2025 Preseason MaxPreps Sophomore All-America Football Team

By Zack Poff Aug 20, 2025, 3:30pm

Eric McFarland, Jayden Wade lead six players selected from IMG Academy.

Koa Malau'ulu of St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), Eric McFarland of IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) and Brysen Wright of Mandarin (Jacksonville, Fla.) headline the 58 high school football players selected to the 2025 Preseason MaxPreps Sophomore All-America Team.

IMG Academy leads the way with six selections led by McFarland as a first team choice at wide receiver. Jayden Wade and Maxx Jones join him on the first team while Anthony Howard Jr., Jamarios Canton and Andre Alexander Jr. were second team selections. 

Archbishop Spalding (Severn, Md.)Central (Miami)Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.) and St. John Bosco were the only other schools with multiple selections as they all had two apiece. 

In total, 17 different states had at least one player selected.
First team offense



Height: 6-2 | Weight: 185
Became the starter halfway through his freshman season and finished with 1,812 yards passing and 19 touchdowns.

Height: 6-4 | Weight: 180
Gets the keys to the car as the full-time starter. Expect a breakout season for the Class of 2028 standout.

Height: 6-2 | Weight: 195
Threw for 2,777 yards and 31 touchdowns last season at Ransom Everglades (Miami).

Height: 5-11 | Weight: 180
Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon and Texas are among the schools that have already offered. 

Height: 5-11 | Weight: 215
Rushed for 1,100-plus yards and 15 touchdowns while helping Warriors to 11-1 record in Georgia's largest classification. 

WR Eric McFarland, IMG Academy
Height: 5-10 | Weight: 180
Led the Ascenders in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns as a freshman. 

Height: 6-2 | Weight: 200
Big play wideout averaged better than 20 yards per catch last season.



Height: 6-1 | Weight: 175
Started as a freshman for one of the best programs in the country and should have an even better year as a sophomore. 

Height: 6-4 | Weight: 210
Expect a breakout sophomore campaign for the big-bodied playmaker. 

Height: 6-4 | Weight: 295
Started as a freshman playing against elite competition and had a standout year. 

Height: 6-4 | Weight: 315
Played a crucial role on the offensive line for last year's AAAAAA state runner-up. 

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 305
The Peach State has produced a lot of good offensive lineman and Brown is well on his way to join that list.

OL Maxx Jones, IMG Academy
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 320
Had a tremendous freshman season at Lewisville (Texas) and should fit right in at IMG Academy.

Height: 6-6 | Weight: 295
Georgia, Ohio State and Tennessee are among the schools that have offered so far.

Height: 6-2 | Weight: 185
Accounted for 1,750 yards of total offense and 21 touchdowns to go with 90 tackles and an interception on defense. 



First team defense

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 225
Capped an impressive freshman season with a four-sack performance in Non-Public A state championship game.

Height: 6-7 | Weight: 260
The Lancers had the toughest schedule in the country last season and Fakatou made a nice impact for the No. 13 team in the final MaxPreps Top 25.

Height: 6-5 | Weight: 240
Racked up 66 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and seven sacks for 2A quarterfinalist. 

Height: 6-1 | Weight: 230
Has been playing on varsity since the seventh grade and racked up 90 tackles, 29 tackles for loss and 10 sacks as a freshman.

Height: 6-1 | Weight: 215
The Rockets should be one of the best teams in Florida and Moore will be one of the leaders.

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 225
Highly-touted linebacker is also a star at running back.



Height: 6-1 | Weight: 190
Has already hit 25 FBS offers and that includes Florida State, Georgia, Oklahoma, Penn State and Texas A&M. 

Height: 6-2 | Weight: 190
Made a huge impact in the secondary for the best team in high school football last season.

Height: 6-0 | Weight: 195
Hard-hitting safety had a huge season opener accounting for 341 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns in a 50-17 win over Walton (Marietta). 

Height: 6-1 | Weight: 180
Should make a big impact for the Rockets after transferring over from South Dade (Homestead, Fla.).

DB Phoenix EvansDon Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)
Height: 5-10 | Weight: 160
Next big-time defensive back to come from New Jersey has already landed 30 FBS offers.

Height: 6-0 | Weight: 175
Played multiple positions at a high level and finished freshman year with 102 tackles, 23 tackles for loss and nine sacks.



Height: 6-1 | Weight: 175
Two-way standout is one of the most talented players in the Sunshine State regardless of class.

Second team offense

Height: 6-4 | Weight: 185
Helped Technicians to first state title since 2016 as a freshman last season.

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 175
Last year's MaxPreps Freshman of the Year threw for 4,135 yards and 57 touchdowns. 

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 205
Threw for nearly 2,000 yards and 19 touchdowns last season. 

Height: 6-1 | Weight: 185
Explosive playmaker should make a big impact in his first season with the Knights.



Height: 6-0 | Weight: 200
Rushed for 185 yards and a score in a 39-24 win over Eastside (Covington) last week.

RB Anthony Howard Jr., IMG Academy
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 205
Had a strong freshman season at Auburndale (Fla.) and will help give the Ascenders one of the best backfields in the country.

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 190
Hauled in 68 catches for 1,640 yards and 14 touchdowns at Life Oak Cliff (Dallas) as a freshman. 

Height: 5-11 | Weight: 170
Recorded 30 receptions for 743 yards and seven scores at Western (Davie, Fla.) last season.

Height: 6-1 | Weight: 170
Big-play wideout finished with 11 touchdowns on only 32 receptions in 2024. 

Height: 5-11 | Weight: 160
Caught 43 balls for 861 yards and 11 scores as a freshman. 

Height: 6-6 | Weight: 240
Finished freshman season with 35 receptions for 535 yards and five touchdowns.



Height: 6-6 | Weight: 290
Checks in as the top-rated offensive tackle in the Class of 2028 according to 247Sports.

OL Bryce SmallsArchbishop Spalding (Severn, Md.)
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 290
Made plays on the offensive line for the No. 10 team in MaxPreps Top 25 as a freshman.

Height: 6-5 | Weight: 310
Georgia, Miami, Oklahoma, Tennessee and USC are some of the notable schools to offer the three-star offensive tackle.

OL Jamarios Canton, IMG Academy
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 270
The Ascenders are loaded on the offensive line but expect the Class of 2028 standout to see plenty of time this season.

Height: 6-6 | Weight: 290
The lone selection from Iowa already has offers from Alabama, Iowa, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas A&M and a handful of other programs.

Height: 5-10 | Weight: 170
Made a huge impact as a freshman for the No. 10 in MaxPreps Top 25 last season and expect an even bigger season in 2025.



Height: 5-8 | Weight: 155
The offers started flying in for the speedster after he ran a 10.29-second 100 meter in March.

Second team defense

Height: 6-5 | Weight: 240
Finished freshman season with 63 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, five sacks and one interception.

Height: 6-4 | Weight: 230
Miami, Texas A&M and USC are a few of the notable schools that have already offered the talented EDGE.

Height: 6-6 | Weight: 235
Racked up 49 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception during freshman season at Starr's Mill (Fayetteville, Ga.).

Height: 6-5 Weight: 210
The top-rated tight end in the Class of 2028 is just as talented on the other side of the ball rushing the quarterback.



LB Andre Alexander Jr., IMG Academy
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 210
Finished freshman season with 117 tackles, four sacks and one interception at Indian River (Chesapeake, Va.).

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 215
Made an impact as a freshman helping Cavaliers win 3A state title.

Height: 6-2 | Weight: 210
Has landed nearly 20 FBS offers and that includes Florida State, Ohio State, Penn State and Tennessee so far.

Height: 6-2 | Weight: 180
Intercepted six passes as a freshman. 

Height: 5-11 | Weight: 175
Played against the best competition as a freshman and expect a big sophomore campaign for the talented defensive back. 

Height: 6-1 | Weight: 195
All-district 11-6A selection was named Newcomer of the Year. 

DB Brandon Nash, St. John Bosco
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 190
Saw plenty of action as a freshman for one of the top programs in high school football. 

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 235
Impacts the game playing multiple positions and checks in as the No. 15 player overall in the Class of 2028 according to 247Sports.