Here are the Free Press’ preseason top Michigan high school football teams for 2026, counting down from Nos. 10-1. We previously revealed teams ranked Nos. 11-25.
2025 records are in parenthesis; all players are seniors unless noted.
10. Birmingham Brother Rice (6-5)
Division: 2.
Top players: Junior DE Jayden Bell, junior WR Tyler Trusel, QB Sammy Eyde, junior RB/LB Deondre Hill, sophomore WR Christian Marshall, OL Donovan Fuller, sophomore DL Keleain Elem, sophomore WR/DB Kameron Lowe, LB Luke Grochowski, sophomore TE Maximus Giglio, junior LB Booker Jones.
Coach: Aaron Marshall, third season (8-12).
The buzz: An extremely young Brother Rice team had to take some lumps in Marshall's first two seasons, but showed promise by sneaking into the D-2 playoffs with three straight wins,
including an upset of state champion Orchard Lake St. Mary's. The Warriors are still a young group, but have plenty of players who started as underclassmen over the past two seasons. The offense should have a nice balance between Eyde's passing and Hill's rushing, while a defensive line led by Bell will try to disrupt offenses.
9. Howell (9-2)
Division: 1.
Top players: RB/LB Bryce Kish (Clemson), RB/DB Marc Flynn, OL Brennan McLearon, LB Alex Adam, DB/RB Ryan O'Dea, DB Christian Greene, QB Palmer VanDeven, junior OL/DL Frank Kanka, RB/LB Jack Gondick, RB/LB Arber Korkut, DL Walker Weiss, OL/DL Luca Campo, OL/DL Sergio Campo, junior OL/DL Ethan Wiebusch.
Coach: Brian Lewis, sixth year (40-20).
The buzz: The Highlanders have won consecutive KLAA titles over Belleville and have enough talent to be considered the favorite in the final year of the conference. Kish is one of the best two-way players in Michigan as a devastating runner and game-changing outside linebacker. Howell has the deepest stable of quality running backs in the state to pair with a bruising offensive line in its T-formation offense. Size and athleticism will be a benefit on both sides of the ball, with plenty of front-seven players contributing in both directions.
8. DeWitt (14-0)
Division: 3.
Top players: Junior RB Channing Ridley, QB/DB Griffin Braman, WR Landon Kurncz, WR Ciaden Martin-Seymour, LB Donovan Hillard, LB Tyler Bashore, OL/DL Landen Braska (Michigan Tech), OL Evan Thorne, junior WR/DB Caleb Nolen, LB Justin Barkman, sophomore DL Gavin Braska, sophomore OL Oliver Miller, sophomore OL Callen Bengal.
Coach: Rob Zimmerman, 28th season (286-55).
The buzz: Very few starters return for the Panthers from their D-3 championship team in 2025 but there is still a significant amount of talent. Ridley owns an offer from Miami (Ohio) and headlines a DeWitt roster loaded with speed. Per speed and weight training numbers, this is the fastest and one of the strongest DeWitt teams in Zimmerman's 28 years in charge. The Panthers also have a strong core of seniors who saw plenty of action as backups last year and now will have a chance to help DeWitt show it remains a power. The success will partially hinge on Braman, who will move back to quarterback after playing primarily as a defensive back in 2025.
7. Detroit King (7-5)
Division: 3.
Top players: WR/DB Darryl Flemister (Illinois), WR/DB Don Spillers (Michigan State), OL Jameer Henry, sophomore QB Amir Forris, junior OL Jordan Henry, junior OL Elijah Willis, DL/TE Jordan Eaton (Grand Valley State), DL Jamari Riley (Ferris State), junior RB/DB Willie Walker, junior RB Vernall Lee, junior RB Marion Stewart.
Coach: Terel Patrick, third season (17-9).
The buzz: The Crusaders are determined to finish the season with some hardware after coming up short for the Detroit Public School League and D-3 state championship in recent years. Forris will step into a big role under center after getting mop-up duty on varsity as a sophomore. He has one of the most talented skill position groups around him, led by Spillers and Flemister and a lightning-quick running back rotation, with the Henry brothers leading the offensive line. King has a burly defensive line and one of the deepest secondaries in Michigan. Outside of Spillers and Flemister, keep an eye on Walker having another breakthrough at safety.
6. East Kentwood (10-3)
Division: 1.
Top players: QB Colin O'Connor, junior QB/WR Tyran Harris, junior OL/DL Jaylon Johnson, RB Dallas Moody, junior DB Kenneth Harris, WR Steph Jones (Grand Valley State), DB Donovan Jones (Grand Valley State), WR Bryce Barnes (Michigan Tech), WR Donovan Rubens, DB Major Barnes (Brown), DL Tyler Meeuwsen, DL Alijah Bondon, DL D'Mari Love-Simmons, LB Chris Thompson, junior DB Austin Nelson.
Coach: Tyrone Spencer, third season (15-8).
The buzz: East Kentwood has plenty of returning talent from 2025's state semifinal team. O'Connor will be the main quarterback replacement for Kayd Coffman, now at Michigan State, while Harris will factor in as a dual-threat option. Moody moves from defensive back to running back and there is a deep group of receivers led by Jones and Barnes. The Falcons return starters at all three levels of defense, including three defensive linemen, and Nelson, their standout corner.
5. Saline (10-2)
Division: 1.
Top players: OL Louis Esposito (Michigan), LB Bryce Barbarino (Western Michigan), WR Cruz Hanson (Grand Valley State) TE/LB Gabe Iadipaolo (Western Michigan), sophomore LB Caleb Harris, RB Carson Cherry, DL Dawoud Issa, DB Jernaro Gilford Jr., junior DB Marquis Ray, WR/DB Princeton Jones, junior WR Brady Baldwin, DL Jericoh Powe, DB Pat Williams, sophomore DB Blair Jones.
Coach: Kyle Short, third season (17-6).
The buzz: Saline also has the tough task of replacing a Big Ten quarterback, Michigan's Tommy Carr, but has three solid options competing in senior Austin Falkowski, sophomore Jackson Bodley and sophomore Case Campbell, an Orchard Lake St. Mary's transfer who saw brief action for the D-2 champs. Whoever wins the job will step into a position with talent all around. The skill positions are deep and Esposito is one of the best blockers in Michigan. Saline's defense, led by Barbarino, looks like one of the best units in the state. Gilford and Ray are two out-of-state additions that moved to the district after family members got coaching jobs for Michigan and Eastern Michigan football.
4. Harper Woods (11-1)
Division: 3.
Top players: WR/DB Dakota Guerrant (Oregon), junior WR/DB Deandre Bidden, junior DL/OL Jeremiah McCall, junior DB Jayden Evans, RB/LB Mikhi Jones, LB Jesse White, sophomore QB Austin Mitchell, sophomore QB Denari Patton, WR James Jefferson (Ferris State), junior TE A.J. Henley, junior OL/DL Errol Lewis, junior OL/DL Randy Ellis.
Coach: Rod Oden, ninth season (57-30).
The buzz: The Pioneers will jump from D-4 to D-3 in 2026. Harper Woods has 36 returning players, including nine starters on both sides of the ball. Mitchell and Patton are competing to be the starting quarterback, and whoever wins will have a talented receiving core featuring Guerrant, the state's top recruit, another five-star receiver in Bidden and a future member of the Division II national champions in Jefferson. Up front, Harper Woods returns four starters on the line. Evans and White are two of the key defensive leaders after earning All-State recognition in 2025.
3. Orchard Lake St. Mary's (11-2)
Division: 2.
Top players: QB Jabin Gonzales (Northwood), WR Chad Willis (North Carolina), LB/WR B.J. Adams (Grand Valley State), DL Treighjan Gibson (Connecticut), WR Lorenzo Barber, junior WR Brannon Hardy, RB Jamari Givhan, OL Brian Matthews (Kent State), DL Josh Gonzales, DB Caden Blankenburg (Grand Valley State), junior OL/DL Micheal King, DB Mason Hitchcock (Northern Illinois), junior LB/DB D.J. Taylor.
Coach: Jermaine Gonzales, fourth season (25-11).
The buzz: The two-time defending D-2 champs have arguably their most talented roster in Gonzales' tenure as coach. St. Mary's returns most of its offensive starters from a group that averaged 41 points per game in the playoffs. Jabin Gonzales is a quality dual-threat quarterback who has shown all-around improvement entering his second year as the starter, and the Eaglets have a stable of receivers with Willis, Barber and Hardy. Givhan is the team's pound-for-pound strongest player and will tote the rock behind an athletic line. Adams, Gibson and Blankenburg are the leaders of a defense that will feature a few new faces, but still has loads of talent.
2. Novi Detroit Catholic Central (14-0)
Division: 1.
Top players: QB Duke Banta, DB/WR Gideon Gash (Texas Tech), OL Eric Anderson (Pittsburgh), LB Jalen Montlouis (Grand Valley State), DB/WR Aiden Kersey, RB/DB Ryan Jaafar, sophomore RB/LB J.J. Chevalier, OL Austin Woodlock, OL Ryan Richardson, OL James Peters, WR Peyton Sofran, junior DL Josiah Neal, DL Lindon Bojaj, DL Kaden Gonzales, freshman WR/DB Amari Dorsey, junior DB/WR Jacarry Johnson.
Coach: Justin Cessante, fourth season (34-4).
The buzz: Catholic Central snapped a 16-year title drought with a dominant, undefeated season culminating in the D-1 title win over Detroit Cass Tech. The Shamrocks return nine offensive starters compared to two on defense. Banta is a cerebral pocket passer in ultimate command of the offense, while the run game will be explosive again with four returning starters up front. Gash is arguably the most impactful player in Michigan as a three-phase playmaker, while Montlouis has a nose for the ball as a leader of the defense. CC will be tested with one of the toughest schedules in Michigan as a member of the Catholic League Central Division.
1. Detroit Cass Tech (13-1)
Division: 1.
Top players: Junior QB Donald Tabron II (Texas A&M), LB Collin Sumpter (Miami (OH)), DL Martez Livingston, RB De'Mari Hendrix, WR Bryce Graham, junior OL Antijuan Wilkes, junior OL Josh Baker, junior WR Mylan Griggs, sophomore WR/DB Peyton Robinson, junior RB/LB Julian Taylor, sophomore DE/TE Tailor Thomas, sophomore DB/WR Pierre Johnson, junior DB/WR Marquell Evans, junior DB LaMarcus Army, sophomore DL Davis Green, junior DL Antoine Hall.
Coach: Marvin Rushing, 6th season (47-19).
The buzz: The Technicians came up just short of repeating as D-1 champs. Tabron is the top quarterback in Michigan entering the final two years of his high school career. The Technicians have a deep junior class with future Division 1 players at all three levels on both sides of the ball who all have returning experience in the plethora of big games the Technicians have played in the past two years. They boast impressive levels of depth, especially in the trenches, which will help them make another deep playoff run in their pursuit of a return to Ford Field.
Nominate a high school athlete for the Detroit Free Press boys and girls athlete of the week.
Jared Ramsey covers high school sports for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jramsey@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan high school football top 10 rankings: 3 teams have No. 1 case
