2026 Public Schools Top 100 Preview: No. 23 Waxahachie

Waxahachie opens the 2026 season at No. 23 in the T25PS Public Schools Preseason Top 100 after going 11-2 last season and reaching the regional final before falling to Duncanville.

The Indians enter 2026 with new leadership, but he's not a new face to the program. Lawrence Williams was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach after Shane Tolleson left for Denton Ryan.

Williams takes over a program that has built real momentum. Waxahachie made its first regional final since 2009 last season and has won at least one playoff game in each of the past four years.

The roster is strong enough to keep that run going.

Waxahachie returns 20 players who saw significant playing time in 2025, including seven returning starters on offense and six on defense. The starting lineup has very few obvious weak spots, and the offensive production coming back is one of the biggest reasons the Indians start inside the national top 25.

Team Snapshot

School: Waxahachie
City: Waxahachie, Texas
Classification: Texas 6A — District 11-6A
2025 Record: 11-2
2025 District Record: 6-1
2025 Finish: Regional Final
Head Coach: Lawrence Williams
Head Coach Tenure: 1st season
Returning Players: 20
Returning Starters: 13 total — 7 offense, 6 defense
T25PS Rank: No. 23

Why They’re Ranked Here
Returning quarterback, offensive production and defensive front talent.

Waxahachie starts at No. 23 because the Indians bring back the type of production that usually translates in Texas 6A.

The offense has a strong foundation with quarterback Jerry Meyers, who threw for 2,754 yards and 33 touchdowns last season. That gives Waxahachie proven quarterback production entering 2026.

The run game should also be a strength. Taylen Strange rushed for 1,148 yards and nine touchdowns, while Jordan Smith added 409 rushing yards and also produced 439 receiving yards. Smith’s versatility gives Waxahachie another way to create problems for defenses.

The passing game also brings back Jordan Thompson-Woods, who finished last season with 752 receiving yards and six touchdowns. With Meyers back at quarterback and multiple proven skill players around him, Waxahachie has one of the better offensive profiles in the back half of the national top 25.

The offensive line also has size with 6’5”, 280-pound tackle Grant Gonzales and 6’3”, 285-pound interior lineman Malik Dismuke.

Defensively, the Indians have star power and line-of-scrimmage strength. Texas A&M commit JayQuan Snell returns at safety, while Carmelo Clawson, Sedrick Marsh, Aaron Snell and Talyn Pierce give Waxahachie a strong defensive front.

The biggest concern is depth. Waxahachie has only 20 returning players who saw time last year, so the Indians will need younger players and new contributors to develop behind a strong starting lineup.

Players to Know

Jerry Meyers — QB
Meyers is one of the biggest reasons Waxahachie starts inside the national top 25. He threw for 2,754 yards and 33 touchdowns last season and gives the Indians proven production at quarterback.

Taylen Strange — RB
Strange rushed for 1,148 yards and nine touchdowns last season. He gives Waxahachie a proven lead back and should be one of the most important players in the offense.

Jordan Smith — RB/WR
Smith is one of the most versatile offensive players on the roster. He finished last season with 439 receiving yards and 409 rushing yards, giving Waxahachie another weapon defenses have to account for.

Jordan Thompson-Woods — WR
Thompson-Woods is the top returning receiving target after finishing with 752 yards and six touchdowns last season. With Meyers back at quarterback, he should be one of the key pieces in the passing game.

Grant Gonzales — OT
Gonzales is a 6’5”, 280-pound offensive tackle and one of the key players up front. His size and experience are important for an offense with major skill production returning.

Malik Dismuke — IOL
Dismuke is a 6’3”, 285-pound interior offensive lineman. He gives Waxahachie another important piece in the trenches and should help the Indians stay physical.

JayQuan Snell — S
Snell is a Texas A&M commit and one of the top defensive players in Texas. He finished last season with 60 tackles and gives Waxahachie a major piece in the secondary.

Carmelo Clawson — DE
Clawson is one of the key defensive ends for Waxahachie. The Indians’ defensive front should be one of the strengths of the team.

Sedrick Marsh — DE
Marsh finished last season with 34 tackles and five tackles for loss. Along with Clawson, he gives Waxahachie edge talent to build around.

Aaron Snell — DT
Snell was productive inside last season with 35 tackles and 15 tackles for loss. He gives the Indians a disruptive defensive tackle and one of their most important returning front-seven players.

Talyn Pierce — DT
Pierce finished last season with 30 tackles and nine tackles for loss. His return gives Waxahachie another productive interior defensive lineman.

Key Games

Ennis — Aug. 28
Waxahachie opens the season on the road against Ennis. This rivalry game gives the Indians an immediate test under first-year head coach Lawrence Williams.

Coppell — Sept. 4
Coppell gives Waxahachie another non-district test before the schedule ramps up.

Denton Guyer — Sept. 10
Waxahachie travels to Denton Guyer in one of the biggest early games on the schedule. This is one you know the players have circled as they go against their former coach, Shane Tolleson, who left to take the head job there this offseason.

Mansfield Lake Ridge — Sept. 18
Waxahachie opens District 11-6A play against Lake Ridge. A fast district start will matter in one of the tougher public-school districts in Texas.

Dallas Skyline — Sept. 25
Waxahachie travels to Dallas Skyline for another district matchup. These are the games the Indians have to handle if they want to stay in the upper tier of the district race.

North Crowley — Oct. 9
North Crowley enters the season ranked No. 18 in the T25PS Preseason Top 100. This is one of the biggest games on Waxahachie’s schedule and a major top-25 public-school matchup.

Red Oak — Oct. 16
Red Oak gives Waxahachie another important district test before the Duncanville game.

Duncanville — Oct. 23
Duncanville enters the season ranked No. 8 in the T25PS Preseason Top 100. Waxahachie lost to Duncanville in last year’s regional final after beating them in the regular season, making this one of the biggest games of the entire season in Texas.

Crowley — Oct. 30
Waxahachie travels to Crowley for another late-season district matchup. By this point, the district race should be taking shape.

Mansfield — Nov. 5
Waxahachie closes the regular season against Mansfield. The Indians will want to be healthy and settled entering the Texas 6A playoffs.

Biggest Question

The biggest question is whether Waxahachie has enough depth to match its starting lineup.

The starters are strong. Jerry Meyers, Taylen Strange, Jordan Smith, Jordan Thompson-Woods, Grant Gonzales, Malik Dismuke, JayQuan Snell, Carmelo Clawson, Sedrick Marsh, Aaron Snell and Talyn Pierce give the Indians a high-level core.

The concern is the number behind that group. Waxahachie has 20 returning lettermen, so depth development will matter over a long Texas 6A season.

If the Indians stay healthy and build enough depth around the starters, they have the roster to play into December again.

T25PS Prediction

Regular Season Prediction: 10-0
Postseason Prediction: 6A-D1 State Runner-Ups - The dream season comes to an end at Jerry's World.

Be sure to create a FREE account and subscribe to our newsletter to see who we pick to win the 6A-D1 title in 2026.

Bottom Line

Waxahachie is ranked No. 23 because the Indians return proven production at quarterback, running back, receiver, offensive line and across the defensive front.

The head coach is new, but Lawrence Williams already knows the program after serving as defensive coordinator. That should help the transition.

Waxahachie has the talent to remain one of the top public-school teams in Texas. The key will be developing enough depth to support a strong starting lineup through a difficult District 11-6A schedule.

Thanks for reading,

Alex | T25PS

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