2026 Public Schools Top 100 Preview: No. 17 DeSoto
The defending Texas champion enters Class 5A Division I with SaRod Baker leading another state-title run.
Top 25 Public HSFB7/20/20266 min read
DeSoto begins the 2026 season ranked No. 17 in the T25PS Public Schools Preseason Top 100 after completing one of the most impressive championship recoveries of 2025.
The Eagles lost their first two games, suffered another defeat against Duncanville and entered the playoffs with less national attention than usual. They responded by winning six consecutive postseason games, defeating Southlake Carroll in a semifinal classic and overpowering C.E. King 55-27 in the Texas Class 6A Division II championship game.
DeSoto finished 13-3 and captured its third state championship in four seasons under head coach Claude Mathis. It was the fourth state championship in program history.
The Eagles now move to Class 5A Division I following UIL realignment. That immediately makes DeSoto one of the favorites in its new classification, but the roster must replace quarterback Legend Howell, record-setting receiver Ethan Feaster and several other members of the 2026 graduating class.
Fortunately for DeSoto, the player who powered the offense throughout the 2025 playoffs is back.
Team Snapshot
School: DeSoto High School Location: DeSoto, Texas Classification: Texas Class 5A Division I District: District 8-5A Division I 2025 record: 13-3 2025 finish: Class 6A Division II state champion Head coach: Claude Mathis T25PS preseason rank: No. 17
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DeSoto ISD credits Baker with 3,206 rushing yards and 43 rushing touchdowns as a junior. He surpassed 100 rushing yards in each of DeSoto’s final 15 games and scored 21 rushing touchdowns during the six-game postseason.
His defining performances came when DeSoto’s season was on the line.
Baker rushed for 384 yards and seven touchdowns in a regional-final victory over Willis. One week later, he produced 366 rushing yards and three scores as the Eagles erased a second-half deficit and defeated previously unbeaten Southlake Carroll 57-44. He completed the championship run with 125 yards and two touchdowns against C.E. King.
The four-star Texas Tech commitment gives DeSoto a proven offensive centerpiece while LeMarcus Summers prepares to replace Howell at quarterback.
Summers is listed as a Class of 2027 quarterback on DeSoto’s current player-card directory. He steps into a demanding situation because the Eagles must also replace Feaster, who caught 10 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns in the state championship game.
DeSoto does not need Summers to replace Howell and Feaster by himself. Baker’s presence will command defensive attention and give the new quarterback a dependable option. However, the Eagles must develop complementary playmakers before facing three nationally recognized opponents to begin the season.
Players to Know
SaRod Baker — RB, 2027
Baker enters his senior season as one of the most accomplished returning running backs in the country. His combination of patience, power and big-play ability transformed DeSoto during the 2025 playoffs. He is committed to Texas Tech and will be the first player every opponent builds its defensive plan around.
LeMarcus Summers — QB, 2027
Summers is the leading quarterback name on DeSoto’s current roster following Howell’s graduation. His ability to manage the offense and establish a downfield passing threat will help determine whether defenses can devote additional players to stopping Baker.
K’Adrian Redmond — DL, 2027
The 6-foot-4, 300-pound defensive lineman is another four-star Texas Tech commitment. Redmond gives DeSoto a disruptive interior presence and an experienced player around whom the Eagles can construct their defensive front.
Landan Adams — LB, 2028
Adams is one of DeSoto’s top young defensive prospects. The former Little Rock Parkview standout enters his junior season with an opportunity to become a central part of a defense replacing several championship contributors.
Schedule Breakdown
Like Grayson (Ga.), the team ranked one spot ahead at No. 16, DeSoto will not receive a gradual introduction to the 2026 season.
The Eagles open Aug. 29 in South Florida against St. Thomas Aquinas as part of the Broward County National High School Football Showcase. The Raiders are one of the country’s most successful programs and return another roster filled with major college prospects.
Six days later, DeSoto visits Allen for another difficult non-district matchup.
The Eagles then face No. 8 Duncanville on Sept. 12 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The rivalry has become one of the biggest annual games in Texas. The 2026 meeting is part of the inaugural Roland Parrish Classic, with No. 7 North Shore facing No. 30 South Oak Cliff in the second game of the Cotton Bowl doubleheader.
Those three games will reveal whether DeSoto’s rebuilt passing attack is ready to complement Baker. They will also give the Eagles three immediate opportunities to rise significantly from their No. 17 preseason ranking.
DeSoto begins District 8-5A Division I play at Burleson Centennial before facing Midlothian, Lancaster, Mansfield Summit, Cedar Hill, Mansfield Legacy and Cleburne.
The move from 6A does not guarantee an easy postseason path, but DeSoto enters its new classification after winning three of the past four Class 6A Division II championships. That experience makes the Eagles an immediate Class 5A Division I title favorite.
#### 2026 DeSoto Schedule
Aug. 29: at St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida) Sept. 4: at Allen Sept. 12: vs. Duncanville at the Cotton Bowl Sept. 18: at Burleson Centennial Sept. 25: vs. Midlothian Oct. 9: at Lancaster Oct. 16: vs. Mansfield Summit Oct. 23: at Cedar Hill Oct. 30: at Mansfield Legacy Nov. 5: vs. Cleburne
Biggest Question
Can DeSoto build a balanced offense around Baker?
Opponents know where the football is going until Summers and the new receiving group prove they can consistently make plays. That challenge becomes more difficult because St. Thomas Aquinas, Allen and Duncanville all appear before DeSoto reaches district play.
Baker is capable of carrying a significant workload, as his 2025 postseason demonstrated. DeSoto’s championship ceiling, however, depends on developing an offense that does not require him to produce 300 yards whenever the Eagles face another elite team.
If Summers settles into the position and the offensive line protects him, DeSoto should have enough balance to challenge nationally ranked opponents and control long stretches of its Class 5A schedule.
T25PS Prediction
Regular-season prediction: 8-2
Postseason prediction: Texas Class 5A Division I champion
DeSoto could play well and still lose twice during its opening stretch. St. Thomas Aquinas, Allen and Duncanville present three very different challenges before the Eagles begin district competition.
Once DeSoto reaches District 8-5A Division I, its championship experience and top-end talent should take over. The Eagles have already proven they can recover from early losses and peak when the postseason begins.
Bottom Line
DeSoto’s move to Class 5A Division I changes the playoff path, but it does not lower the program’s expectations.
The Eagles return a running back who produced more than 3,200 rushing yards, a four-star defensive lineman in Redmond and young defenders ready for expanded roles. Most of the uncertainty is concentrated in a passing game replacing Howell and Feaster.
The No. 17 ranking reflects both sides of the equation. DeSoto has enough talent to win another state championship, but its rebuilt offense must survive three major tests before district play even begins.
If Summers provides stability and DeSoto develops another receiving threat, the Eagles could enter November as the most dangerous team in Texas Class 5A Division I.
Thanks for reading,
Alex | T25PS
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