Dave Campbell’s Texas Football – nicknamed the “Bible of Texas Football” – released its 67th edition this summer.
The magazine previews every high school football team in Texas. This includes teams in Grayson County.
Here’s a glance at DCTF’s predictions of Grayson County teams:
DISTRICT 5-3A-DIVISION I
Grayson County is predicted to grab the top three spots in this district of six.
Preseason No. 2 Gunter is projected to win the league, while Whitesboro and No. 20 Pottsboro are picked to finish second and third, respectively. Pilot Point is expected to get the fourth-place nod over Dallas Life Oak Cliff and Dallas A+
Academy.
Gunter, who moved up from 3A-DII, is predicted to pick up where it left off. The Tigers return seven starters on both sides of the football and reached the State semifinal for the fifth year in a row.
Quarterback Knox Gage (2,400 yards and 34 TDs of total offense) and hulking offensive lineman Caleb Siler (6-foot-8, 280 lbs) return for a unit that averaged 45 points per game in 2025. Linebacker David Puga (105 tackles, 9 sacks) will anchor the defense.
Whitesboro is fresh off of its fifth consecutive playoff berth and the Bearcats welcome back nine starters on offense and eight on defense from last year’s 5-6 team. Among these players are two-way starters Ian Bruce (33 catches, 590 yards, 7 TDs receiving; 24 tackles, 2 interceptions on defense), Shayne Gabbert (36 catches, 475 yards, 3 TDs receiving; 107 tackles, 4 interceptions on defense) and Wyatt Winchester (23 catches, 284 yards, 6 TDs receiving; 31 tackles, INT on defense) – all of whom start at receiver on offense and in the defensive secondary.
Quarterback Colt Fagan (2,300 yards, 36 TDs total offense) will anchor the offense. Linebacker Korbin Ross (121 tackles) leads the defense.
Pottsboro is fresh off of a 12-2 campaign – its best since a 15-1 State runner-up finish in 2019. Although much of the offensive production graduated, the Cardinals are still expected to reach the postseason.
Pottsboro returns four offensive starters and five on defense. Anchoring the offense are linemen Byron Coldicott, Zach Harrison, Van Holbrook and Bryson Wyatt; while defensive back Cole Barker (77 tackles), defensive end Brody Burdette (47 tackles) and linebacker Michael Ermon (128 tackles) lead the defense.
DISTRICT 7-3A-DIVISION II
Bells is ranked No. 20 in the preseason poll but is projected to finish fourth in District 7-3A-DII. Blue Ridge, Leonard and Callisburg are respectively picked to finish ahead of the Panthers in the league standings, while Howe and S&S are slated to end up fifth and sixth, respectively, and Valley View is expected to be in the basement.
Bells finished 4-6 in 2025 and missed the postseason for the first time since 2013. The Panthers return three starters on offense and five on defense.
Running back Jaxon Brown (970 yards, 14 TDs rushing) leads the offense. Linebacker Brayden Richardson (57 tackles) will anchor the defense.
Howe was 2-8 in 2025, but the Bulldogs return a lot of starters from last year. In all, Howe welcomes back eight offensive and 10 defensive starters.
Returning on offense are quarterback Deacon Bender (713 yards, 4 TDs passing) and receiver Ryken Cross (29 catches, 384 yards, 3 TDs). Linebacker Chris Torres (57 tackles) is the top returnee on defense.
S&S also finished 2-8 in 2025, but like Howe, has plenty of reasons to feel like improvement is on the horizon. The Rams welcome back eight starters on both sides of the football.
The offense is expected to be led by linemen Ruffin Brubaker, Bryan Flores and Hayden Harkins. Linebacker Eli Nortman (89 tackles) is the top returning defender.
DISTRICT 6-2A-DIVISION I
Tioga is gunning for its sixth consecutive trip to the postseason and is projected to finish second behind two-time defending 2A-DII State champion Muenster, who moved up to Division I in February. Rounding out the respective 6-2A-DI standings are Alvord, Olney, Nocona and Chico.
Injuries plagued Tioga in 2025, which ended in a 5-5 campaign and a first-round exit from the postseason. The Bulldogs hope quarterback Cole Boyd can stay healthy after missing the entire season a year ago.
Tioga returns eight starters on offense and seven on defense. If Boyd stays healthy, he’ll have Jaxson Hurst (70 catches, 1,106 yards, 14 TDs receiving) to throw to.
Also returning on offense are linemen Bryson Bradley and Karson Stewart. Linebacker Jaxton Dejernett (81 tackles) will anchor the defense.
DISTRICT 9-2A-DIVISION I
Tom Bean is predicted to edge out county rival Whitewright for the fourth-place spot in 9-2A-DI. The respective top three as predicted in the league standings are Cooper, Honey Grove and Wolfe City; while Bogota Rivercrest and Trenton are the respective projected bottom feeders.
Tom Bean is fresh off of a 9-3 campaign and welcomes back five starters on both sides of the football. Linemen Carter Mayo and Tony Secreto are projected to carry the load for a young Tomcat offense, while linebacker Tatum Hanson (150 tackles) is picked to lead the defense.
Whitewright is hoping to avoid missing the postseason once again after a 4-5 campaign in 2025. The Tigers return eight starters on both sides of the ball.
On offense, quarterback Reese Clark and running backs Noah Savage and Nick Ulmer are expected to lead the way. Linemen Logan Sallas and Greyson Vitko are projected to anchor the defense.
DISTRICT 9-2A-DIVISION II
No. 5 Collinsville is expected to win District 9-2A-DII. Respectively projected to finish behind the Pirates in the league standings are Lindsay – the same Knights team who ended Collinsville’s season a year ago in the region semifinals – Era, Cumby, Celeste and Quinlan Boles.
The Pirates return six starters on offense and eight on defense. Quarterback Peyton Davidson (3,500 yards, 44 TDs total offense), running back Chase Sheppard (990 yards, 11 TDs rushing) and center Noe Cantu are predicted to lead the offense; while lineman Tyler Grubbs (101 tackles) and linebackers Sheppard (133 tackles), Casen Schafer (161 tackles) and Trent Stewart (229 tackles) will anchor the defense.
DISTRICT 6-4A-DIVISION II
Van Alstyne is predicted to finish second in the District 6-4A-DII standings behind Krum. Respectively picked to finish behind the Panthers are Sanger, Ponder, Gainesville and Lake Worth.
VA welcomes back nine offensive and seven defensive starters from last year’s 4-6 bi-district campaign. Receiver Xavier Vidaurri (1,000 yards, 11 TDs total offense) will anchor the offense, while linebacker Logan Mayes is expected to lead the defense.
CLASS 5A
Both Denison and Sherman have new head coaches in Brian Lilly and Efrain Ramos, respectively. After the annual Battle of the Ax Aug. 28 in Denison, the Yellowjackets and Bearcats will have at least one more non-district game before entering district play.
For Denison, who finished 4-5 a year ago, the team is projected to finish seventh in the nine-team District 4-5A-DII. Also competing in the league are Anna, Celina, Prosper Richland and the Frisco ISD contingency of Emerson, Frisco, Independence, Memorial and Panther Creek.
The Yellowjackets welcome back six starters on offense and nine on defense. Gavin Mandrell (875 yards, 7 TDs total offense) will move from quarterback to tight end and running back Rashaun Dehorney (777 yards, 17 TDs rushing) lead the offense, while defensive backs Shandyn Love and Alec Moore (5 interceptions each) will anchor the defense.
Sherman is predicted to finish sixth in the seven-team 3-5A-DI. Also competing in the league are Azle, Denton, Denton Ryan, Keller Fossil Ridge, Saginaw and Saginaw Chisholm Trail.
Running back Pierre Browhow (577 yards, 5 TDs rushing) leads the offense for the Bearcats, who finished 2-7 in 2025. Safety Bricen Taylor (45 tackles, 3 interceptions) will anchor the defense.