- Seven games across ESPN, August 20-29
- 33 players ranked in ESPN 300 and ESPN Junior 300
- Six Top-25 nationally ranked teams to participate
The ESPN High School Football Kickoff returns for its 17th year, Thursday, Aug. 20 to Saturday, Aug. 29. The seven-game slate includes 33 players ranked in the ESPN 300 and ESPN Junior 300 on ESPN, ESPN2 and streaming on the ESPN App. Of the ESPN 300 athletes participating, 18 have already committed to top Division I college football programs, including Arizona State, Cal, Clemson, Michigan, NC State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech.
2026 ESPN High School Football Kickoff schedule
*Notes: All times are ET
**Player rankings from ESPN 300 (Seniors in the Class of 2027) and ESPN Junior 300 (Class of 2028)
*** Team Rankings per SC Next Top 25 Team Rankings
Thursday, August 20
Brentwood Academy (Tenn.) at No. 18 Baylor School (Tenn.)
8 p.m. ET on ESPN2 from Heywood Stadium, Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn.
- Baylor defeated Brentwood in the 2025 state championship, claiming their second state title in four years on their way to an undefeated season. The No. 14 overall ranked player and Tennessee commit, David Gabriel Georges, will be hard to stop at RB, along with 4-Star QB Keegan Croucher (Ole Miss commit). No. 76 junior Antwaun Adams – S and No. 180 junior Xavier Bowman – CB boost the defense, while No. 175 junior Braxton Rein – TE supports the running and passing game.
- Brentwood’s only loss last season came in the state championship game by four points to Baylor. The Eagles will try to get back to state championship form with their seniors: No. 39 Kesean Bowman – WR, and No. 184 Kenneth Simon – OLB, both committed to play for the Vols next season. While No. 77 junior Braylen Bedford – S adds support behind Simon.
Saturday, August 22
Battle Ground Academy (Tenn.) at St. Michael Catholic (Ala.)
1:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2 from St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Ala.
- Head Coach Philip Rivers is in his sixth season leading St. Michael Catholic. The Cardinals went 13-1 last season, losing in the state semifinal to Jackson HS (a team they had beaten earlier in the season); less than two weeks later, Coach Rivers came out of NFL retirement briefly to play QB for the Indianapolis Colts. His son, senior QB Gunner Rivers is the No. 151 ranked player and will head to NC State next year like his father.
- Battle Ground Academy was also 13-1 last season, avenging an earlier season loss to Franklin Road Academy on their way to a state championship. The Wildcats have good young talent with No. 168 junior Maximus Curry – WR and Sophomore WR Maddox Porter as key targets for senior QB Bo Bryan (son of country music star Luke Bryan).
Saturday, August 22
Gainesville (Ga.) at No. 1 Buford (Ga.)
5 p.m. ET on ESPN2 from Phillip Beard Stadium, Buford High School in Buford, Ga.
- Buford went 15-0 last season on their way to a state championship (their fourth in seven seasons) and the No.1 National Ranking. The Wolves will reload as usual, with senior OLB’s Brayden Watson (Michigan commit) and Ethan Hauser (Vanderbilt commit); as well as juniors Luke Nabors and Seven Rashad, both 3-Stars.
- Gainesville was 12-3 last season on their way to a 5A state runner-up finish. The Red Elephants return DT-QB Kharim Hughley, the No. 126 ranked player in the senior class; along with RB Nigel Newkirk who is heading to Alabama next season. CB Jai’lil Goley is the No. 51 ranked player in the junior class.
Friday, August 28
Saint Joseph Regional (N.J.) at No. 21 Mount Carmel (Ill.)
7 p.m. ET on ESPN from Barda-Dowling Stadium, Mount Carmel High School in Chicago, Ill.
- Mount Carmel was undefeated last season as they captured their fourth straight Illinois state title. The Caravan have a talented roster with three ESPN ranked seniors: No. 37 Quentin Burrell – WR and No. 111 Tavares Harrington – CB are both headed to Michigan next season, and No. 159 Roman Igwebuike – ILB is committed to Notre Dame. Their junior class includes two ESPN ranked players: No. 135 Caleb Tucker – DT and No. 201 Marshaun Thornton – WR.
- Saint Joseph Regional is coming off yet another New Jersey state title, with several key players returning. Senior DE’s Chaz Gray (Washington commit) and Cam Aime (Pitt commit) make the Green Knights tough up front, while Safety Jonathan Galette (Penn State commit) provides depth. Chaz’s younger brother Tahj Gray – ILB is the No. 33 ranked junior, and WR David Foster adds young talent on offense.
Saturday, August 29
No. 3 Bishop Gorman (Nev.) vs. Christopher Columbus (Fla.)
2 p.m. ET on ESPN2 from the Broward County National Football Showcase at Brian Piccolo Stadium, St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
- Bishop Gorman finished last season ranked as the No. 3 team in the country after claiming their fifth straight Nevada state title. The Gaels will be hard to pass on with senior CB’s No. 15 Hayden Stepp (Oregon commit) and No. 286 Kamil Loud (Cal commit) prowling the secondary. Their junior class is deep, with No. 70 Zyren Menor – WR, No. 157 Tayaun Lawrence – DE, and No. 268 Jamaree Turner – OG
- Columbus features the No. 25 ranked player in the senior class A’mir Sears (the No. 1 ranked ATH), while junior DL Damien Harvey is fielding multiple offers including Auburn, Missouri and Texas A&M. Senior QB Kai Moore and RB Cecil Smith are both committed to Northern Illinois, with senior CB Ajavion Willis is heading to Pitt.
DeSoto (Texas) at No. 6 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.)
6 p.m. ET on ESPN2 from the Broward County National Football Showcase at Brian Piccolo Stadium, St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
- DeSoto won their third state title in four years last season, and they continue to foster some of the best talent in the state of Texas. The Eagles will lean heavily on senior RB SaRod Baker, the No. 163 player in the class; while No. 198 senior K’Adrian Redmond – DT will anchor the defense. Both Baker and Redmond are headed to Texas Tech next season to play for the Red Raiders.
- St. Thomas Aquinas has won seven straight Florida state titles and the Raiders show no signs of slowing down. Their senior class features four ESPN ranked players: No. 11 Mark Mathews OT (Texas A&M commit), No. 50 Julius Jones – WR (Notre Dame commit), No. 112 Wyatt Smith – DE (Ohio State commit) and No. 193 Zayden Gamble – S (Notre Dame commit). Junior Andre Jones – S, also plans to follow Gamble and older brother Julius at Notre Dame.
Chandler (Ariz.) at No. 24 Basha (Ariz.)
10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN from Jim Wall Stadium, Basha High School in Chandler, Ariz.
- Basha beat Chandler in the 2025 AIA Open Div. State Championship (their second state title in four seasons). The Bears return their lead rusher No. 51 ranked senior Noah Roberts – RB (Texas commit) who will find holes behind No. 179 Jake Hildebrand – OT (Arizona State commit). No. 41 ranked junior Landen Wade – DE provides pressure on the defensive front.
- Chandler was the AIA Open Div. State Runner-Up to Basha, and they look to get over the hump with the return of starting QB Will Mencl (Oregon Commit), the number No. 94 ranked player in the senior class. Fellow seniors Jai Jones – ATH is headed Wisconsin next year, while OG Sire Stewart (Utah commit) will protect Mencl up front.
2027 ESPN Senior 300 Participants
| Rank | Player | Pos. | High School | College Commitment |
| 11 | Mark Matthews | OT | Saint Thomas Aquinas High School | Texas A&M |
| 13 | David Gabriel Georges | RB | Baylor School | Tennessee |
| 15 | Hayden Stepp | CB | Bishop Gorman High School | Oregon |
| 25 | A’mir Sears | ATH | Christopher Columbus High School | |
| 37 | Quentin Burrell | WR | Mount Carmel High School | Michigan |
| 39 | Kesean Bowman | WR | Brentwood Academy | Tennessee |
| 50 | Julius Jones | WR | Saint Thomas Aquinas High School | Notre Dame |
| 51 | Noah Roberts | RB | Basha High School | Texas |
| 94 | Will Mencl | QB-PP | Chandler High School | Oregon |
| 111 | Tavares Harrington | CB | Mount Carmel High School | Michigan |
| 112 | Wyatt Smith | DE | Saint Thomas Aquinas High School | Ohio State |
| 126 | Kharim Hughley | QB-DT | Gainesville High School | Clemson |
| 151 | Gunner Rivers | QB-PP | St. Michael Catholic High School | NC State |
| 159 | Roman Igwebuike | ILB | Mount Carmel High School | Notre Dame |
| 163 | SaRod Baker | RB | DeSoto High School | Texas Tech |
| 179 | Jake Hildebrand | OT | Basha High School | Arizona State |
| 184 | Kenneth Simon | OLB | Brentwood Academy | Tennessee |
| 193 | Zayden Gamble | S | Saint Thomas Aquinas High School | Notre Dame |
| 198 | K’Adrian Redmond | DT | DeSoto High School | Texas Tech |
| 286 | Kamil Loud | CB | Bishop Gorman High School | Cal |
2028 ESPN Junior 300 Participants
| Rank | Player | Pos. | High School | College Commitment |
| 33 | Tahj Gray | OLB | Saint Joseph Regional High School | |
| 40 | Landen Wade | DE | Basha High School | |
| 51 | Jai’lil Goley | CB | Gainesville High School | |
| 70 | Zyren Menor | WR | Bishop Gorman High School | |
| 76 | Antwaun Adams | S | Baylor School | |
| 77 | Braylen Bedford | S | Brentwood Academy | |
| 135 | Caleb Tucker | DT | Mount Carmel High School | |
| 157 | Tayaun Lawrence | DE | Bishop Gorman High School | |
| 168 | Maximus Curry | WR | Battle Ground Academy | |
| 175 | Braxton Rein | TE-H | Baylor School | |
| 180 | Xavier Bowman | CB | Baylor School | |
| 201 | Marshaun Thornton | WR | Mount Carmel High School | |
| 268 | Jamaree Turner | OG | Bishop Gorman High School |
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