Brentwood Academy football, Baylor ranked among MaxPreps' preseason top 25
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
Two Tennessee high school football powers have received national recognition ahead of the 2026 TSSAA season.
With Week 1 kickoff just over a month away, MaxPreps has released its national preseason top 25, highlighting the country's top high school football teams entering the 2026 season. Division II-AAA's Baylor and Brentwood Academy each cracked the rankings, with Baylor the state's highest ranked team at No. 12 and Brentwood Academy sitting just behind at No. 14.
The pair faced off in Chattanooga last December for the BlueCross Bowl state championship. Both were undefeated entering the game, but Baylor claimed a 28-24 win over the Eagles to secure the gold ball.
Baylor closed the 2025 season 12-0 and returns an impressive recruiting class led by star running back David Gabriel Georges. Gabriel Georges is the state's No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2027 and the No. 10-ranked recruit nationally in the 247Sports Composite. He holds offers from Ohio State, Tennessee, Ole Miss and Alabama among others.
In the offseason, the Red Raiders also added four-star Ole Miss quarterback commit Keegan Croucher, joining a roster which features four-star tight end Braxton Reign and three-star edge Hans Emery Julien, along with Gabriel Georges.
After its state runner-up finish, Brentwood Academy retooled in the offseason and returns Power Four recruits across the field. Tennessee commit Kesean Bowman, the state's No. 2-ranked recruit, is back for the Eagles along with fellow Vols commitment LB Kenneth Simon, Ole Miss QB commit Crews Jenkins and Colorado OL commit Li'Marcus Jones.
Harrison Campbell covers high school sports for The Daily Herald and The Tennessean. Email him at hcampbell@usatodayco.com and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @hccamp.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Brentwood Academy football, Baylor ranked among MaxPreps' preseason top 25
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos