2026 Public Schools Top 100 Preview: No. 2 Thomas County Central

Thomas County Central opens the 2026 season at No. 2 in the T25PS Public Schools Preseason Top 100 after another dominant championship run. The Yellow Jackets went 15-0, won the Georgia 5A state championship, finished No. 5 in the final 2025 Public Schools Top 25, and enter 2026 looking like one of the few teams in the country with a real case to finish No. 1.

Thomas County Central returns 11 starters from last year’s title team — four on offense and seven on defense. The Yellow Jackets do have major graduation losses to replace, but under head coach Justin Rogers, this program has become one of the most consistent public-school powers in America.

Since Rogers arrived, Thomas County Central has gone 53-3 with two state championships.

Team Snapshot
School: Thomas County Central
City: Thomas County, Georgia
Classification: GHSA 6A
2025 Record: 15-0
2025 Finish: Georgia 5A State Champion
Head Coach: Justin Rogers
Returning Starters: 11 total — 4 offense, 7 defense
T25PS Rank: No. 2

Why They’re Ranked Here

Defense. Thomas County Central has already proven it can win at the highest level, and the foundation is still strong enough to expect another championship-level season.

The Yellow Jackets are coming off a 15-0 state championship year and bring back seven defensive starters from one of the best teams in the country. That defensive core is the biggest reason TCC starts this high.

Thomas County Central also has one of the best program cultures in America. The Yellow Jackets have gone 53-3 with two state titles since Justin Rogers took over, and the standard at TCC is clear: compete for region and state championships every year.

The country needs to understand that Georgia high school football is not just Metro Atlanta. Thomas County Central is proof that South Georgia still plays big-boy football.

Players to Know

Jabari Watkins — WR/ATH, 2027
Watkins is a 6’2”, 185-pound 3-star prospect committed to Arkansas. He gives Thomas County Central a Power Four weapon on the outside and one of the top returning playmakers on the roster.

Prince Che — DT, 2028
Che is a 6’4”, 305-pound 5-star defensive lineman and one of the most important young defensive players in the country. He finished last season with 48 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 11 quarterback pressures, 4 sacks and 1 pass breakup. He gives TCC a national-level presence in the trenches.

Gary Pringle — LB/TE, 2028
Pringle is a 6’1”, 215-pound 3-star linebacker/tight end with offers from UCF, Tulane, FAMU, Wake Forest, FIU and UAB. He is one of the biggest names to watch for the Yellow Jackets and gives them another impact piece on both sides of the ball.

Jordan McNeil — RB, 2028
McNeil is a 5’11”, 190-pound running back with offers from Penn State, West Virginia, Mississippi State and Oklahoma. With TCC replacing key offensive production, McNeil has a chance to become one of the most important players on the roster in 2026.

Deandra Andrews — DB/WR, 2028
Andrews is a 5’10”, 160-pound defensive back/wide receiver with major speed. He has been listed with a 10.69 in the 100 meters, a 21.84 in the 200 meters and offers from Toledo and App State. That type of speed matters on a team trying to stay explosive while replacing major contributors.

Isaiah Andrews — ATH, 2027
Andrews is a 6’1”, 235-pound 3-star athlete committed to Georgia State. He adds another college-level piece to a roster that still has enough talent to compete with anyone in Georgia.

In addition to the names above, Kobe Carnage, Isaac Andrews, Jacobi Herring and DJ White are all listed among key returners for the Yellow Jackets.

Key Games

Colquitt County
This is one of the biggest games on the schedule and a major South Georgia measuring stick. Colquitt County enters the season ranked No. 66 in the T25PS Preseason Top 100. If Thomas County Central wants to prove it belongs in the national championship conversation again, this is the type of game that matters.

Lee County
A rivalry game and one of the most important in-state tests of the season. Lee County enters the year ranked No. 60 in the T25PS Preseason Top 100 and is always a physical, well-coached opponent. This matchup should tell us a lot about where TCC stands.

Houston County
Another major Georgia test. Houston County opens the season ranked No. 56 in the T25PS Preseason Top 100, giving Thomas County Central another chance to strengthen its résumé and prove it can handle a schedule with multiple high-level opponents.

Lincoln
The out-of-state game against Lincoln out of Tallahassee gives TCC a chance to test itself outside Georgia and continue building a national public-school résumé.

Biggest Question

The biggest question is the quarterback room.

Thomas County Central returns only four offensive starters and lost a long list of proven senior contributors from last year’s championship team. The Yellow Jackets still have talent, speed and program stability, but the quarterback picture will be the biggest thing to watch early.

Class of 2028 quarterback Roland Waldrop looked impressive in the spring game against Auburn, and TCC also added a transfer quarterback from Rome after the spring. That gives the Yellow Jackets options, but it also makes the QB room the defining storyline entering the season.

If Thomas County Central gets steady quarterback play and the offense settles in quickly, the Yellow Jackets have enough to win another state title and push for the No. 1 public-school ranking in the country.

T25PS Prediction

Regular Season Prediction: 10-0
Postseason Prediction: Georgia 6A State Runner-Up.
Additional prediction: 2028 DT Prince Che will be the #1 ranked defensive player in the country by the time the seasons over.

*One thing to note: I'm still not 100% sure how the brackets will be seeded with the new playoff selection. I'm assuming Creekside and TCC will be on opposite sides of the bracket, but that may be wrong. Either way, I don't see anyone else beating TCC this year, so whenever they do end up playing each other, it's going to be the game of the year.

Bottom Line

Thomas County Central has one of the strongest cases in the country entering the 2026 public-school season.

The Yellow Jackets have the championship résumé, defensive foundation, elite young talent, and program culture to justify the No. 2 ranking. Now the challenge is replacing major graduation losses without taking a step back.

The standard in Thomas County is no longer just being good.

The standard is competing for championships.

Thanks for reading,
- Alex | T25PS

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