2026 Preseason Top 100 Season Preview: No. 67 Quince Orchard (MD)
Twelve returning starters and the defensive core of Rico Jackson and Jaheim Bond give the two-time defending champions another clear Maryland Class 4A title path.
Top 25 Public HSFB9/1/20265 min read
T25PS
Quince Orchard enters 2026 with the strongest kind of preseason case: recent proof and current continuity. The Cougars went 14-0, beat Wise 26-21 for a second straight Maryland Class 4A championship and now return six offensive starters and eight defensive starters.
The 27-game winning streak will draw attention, but the deeper reason Quince Orchard begins No. 67 is the roster John Kelley brings back. Indiana commit Rico Jackson leads the secondary. Pitt commit Jaheim Bond returns up front. Cordell Young, Rafferty Bankert and Ryan Drakeford give the offense established options.
That returning core plus some additional key pieces are the story. Six defensive starters are back, and Young, Bankert and Drakeford give new quarterback Carter Dailey experienced options on offense. Senior defensive backs Jamie White Jr. and Antoine Robinson Jr. also arrive from St. Frances Academy (MD), adding depth to a group that was already the strength of the roster.
Team Snapshot
Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland
Head Coach: John Kelley
2025 Record: 14-0
2025 Finish: Maryland Class 4A state champion
Returning Starters: 6 offense, 6 defense
2026 Starting Quarterback: Carter Dailey, junior
T25PS Preseason Rank: No. 67
A Championship Defense Returns
Six returning defensive starters give Quince Orchard an unusually stable foundation for a defending champion. Jackson is a senior defensive back who can also contribute with the ball in his hands and on special teams. Bond is a 6-foot-2, 250-pound senior defensive lineman. Amaree Wilson, Keegan Clark-Matta and Adrien Harris also return in the secondary.
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That group should let the Cougars win without asking Dailey to chase points every week. It also gives Kelley enough experience to handle a schedule that includes an interstate trip to Stone Bridge and the annual rivalry game at Northwest.
A Veteran Core Around Dailey
Will Drakeford graduated after accounting for four touchdowns in the 2025 state final. Dailey arrives after three seasons in the St. Frances program and saw varsity time on a national schedule, including a fourth-quarter touchdown pass against Chaminade-Madonna last August. He will start Friday's opener against Paint Branch.
Dailey inherits a veteran supporting cast with Young in the backfield, Bankert outside and Ryan Drakeford emerging as a two-way junior.
Players to Know
Rico Jackson, DB, senior
The Indiana commit is the headliner on a defense returning eight starters. He also has value with the ball in his hands and on special teams.
Jaheim Bond, DL, senior
Bond is committed to Pitt and gives the Cougars a proven senior presence on the defensive line.
Carter Dailey, QB, junior
Dailey is Quince Orchard's confirmed starting quarterback. The Class of 2028 passer already has varsity experience, including a touchdown pass against Chaminade-Madonna in 2025.
Cordell Young, RB/LB, senior
Young is a two-way returner who gives the offense an experienced runner and the defense another senior in the middle.
Rafferty Bankert, WR, senior
The 6-foot-3 receiver was one of the under-the-radar players Kelley identified before the season and gives Dailey a big target outside.
Ryan Drakeford, WR/CB, junior
Drakeford may be the most electric player on any given field he steps on. The 4-star is part of the next wave Kelley expects to contribute on both sides of the ball. Expect a standout junior year from him, it's already happening on the recruiting trail where he has picked up 37 P4 offers. In my completely biased opinion I think he should go to Rutgers.
Isaiah Simms, WR, junior
A rising junior that will add another element that defenses have to prepare for besides Young, Bankert, and Drakeford.
Amaree Wilson, DB/ATH, junior
Wilson led the team in interceptions last year and is expected to play a big roll in the secondary.
Schedule Breakdown
Quince Orchard opens Sept. 4 against Paint Branch and plays Walter Johnson six days later. The first major measuring point is the Sept. 19 trip to Stone Bridge, one of the best public programs in Virginia.
The second half includes Sherwood, Clarksburg, Northwest and Gaithersburg. Northwest is the rivalry game and the most obvious threat to the perfect regular-season projection, but Quince Orchard has beaten the Jaguars twice since Northwest ended its 2023 season.
Complete 2026 Schedule
Sept. 4: Paint Branch
Sept. 10: Walter Johnson
Sept. 19: at Stone Bridge (Virginia)
Sept. 24: at Seneca Valley
Oct. 2: Churchill
Oct. 9: at Sherwood
Oct. 16: Clarksburg
Oct. 23: at Northwest
Oct. 29: Gaithersburg
Biggest Question
Can Quince Orchard turn all of this continuity into a third straight title?
The Cougars return 14 starters and carry a 27-game winning streak into the season. Dailey taking over at quarterback is the largest lineup change, but he is surrounded by veterans and backed by a defense returning eight starters. Stone Bridge and Northwest will test that continuity before the playoffs.
Bottom Line
Quince Orchard brings back the core of a team that went 14-0 and won a second straight state championship. Jackson and Bond lead six returning defensive starters, while Young, Bankert and Drakeford give Dailey an experienced offensive group.
The quarterback has changed. The standard and most of the roster have not.
This preview is presented as part of MISTER F00TBALL’s National High School Football Composite Rankings, partnered with and powered by Prep Gridiron Logistics, the only rankings to include every national poll and every team receiving a Top 25 vote.
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T25PS Prediction
Projected Regular-Season Record: 9-0
Projected Postseason Finish: Maryland Class 4A state champion
Dailey removes the largest offensive uncertainty and takes over a team returning 14 starters. Quince Orchard has the senior defenders, offensive support and championship experience to protect its new quarterback.
Stone Bridge and Northwest can make the regular-season prediction uncomfortable. The Cougars still have the best combination of continuity and recent postseason proof in Maryland Class 4A, and T25PS projects a third straight title.
Thanks for reading,
Alex | T25PS
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