2016 North Carolina Preseason Football Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

Video: Ultimate highlights of Mallard Creek all-around athlete Ryan Jones
Mallard Creek is ranked 10th nationally and No. 1 in North Carolina.


1. Mallard Creek (Charlotte)
Head coach: Michael Palmieri
2015 record: 14-2
Team preview

The Mavericks, No. 10 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Football Rankings presented by the Army National Guard, hope to join Independence (Charlotte) as the only schools to ever win four straight 4A titles after taking their third-straight in 2015.

With six returning starters on each side of the ball, and at least three impact transfers, the Mavericks might have their best team of all. They have plenty of star power, led by all-around athlete Ryan Jones, a 6-foot-3, 219-pound incoming senior who will play receiver and safety.

Offensive tackles Travaris Moore (6-6, 285) and Eric Douglas II (6-5, 280) are top college prospects and defensive tackle Grant Gibson (6-1, 287) has already committed to North Carolina State.

The Mavericks scored two key ballhandlers in transfers Chauncey Caldwell, a 6-3, 228-pound quarterback with three college offers, and running back/linebacker Cameren Lowery (6-0, 235). Another transfer, cornerback Jacobe Clement (6-1, 190), should be another difference-maker.

"We got all the pieces," said Palmieri, who has won two straight State Coach of the Year awards. "We just have to put it all together."

See last season's North Carolina computer rankings presented by the Army National Guard

2. East Forsyth (Kernersville)
Head coach: Todd Willert
2015 record: 14-1
Team preview

The Eagles, winners of a school-record 14 games last season, continue to rise. They've won 57 games over the last five seasons against just 10 defeats. Last season they scored 627 points and reached the 4AA semifinals before losing a tough 41-38 overtime game to eventual champion Mallard Creek.

East Forsyth returns one of the top running backs in the state in 5-10, 180-pound senior Christian Beal, who rushed for 1,656 yards and scored 26 touchdowns. The Wake Forest commit also caught 35 passes for 338 yards.

The defense will be led by linebacker Chandler Brinson, who had 78 tackles last year. Incoming seniors Dominic Booe and Sirod Cook combined on 16 sacks and Madison Cone had a team-high seven interceptions.

See the MaxPreps national football videos page

3. Page (Greensboro)
Head coach: Kevin Gillespie
2015 record: 13-3
Team preview It was a turnaround season for Gillespie and the Pirates, who were 3-10 in 2014 but regrouped to win the most games since 2011 when they went 15-0 and won a state title. Page made it to the state 4AA title game last year but ran into a buzzsaw in Mallard Creek, which won 49-6.

The Pirates return one of the top quarterbacks in the state in 6-4, 201-pound senior Will Jones, who threw for 2,727 yards and 28 touchdowns last season. He's committed to Western Carolina.

With the return also of the team's top three rushing threats, including Javon Leake (1,858 yards, 25 touchdowns), Page may score more than last season, when it piled up 656 points. The 6-1, 195-pound Leake has committed to Maryland.

Defensively, the return of leading tackler, 6-3, 193-pound junior Alan Tisdale (123) and sacker Tyler Deberry (eight), means the Pirates should be stout on that side of the ball as well.

See the MaxPreps North Carolina football photos page

4. Monroe
Head coach: Johnny Sowell
2015 record: 16-0
Team preview

The Redhawks finished their fifth-straight season with double-digit wins, but this one was special, taking the state 2AA title going away with a 38-19 win over Bunn in the final. For the year, Monroe outscored opponents 712-178, scoring more than 50 points in four of its last six games.

Zephaniah Wall, a 5-11, 190-pound quarterback, threw for 3,572 yards and 45 touchdowns last year as a junior and rushed for 630 more and 10 scores. McKinley Nelson, now a junior, added 746 rushing yards and Jadarious McManus (5-11, 180) led the team with 53 catches, 1,209 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior.

Linebacker Jaqwaun Coffie (140 tackles), Miquille Bryant (131 tackles, 16.5 sacks) and Deandre Staton (130, 10.0) return to lead the defense.

See MaxPreps North Carolina high school football playoff brackets

5. Shelby
Head coach: Lance Ware
2015 record: 15-1
Team preview

The Golden Lions have won 43 games the last three seasons, including last year's 15-1 campaign that ended with a 57-21 win over Kinston in the 2A state final. Shelby rolled up a 733-303 point differential, scoring at least 60 twice, 50 six times and at least 40 11 times.

Though Shelby lost prolific quarterback Darquez Lee (4,562 passing yards, 60 touchdowns) to graduation, it returns Juwan Sims, who completed 24 of 36 passes for 437 yards and seven scores last year. Xavier Brooks rushed for a team-high 1,376 yards and 17 touchdowns last year as a sophomore and East Carolina commit Jayden Borders was second in the state in receiving yards (1,732) to go along with 93 catches and a state-best 26 touchdowns.

Incoming junior linebacker Dax Hollifield (6-2, 225) was second in the state with 204 tackles last year and Michael Carson (113 tackles, 12 sacks) return to lead the Golden Lions' defense.