East Texas teams ranked in Class 3A preseason poll

Published 1:07 pm Thursday, July 10, 2025

District 8-3A Division I will begin the 2025 high school football season with three ranked teams, and Districts 7-3A Division I, 10-3A Division II and 11-3A Division II can all boast a pair of ranked teams with the release of this year’s preseason polls.

Jefferson, Liberty-Eylau and Atlanta are all ranked in 8-3A Division I, with Malakoff and Winnsboro from 7-3A Division I, Daingerfield and De Kalb from 10-3A Division II and longtime rivals Troup and Arp from 11-3A Division II earning preseason recognition.

Other ranked East Texas teams in Class 3A are Palestine Westwood and Grand Saline.

JEFFERSON

Coach: Ty Taylor

2024 results: 12-1/6-0 district

2025 ranking: No. 4, 3A Division I

Players to watch: LB Kobin Tomlinson 5-11, 195 (134 tackles, two interceptions, one defensive TD) … QB/DB Chance Washington 6-2, 175 (39 tackles, three interceptions, 1 TD) … WR Travis Gray (5-10, 150) … LB Del Brown 5-10, 177 (87 tackles; 109 rushing yards) … RB Jacoby Morrow 6-0, 174 (24 carries, 249 yards) … OL Kingston Nelson 6-1, 293 (20 pancake blocks) … RB/WR Jeramaine Hopkins 5-7, 155 (204 receiving yards, 4 TD; 407 rushing yards, 7 TD)

Did you know: Taylor is in his second season at Jefferson … Tomlinson’s 134 tackles is a school record … Brown was the district’s Defensive Newcomer of the Year in 2024

MALAKOFF

Coach: Jamie Driskell

2024 results: 15-1/6-0 district

2025 ranking: No. 6, 3A Division I

Players to watch: RB/LB Jerrion Hall 5-9, 180 (101 carries, 733 yards, 13 TD; 2 interceptions) … DL Daniel Norrell 6-0, 280 (69 tackles) … RB/LB Davion Johnson 5-7, 160 (48 tackles) … DB/WR Wyatt Wallace (5-10, 175) … LB/TE Weston Jedlicka (6-0, 180) … OL Heath Piedra (6-2, 230) … PK Jacob Padron 5-10, 170 (67-69 PAT; 3-6 FG)

Did you know: Driskell is 173-36 in his coaching career, all at Malakoff … The Malakoff JV went 10-0 last season … Piedra is the Tigers’ lone offensive returning starter

LIBERTY-EYLAU

Coach: Brad Willard

2024 results: 11-3/5-1 district

2025 ranking: No. 7, 3A Division I

Players to watch: DL Zamanthyre Haire (6-0, 275) … RB Arian Taylor 5-11, 180 (1,331 yards,11 TD rushing) … LB Maliki Stephens 6-2, 185 (140 tackles, 4 sacks) … LB Luke Baysinger (6-2, 210) … OL Jalen Murphy (6-1, 255)

Did you know: Willard is in his second season at Liberty-Eylau. He has a 34-7 coaching record in his career

WINNSBORO

Coach: Josh Finney

2024 results: 10-3/5-1 district

2025 ranking: No. 10, 3A Division I

Players to watch: WR Camden Capehart 5-9, 160 (56 catches, 1,379 yards, 25 TD) … RB Neree Castleberry (6-2, 210) … QB Nolee Carroll 6-0, 175 (167 of 243, 2,771 yards, 23 TD) … WR Braxtun Espinoza 5-10, 160 (46 catches) … PK Rudy Calderon 5-6, 170 (86-88 PAT) … OL/DL Karson McNeil (6-3, 265)

Did you know: Finney has a 55-17 record at Winnsboro and a 140-49 record overall as a head coach … The Winnsboro JV finished 8-2 last season … Capehart, a Mississippi State verbal pledge, has 95 catches for 2,401 yards and 42 touchdowns over the last two seasons

ATLANTA

Coach: Tyler Morton

2024 results: 7-4/4-2 district

2025 ranking: No. 11, 3A Division I

Players to watch: WR Jayden Riley 5-7, 175 (52 catches, 921 yards, 13 TD) … WR/DL C.J. Whaley 6-5, 210 (9 catches, 164 yards, 3 TD) … RB Marshawn Woodberry 5-8, 190 (53 carries, 308 yards, 2 TD) … DL Kameron Williams 6-3, 240 (55 tackles, 15.5 TFL, 3 sacks) … WR/DB Deandre Simmons 6-3, 175 (30 tackles) … DL Adilen Collins 6-3, 180 (49 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 4 sacks)

Did you know: Morton is 19-14 in his coaching career, all at Atlanta

PALESTINE WESTWOOD

Coach: Richard Bishop

2024 results: 11-1/5-0 district

2025 ranking: No. 14, 3A Division I

Players to watch: QB Kavian Bryant 6-2, 185 (145 of 182, 2,776 yards, 37 TD, 3 interceptions; 81 carries, 871 yards, 14 TD) … WR Kaysn Dial 6-0, 185 (52 catches, 1,002 yards, 14 TD) … RB/DB David Russell (14 PBU, 1 interception, 1 defensive TD; 27 catches, 674 yards, 7 TD; 335 yards, 5 TD rushing) … OL/DL Sean McCartney (6-2 1/2, 270) … WR Chris Carter 5-8, 160 (15 catches, 217 yards, 6 TD; 2 punt returns for TD)

Did you know: Bryant, a junior, has already passed for 5,058 yards and 70 touchdowns and rushed for 1,683 yards and 23 scores in two seasons and is ranked as the No. 2 Class of 2027 quarterback in the nation by ESPN

DAINGERFIELD

Coach: Davin Nelson

2024 results: 8-6/5-1 district

2025 ranking: No. 9, 3A Division II

Players to watch: WR/DB Reign Wallace 5-9,160 (43 catches, 947 yards, 11 TD; 3 KR for TD) … RB Ashton Williams 5-10, 184 (103 carries, 569 yards, 7 TD; 1 TD receiving) … LB Tanner Teeter 6-1, 170 (103 tackles, 8 TFL) … QB Isaiah Parker 5-11, 187 (46 of 81, 697 yards, 9 TD; 87 tackles) … LB Tamar Palmer 5-10, 183 (81 tackles, 3 sacks, 9 TFL, 4 fumble recoveries) … WR Mason Williams 6-2, 170 (24 catches, 402 yards, 5 TD)

Did you know: Nelson has a 69-26 record as a head coach, all at Daingerfield … Daingerfield battled injuries early in 2024 and started the year 1-5 before winning four in a row to close out district play and then earning three playoff wins before falling in the fourth round to Woodville

DE KALB

Coach: Troy Zeringue

2024 results: 11-2/6-0 district

2025 ranking: No. 13, 3A Division II

Players to watch: RB/.DL Dom Dunn 5-10, 210 (88 tackles; 800 rushing yards) … RB/DL Kayden Wherry 5-10, 210 (1,600 rushing yards, 600 receiving yards, 20 total TDs) … WR/DB Walker Matteson 5-9, 175 (58 catches; 118 tackles) … OL/DL Landen Roberts 5-11, 225 (88 tackles) … WR/DB Keiwon Neal 5-6, 140 (30 catches, 8 TD) … LB Isiah Crow 5-8, 175 (108 tackles)

Did you know: Zeringue is 19-5 in two seasons at De Kalb

TROUP

Coach: Sam Wells

2024 results: 8-4/5-1 district

2025 ranking: No. 14, 3A Division II

Players to watch: RB/LB Brett Wells 5-8, 180 (1,500 rushing yards; 117 tackles) … WR/DB James Pierce 6-1, 175 (504 rushing yards; 62 tackles, 7 PBU) … OL/DL A.J. Dewberry 6-3, 285 (Graded at 93% with 19 pancakes; 35 tackles, 9 TFL, 4 sacks) … LB Noble Kendrick 6-1, 190 (100 tackles, 8 TFL, 3 PBU, 3 fumble recoveries) … DL Caden Starkey 6-0, 235 (47 tackles, 18 TFL, 5 sacks)

Did you know: Wells is 23-11 at Troup and 74-65 overall in his coaching career … Troup returns nine starters on both sides of the ball

GRAND SALINE

Coach: Joe Drennon

2024 results: 11-1/6-0 district

2025 ranking: No. 17, 3A Division II

Players to watch: QB/DB Jett Taylor 6-1, 195 (165 carries, 1,862 yards, 30 TD; 72 of 127, 1,593 yards, 15 TD; 40 tackles, 7 interceptions; 2 INT return for TD) … WR/DB Kolton Prox 6-3, 175 (38 catches, 1,003 yards, 10 TD; 269 yards, 3 TD rushing; 52 tackles, 5 interceptions) … TE/DL Gavin Rodriguez 6-5, 240 (3 catches 1 TD; 57 tackles, 5 TFL, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles) … OL/DL Gabe Lewis 6-0, 245 (47 tackles, 13 TFL, 3 sacks; Graded at 93% on the OL) … H Back/LB Kaison Bolin 5-11, 215 (68 tackles, 5 TFL, 1 INT for TD; 1 TD receiving) … OL/DL Landon Landry 6-0, 240 (14 tackles, 2 forced fumbles; Graded at 85% on the OL)

Did you know: Drennon is 29-25 at Grand Saline and has a career coaching record of 161-113

ARP

Coach: Wes Schminkey

2024 results: 7-4/4-2 district

2025 ranking: No. 22, 3A Division II

Players to watch: ATH Zane Bourque 5-10, 170 (283 passing yards; 285 receiving yards, 13 total TDs in seven games) … TE/LB/DL Jaxon Schminkey 6-1, 225 (5 catches, 86 yards; 54 tackles, 12 TFL) … RB/LB Josh Smith 5-10, 170 (1,500 yards, 19 TD rushing; 114 tackles, 12 TFL) … OL Eli Ladd (6-0, 250) … OL/DL Zyon Washington 5-10, 200 (36 tackles, 3 sacks, 8 TFL) … WR/DB Wyatt Johnson 5-9, 165 (152 receiving yards; 5 interceptions)

Did you know: Schminkey is 18-14 as a coach at Arp … Arp’s JV carved out a 10-0 record last season