Iowa’s high school football landscape is already buzzing as analysts release an early preseason Top 25 for the 2026 season, a list that leans heavily on the achievements of last year’s standout teams and the players who are set to return.
Early Outlook for the 2026 Season
At the top of the list, Dowling Catholic, the reigning Class 5A champions, will have to rebuild after losing key contributors Joey Nahas and Ian Middleton, but the coaching staff believes the experience gained will keep them in contention.
In Class 4A, Cedar Rapids Xavier enters the new campaign with quarterback Cash Parks, who last season completed 73 percent of his passes for 2,220 yards and 28 touchdowns, giving the team a potent aerial threat.
Waukee Northwest is being touted as the most talented squad in the state, with senior Mack Heitland already boasting nearly 3,000 passing yards and 28 touchdowns, positioning the team as a favorite to dominate the offense.
Defensive standouts such as Callan Koch of Sioux City East, who amassed nearly 300 yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore, and Blake Dorenkamp of West Des Moines Valley, who rushed for close to 1,000 yards and 12 scores, add depth to the competitive balance.
Other notable returning players include Johnston’s Trevin Helming, who threw 20 touchdowns as a junior, and Emri Jones, the team’s leading rusher, as well as Iowa City West’s Reece Wheeler, who threw for almost 2,300 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Kuemper Catholic will rely on Jarin Hoffman, who returned after a 1,671‑yard, 23‑touchdown season, and West Lyon’s Easton DeJong, who posted 1,300 passing yards as a junior, underscoring the spread of talent across classifications.
New storylines also emerge as schools like Iowa City Liberty must replace head coach Scott Chandler and quarterback Reece Rettig, while Clear Lake’s Jaxson McIntire prepares for a senior season that includes more than 1,600 passing yards and 400 rushing yards.
The depth of the roster extends to athletes such as Tate Wallace of Iowa City Regina, a Minnesota commit with 40 receptions for over 600 yards and 10 touchdowns, and Elijah Mielke of Sioux City Bishop Heelan, who returns alongside top skill players Grant Whitcomb and Prince Weagbah.
Running backs and ground‑game threats like Stanley Cooper of Southeast Polk (1,300 yards, 17 touchdowns) and Beckett Verros of Sergeant Bluff‑Luton (1,450 yards, 16 scores) further enrich the preseason narrative, suggesting a season where both passing and rushing excellence could define the race for the state title.