MaxPreps 2017 Preseason Small Schools All-American Football Team

Video: Emma Baker highlights
Senior kicker put strong leg on display last season against Nuview Bridge.

The MaxPreps Small Schools Football Preseason All-American Team includes a first as Rancho Christian's Emma Baker is the first female to earn the honor.

While several females have earned All-State status, including Baker last year in California, it is believed that none have reached the All-American level. Baker becomes the first based on her outstanding season at Rancho Christian where she booted 80 extra points and eight field goals. She ranks as the No. 8 returning kick scorer in the nation, regardless of school size.

Baker joins a list of 60 All-American selections, including 12 players from Florida. Champagnat Catholic of Florida has a whopping four players on the squad.

Small schools are considered those that generally play in state enrollment divisions with less than 1,000 students.
MaxPreps Small Schools Football Preseason All-American Team

First Team Offense

WR — Tykel Landrum, Hendersonville (N.C.), 5-10, 175
Landrum earned MaxPreps Small School All-American honors as a junior after catching 96 passes for 1,775 yards and 23 touchdowns.

WR — LaTroy Harper, Penney (Hamilton, Mo.), 6-2, 185
Harper made the MaxPreps Small Schools All-American Team last year after leading Penney to a state title and earning state MVP honors. He caught 62 passes for 1,276 yards and 20 touchdowns.

TE — Tommy Tremble, Wesleyan (Norcross, Ga.), 6-4, 225
A transfer from Johns Creek, Tremble is a 3-star tight end who is getting looks from Notre Dame and his father's alma mater, Georgia.

OL — Nicholas Petit-Frere, Berkeley Prep (Tampa, Fla.), 6-6, 272
Petit-Frere earned MaxPreps Small School All-American honors last year and earned All-State honors in Florida. He is one of the top-ranked linemen coming out of Florida this year, according to 247Sports.

OL — Richard Gouraige, Cambridge Christian (Tampa, Fla.), 6-5, 271
An All-State and MaxPreps Small Schools All-American selection last year, Gouraige has yet to choose from dozens of college offers. He is ranked the No. 13 offensive lineman in the nation by 247Sports.

OL — Cleveland Reed, Fort Meade (Fort Meade, Fla.), 6-3, 327
Already committed to play at Miami, Reed earned honorable mention All-State honors as a junior. He ranks No. 24 on 247Sports' list of the nation's top offensive linemen.

OL — John Dirksen, Marion Local (Maria Stein, Ohio), 6-5, 305
Marion Local has been one of the top small school programs in the nation and Dirksen may be the program's biggest recruit yet. He has already committed to Notre Dame after helping Marion Local to an Ohio Division VI state title.

OL — Blaine Scott, East (Sciotoville, Ohio), 6-4, 310
Scott earned honorable mention All-State honors as a junior and is ranked as one of the top 50 players in the state of Ohio. He has yet to commit to a college, but is warm on West Virginia, according to 247Sports.

QB — Braden Wingle, Bakersfield Christian (Bakersfield, Calif.), 6-5, 205
Wingle earned All-State honors after leading Bakersfield Christian to a Central Section championship. He passed for 4,379 yards and 44 touchdowns as a junior.

QB — Brevin White, Paraclete (Lancaster, Calif.), 6-2, 175
The former Chaminade quarterback is at Paraclete this year. He threw for 1,418 yards while sharing time at the position last year.

RB — Daniel Bangura, Harvest Prep (Canal Winchester, Ohio), 5-10, 175
Bangura was a state MVP and the leading rusher in the nation after gaining 4,128 yards on 372 carries with 54 touchdowns. He is a returning MaxPreps Small Schools All-American.

RB — Don Ragsdale, Pisgah (Sandhill, Miss.), 5-11, 200
Ragsdale is one of the few returning players in the country with over 3,000 yards as a junior as he rushed for 3,084 yards and 38 touchdowns on 311 carries as a junior. He earned state player of the year honors last year.

RB — Keimon Bailey, John A. Holmes (Edenton, N.C.), 5-6, 180
Bailey is one of the top returning rushers in North Carolina as he gained 2,853 yards and 36 touchdowns on 285 carries as a junior.

AP — Emory Jones, Heard County (Franklin, Ga.), 6-3, 192
Ranked as one of the top dual threat quarterbacks in the nation, Jones had an injury-plagued junior season, but has already committed to Ohio State.

AP — Quinn Commans, Whittier Christian (La Habra, Calif.), 6-4, 215
Commans earned All-State honors in California after throwing for 3,777 yards and 43 touchdowns while also rushing for 10 scores. He has 6,281 career passing yards.

K — Emma Baker, Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.), 6-0
The first girl to earn All-State honors last year in California, Baker begins the year as a preseason All-American. She is the eighth-leading returning kick scorer in the nation after booting 80 extra points and eight field goals (with a long of 40) last year.

First Team Defense

DL — Josh Belk, Lewisville (Richburg, S.C.), 6-3, 282
Headed to Clemson, Belk is the No. 20 defensive lineman in the country according to 247Sports. He earned All-State honors as a junior.

DL — J.H. Tevis, Menlo School (Atherton, Calif.), 6-5, 241
Tevis had a huge junior season while earning All-State honors as he had 125 tackles, including 50 for loss and 22.5 sacks.

DL — Ronnie Perkins, Lutheran North (St. Louis), 6-2, 256
A second team All-State pick last year, Perkins is the No. 17-ranked defensive lineman in the nation by 247Sports.

DL — Kayode Oladele, Champagnat Catholic (Hialeah, Fla.), 6-4, 235
A transfer from Edison, Oladele has yet to commit to a college, but he is the No. 15 strongside defensive end in the nation according to 247Sports.

LB — Damone Clark, Southern Lab (Baton Rouge, La.), 6-3, 218
An All-State defensive back last year, Clark is ranked No. 31 in the nation among linebackers by 247Sports and he is headed to LSU.

LB — Caleb Kelly, Hapeville Charter (Atlanta, Ga.), 6-3, 205
One of several potential All-American candidates at Hapeville Charter, Kelly earned preseason All-State honors by Georgia High School Football.

LB — Donovan Georges, Champagnat Catholic, 6-0, 237
Georges returns to lead a star-studded defense at Champagnat after earning state defensive Player of the Year honors as a junior.

LB — Deandre Fitzhenley, Clearwater Central Catholic (Fla.), 6-0, 220
The All-State selection posted 101 tackles with 11 tackles for loss and four sacks last year.

LB – Cooper Lucas, Lamar (Mo.), 5-11, 210
Lucas was the Missouri Class 2 defensive Player of the Year as a junior.

DB — Christopher Smith, Hapeville Charter, 5-10, 170
Regarded as the most highly-recruited player in Class AA in Georgia by Georgia High School Football.

DB — Demarvion Overshown, Arp (Texas), 6-4, 200
The University of Texas commit had a tremendous junior season, racking up 173 tackles, seven sacks and three interceptions.

DB — Amari Burney, Calvary Christian (Clearwater, Fla.), 6-1, 215
Burney earned All-State honors last year with 47 tackles and an interception. He has committed to play for Florida next year.

DB — Tre' Douglas, Eagle's Landing Christian Academy (McDonough, Ga.), 6-2, 180
A Vanderbilt commit, Douglas is a preseason All-State pick by Georgia High School Football.

P — Kaden Cordell, Sonora (Texas), 5-10, 156
Besides being one of the top returning passers in the state with 3,714 yards, Cordell also ranks as one of the state's top punters with a 38.5 yard average. Second Team Offense

WR – Zac Minnich, Milan (Ind.), 6-0, 177
Minnich is one of the top returning receivers in Indiana with 63 catches for 1,562 yards and 24 touchdowns last year.

WR — Andre Hunt, Paraclete, 6-0, 175
A transfer from Lawndale, Hunt caught 57 passes for 1,236 yards and 14 touchdowns last year. He has committed to play at Southern California.

TE — Travis Turley, Harding Academy (Searcy, Ark), 6-4, 185
Turley is one of the most productive returning tight ends in the country, catching 50 passes for 805 yards and six touchdowns as a junior.

OL — Cedrick Banks, Southern Lab (Baton Rouge, La.), 6-2, 320
A center at Southern Lab, Banks earned Class 1A All-State honors last year.

OL — Trevor Downing, Creston (Iowa), 6-5, 290
The second-ranked player in the state of Iowa by 247Sports, Downing is headed to Iowa State.

OL — Cody Ince, Unity (Balsam Lake, Wis.), 6-6, 260
Ranked as the No. 3 player in the state of Wisconsin by 247Sports, Ince will play for Iowa next year.

OL — Hunter Woodard, Tuscola (Ill.), 6-6, 296
The No. 36-rated player in the state of Illinois, Woodard earned honorable mention All-State as a junior and will play at Oklahoma State next year.

OL — Ralph Frias, Safford (Ariz.), 6-7, 305
Frias is ranked as the No. 11 overall player in the state of Arizona and the No. 2 offensive lineman in the state.

QB — Sam Hartman, Davidson Day (N.C.), 6-0, 170
One of the leading returning passers in North Carolina, Hartman threw for 3,733 yards and 45 touchdowns as a junior.

QB — Bailey Fisher, Rabun County (Tiger, Ga.), 5-10, 166
Fisher is ranked as the best player in Class AA by Georgia High School Football after throwing for 2,617 yards and rushing for 1,001 last year.

RB — Devontae Lee, Marshall (Oklahoma City), 5-10, 215
Lee ran for 2,946 yards last year on 209 carries with 37 touchdowns, making him the top returning rusher from Oklahoma.

RB — Sal Tovar, South El Monte (Calif.), 5-11, 185
A second team All-State selection in California last year, Tovar is one of the state's leading returning rushers with 2,801 yards and 39  touchdowns on 315 carries.

RB — Lyn-J Dixon, Taylor County (Butler, Ga.), 5-10, 178
One of the top returning rushers in Georgia with 4,526 yards and 62 touchdowns, Dixon rushed for 1,914 yards and 35 touchdowns as a junior.

AP — Zack Andress, Cameron Yoe (Texas), 5-9, 150
Playing for one of the top small school programs in Texas, Andress ran for 578 yards and 11 touchdowns last year and threw for 3,116 yards and 45 touchdowns.

AP — Corey Fields, Baptist Hill (Hollywood, S.C.), 5-11, 180
Fields had over 4,000 yards of total offense last year, throwing for 3,315 yards and rushing for an additional 741 yards. He led Baptist Hill to the second round of the playoffs in South Carolina.

K — Elijah Hoffman, Southern Columbia Area (Catawissa, Pa.), 5-11, 165
Hoffman was one of the national leaders in extra points last season with 90. He helped Southern Columbia Area to a 15-1 record.

Second Team Defense

DL — Dare Rosenthal, Ferriday (La.), 6-7, 327
One of the state's largest defensive linemen, Rosenthal is headed to play at LSU next year.

DL — Andres Fox, Mobile Christian (Mobile, Ala.), 6-4, 232
A rising standout in Alabama, Fox had 18 sacks as a junior for a 13-2 team.

DL — Tobe Umerah, Stratford Academy (Macon, Ga.), 6-4, 237
The region defensive Player of the Year, the Stanford-bound lineman had 86 tackles and eight sacks last year.

DL — Gregory Rousseau, Champagnat Catholic, 6-6, 220
An all-state pick in Florida last year, Rousseau will play at University of Miami next year.

LB — Joseph Sparacio, First Baptist Academy (Naples, Fla.), 6-0, 220
A Boston College commit, Sparacio had 101 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks last year.

LB — Devin Ruffin Jr., Lutheran North (St. Louis), 6-1, 210
Bowling Green will be the home next season for Ruffin, one of Missouri's top linebackers.

LB — Zamar Kirven, Mart (Texas), 6-3, 205
Playing for one of the all-time winningest programs in Texas, Kirven dominated with 122 tackles and 21 tackles for loss.

LB — Harrison Taylor, Eagle's Landing Christian Academy, 6-4, 210
Georgia's Class A Private defensive Player of the Year as a junior.

LB — Richard Jibunor, Athens Christian (Athens, Ga.), 6-3, 206
Injured much of last season, Jibunor is the No. 2 recruit in Georgia according to 247Sports.

DB — Nadab Joseph, Champagnat Catholic, 6-1, 180
A transfer from Edison, Joseph is the No. 40 defensive back in the nation by 247Sports.

DB — C.J. Smith, Oxbridge Academy (West Palm Beach, Fla.), 6-2, 193
Smith made the Class 3A All-State team last year and is ranked as the No. 43 overall defensive back in the nation.

DB — Josh Moore, Yoakum (Texas), 5-11, 173
Moore did a little of everything for Yoakum as he was among the team leaders in rushing and receiving. He is also the No. 42-ranked defensive back in the nation by 247Sports and he will play at Texas A&M next season.

DB — V'lique Carter, Oxbridge Academy (West Palm Beach, Fla.), 5-10, 170
Carter had three interceptions last season and earned all-state honorable mention honrs.

P — Kyle King, Milano (Texas), 6-3, 190
All-State honorable mention last year, King averaged 40.4 yards per kick last year.