2026 Public Schools Top 100 Preview: No. 3 Thompson

Thompson opens the 2026 season at No. 3 in the T25PS Public Schools Preseason Top 100 after winning another Alabama 7A state championship and bringing back one of the strongest returning roster profiles in the country.

The Warriors went 11-3 in 2025, finished the season as state champions, and now return 17 starters — eight on offense and nine on defense. The biggest difference between Thompson and almost everyone else near the top of the rankings is simple: the Warriors bring back a proven, nationally recruited quarterback in fifth-year starter Trent Seaborn.

That matters.

In a preseason ranking, returning elite quarterback play has to be weighed heavily. Thompson already knows who is leading the offense. Add in returning offensive line pieces, major weapons at receiver, a defense with championship expectations and one of the toughest schedules in the country, and the Warriors have a clear case to open inside the national top three.

Team Snapshot

School: Thompson
City: Alabaster, Alabama
Classification: Alabama 6A Region 3
2025 Record: 11-3
2025 Finish: Alabama 7A State Champion
Head Coach: Mark Freeman
Returning Starters: 17 total — 8 offense, 9 defense
T25PS Rank: No. 3

Why They’re Ranked Here
Quarterback play and roster continuity.

Thompson brings back one of the top quarterbacks in the country, eight offensive starters, three directly confirmed returning offensive linemen and enough defensive talent to stay at a championship level. That combination is rare.

Even though the Warriors are coming off a 7A state championship, they still feel like they have a lot to prove after dropping three early-season games in 2025, including one to preseason No. 10 Clay-Chalkville.

Thompson lost important pieces, especially on defense, but this is still a roster with the kind of top-end talent, depth and schedule strength that can carry a national résumé.

If the Warriors handle their schedule, they will have every chance to finish as one of the top public-school teams in the country.

Players to Know

Trent Seaborn — QB, 2027
Seaborn is a 6’1”, 193-pound 4-star quarterback committed to Alabama. He is the biggest reason Thompson starts this high. In a year where several top teams have quarterback questions, the Warriors bring back a proven national-level QB who gives them one of the safest offensive floors in the country.

Seaborn is entering his fifth year at the helm and has already surpassed the 10,000-yard career passing milestone.

Darion Moseley — WR, 2027
Moseley is a 6’0”, 183-pound wide receiver and one of the key returning weapons for Thompson. With Seaborn back at quarterback, Moseley gives the Warriors a proven piece in the passing game.

Dedrick Kimbrough — WR/DB, 2028
Kimbrough is a 6’2”, 180-pound wide receiver/defensive back and one of the most intriguing young athletes on the roster. His size and versatility give Thompson another major piece on the perimeter.

Cameron Pritchett — DL/EDGE, 2027
Pritchett is a 6’3”, 235-pound defensive lineman/edge and one of the key returning defensive players for the Warriors. Thompson has to replace important front-seven production, and Pritchett will be one of the names expected to help lead that group.

Trenton McCorvey — DB
McCorvey is one of the key returning defensive backs for Thompson. With the Warriors bringing back nine defensive starters, the secondary should once again be one of the strengths of the team.

Junior James — DB
James is another important returning piece in the Thompson secondary. The Warriors have championship expectations on defense, and James is part of the group that gives them a chance to stay elite on the back end.

In addition to the names above, Urijah Casey, Tanner Ehmen, Lleyton Wall, Tommy Williams, Maleek Billingsley, Wesley Gover, Bradlee Cocchiaro, Kevin Davis, Micah Fleming, Terry Robinson and Eli King are all listed among key returning players for the Warriors.

Thompson also added several newcomers, including RB CJ Cowley, WR Mason McClure, WR RJ Addison, WR Bralen Coleman, RB Nicolas McKissic and DL Tysley Gaison-Salanoa.

Key Games

Central-Phenix City
Thompson opens the season on the road against Central-Phenix City, which enters the year ranked No. 38 in the T25PS Preseason Top 100. That is a major Week 0 test and an immediate measuring stick for the Warriors.

Clay-Chalkville
This is one of the biggest public-school games of the 2026 season. Clay-Chalkville opens the year ranked No. 10 in the T25PS Preseason Top 100, giving Thompson another early chance to strengthen its national résumé.

The past three meetings in this rivalry have gone to Clay-Chalkville, with all three games decided by four points or fewer.

Hoover
The Hoover game is always one of the biggest dates on Thompson’s schedule. It is a rivalry game, a region test and one of the matchups that helps define the Alabama 7A race.

Hewitt-Trussville
Hewitt-Trussville enters the season ranked No. 70 in the T25PS Preseason Top 100. Thompson goes on the road for this one, and it is another important test inside one of the toughest regions in the country.

Choctawhatchee (FL)
The regular season closes with an out-of-state matchup against Choctawhatchee out of Florida. Choctawhatchee enters the year ranked No. 99 in the T25PS Preseason Top 100, giving Thompson another ranked public-school opponent before the playoffs.

Biggest Question

The biggest question is whether Thompson can replace the production of last year’s graduating class while the offensive line takes another step forward.

The Warriors bring back nine defensive starters, but they still lost important pieces from last year’s championship team, including Ami Moala, Chauncy Alo, Jeremy Alo-Perry, Chance Strown and Damonte Tabb.

Offensively, Thompson has a clear identity with Seaborn back at quarterback and eight starters returning. But for this offense to fully show off its weapons, the offensive line has to give Seaborn time and keep the Warriors ahead of schedule.

If the offensive line can protect Seaborn and the defense reloads quickly, Thompson has enough to win Alabama 7A again and push for the No. 1 public-school ranking in the country.

T25PS Prediction

Regular Season Prediction: 10-0
Postseason Prediction: AHSAA 6A State Champions

Bottom Line

Thompson has one of the strongest No. 1 cases in the country entering the 2026 public-school season.

The Warriors have the quarterback, the offensive continuity, the returning defensive foundation, the schedule strength and the championship standard to justify the No. 3 ranking. Now the challenge is surviving one of the toughest schedules in America and doing it again in Alabama 7A.

The standard in Alabaster is clear.

Play for championships. Win championships.

Thanks for reading,

Alex | T25PS

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