ESPN High School Football Kickoff showcases four Top 25 teams

There’s no better time of the year if you’re a high school football fan as the regular season is getting set to kickoff, as teams are preparing for the upcoming 2025 campaign.

Many of the nation’s top high school football programs will be featured throughout the year and ESPN announced Wednesday afternoon that they will be back for its 16th season of hosting the High School Football Kickoff. The kickoff by ESPN will span from Aug. 14-23, starting in Georgia and ending over California.  

Each of the six kickoff games will feature elite players ranked in the Rivals Industry Rankings, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Thursday, August 14

Milton (Ga.) at No. 13 Buford (Ga.)
7 p.m. ET on ESPN2 from Phillip Beard Stadium in Buford, Ga.

Buford

4-star EDGE Bryce Perry-Wright (No. 39, No. 5 GA) — Texas A&M commit
4-star S Tyriq Green (No. 203, No. 24 GA) — Georgia commit
4-star OL Graham Houston (No. 264, No. 32 GA) — Georgia commit
4-star EDGE Dre Quinn (No. 357, No. 42 GA) — Clemson commit

Milton

4-star TE Grant Haviland (No. 220, No. 29 GA)

Friday, August 22

St. Joseph’s Prep (Penn.) vs. American Heritage (Fla.)
6 p.m. ET on ESPN2 from Brian Piccolo Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

St. Joseph’s Prep

4-star LB Brandon Lockley (No. 314, No. 11 PA)

American Heritage

5-Star Plus+ QB Dia Bell (No. 4, No. 1 FL) — Texas commit
4-star CB Amare Nugent (No. 196, No. 19 FL)
4-star WR Brandon Bennett (No. 272, No. 38 FL) — Florida State commit

Friday, August 22

No. 15 IMG Academy (Fla.) at Hoover (Ala.)
9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 from The Met in Hoover, Ala.

IMG Academy

5-star EDGE Zyron Forstall (No. 3, No. 1 FL)
5-star OL Keenyi Pepe (No. 25, No. 2 FL) — USC commit
4-star EDGE Jake Kreul (No. 41, No. 7 FL)
4-star WR Osani Gayles (No. 32, No. 5 FL)
4-star S Zech Fort (No. 130, No. 17 FL) — Georgia commit
4-star CB Larry Moon (No. 159, No. 14 FL)
4-star LB Amarri Irvin (No. 197, No. 20 FL)
4-star CB Censere Gaylord (No. 218, No. 22 FL)
4-star DL Cameron McHaney (No. 303, No. 42 FL) — Indiana commit
4-star OL Breck Kolojay (No. 332, No. 48 FL)
4-star LB Liufau Loumoli (No. 265, No. 26 FL)

Hoover

4-star RB CJ Cowley (No. 324, No. 13 AL)

Saturday, August 23

No. 1 Mater Dei (Calif.) at St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.)
3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN from Brian Piccolo Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Mater Dei

5-star TE Mark Bowman (No. 15, No. 2 CA) — USC commit
5-star WR Chris Henry Jr. (No. 20, No. 4 CA) — Ohio State commit
4-star OL Kodi Greene (No. 33, No. 6 CA) — Washington commit
4-star WR Kayden Dixon-Wyatt (No. 111, No. 13 CA) — Ohio State commit
4-star CB Aaryn Washington (No. 72, No. 7 CA)
4-star DL Tomuhini Topui (No. 145, No. 19 CA) — USC commit
4-star S Danny Lang (No. 206, No. 20 CA)
4-star EDGE Shaun Scott (No. 340, No. 32 CA) — USC commit

St. Thomas Aquinas

5-star OL Mark Matthews (No. 6, No. 2 FL)
4-star CB Justice Fitzpatrick (No. 48, No. 9 FL) — Georgia commit
4-star WR Julius Jones (No. 66, No. 7 FL)
4-star S Zayden Gamble (No. 173, No. 16 FL)

Saturday, August 23

No. 7 St. Frances Academy (Md.) vs. Chaminade-Madonna (Fla.)
8 p.m. ET on ESPN2 from Brian Piccolo Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

St. Frances Academy

5-Star Plus+ EDGE Zion Elee (No. 1, No. 1 MD) — Maryland commit
4-star S Jireh Edwards (No. 16, No. 3 MD) — Alabama commit
4-star CB Raylaun Henry (No. 113, No. 4 MD)

Chaminade-Madonna

4-star RB Derrek Cooper (No. 37, No. 6 FL) — Texas commit
4-star WR Jasen Lopez (No. 373, No. 54 FL) — Florida State commit

Saturday, August 23

Folsom (Calif.) at Grant Union (Calif.)
10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN from Grant Union High School in Sacramento, Calif.

Folsom

5-star QB Ryder Lyons (No. 32, No. 5 CA) — BYU commit
4-star OL Vlad Dyakonov (No. 156, No. 20 CA) — USC commit
4-star WR Jameson Powell (No. 631, No. 51 CA) — Ole Miss commit

Grant Union

4-star TE Rahzario Edwards (No. 48, No. 5 CA)