4H4A3621 — Thompson quarterback Trent Seaborn after the Warriors’ win. (Caleb Turrentine / The Bama Buzz)

It’s hard to believe but the high school football season in Alabama is less than a month away.

It doesn’t feel like that long ago when we were all bundled up inside Protective Stadium to watch the Super 7. But players are getting ready in the heat now and have turned their attention to this year’s championship games in Birmingham.

Several teams have high expectations including the four 7A teams ranked in the top 100 of recent national rankings from NFL Play Football. 11 in-state teams made the top 300.

Keep reading to see which teams made the cut!

NFL Play rankings

4H4A3546 Scaled E1733539425408 — Thompson and Central-Phenix City are in the top 100. (Caleb Turrentine / The Bama Buzz)

To no surprise, the two teams that battled in last year’s 7A state championship are among the top 100 with Thompson leading the way. The Warriors, who have won five of the last six 7A titles, were 39th in the final rankings of 2024 but have moved up in this year’s preseason poll.

The teams included in NFL Play’s top 300 include:

No. 14 Thompson
No. 85 Auburn
No. 88 Hoover
No. 92 Central Phenix City
No. 106 Parker
No. 146 Saraland
No. 164 Hewitt-Trussville
No. 181 Opelika
No. 198 Oxford
No. 228 Carver Montgomery
No. 258 Spain Park

All 11 of the teams in the rankings are classified in either 6A or 7A. The classification’s two defending champions, Thompson and Parker, both made the list.

Thompson, Parker and Auburn were the only three in-state programs in the final top 100 rankings last season.

Among all states, Alabama has the eighth most teams in the top 300. Florida leads the way with 52 teams while Texas is second with 38 teams.