High school football: 3,000-yard rushers Alvin Henderson, Isaiah Groves headline Preseason Small Town All-America Team

A pair of 3,000-yard running backs and a trio of Georgia defensive standouts highlight the Preseason Small Town All-America Team, a look at high school football's best players from schools with less than 1,000 students in towns with populations under 10,000.

Alvin Henderson of Elba (Ala.) and Isaiah Groves of East Robertson (Cross Plains, Tenn.) both went over 3,000 yards rushing last year and earned Small Town All-America honors. Henderson finished second in the nation in rushing yardage with 3,523 yards and was first in the country in total touchdowns (68) and total points (408). Groves finished sixth in the nation in rushing yardage with 3,085 yards.

Georgia standouts Zayden Walker of Schley County (Ellaville), Justus Terry of Manchester and Kevin Wynn of Greene County (Greensboro) anchor the defense. According to 247Sports, Walker ranks as the No. 2 linebacker in the nation and the No. 11 player overall. Terry ranks as the No. 3 defensive lineman in the country and the No. 13 player overall while Wynn ranks No. 8 at defensive tackle and No. 21 in the nation.

Offense

WR — Caden Cunningham, Choctaw County (Ackerman, Miss.)
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 190
Status: Committed to Alabama | Class: Senior (2025)
All-state pick caught 48 passes for 1,138 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior.

WR — Kelshaun Johnson, Hitchcock (Texas)
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 160
Status: Committed to Texas A&M | Class: Senior (2025)
Made the Texas Sports Writers Association's Class 3A All-State honorable mention list.

WR — Jerel Bolder, Forest Hills (Marshville, N.C.)
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 192
Status: Committed to North Carolina State | Class: Senior (2025)
Caught 43 passes for 881 yards and 14 touchdowns for 2A playoff team.

TE — Linkon Cure, Goodland ( Kan.)
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 220
Status: Committed to Kansas State | Class: Senior (2025)
Caught 42 passes for 946 yards and 14 touchdowns en route to all-state honors.

OL — Jackson Lloyd, Carmel (Calif.)
Height: 6-7 | Weight: 290
Status: Committed to Alabama | Class: Senior (2025)
Earned all-state honors by MaxPreps and was also All-Monterey County.

OL — Demetris Dean, Jasper (Texas)
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 280
Status: Committed to Houston | Class: Senior (2025)
Second team all-district as a junior and first team as a sophomore, Dean is also one of the top shot put and discus throwers in the state.

OL — Shawn Hammerbeck, Winner (S.D.)
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 260
Status: Committed to Nebraska | Class: Senior (2025)
All-state as a junior at defensive line, Hammerbeck also played tight end on offense. He will move to the line as a senior.

OL — Darrin Strey, Paw Paw (Mich.)
Height: 6-7 | Weight: 300
Status: Committed to Kentucky | Class: Senior (2025)
Son of the head coach, Strey is a four-year varsity player. According to 247Sports, he had 96 pancake blocks as a junior. He was Division 4 All-State by the coaches association.

OL — Michael Roeske, Wautoma (Wis.)
Height: 6-7 | Weight: 290
Status: Committed to Wisconsin | Class: Senior (2025)
Ranked as the No. 4 player in Wisconsin by 247Sports, Roeske missed most of the 2023 season due to injury.

QB — Adam Schobel, Columbus (Texas)
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 190
Status: Committed to TCU | Class: Senior (2025)
A four-year starter, Schobel has already thrown for over 7,500 career yards, including 2,405 yards and 30 touchdowns as a junior. He has 94 career touchdown passes.

QB — Robert McDaniel, Hughson (Calif.)
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 195
Status: Committed to Arizona | Class: Senior (2025)
Made the MaxPreps Small Town All-State Team in California, McDaniel threw for 2,839 yards (181 of 304) and 33 touchdowns.

RB — Alvin Henderson, Elba (Ala.)
Height: 5-9 | Weight: 200
Status: Committed to Auburn | Class: Senior (2025)
A MaxPreps Junior All-American and returning Small Town All-American, Henderson rushed for 3,523 yards and a state record 61 touchdowns last year. He has 7,274 career rushing yards with 132 touchdowns.

RB — Tiqwai Hayes, Aliquippa (Pa.)
Height: 5-10 | Weight: 185
Status: Committed to Penn State | Class: Senior (2025)
Earned all-state honors last year while rushing for 2,011 yards and 33 touchdowns.

RB — Isaiah Groves, East Robertson (Cross Plains, Tenn.)
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 185
Status: Committed to Georgia Tech | Class: Senior (2025)
A MaxPreps Small Town All-American last year, Groves rushed for 3,085 yards and scored 37 touchdowns.

AP — Lloyd Jones, Hitchcock (Texas)
Height: 6-2.5 | Weight: 210
Status: Committed to Texas Tech | Class: Senior (2025)
Threw for 2,735 yards and 35 touchdowns and was named Galveston County Player of the Year. Also ran for over 500 yards and 13 touchdowns.

K — Brayden Pate, Gilmer (Texas)
Height: 5-8 | Weight: 185
Status: Uncommitted | Class: Senior (2025)
Led the nation in kick scoring with 131 points on 12 field goals and 95 extra points. MaxPreps Small Town All-American first team.

Defense

DL — Jakaleb Faulk, Highland Home (Ala.)
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 225
Status: Committed to Auburn | Class: Senior (2025)
Earned Class 2A All-State honors by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

DL — Kevin Wynn, Greene County (Greensboro, Ga.)
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 320
Status: Committed to Florida State | Class: Senior (2025)
Named Class A Division II All-State as a sophomore and a junior. He had 30 tackles for loss.

DL — D.J. Sanders, Bellville (Texas)
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 290
Status: Committed to Texas A&M | Class: Senior (2025)
The Class 4A defensive POY in Texas, Sanders had 119 tackles and 15 sacks for the state runners-up.

DL — Justus Terry, Manchester (Ga.)
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 275
Status: Committed to Georgia | Class: Senior (2025)
Named to the Atlanta Journal Constitution's Class 1A Division II All-State team. He finished with 78 tackles and 13 sacks.

LB — Zayden Walker, Schley County (Ellaville, Ga.)
Height: 6-1.5 | Weight: 225
Status: Committed to Georgia | Class: Senior (2025)
Ranked as the No. 2 linebacker in the nation by 247Sports, Walker was on the Class 1A Division II All-State team as a junior.

LB — Darrell Johnson, Dodge County (Eastman, Ga.)
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 200
Status: Committed to Alabama | Class: Senior (2025)
Played defensive back as a junior and made All-Region with 103 tackles.

LB — Tyler Lockhart, Winona (Miss.)
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 200
Status: Uncommitted | Class: Senior (2025)
The Class 3A state defensive POY by the coaches association, Lockhart had 100 tackles and 28 tackles for loss.

LB — Logan Anderson, Fyffe (Ala.)
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 218
Status: Committed to Clemson | Class: Senior (2025)
Named Class 2A All-State after leading Fyffe to a state championship, Anderson rushed for 2,864 yards and 45 touchdowns. Should be a standout on defense as a senior.

DB — Micah Strickland, Brownsboro (Texas)
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 175
Status: Committed to TCU | Class: Senior (2025)
A three-sport athlete who competes in basketball and track, Strickland was first team all-district defensive back.

DB — Kyle Johnson, Bunkie (La.)
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 165
Status: Committed to Houston | Class: Senior (2025)
A sprinter on the track team, Johnson had 1,031 all-purpose yards for the football team as a receiver, defensive back and kick returner.

DB — Lagonza Hayward, Toombs County (Lyons, Ga.)
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 200
Status: Committed to Tennessee | Class: Senior (2025)
Made the Atlanta Journal Constitution's Class 2A All-State team last year.

DB — Marcus Wimberly, Bauxite (Ark.)
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 200
Status: Committed to Oklahoma | Class: Senior (2025)
Made the Class 4A All-State team as a junior. Rated as the state's sixth-best player by 247Sports.

AP — Elijah Thomas, Checotah (Okla.)
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 185
Status: Committed to Oklahoma | Class: Senior (2025)
A two-way standout who caught 61 passes for 1,197 yards and 15 scores and also had 50 tackles on defense, according to 247Sports.

P — Aidan Parker, Sterlington (La.)
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 185
Status: Uncommitted | Class: Senior (2025)
Ranked as one of the top punters in the nation by Kohl's Kicking Camp, Parker earned Class 3A honorable mention all-state as a junior.