MaxPreps 2015 Indiana preseason high school football Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

Video: Alex Akins' highlight vs. Ben Davis High School
See the Carmel High player in action last season.


1. Carmel
Coach: John Hebert
2014 finish: 15-1
Team preview

After a loss in the Class 6A state championship game, the Greyhounds are looking for redemption in 2015, but they will have a new leader. Kevin Wright has relocated to Florida, where he will be the new head coach at IMG Academy, and the new lead voice for Carmel football will be coach John Hebert.

Hebert has been the defensive coordinator for the Greyhounds for the past seven seasons, and can expect to pick up right where coach Wright left off.

Expectations will be high in Hebert's first year, as some key returnees will help him hit the ground running. Dynamic quarterback Micheal Viktrup, who recently committed to Air Force, is back to command the offense. Viktrup will be flanked by juniors Ethan Merriweather and Jalen Walker, who look poised for breakout seasons.

With defense being Hebert's specialty, that unit may be the strong point for the Greyhounds in 2015. Look for Alex Akins and Noah Burks (Wisconsin commit) to be the lead voices on the defensive side of the ball. Both Burks and Akins may be the best defensive players in the state at the defensive back and linebacker positions, respectively.

An early matchup with La Salle of Cincinnati will be a great test for Hebert's squad.

See the Top 10 teams with the most all-time Indiana state titles

2. Cathedral (Indianapolis)
Coach: Rick Streiff
2014 finish: 9-5
Team preview

The Fighting Irish captured yet another state championship in 2014, making that five in a row for coach Streiff. After losing four their first five just a season ago, Streiff rallied his troops and guided them to the playoffs where the rest took care of itself.

Back to lead the offense for the Fighting Irish will be Buffalo commit Max Bortenschlager, who lines up under center. He loses some valuable experienced weapons from a season ago, but Evan Christopher returns as the lead option out of the backfield. The Fighting Irish defense was hit fairly hard by graduation, but look for junior Ben Stewart to have a breakout campaign after a solid sophomore season.

As usual, Streiff has set up a grueling schedule that includes Cincinnati powers Archbishop Moeller and St. Xavier, each of which will provide excellent tests for his boys. The Fighting Irish will not lack experience, as their coach makes up for a lot of that, and if they are dealt a clean bill of health, another championship run could be in the cards.

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3. Ben Davis (Indianapolis)
Coach: Mike Kirschner
2014 finish: 12-2
Team preview

Coach Kirschner and the Giants captured the ultimate prize last season with a win in the Class 6A state championship game, making it their eighth state title since the school opened. However, the road to repeat will be a challenging one in 2015. The Giants were hit hard by graduation and lost a load of talent and experience on both sides of the ball.

It looks like the quarterback position will be a competition all the way up until the season begins. That being said, whoever ends up winning the job will have a bevy of offensive weapons. Michigan commit Chris Evans may be the best offensive player in the state, and on the outside, Stori Emerson will provide some serious playmaking ability. On top of that, the new signal-caller will stand behind an impressive offensive line led by Jalil Brewer.

The defense for the Giants took the biggest hit. They return just one starter from last year's core and will have youngsters stepping into new roles across the board. The lone returner on defense for coach Kirschner will be Darius Randolph, who will anchor the linebacking unit. He will be the key to the Giants' defense as the newcomers get acclimated and up to speed.

The inexperience at quarterback and on the defensive side of the ball could make or break the season for the Giants. Their track record shows they have the tools to make it a successful season.

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4. New Palestine
Coach: Kyle Ralph
2014 finish: 15-0
Team preview

The Dragons enter the 2015 season on a cloud they likely never want to come down from. Coach Ralph led his team to an undefeated season, capturing the first state championship in school history. On top of all that, the Dragons defeated every opponent they played by more than 20 points with the exception of one game. As if it couldn't get any better for the coach Ralph, the likelihood of having success similar to last year's is fairly good.

The offensive unit will be anchored by Alex Neligh, who posted ridiculous numbers in his junior season. He totaled 47 scores in the process of racking up nearly 2,500 yards through the air and another 1,185 on the ground. Accompanying Neligh will be wideout Duke Blackwell, who was his top option a season ago.

The scariest part about the Dragons is that their best feature may be their defense. Coach Ralph's stingy defensive unit welcomes back Joseph Izbicki, who flirted with 100 tackles last season, and Adam Kincaid, who had an impressive sophomore season.

The Dragons have moved up to Class 5A and have all the means to finish at the top in their first season.

See last season's Indiana football computer rankings

5. Columbus East
Coach: Bob Gaddis
2014 finish: 13-1
Team preview

Coach Gaddis' season ended in heartbreak a season ago, as Columbus East lost by two in the state semifinal to the aforementioned and eventual state champion New Palestine. Similar to New Palestine, the Olympians will move up to Class 5A for this coming season and have all the assets to impress from the get-go.

Replacing Markell Jones, who rushed for 60 scores last season and is now at Purdue, is not something any team can do. However, signal-caller Kj McCarter returns for his final go on the gridiron after a very impressive junior season. Columbus East also returns Steven O'neal, who lines up at multiple positions, and tight end Rhett Myers, each of whom should give McCarter versatile and reliable options on offense.

Defensively, the Olympians welcome back a load of experience and talent up and down the unit. Four-year varsity player Sam Dwenger enters his final season of high school football and is coming off a season in which he recorded 159 tackles. If that can be topped, look for him to be the guy to do so. Providing more experience to the defense will be Noah Wichman commanding the secondary.

Coach Gaddis and his boys are looking to impress in their first season at Class 5A and they will have the tools to do just that.