High school football preseason 2017 Top 25 composite rankings

Video: Top 25 Early Contenders
Host Zack Poff breaks down the teams MaxPreps chose for its Xcellent 25.

A total of five national media polls have released their preseason Top 25 rankings, and Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) will debut as No. 1 overall with three polls listing the Monarchs at the top to start the season. Not far behind the Monarchs is league rival St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.). The two teams have met 14 times since 2004, both winning seven games each. They are scheduled to play each other Oct. 13.

Only schools recognized by two or more media outlets are eligible for inclusion in the composite rankings. Teams were assigned a score of 40 for each media outlet that did not recognize them as part of their Top 25, rewarding teams that received consensus acclaim.


1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Average rank: 1.4
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 1
USA Today: 1
MaxPreps Computer: 1
HSFBA: 2
USA Today Computer: 2

2. St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)
Average rank: 2.2
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 4
USA Today: 3
HSFBA: 1
MaxPreps Computer: 2
USA Today Computer: 1

(TIE) 3. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
Average rank: 3.6
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 2
USA Today: 4
HSFBA: 5
MaxPreps Computer: 4
USA Today Computer: 3

(TIE) 3. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Average rank: 3.6
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 3
USA Today: 2
HSFBA: 5
MaxPreps Computer: 3
USA Today Computer: 5

5. Centennial (Corona, Calif.)
Average rank: 9.2
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 8
USA Today: 14
HSFBA: 10
MaxPreps Computer: 10
USA Today Computer: 4

6. Allen (Texas)
Average rank: 10.8
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 11
USA Today: 16
HSFBA: 3
MaxPreps Computer: 4
USA Today Computer: 20

7. Chandler (Ariz.)
Average rank: 11.4
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 14
USA Today: 7
HSFBA: 11
MaxPreps Computer: 16
USA Today Computer: 9

8. DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.)
Average rank: 12.2
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 13
USA Today: 6
HSFBA: 13
MaxPreps Computer: 12
USA Today Computer: 17

9. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Average rank: 14.4
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 5
USA Today: 5
HSFBA: 14
MaxPreps Computer: NR
USA Today Computer: 8

10. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.)
Average rank: 14.8
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 16
USA Today: 10
HSFBA: 21
MaxPreps Computer: 9
USA Today Computer: 18

11. Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)
Average rank: 15.4
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 6
USA Today: NR
HSFBA: 16
MaxPreps Computer: 8
USA Today Computer: 7

12. DeSoto (Texas)
Average rank: 17.2
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 7
USA Today: NR
HSFBA: 6
MaxPreps Computer: 17
USA Today Computer: 16

13. Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.)
Average rank: 18
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 9
USA Today: 19
HSFBA: 15
MaxPreps Computer: 7
USA Today Computer: NR

(TIE) 14. East (Salt Lake City)
Average rank: 21.4
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 23
USA Today: 13
HSFBA: 25
MaxPreps Computer: 6
USA Today Computer: NR

(TIE) 14. Lake Travis (Austin, Texas)
Average rank: 21.4
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: NR
USA Today: 8
HSFBA: NR
MaxPreps Computer: 13
USA Today Computer: 6

16. Carol City (Miami)
Average rank: 23.2
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 17
USA Today: 20
HSFBA: NR
MaxPreps Computer: 18
USA Today Computer: 21

17. St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.)
Average rank: 24.2
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: NR
USA Today: 23
HSFBA: 7
MaxPreps Computer: 11
USA Today Computer: NR

18. St. Xavier (Cincinnati)
Average rank: 24.4
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 18
USA Today: NR
HSFBA: 18
MaxPreps Computer: 21
USA Today Computer: 25

19. St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia)
Average rank: 26
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 19
USA Today: 17
HSFBA: NR
MaxPreps Computer: NR
USA Today Computer: 14

(TIE) 20. Hoover (Ala.)
Average rank: 27.4
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: NR
USA Today: 9
HSFBA: 8
MaxPreps Computer: NR
USA Today Computer: NR

(TIE) 20. Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Ill.)
Average rank: 27.4
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: NR
USA Today: NR
HSFBA: 23
MaxPreps Computer: 24
USA Today Computer: 10

(TIE) 22. Brentwood Academy (Tenn.)
Average rank: 30
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: NR
USA Today: 15
HSFBA: NR
MaxPreps Computer: 15
USA Today Computer: NR

(TIE) 22. St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City, N.J.)
Average rank: 30
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 21
USA Today: NR
HSFBA: 9
MaxPreps Computer: NR
USA Today Computer: NR

24. JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
Average rank: 30.4
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 25
USA Today: 25
HSFBA: NR
MaxPreps Computer: 22
USA Today Computer: NR

25. American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)
Average rank: 31
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: 12
USA Today: NR
HSFBA: NR
MaxPreps Computer: 23
USA Today Computer: NR

Ranked in 2 Polls: South Pointe (Rock Hill, S.C.), Ben Davis (Indianapolis), Warren Central (Indianapolis), Katy (Texas), St. Ignatius (Cleveland)

Ranked in 1 Poll: Bingham (South Jordan, Utah), Booker T. Washington (Miami), Carmel (Ind.), Cass Tech (Detroit), Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.), Central (Miami), Colerain (Cincinnati), John Curtis Christian (River Ridge, La.), East St. Louis (Ill.), Fayetteville (Ark.), Hewitt-Trussville (Trussville, Ala.), Kahuku (Hawaii), Long Beach Poly (Calif.), Mountain Pointe (Phoenix), Pearl (Miss.), Prairie Ridge (Crystal Lake, Ill.), Roswell (Ga.), Steele (Cibolo, Texas), St. Frances Academy (Baltimore), St. John's (Washington, D.C.), St. Louis (Honolulu)