These 10 Fort Worth-area high school football players are off to outstanding starts
With four weeks of Texas high school football completed, players have had ample opportunity to showcase their talents.
Certain players are jumping right back where they left off in their sophomore and junior seasons. Others are taking Fort Worth-area football by storm, putting their names on the map.
Which Fort Worth-area players have had the most impressive starts? Here are 10 that have been stuffing the stat sheets.
Davis Penn, RB, Southlake Carroll
The Southlake Carroll Dragons’ major question heading into the season: who will take over at running back after the legendary Owen Allen graduated? Well, head coach Riley Dodge has the answer.
A sophomore, Davis Penn is averaging 115 yards per game and 8.5 yards per carry. On top of that, Penn has scored six touchdowns. The 5-foot-10, 180 pound running back is leading the ground game of the Dragons, the Star-Telegram’s No. 1 ranked Class 6A team in the Fort Worth-area.
Tristian Johnson, DE, Hurst L.D. Bell
In four games, the Raiders’ opponents have scored 32 total points. The Hurst L.D. Bell defense had been stellar, and one of the reasons is an elite pass rush.
Senior Tristan Johnson is leading the charge and has already tallied six sacks this season. The 6-foot-2, 260 pound UTSA commit has 11 tackles for loss and 19 total tackles. Be on the lookout for his elite play to continue.
Raycine Guillory, RB, Aledo
Raycine Guillory is making a case to be the best player in the Fort Worth-area, and several big-name college programs are interested in the class of 2026 running back. Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Oregon, TCU, Texas Tech and more have offered.
Guillory has nine touchdowns and is leading the Bearcats, the Star-Telegram’s No. 1 ranked Class 5A team, with 105.75 yards per game. A change of scenery has been beneficial for Guillory, who was a Mansfield Lake Ridge player as a freshman. With the level of talent he has, Guillory will be one of the highest rated prospects in the area.
Ashton Searl, RB, North Crowley
The North Crowley Panthers are the Star-Telegram’s No. 2 ranked Class 6A team, and their ground game is a big reason why. Cornelius Warren III has been doing great, averaging 96 yards per game.
His running mate, Ashton Searl, has also been carrying a heavy workload. He leads the team with eight total touchdowns and is averaging 93 yards per game. Both Warren III and Searl’s talent is a lot to handle, and the one-two punch makes them an elite, dynamic duo.
In addition to the running backs, quarterback Chris Jimerson is extremely mobile. All three players are averaging a combined 259.5 yards per game. How far will the Panther’s dominant ground game take them?
Landon Farco, WR, Trophy Club Nelson
The Trophy Club Nelson defense has only allowed 33 points through four games. That doesn’t mean, however, that the offense is falling behind; Trophy Club Nelson is scoring a whopping 50 points per game.
Landon Farco stands out as the Bobcats’ No. 1 offensive weapon and quarterback Tom Von Grotes’ primary target. Franco leads all skill players on the team, averaging 105 yards per game and three total touchdowns.
Caleb Williams, QB, Crowley
The Crowley Eagles and head coach Carlos Lynn are putting together the greatest year-to-year turnaround in the Fort Worth-area. Four games into the season, they’ve already matched their win total from 2022.
Part of the reasons why Crowley is rising is because of junior quarterback Caleb Williams. No, not the one who plays for USC.
Williams is a threat on the ground and through the air. He’s averaging 57.5 rushing yards and 232.25 passing yards, and he’s recorded 16 total touchdowns.
Cooper Massey, LB, Brock
Brock is off to a slow start, but linebacker Cooper Massey isn’t. He is leading his defense with 15.3 tackles per game, which is five more than any of his teammates.
Can Massey turn things around for the Eagles as they enter district play?
Canyan James, DE, Arlington Heights
The Arlington Heights Yellowjackets are the No. 9 Class 5A team in the Fort Worth-area, and they started district play with a 64-14 trashing of Fort Worth Polytechnic.
One of the highlights so far has been the elite play of Canyan James, who has already notched five sacks. He has nine tackles for loss and 20 total tackles. You’ll want to keep an eye on James as District 4-5A D2 play continues.
Kyland Reed, LB, Mansfield Summit
Kyland Reed, a Baylor football commit, already has three interceptions for Mansfield Summit. The 6-foot-2, 210 pound linebacker is proving the hype around his play is deserved.
In addition to the three picks, Reed is averaging eight tackles a game. The Jaguars are 2-2, and secured a 44-13 victory against Arlington Seguin on Thursday. Will Reed and Co. go on a run?
Cameron Bates, WR, Mansfield Timberview
The undefeated Mansfield Timberview Wolves have dominated the competition, winning their first four games by an average of 40 points. Now, they’re heading into a district matchup against Carrollton Smith, a team that is also undefeated.
One of the Wolves’ key contributors is Cameron Bates, who is putting up 111 yards per game. The Boise State football commit used to play quarterback but is now playing wide receiver. He’s thriving in his new role and has scored four total touchdowns.
