Ahead of the 2023 high school football season, USA TODAY High School Sports is looking around the country at some of the best programs to keep an eye on this year — more than a few of which will most likely appear in the opening Super 25.
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Of course, the same argument that roadblocks much of the conversation each season holds true in 2023: how can you measure the best when high school football unleashes so many unknowns in the equation? (Taking Highland Springs over a team like Riverheads in Virginia is just one of many examples: 52-game winning streaks from a Class 1 squad vs. a Class 5 lineup.)
So, understanding that there’s zero way—analytical- or opinion-based—to present an absolute, no doubt, concrete ranking among the thousands of teams, we’ve taken as much consideration for each state’s top programs as possible, looking at rosters, strength at the QB position and outlooks from around the HS coverage sphere, and selected a “best of the best” based on the year-over-year progressions.
With that in mind, here are our picks…
Alabama
(Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images)
Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.)
Alaska
(USA TODAY)
Lathrop (Fairbanks, Alaska)
Arizona
(USA TODAY)
Basha (Chandler, Ariz.)
Arkansas
(USA TODAY)
Bryant (Ark.)
California
(Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Colorado
(Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports)
Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village, Colo.)
Connecticut
(USA TODAY)
New Canaan (Conn.)
Delaware
(USA TODAY)
Smyrna (Del.)
Florida
(USA TODAY)
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Georgia
(File)
Buford (Ga.)
Hawaii
(YouTube)
Kahuku (Hawaii)
Idaho
(USA TODAY)
Rigby (Idaho)
Illinois
(Photo: Allen Trieu/247Sports)
East St. Louis (Ill.)
Indiana
(USA TODAY)
Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.)
Iowa
(USA TODAY)
Southeast Polk (Pleasant Hill, Iowa)
Kansas
(USA TODAY)
Mill Valley (Shawnee, Kan.)
Kentucky
(USA TODAY)
St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.)
Louisiana
(Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports)
John Curtis Christian (River Ridge, La.)
Maine
(Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports)
Leavitt (Turner, Maine)
Maryland
(USA TODAY)
St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.)
Massachusetts
(USA TODAY)
Catholic Memorial (West Roxbury, Mass.)
Michigan
(USA TODAY)
Belleville (Mich.)
Minnesota
(USA TODAY)
Mankato West (Minn.)
Mississippi
(USA TODAY)
Starkville (Miss.)
Missouri
(Photo: @kamm_o/Twitter)
Christian Brothers College (St. Louis, Mo.)
Montana
(Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports)
Florence-Carlton (Florence, Mont.)
Nebraska
(USA TODAY)
Omaha Westside (Neb.)
Nevada
(USA TODAY)
Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.)
New Hampshire
(USA TODAY)
Pelham (N.H.)
New Jersey
(USA TODAY)
Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.)
New Mexico
(USA TODAY)
Cleveland (Rio Rancho, N.M.)
New York
(USA TODAY)
Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.)
North Carolina
(USA TODAY)
Providence Day (Charlotte, N.C.)
North Dakota
(USA TODAY)
Shanley (Fargo, N.D.)
Ohio
(USA TODAY)
St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio)
Oklahoma
(USA TODAY)
Bixby (Okla.)
Oregon
(USA TODAY)
West Linn (Ore.)
Pennsylvania
(USA TODAY)
St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Rhode Island
(USA TODAY)
La Salle Academy (Providence, R.I.)
South Carolina
(USA TODAY)
Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.)
South Dakota
(USA TODAY)
Jefferson (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Tennessee
(USA TODAY)
Lipscomb Academy (Nashville, Tenn.)
Texas
(Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports)
Duncanville (Texas)
Utah
(Corner Canyon Athletics)
Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah)
Vermont
(USA TODAY)
Champlain Valley Union (Hinesburg, Vt.)
Virginia
(USA TODAY)
Highland Springs (Va.)
Washington
(USA TODAY)
Yelm (Wash.)
West Virginia
(USA TODAY)
Huntington (Wv,)
Wisconsin
(Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)
Kimberly (Wis.)
Wyoming
(USA TODAY)
Star Valley (Afton, Wyo.)
