Football Friday Night Preseason Power Rankings
Football Friday Night Preseason Power Rankings
It’s game week, and high school football returns to the borderland for the 2025 season in less than 24 hours. With a wealth of Division I prospects and rising underclassmen, El Paso football promises to be electrifying. Here are the Football Friday Night Preseason Power Rankings:
#10 Andress Eagles
After three consecutive losing seasons—a rarity for the maroon and gold not seen since the early 1980s—Andress aims to reclaim its status as a district title contender. Head coach Chris Taylor welcomes back a strong core, led by second-year starting QB Jamari Milton, who guided an offense that averaged 26 points per game last season. Milton will have three of his top four receivers from 2024 back, including sophomore star Aavant Clayton (1,100+ total yards, 10 TDs as a freshman) and WR Mikeil Taylor (nine TDs). The Eagles open at home against El Dorado, looking for a statement win to kick off a campaign with district title aspirations.
#9 Chapin Huskies
UTEP commit Daveon Singleton anchors a Chapin squad eyeing a district title in the ever competitive district 1-5A Dll. The Huskies, who finished 6-5 in 2024, return 13 starters under second-year head coach Marco Chavez. Senior QB Josh Martel takes over under center, with weapons like Singleton, junior WR Corwon Martin, and sophomore HB Fabian Ortiz. Defensively, senior Dallas Tucker and junior safety Terrance Hall lead a unit with seven returners looking to improve on their 2024 season.
#8 Canutillo Eagles
Head coach Scott Brooks, in his 26th season, is an El Paso coaching legend, with a 2014 state semifinal run on his resume. After a 9-2 campaign in 2024, Canutillo returns only six starters, including just two on a defense that notched five shutouts last year. QB Christian Huerta leads the offense, with sophomore WR Nikolas Martinez as a key target. Defensively, LB Jared Gamiz and S Josiah Cardona will shoulder heavy responsibilities as the Eagles blend new talent into the lineup.
#7 Eastwood Troopers
Julio Lopez’s Troopers stumbled to a 4-6 record in 2024, their worst since 2017, due to injuries and close losses. Junior QB Kingston Jefferies, who emerged late last season, will lead the offense, with WR Jude Walker (800+ receiving yards in 2024) as a top weapon. Eastwood faces a brutal non-district schedule, including top-10 teams Chapin and El Dorado, plus Odessa High School and national powerhouse St. John Bosco (CA).
#6 El Dorado Aztecs
Coming off a historic 10-0 regular season in 2024—a nine-win improvement from 2023—the Aztecs are loaded with talent. Head coach Frank Martinez returns 16 starters, including FBS commits RB Ryan Estrada (Minnesota) and WR JaDarious Sanders (NMSU). QB Brycen Booth, who tallied 800 total yards and 11 TDs last year after splitting snaps, is back as the full-time starter. El Dorado will be the favorites in district 1-5A Dll.
#5 Coronado Thunderbirds
The Thunderbirds have struggled since the Don Brooks era, with just one season above five wins since 2013. Head coach Mike Pry, in his fourth year, has done a good job of getting the program competitive again, but is still seeking Coronado’s first playoff berth since 2018. Sophomore sensation QB West Stansbury, who stands at 6’4 and holds an UCLA offer, takes the helm from ATH Ben Wilson. The NMSU baseball commit will play multiple roles for Pry's offense. The T-Birds aim to crash the playoff picture in 2025.
#4 Del Valle Conquistadores
Led by Arizona State commit QB Jake Fette, Del Valle went 10-1 in 2024, winning a bi-district title before falling to Lovejoy in the area round. This year, however, Del Valle will lose eight starters on an offense that scored over 50 points in six games last year. WR Dylan Gonzalez will be relied upon after putting up over 300 yards receiving and being the only starting wideout to return. Defensively, they get five starters back, including LB Mateo Santibanez (129 tackles) who will be the heart of their defense. They are the front runners in district 1-5A II.
#3 Pebble Hills Spartans
Head coach Ryan Warner is entering his second year at Pebble Hills with plenty of expectations. After a 5-6 season that saw its ups and downs, the Spartans will look for more consistency with 11 total starters back from last year. Junior QB Joe Fernandez is back for his second year as a starter after throwing for 14 touchdowns last season. He’ll have two underclassmen with FBS offers to throw to, as sophomore WR LJ Bailey and freshman WR/TE Noah Tarrant have garnered plenty of looks from schools before even playing a varsity game yet. DL Jelan Parra and DB Anthony Vasquez are the guys to watch on a defense that should be the calling card of this team.
#2 Franklin Cougars
New head coach Ruben Torres, a proven winner, takes over a Franklin program expected to compete for a district title. RB Ernie Powers (2,000+ rushing yards in 2024) leads an explosive offense, supported by an offensive line featuring FBS commits Eric Sandoval (UTEP) and Justin Morales (Kansas State). LB JB Guzman (100+ tackles) is a defensive standout to watch as the Cougars begin their conquest for a district title.
#1 Eastlake Falcons
The Falcons dominated District 1-6A in 2024, going 6-0 before falling to Odessa Permian in the playoffs. Despite losing QB Luke Lomeli and RB Steven Galindo, Eastlake reloads with QB Julian Williams (19 TDs at Horizon in 2024) and a dynamic receiving trio of Junior Trotman, Jayden Reveles, and Jaedon Sharpe. DL Andrew Flanagan (42 tackles, 4 sacks) anchors a stout defense, making the Falcons the team to beat.