offers from 30 FBS programs, including reported frontrunners Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M. In addition to putting up monster stats as a dual-threat quarterback, he averaged more than 20 points per game as a junior for the Timpson basketball team.
Also worth a mention is
Ethen Knox of
Oil City (Pa.), who piled up more rushing yards in a 10-game season than any running back in high school football history last season. Knox ran for 3,705 yards and 41 touchdowns, recording six 400-yard games along the way. His efforts gained national attention last fall.
Small Town All-Americans were selected based on their national player ranking by 247Sports. If a position did not have any small town players ranked, then the position was chosen based on awards and statistics from last year. To qualify for the Small Town team, a player must come from a school that has an enrollment under 1,000 students from a town with a population less than 10,000 people.

Also a standout basketball player, Terry Bussey of Timpson combined to throw and run for over 4,700 yards and 72 touchdowns as a junior. (Photo: Dustin Nguyen)
Preseason Small Town All-Americans
Offense
WR — NiTareon Tuggle, NorthWood (Nappanee, Ind.)
Height: 6-1 |
Weight: 190
Status: Committed to Georgia |
Class: Senior
Named to the Indiana Football Coaches Association Class 4A Junior All-State Team, Tuttle caught 40 passes for 792 yards and 15 touchdowns last year.
WR — Drelon Miller, Silsbee (Texas)
Height: 6-0 |
Weight: 190
Status: Committed to Texas A&M |
Class: Senior
Miller earned Class 4A All-State honors by the Texas Sports Writers Association after catching 59 passes for 1,399 yards and 21 touchdowns.
WR — Gekyle Baker, Brownsboro (Texas)
Height: 6-2 |
Weight: 170
Status: Committed to TCU |
Class: Senior
Baker has caught over 50 passes in each of the past two years, grabbing 51 passes for 1,081 yards and 12 touchdowns as a sophomore and 51 passes for 712 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior.
TE — Carter Nelson, Ainsworth (Neb.)
Height: 6-4 |
Weight: 205
Status: Committed to Nebraska |
Class: Senior
The No. 2 tight end in the nation by 247Sports, Nelson was All-Super State last year in football and basketball. He caught 32 passes for 641 yards and 13 touchdowns.
OL — Josiah Thompson, Dillon (S.C.)
Height: 6-6 |
Weight: 280
Status: Committed to South Carolina |
Class: Senior
Thompson ranks as the No. 2 tackle in the nation by 247Sports.
OL — Grant Brix, Logan-Magnolia (Logan, Iowa)
Height: 6-5 |
Weight: 280
Status: Uncommitted |
Class: Senior
Earned a spot on the Class A All-State team by the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association.
OL — Cody Fox, East Buchanan (Winthrop, Iowa)
Height: 6-4 |
Weight: 275
Status: Committed to Iowa |
Class: Senior
Made the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association Class A All-State team on the offensive line.
OL — Kaedin Massey, Lyndon (Kan.)
Height: 6-8 |
Weight: 280
Status: Uncommitted |
Class: Senior
Massey ranks as the No. 1 player in the state of Kansas by 247Sports.
OL — Isaiah Autry, Itawamba Agricultural (Fulton, Miss.)
Height: 6-6 |
Weight: 290
Status: Committed to Oklahoma |
Class: Senior
Autry earned Class 4A All-State second team honors from the Mississippi Association of Coaches.
QB — Cash McCollum, China Spring (Texas)
Height: 6-4 |
Weight: 213
Status: Committed to North Texas |
Class: Senior
Leading China Spring to a Class 4A state championship, McCollum earned second team Class 4A All-State honors and completed 209 of 299 passes for 3,201 yards and 37 touchdowns.
QB — Alex Erby, Steelton-Highspire (Steelton, Pa.)
Height: 6-2 |
Weight: 205
Status: Uncommitted |
Class: Senior
The Class 1A Player of the Year by the Pa. Football Writers, Erby completed 135 of 202 passes for 2,065 yards and 26 touchdowns.
RB — Jason Patterson, Sneads (Fla.)
Height: 5-11 |
Weight: 200
Status: Committed to Cincinnati |
Class: Senior
Patterson made Class 1R All-State in Florida after rushing for 2,721 yards on 206 carries with 35 touchdowns.
RB — Ethen Knox, Oil City (Pa.)
Height: 6-1 |
Weight: 190
Status: Uncommitted |
Class: Senior
Knox was a Small Town All-American as a junior after he earned all-state honors in Pennsylvania while rushing for 3,705 yards and 41 touchdowns on 385 carries in just 10 games.
RB — Joseph Dodds, Tidehaven (El Maton, Texas)
Height: 5-11 |
Weight: 205
Status: Committed to Baylor |
Class: Senior
Dodds rushed for 1,633 yards and 12 touchdowns and earned Class 3A All-State honorable mention.
K — Will Soulliere, Frankenmuth (Mich.)
Height: 6-0 |
Weight: 150
Status: Uncommitted |
Class: Senior
Soulliere made the Small Town All-American Team as a junior after hitting 13 of 16 field goals and connecting on 68 of 69 extra points.
AP — Terry Bussey, Timpson (Texas)
Height: 5-10 |
Weight: 180
Status: Committed to Texas A&M |
Class: Senior
Bussey earned Class 2A Offensive Player of the Year honors after rushing for 2,596 yards and 46 touchdowns and passing for 2,177 yards and 26 touchdowns.
Defense
DL — Swazy Carheel, Many (La.)
Height: 6-2 |
Weight: 230
Status: Uncommitted |
Class: Senior
A Class 2A All-State selection by the Louisiana Sportswriter Association, Carheel had 84 tackles and 10 sacks for the state champions.
DL — Auckland Asiata, Sutter (Calif.)
Height: 6-3 |
Weight: 240
Status: Uncommitted |
Class: Senior
Named to the Sacramento Bee's All-Metro first team, Asiata had 84 tackles, 27 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.
DL — Kamarion Franklin, Lake Cormorant (Miss.)
Height: 6-5 |
Weight: 265
Status: Uncommitted |
Class: Senior
Franklin was the defensive POY for Class 5A by the Mississippi Association of Coaches. He had 73 tackles, 22 tackles for loss and 17 sacks.
DL — Amaris Williams, Clinton (N.C.)
Height: 6-3 |
Weight: 270
Status: Committed to Florida |
Class: Senior
A third team All-State pick by High School OT, Williams had 65 tackles, 44 tackles for loss, and 18 sacks.
LB — Demarcus Riddick, Chilton County (Clanton, Ala.)
Height: 6-2 |
Weight: 212
Status: Committed to Auburn |
Class: Senior
The Class 6A All-State linebacker had 109 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, seven sacks and three interceptions.
LB — Elijah Groves, East Robertson (Cross Plains, Tenn.)
Height: 6-4 |
Weight: 215
Status: Committed to Kentucky |
Class: Senior
Ranked as the No. 2 overall player in Tennessee by 247Sports, Groves had 59 tackles and two interceptions as a junior.
LB — Tylen Singleton, Many (La.)
Height: 6-1 |
Weight: 208
Status: Uncommitted |
Class: Senior
Listed here as a linebacker, Singleton earned Class 2A All-State honors as a junior at defensive back after making 75 tackles and four interceptions.
LB — Dylan Weisskopf, Williamsburg (Iowa)
Height: 6-3 |
Weight: 200
Status: Committed to Iowa |
Class: Senior
Listed here as a linebacker, Weisskopf made the Class 2A All-State team as a defensive back as a junior after racking up 59.5 tackles and six interceptions.
DB — JoZiah Edmond, NorthWood (Nappanee, Ind.)
Height: 6-1 |
Weight: 180
Status: Committed to Michigan |
Class: Senior
Played his first three seasons at Warren Central before transferring to NorthWood for his senior year. Earned Class 6A Junior All-State honors with 28 tackles and five interceptions.
DB — Javion White, Franklin Parish (Winnsboro, La.)
Height: 5-10 |
Weight: 175
Status: Committed to Tulane |
Class: Senior
Honorable mention Class 4A All-State as a junior, White caught 50 passes for 937 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also had three interceptions on defense.
DB — Demello Jones, Swainsboro (Ga.)
Height: 6-1 |
Weight: 176
Status: Committed to Georgia |
Class: Senior
A two-time Class AA All-State player in Georgia, Jones rushed 122 times for 1,279 yards and 20 touchdowns last year and also had 44 tackles on defense.
DB — Jordan Pride, Blountstown (Fla.)
Height: 6-1 |
Weight: 175
Status: Committed to Texas A&M |
Class: Senior
Named to the Class 1R All-State team as a defensive utility player as a junior after finishing with two interceptions on defense.
P — Drew Miller, Mediapolis (Iowa)
Height: 6-2 |
Weight: 195
Status: Committed to Georgia |
Class: Senior
Miller averaged 48 yards on 24 punts and also had 51 touchbacks while earning Class 1A All-State honors.
AP — Quinton Martin, Belle Vernon (Pa.)
Height: 6-2 |
Weight: 200
Status: Committed to Penn State |
Class: Senior
Martin earned second team All-State honors by PA Football News. He rushed 145 times for 1,279 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also caught 28 passes for 424 yards and six touchdowns, had an interception return for a score and had two punt returns for touchdowns.