Career record chases in Alabama, Mississippi and Oklahoma headline a
long list of players poised to climb their respective state high school
football record books in 2026.
In Alabama,
Gunner Rivers of
St. Michael Catholic (Fairhope) and
Trent Seaborn of
Thompson (Alabaster)
are pursuing state records for career passing yards, completions,
attempts and touchdown passes. Rivers, the son of former NFL quarterback
Philip Rivers, avoided a major setback when a knee injury suffered in
the season opener did not require surgery.
How quickly Rivers
returns to full strength could determine whether he can keep pace with
Seaborn, who has thrown for 627 yards and eight touchdowns in Thompson’s
first two games. Seaborn leads a team ranked No. 1 in
Alabama and No. 17 nationally, giving him the potential for a 15-game
season and plenty of opportunities to put the records out of reach.
Trent Seaborn of nationally-ranked Thompson has a chance to break four major career passing state records this season in Alabama. (PHOTO: Corey Jones)
In Mississippi, players with nearly identical surnames are chasing the career rushing record of 8,334 yards.
Jordyn Kees of
Brookhaven holds the advantage after rushing for 6,204 yards in three seasons at
Loyd Star (Brookhaven) before transferring for his senior year.
Tylan Keys of
Poplarville enters
the season 3,152 yards shy of the record but the distance is hardly
insurmountable after he rushed for 3,285 yards as a junior.
In Oklahoma,
Dominic Forbes of
Sand Springs and
Cy Ammons of
Talihina are
pursuing the career receptions record of 249. Forbes, who caught 90
passes last season, needs 89 to take over the top spot while Ammons
needs 69.
Other potential record-breakers include returning MaxPreps All-Americans
Landen Williams-Callis of
Randle (Richmond, Texas) and
Elijah Haven of
Dunham (Baton Rouge, La.).
Williams-Callis
has an outside shot at the Texas career rushing record set last year by
Kaegan Ash of
Mt. Enterprise. He also could challenge the state
touchdown and scoring records held by former
Aledo standout Johnathan
Gray.
Haven should easily pass Brock Berlin's state record of 145
touchdown passes and has a shot at becoming one of just five high
school players to throw 200 or more touchdown passes.
Following
is the list of potential state record breakers for the 2026 season
with their current career totals and the records they are aiming to
break.
Chasing state records
Gunner Rivers, St. Michael Catholic (Fairhope, Ala.)
Rivers needs 968 passing yards, 27 completions and 72 attempts to break Alabama career records in each category.Career passing yards: 10,425
State record: 11,393, Preston Lancaster,
Tuscaloosa Academy, 2021-24
Career completions: 747
State record: 774, Trent Seaborn, Thompson, 2023-26
Career attempts: 1,151
State record: 1,223, Bo Nix,
Pinson Valley, 2015-18
Career touchdown passes: 113
State record: 158, Jack Hayes,
Piedmont, 2018-22
Trent Seaborn, Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.)
Already tied for the state record in completions, Seaborn needs 1,249
passing yards and 107 attempts to claim two more Alabama marks.Career passing yards: 10,145
State record: 11,393, Preston Lancaster
Career completions: 774
State record: 774, Seaborn
Career attempts: 1,117
State record: 1,223, Bo Nix
Career touchdown passes: 103
State record: 158, Jack Hayes
Landen Williams-Callis, Randle (Richmond, Texas)
Williams-Callis enters the season 3,829 rushing yards, 73 touchdowns and 425 points away from breaking the Texas career records.
Career rushing yards: 7,554
State record: 11,382, Kaegan Ash, Mt. Enterprise, 2022-25
Career touchdowns: 133
State record: 205, Johnathan Gray, Aledo, 2008-11
Career points: 808
State record: 1,232, Johnathan Gray, Aledo
Max Pflederer, Scottsdale Christian Academy (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Pflederer needs 87 extra points and 96 kicking points to establish new Arizona career records.Career extra points: 188
State record: 274, Matthew Rosedale,
Saguaro, 2013-16
Career kicking points: 200
State record: 295, Matthew Rosedale
Zachary Katz, True North Classical Academy (Miami, Fla.)
Needs 3,450 passing yards to become Florida’s career leader.Career passing yards: 10,680
State record: 14,129, Ennio Yapoor,
Norland, 2020-24
Cole Stephens, Greencastle (Ind.)
Needs 2,962 passing yards, 184 completions and 39 touchdown passes to break Indiana career records in those categories.
Career passing yards: 9,234
State record: 12,195, Jake Schiff,
Evansville Mater Dei, 1998-2001
Career completions: 601
State record: 784, Michael Lindauer,
Evansville Memorial, 2015-18
Career attempts: 899
State record: 1,274, Michael Lindauer
Career touchdown passes: 104
State record: 142, Jake Purichia,
Cardinal Ritter, 2010-13
Brock Belcher, Windthorst (Texas)
Belcher needs 69 touchdown passes to surpass the Texas career record.Career touchdown passes: 127
State record: 195, Grant Gunnell,
St. Pius X, 2015-18
Elijah Haven, Dunham (Baton Rouge, La.)
Haven is just 12 touchdown passes away from breaking Louisiana’s career
record and needs 4,629 yards to claim the passing yardage mark.
Career passing yards: 9,274
State record: 13,902, Brock Berlin,
Evangel Christian Academy, 1997-99
Career touchdown passes: 134
State record: 145, Brock Berlin, Evangel Christian Academy, 1997-99
Brett Paukstis, St. Albans (Washington, D.C.)
Paukstis needs 1,366 passing yards, 70 completions and 10 touchdown passes to break District of Columbia career records.Career passing yards: 5,699
State record: 7,064 Jerome Johnson,
Eastern
Career completions: 383
State record: 452 Ted Hefter,
Sidwell Friends
Career attempts: 572
State record: 776, Jerome Johnson
Career touchdown passes: 66
State record: 75 Ted Hefter
Jordyn Kees, Brookhaven (Miss.)
Kees needs 2,131 rushing yards and 380 carries to become Mississippi’s career leader in both categories.Career rushing yards: 6,204
State record: 8,334, Isaiah Woullard,
Presbyterian Christian, 2013-16
Career rushing attempts: 812
State record: 1,191, Isaiah Woullard
Tylan Keys, Poplarville (Miss.)
Keys needs 20 touchdowns to break Mississippi’s career record and 3,152 rushing yards to claim the yardage mark.Career rushing yards: 5,183
State record: 8,334, Isaiah Woullard
Career touchdowns: 82
State record: 101, Don Ragsdale,
Pisgah, 2013-17
Landen Griffith, Talihina (Okla.)
Griffith needs 2,252 yards to break Oklahoma’s career total offense record while also pursuing four state passing marks.
Career total offense yards: 11,987
State record: 14,238, Mason Fine,
Locust Grove, 2012-15
Career passing yards: 8,306
State record: 13,084, Mason Fine
Career completions: 552
State record: 836, Mason Fine
Career attempts: 845
State record: 1,284, Mason Fine
Career touchdown passes: 100
State record: 166, Mason Fine
Dominic Forbes, Sand Springs (Okla.)
Forbes needs 89 receptions to become Oklahoma’s career leader.Career receptions: 161
State record: 249, Jason Pirtle, Locust Grove , 2013-15
Cy Ammons, Talihina
Ammons needs 69 receptions and 1,632 receiving yards to break Oklahoma career records in both categories.Career receptions: 181
State record: 249, Jason Pirtle
Career receiving yards: 3,137
State record: 4,768, Jason Pirtle
Dakota Denney, North DeSoto (Stonewall, La.)
Denney needs 78 kicking points and 49 extra points to break Louisiana career records in both categories.
Career kicking points: 244
State record: 321, Gavin Polk,
Ouachita Christian, 2022-25
Career extra points: 220
State record: 268, Gavin Polk
Kingston Allen, Notre Dame Academy (Green Bay, Wis.)
Allen needs 3,585 yards, 50 touchdowns and 430 points to tie records in those three categories in Wisconsin.Career rushing yards: 3,831
State record: 7,416, Colton Brunell,
Columbus, 2021-23
Career touchdowns: 62
State record: 112, Luke Hagel,
Random Lake, 1995-98
Career points: 372
State record: 802, Luke Hagel
