2026 Public Schools Top 100 Preview: No. 9 Buford

Buford enters the 2026 season ranked No. 9 in the T25PS Public Schools Preseason Top 100 after reaching the top of both Georgia and national high school football.

The Wolves finished 15-0 in 2025, defeated Carrollton 28-21 for the GHSA Class 6A championship and captured the 15th state title in program history. It was Buford’s first championship in Georgia’s highest classification and its fourth state title in seven seasons under head coach Bryant Appling.

Buford also finished as 2025 Public Schools National Champion, among several other publications naming them National Champs.

That championship arrived during the program’s first season inside the new Phillip Beard Stadium, a $62 million facility with approximately 10,000 seats. Now the Wolves must defend those titles while replacing one of the most accomplished senior classes in the country.

Team Snapshot

School: Buford High School
Location: Buford, Georgia
Classification: GHSA Class 7A, Region 8
2025 Record: 15-0
2025 Finish: Class 6A state champion and consensus national champion
Head Coach: Bryant Appling
Appling’s Record: 90-8 in seven seasons
T25PS Preseason Rank: No. 9

Why Buford Is Ranked No. 9

Buford has earned the benefit of the doubt, but this is not simply a carryover ranking from last season.

Appling has won four championships since becoming head coach in 2019, and Buford has consistently shown that it can replace major college talent without falling out of Georgia’s championship picture. The Wolves will once again have one of the deepest and most heavily recruited rosters in the state.

However, this reload is more substantial than usual.

Quarterback Dayton Raiola and offensive lineman Graham Houston are gone, along with Tyriq Green and several other important offensive contributors. The defense must replace a group led by Bryce Perry-Wright and Andre “Dre” Quinn, two of the most disruptive players on the 2025 team.

Buford still returns enough talent to begin inside the national top 10, particularly on defense. Whether the Wolves remain there will depend on how quickly their rebuilt offense develops.

Players to Know

DJ Hunter — QB, Senior

Hunter is projected to take over at quarterback following Raiola’s graduation. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound dual-threat quarterback missed the 2025 season while recovering from an ACL injury but has since committed to James Madison.

Hunter brings a different skill set to the position. His ability to extend plays and contribute as a runner could add another dimension to Buford’s offense, but he will also be taking his first meaningful snaps for the Wolves.

How quickly Hunter settles into the offense is one of the biggest variables surrounding Buford’s season.

Ethan Hauser — LB, Senior

Hauser is one of the foundational pieces of a defense that could again rank among Georgia’s best. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound linebacker is a three-star prospect committed to Vanderbilt.

With so much senior production leaving the defensive front, Buford will need Hauser to become one of the unit’s primary leaders.

Brayden Watson — LB, Senior

Watson gives the Wolves another experienced and highly recruited linebacker. The three-star prospect is committed to Michigan and should combine with Hauser to give Buford one of the strongest linebacker pairings in the state.

Luke Nabors — EDGE, Junior

Nabors may have the highest long-term ceiling of any returning player on the roster. The 6-foot-4 edge defender is rated as a four-star prospect by 247Sports and holds offers from programs including Georgia, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Texas, Oregon, Clemson and Tennessee.

His emergence will be especially important after the graduation of Perry-Wright and Quinn.

Jameer Cantrell — S, Senior

Cantrell returns to the secondary after committing to Arkansas. He gives Buford an experienced defensive back who can help stabilize a unit replacing multiple members of its championship rotation.

Silas Nuckles — CB, Senior

Nuckles is another important returning piece in the secondary. The 5-foot-11 cornerback has attracted offers from several Power Four programs and gives the Wolves experience on the perimeter.

Seven Rashad — WR, Junior

At 6-foot-5, Rashad provides Hunter with a large target in the passing game. He is one of Buford’s most intriguing offensive players and could take on a significantly larger role following the graduation of Torre Costin and Dream Rashad.

Noah Nixon — OL, Senior

Nixon is one of the key returning names along the offensive line. With Houston and several other seniors gone, establishing continuity up front will be nearly as important as settling the quarterback position.

Schedule Breakdown

Buford will receive immediate answers about its rebuilt roster. The Wolves begin with four consecutive nonregion games, including three opponents with significant state or national expectations.

August 22 — vs. Gainesville
September 4 — at Mallard Creek (North Carolina)
September 11 — vs. Miami Central (Florida)
September 18 — at Grayson
September 25 — at Seckinger
October 9 — at Dacula
October 16 — vs. Collins Hill
October 23 — at Mill Creek
October 30 — vs. Discovery
November 6 — vs. Central Gwinnett

The August 22 opener against Gainesville will be nationally televised on ESPN. Gainesville reached the 2025 Class 5A championship game and enters a new era under former Grayson head coach Santavious Bryant.

That is followed by a road trip to face Mallard Creek before Miami Central visits Phillip Beard Stadium. The Rockets begin the season ranked No. 20 in the T25PS preseason rankings and will bring their usual combination of speed and athleticism from South Florida.

One week later, Buford travels to face T25PS No. 15 Grayson in one of Georgia’s most important regular-season games. By the end of that four-game stretch, there should be little mystery surrounding how quickly the defending champions have reloaded.

Region play begins October 9 at Dacula, with the October 23 trip to Mill Creek likely representing Buford’s biggest test inside Region 8-7A.

Biggest Question

Can Buford rebuild its offense quickly enough to survive an unforgiving opening month?

Hunter has the talent to become a productive starting quarterback, but he is returning from a significant injury and stepping into an offense that lost its quarterback, several running backs, major receiving contributors and an SEC-bound offensive lineman.

The defense should give Buford time to find answers. Hauser, Watson, Nabors, Nuckles, Cantrell and Joshua Echols form an impressive returning core, and that side of the ball could carry the Wolves early.

Still, Gainesville, Miami Central and Grayson are not opponents that allow much time for experimentation. Buford’s new offensive core will be tested immediately.

T25PS Prediction

Regular Season Prediction: 9-1 and Region 8-7A champion
Postseason Prediction: Class 7A state-title contender

Buford is capable of completing another undefeated regular season, but the combination of significant graduation losses and a demanding nonregion schedule makes at least one early setback possible.

The Wolves should improve as the season progresses. If Hunter stays healthy and the offensive line develops, Buford will have everything necessary to return to the state championship game.

Bottom Line

Buford’s place at No. 9 reflects both respect and caution.

The Wolves are the defending state and consensus national champions, have won 15 state titles and have gone 90-8 under Appling. Few public-school programs have built a stronger foundation for sustained success.

But this team must establish its own identity.

The 2026 Wolves will be younger in several important areas, and the offense has more questions than most teams ranked inside the top 10. The defense should remain championship-caliber, while Hunter’s development at quarterback could ultimately determine whether Buford is merely one of Georgia’s best teams or a legitimate threat to repeat as national champion.

Thanks for reading,

Alex | T25PS

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