Before the season, the SportsDayHS staff previews each classification and provides 20 players to watch over the course of the season, which culminated this weekend with the state championships at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
Here were our players for:
Class 6A | Class 5A | Class 4A
It leaves room for players who emerge over the course of the season and make media and fans alike take notice, sometimes as seniors or underclassmen having a breakout season.
This list is a mix of 20 breakout stars, underrated players and players who were overlooked, to an extent, and did not appear on our preseason lists.
High School Sports
Class 6AQuarterback
Carter Zingelmann, Coppell, So.
Zingelmann stepped into massive shoes as a sophomore taking over for Edward Griffin. The emerging prospect led the Cowboys three rounds deep and threw for over 1,800 yards, ran for over 700 and had 31 combined touchdowns.
Prosper quarterback Braeden Imhoff (9) throws a pass as offensive lineman Zaden Krempin (74) works against Rockwall-Heath’s Landon Foster (8) during the first half of a high school football game on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Rockwall.
Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer
Braeden Imhoff, Prosper, Sr.
Imhoff finished just behind Southlake Carroll’s Angelo Renda as the area’s passing leader with over 3,700 yards and 44 touchdowns. Prosper had the area’s second-best offense in terms of yards per game, averaging nearly 500.
Deshawn Edwards, Mansfield Lake Ridge, Jr.
A big reason Mansfield Lake Ridge surpassed expectations was because of the offense built around quarterback Edwards. The dual-threat player threw for 2,438 yards and ran for over 1,387 while combining for 45 touchdowns.
DeSoto quarterback SaRod Baker (5) is chased and caught by Duncanville defensive lineman Landon Barnes (8) in the first quarter at Duncanville ISD Stadium, October 10, 2025. Baker had to throw the ball away.
Tom Fox / Staff Photographer
Running back
SaRod Baker, DeSoto, Jr.
The DeSoto running back has perhaps the biggest breakout star of the postseason. Baker needed only 29 yards in the 6A Division II title game to reach 3,000 for the season, and he got 125. He eclipsed 300 yards rushing three times in the playoffs, including a 381-yard game against Willis in the regional final and a 366-yard performance against Carroll in the state semifinal.
Vudricio Roberson, Haltom, Sr.
The bright spot for Haltom on offense was held below 100 yards only twice this season. He ran for a season-high 262 yards and six touchdowns vs. Grand Prairie and finished with 1,700 yards for the season.
Receiver
Carter Harris, Allen, Sr.
Allen’s lengthy target out wide went from an offensive contributor as a junior to a go-to playmaker as a senior. In playoff games against Lewisville and North Crowley, Harris came up big with 122 yards and 127 yards, respectively.
Related
Nolan Hawkins, Byron Nelson, So.
An emerging prospect in the recruiting ranks, Hawkins has contributed on both sides of the ball for Byron Nelson racking up over 1,000 yards receiving and also has an interception to his name.
Defense
Kaiden McCauley, Keller, So.
The stalwart of the Keller defense was the linebacker who roamed the entire field with 141 tackles and 18 tackles for loss to his name. Keller snuck into the playoffs thanks in part to his consistency leading the defense.
Class 5AQuarterback
Lone Star’s quarterback Trey Wright (3) passes against Frisco in the second half of a high school football game at Toyota Stadium, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, in Frisco.
Chitose Suzuki / Staff Photographer
Trey Wright, Frisco Lone Star, So.
You have to have some serious talent to have an incumbent starter switch positions, especially when that incumbent is Karece Hoyt. But Trey Wright (3,879 passing yards and 1,694 rushing yards) allowed Hoyt to be utilized in more versatile ways throughout the team and Lone Star saw that move pay off in reaching the state final.
Cason Garcia, Carrollton Creekview, Jr.
Garcia piloted one of the top offenses in the area that averaged 454 yards per game and powered the team to an impressive nine-win season under head coach Dusty Ortiz.
Running back
Jayshon Gibson, Richland, Jr.
Who knew there would be three running backs with 2,000 yards and 40 touchdowns to their name in the area? SaRod Baker, Prosper Walnut Grove’s Cam Newton and Richland’s Gibson each eclipsed that mark with some of Gibson’s best games coming against the harder teams on the schedule, including Denton Ryan.
Receiver
Julian Caldwell, Argyle, Jr.
There was a lot of hype surrounding Argyle’s offense this season, and the most threatening weapon was Caldwell, who finished with an area-high 1,724 yards receiving and 20 touchdowns.
Jacob Swain, Melissa, Sr.
Brett Holloway’s top target had over 1,000 yards and averaged nearly 25 per reception in helping Melissa reach the state semifinals.
Defense
DL Marcel Dominguez, Frisco Lone Star, Sr.
Historically, the Lone Star offense has gotten a lot of attention, with alumni such as Ashton Jeanty and Marvin Mims. But Dominguez, one of the state’s sack leaders with 20.5, is a big reason coach Jeff Rayburn’s program is headed to AT&T Stadium. He also has a staggering 36 tackles for loss.
LB Hunter Metcalf, Frisco Memorial, Sr.
The heart and soul of the defense registered 139 total tackles and 21 tackles for loss as a senior, including a 23-tackle game against Denison on Oct. 9.
Class 4AQuarterback
Frisco Panther Creek quarterback Graylyn Fry (15), left, looks for running room as he is pursued defensively by Celina linebacker Cooper Farrow (28) during a first quarter rush. Celina won, 42-7. The two teams played their District 4-7A Division 1 football game at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco on September 27, 2024.
Steve Hamm / Special Contributor
Graylyn Fry, Frisco Panther Creek, Sr.
The point man for Panther Creek completed over 70% of his throws this season and threw 34 touchdowns while leading the area in passing yards at the Class 4A level and below (2,827).
Running back
Marquis Oshodi, Farmersville, Sr.
Farmersville posted one of the most underrated offenses in Texas this season, averaging 383 yards per game and over 36 points per game. The centerpiece of the unit was Oshodi, who tallied over 1,200 yards on the ground and 18 touchdowns.
Receiver
Javion Broussard, Kimball, Jr.
When Kimball wanted to throw the ball, Broussard was the target. The junior caught over 25% of Kimball’s pass attempts and finished with 1,065 yards and 12 touchdowns, 11 more than the next highest receiver on the team.
Defense
LB Landon Traylor, Carter, Jr.
One of the most productive defensive players in Texas came from Carter. The junior linebacker finished with 13.5 sacks, 168 total tackles and two forced fumbles. According to MaxPreps, Traylor is ranked seventh in the state in tackles.
LB Austin Helton, Sunnyvale, Sr.
Another statewide leader on defense is Sunnyvale linebacker Helton, with 167 tackles and 21 tackles for loss on his senior-season résumé. The defense is a big reason the team won its third consecutive district title.
Find more high school sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.