2026 North Carolina Preseason MaxPreps Top 25 high school football rankings

State champions Hough, Grimsley and Providence Day all open in national top 100.

By
Aug 3, 2026, 12:00pm
Defending state champion Hough (Cornelius) enters 2026 as the top-ranked team in the state of North Carolina.

The Huskies ended a 14-0 campaign as the Class 8A champions after a 21-0 victory over Millbrook (Raleigh) in the finals.

South Carolina commit Joshua Dobson, four-star recruit Davion Jones and four-star junior linebacker Ryan Peterson return to patrol the defense, while dual-threat quarterback Ethan Royal, a Marshall commit, will be protected up front by Virginia commit Moreno Fisher and James Madison commit Nori White, for the Huskies.

Grimsley (Greensboro) went 15-0 and won the 7A championship in 2025 and enters this year at No. 2 in the state rankings (62nd overall), followed by NCISAA D-I champs Providence Day (Charlotte) (73rd overall).

Two five-star seniors highlight some of the top players in North Carolina in Georgia-bound tight end Jaxon Dollar of East Lincoln (Denver) and Oregon-bound Rashad Streets of Millbrook.

Reigning North Carolina state champions include Wilson Prep Academy (Wilson) in 1A, Tarboro in 2A, Shelby in 3A, Reidsville in 4A, Crest (Shelby) in 5A, Watauga (Boone) in 6A, Grimsley in 7A, Hough in 8A, Providence Day in NCISAA D-I, High Point Christian Academy (High Point) in NCISAA D-II and Arendell Parrott Academy (Kinston) in NCISAA 8-man.
Hough quarterback Ethan Royal looks to lead the Huskies to back-to-back state titles in 2026. (PHOTO: Jason Jackson)
Hough quarterback Ethan Royal looks to lead the Huskies to back-to-back state titles in 2026. (PHOTO: Jason Jackson)
MaxPreps Preseason North Carolina Top 25
1. Hough (Cornelius), 14-0 in 2025
2. Grimsley (Greensboro), 15-0
3. Providence Day (Charlotte), 13-0
4. Weddington (Matthews), 12-2
5. West Charlotte (Charlotte), 10-3
8. Independence (Charlotte), 10-3
9. Millbrook (Raleigh), 13-1
10. Mallard Creek (Charlotte), 7-4
11. West Forsyth (Clemmons), 10-3
12. Mooresville, 9-3
13. Cleveland (Clayton), 10-2
14. Clayton, 12-3
15. Myers Park (Charlotte), 9-3
16. Charlotte Christian (Charlotte), 7-6
17. Hoggard (Wilmington), 12-1
18. Crest (Shelby), 13-2
19. Rolesville (Rolesville), 9-4
20. Reagan (Pfafftown), 10-3
21. Richmond Senior (Rockingham), 9-3
22. Garner, 9-4
23. Sun Valley (Monroe), 9-4
24. Northern Guilford (Greensboro), 12-2 
26. Jacksonville, 12-1

* Competes for a state title in North Carolina

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