- Beginning September 2, Weekly Coverage of Top High School Football Matchups, Totaling 12 Games
- Top players from ESPN 300 and ESPN Junior 300 will Participate, Totaling 67 Ranked Athletes
- More than 20 Participants Have Verbally Committed to Division I Schools
The 2016 GEICO ESPN High School Football Showcase will feature matchups between some of the top high school football programs from across the country. The 12-game schedule, which spans over ten weeks, begins Friday, Sept. 2, and will continue through Friday, Nov. 4. This year’s showcase will see 67 ranked players from ESPN 300 (Class of 2017) and ESPN Junior 300 (Class of 2018), including athletes who have committed to Division I programs—Alabama, Clemson, Florida, FSU, Georgia, LSU, Maryland, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Stanford, TCU, Texas A&M and USC. Among those schools, eight will have quarterback commitments on display. Additionally, numerous other potential and verbally committed Division I college football players will participate who are not ranked.
Two of the top teams will face off on Friday, Sept. 30, when No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas visits No. 3 Bishop Gorman at 10 p.m. ET on ESPNU. Other teams highlighted in this year’s showcase include No. 4 IMG Academy, No. 9 DeMatha, No. 15 DeSoto and No. 16 John Curtis, as well as California School for the Deaf, which was spotlighted on Silent Night Lights, an E:60 feature. A total of 11 states will be represented in this season’s showcase.
Combined with the previously announced 2016 ESPN High School Kickoff, ESPN will televise 22 high school football games across ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU this season.
2016 GEICO ESPN High School Football Showcase Highlights
- No. 1 Position Players: Six players are ranked No. 1 in the country in their respective positions: ATH Dylan Moses (IMG Academy), CB Shaun Wade (Trinity Christian), DE Robert Beal (IMG Academy), OC Cesar Ruiz (IMG Academy), RB Najee Harris (Antioch) and S Jeffrey Okudah (South Grand Prairie)
- No. 3 Ranked Player: Alabama verbal commitment and No. 3 overall player Najee Harris will be tested on Friday, Sept. 23, when Antioch faces De La Salle
- QB Battle: Two top-5 pocket-passer QBs will square off when No. 2 Dylan McCaffrey and Valor Christian host No. 4 Davis Mills and Greater Atlanta Christian on Friday, Sept. 9
- Future Buckeyes: Six Ohio State verbal commitments will participate including No. 13 CB Shaun Wade (Trinity Christian), No. 30 DE Chase Young (DeMatha), No. 48 S Isaiah Pryor (IMG Academy), No 112 DT Haskell Garrett (Bishop Gorman), No. 127 QB Tate Martell (Bishop Gorman), and No. 128 CB Marcus Williamson (IMG Academy)
2016 GEICO ESPN High School Football Showcase Schedule
Note: All game times are ET. Team rankings are per USA Today High School Sports. Individual Rankings are per ESPN 300 and ESPN Junior 300.
Week 1
Friday, Sept. 2
St. Frances Academy (Md.) vs. Paramus Catholic (N.J.)
6 p.m. on ESPNU from Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich.
- Playing a tough national schedule, Paramus Catholic is led on defense by No. 131 LB Drew Singleton and DT Corey Bolds, who has offers from Alabama, Clemson, Michigan and Ohio State
- Frances will have a fresh look with an entirely new coaching staff, and this matchup will provide a unique venue at “The Big House” in Michigan
Week 2
Friday, Sept. 9
Greater Atlanta Christian (Ga.) vs. Valor Christian (Colo.)
10 p.m. on ESPNU from Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch, Colo.
- Two of the top quarterbacks in the class of 2017 will face off in Colorado; Valor Christian’s Dylan McCaffrey, Michigan commit and younger brother of Heisman Trophy runner-up Christian McCaffrey, and Greater Atlanta Christian’s Davis Mills
- 82, QB Davis Mills is verbally committed to Stanford
- Valor Christian has won the Colorado 5A State Championship five times in the last six years
Week 3
Friday, Sept. 16
St. Joseph Prep (Pa.) vs. Archbishop Wood (Pa.)
7:30 p.m. on ESPNU from William Tennent High School in Warminster, Pa.
- This matchup brings together two highly regarded 3A and 4A programs that have both won state championships in recent years
- Joseph Prep is led by No. 65 RB D’Andre Swift, while Archbishop Wood features No. 181 WR Mark Webb
Week 4
Friday, Sept. 23
Brother Martin (La.) vs. No. 16 John Curtis (La.)
8 p.m. on ESPNU from Zephyr Field in Metairie, La.
- Brother Martin is led on offense by No. 196, RB Bruce Jordan-Swilling and on defense by his brother, No. 295 DB Tre Swilling
- 16 John Curtis is a perennial Louisiana power who will look to avenge a 40-37 overtime loss to Brother Martin last year
Antioch (Calif.) vs. De La Salle (Calif.)
11 p.m. on ESPNU from De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif.
- De La Salle won the CIF Open Bowl Division Championship last season, finishing 13-1 on the year with a No. 4 ranking in the USA Today Super 25
- Antioch looks to improve on an impressive 11-1 season in 2015; with the return of the No. 3 ranked player in the country, and No. 1 RB Najee Harris (verbal to Alabama)
Week 5
Friday, Sept. 30
No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) vs. No. 3 Bishop Gorman (Nev.)
10 p.m. on ESPNU from Bishop Gorman HS, Las Vegas, NV
- This game will likely help determine who the best team in the country is, with a possibility that the teams could be ranked No. 1 and No. 2 by USA Today when they meet
- Thomas Aquinas won the FHSAA 7A title for the second year in a row, while Bishop Gorman has claimed back to back “National Titles” and is on a 39-game winning streak
- There will be fifteen ESPN 300 ranked players on the field from the class of 2017 and 2018 during this game
Week 6 – Bye Week
Week 7
Thursday, Oct. 13
Saraland (Ala.) vs. Spanish Fort (Ala.)
8 p.m. on ESPN2 from Spanish Fort High School in Spanish Fort, Ala.
- Spanish Fort was an undefeated state champion in 2015, finishing the season ranked No. 18 nationally
- Saraland hopes to improve on a 10-3 record last season, and will look to No. 29 junior QB Jack West (Stanford verbal) to lead the way
Week 8
Friday, Oct. 21
No. 4 IMG Academy (Fla.) vs. Trinity Christian (Fla.)
7 p.m. on ESPN2 from Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Fla.
- Trinity Christian finished with a No. 24 national ranking in 2015, capturing the 3A FHSAA title with a perfect 14-0 season
- IMG Academy was 9-0 in 2015 and is ranked No. 4 in the USA Today High School Sports Super 25 rankings
- Twenty-eight ESPN 300 players from the class of 2017 and 2018 class will play in this game
Week 9
Thursday, Oct. 27
Woodland Christian (Calif.) vs. California School for the Deaf (Calif.)
8 p.m. on ESPN2 from California School for the Deaf in Fremont, Calif.
- California School for the Deaf returns with senior RB Jax Pederson, who has previously had two 1,000-yard rushing seasons
- Woodland Christian senior QB Eric Wyatt and main weapon WR Miguel Witham will lead a potent offense
Friday, Oct. 28
No. 2 Grayson (Ga.) vs. Hoover (Ala.)
8 p.m. on ESPNU from Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Ala.
- Hoover is an Alabama powerhouse that is no stranger to playing national games, and this Georgia-Alabama matchup is much anticipated
- Grayson is coming off a strong 13-1 season last year and touts five ESPN 300 ranked players, which is creating a lot of buzz for them as one of the best teams in the country
Week 10
Thursday, Nov. 3
No. 15 DeSoto (Texas) vs. South Grand Prairie (Texas)
8 p.m. on ESPN2 from Gopher-Warrior Bowl in Grand Prairie, Texas
- DeSoto hopes to rebound from a slight “down” year in 2015, and transfer QB Shaun Robinson (TCU verbal), the No. 165 player, looks to provide that spark. No. 99, OG Edward Ingram (LSU verbal) will lead the way up front
- South Grand Prairie opened some eyes when they shocked one of the top ranked teams in the nation—Euless Trinity—in a first-round playoff game last season. Standout player include No. 8 Jeffrey Okudah and No. 185 junior Atanza Vongor
Friday, Nov. 4
No. 9 DeMatha (Md.) vs. Our Lady of Good Counsel (Md.)
8 p.m. on ESPNU from Our Lady of Good Counsel in Olney, Md.
- DeMatha was 11-1 with a WCAC title in 2015 and will look to reload this season with four ESPN 300 players: No. 30, DE Chase Young, No. 58, RB Anthony McFarland, No. 226, OG Marcus Minor and No. 38 junior DT Austin Fontaine
- Good Counsel’s defense features DE Joshua Paschal and LB Ayinde Eley (Maryland commit). The offense will be highlighted by a strong run game with three D1 linemen making the way for RB Mohamed Ibrahim
ESPN 300 Participants (Class of 2017)
| Rank | Pos. | Athlete | High School | College Commitment* |
| No. 3 | RB | Najee Harris | Antioch | Alabama |
| No. 4 | DE | Robert Beal | IMG Academy | Georgia |
| No. 5 | ATH | Dylan Moses | IMG Academy | |
| No. 8 | S | Jeffrey Okudah | South Grand Prairie | |
| No. 10 | ATH | DeAngelo Gibbs | Grayson | |
| No. 13 | CB | Shaun Wade | Trinity Christian | Ohio St |
| No. 16 | DE | Joshua Kaindoh | IMG Academy | Maryland |
| No. 27 | WR | Trevon Grimes | St. Thomas Aquinas | |
| No. 30 | DE | Chase Young | DeMatha | Ohio St. |
| No. 37 | CB | Jamyest Williams | Grayson | |
| No. 45 | QB | Dylan McCaffrey | Valor Christian | Michigan |
| No. 48 | S | Isaiah Pryor | IMG Academy | Ohio St |
| No. 51 | OG | Robert Hainsey | IMG Academy | Notre Dame |
| No. 56 | S | Grant Delpit | IMG Academy | LSU |
| No. 57 | QB | Kellen Mond | IMG Academy | Texas A&M |
| No. 58 | RB | Anthony McFarland | DeMatha | |
| No. 65 | RB | D’Andre Swift | St. Joseph’s Prep | |
| No. 69 | WR | D.J. Matthews | Trinity Christian | Florida St |
| No. 70 | OC | Cesar Ruiz | IMG Academy | |
| No. 81 | OT | Tony Gray | Grayson | |
| No. 82 | QB | Davis Mills | Greater Atlanta Christian | Stanford |
| No. 99 | OG | Edward Ingram | DeSoto | LSU |
| No. 112 | DT | Haskell Garrett | Bishop Gorman | Ohio St |
| No. 125 | ATH | Jordan Anthony | IMG Academy | |
| No. 127 | QB | Tate Martell | Bishop Gorman | Ohio St |
| No. 128 | CB | Marcus Williamson | IMG Academy | Ohio St |
| No. 131 | LB | Drew Singleton | Paramus Catholic | |
| No. 144 | WR | Jhamon Ausbon | IMG Academy | LSU |
| No. 148 | OLB | Breon Dixon | Grayson | Georgia |
| No. 155 | CB | Alex Perry | Bishop Gorman | |
| No. 165 | QB | Shawn Robinson | DeSoto | TCU |
| No. 171 | QB | Jake Allen | St. Thomas Aquinas | Florida |
| No. 181 | WR | Mark Webb | Archbishop Wood | |
| No. 196 | RB | Bruce Jordan-Swilling | Brother Martin | |
| No. 209 | QB | Chase Brice | Grayson | Clemson |
| No. 213 | S | Bubba Bolden | Bishop Gorman | |
| No. 226 | OG | Marcus Minor | DeMatha | |
| No. 249 | TE | Tre’ McKitty | IMG Academy | Oregon |
| No. 295 | CB | Tre Swilling | Brother Martin |
ESPN Junior 300 Participants (Class of 2018)
| Rank | Pos. | Athlete | High School | College Commitment* |
| No. 13 | DT | Taron Vincent | IMG Academy | |
| No. 14 | CB | Tyreke Johnson | Trinity Christian | |
| No. 25 | WR | Brian Hightower | IMG Academy | |
| No. 29 | QB | Jack West | Saraland | Stanford |
| No. 38 | DT | Austin Fontaine | DeMatha | |
| No. 46 | CB | Asante Samuel | St. Thomas Aquinas | |
| No. 49 | CB | Houston Griffith | IMG Academy | |
| No. 53 | DE | Nikolas Bonitto | St. Thomas Aquinas | |
| No. 54 | CB | Al Blades Jr. | St. Thomas Aquinas | |
| No. 56 | S | Isheem Young | IMG Academy | |
| No. 72 | WR | Elijah Moore | St. Thomas Aquinas | |
| No. 84 | DT | T.K. Chimedza | IMG Academy | |
| No. 96 | QB | Dorian Thompson-Robinson | Bishop Gorman | |
| No. 108 | OT | Reuben Unije | IMG Academy | |
| No. 113 | LB | Palaie Gaoteote | Bishop Gorman | |
| No. 120 | TE | Brevin Jordan | Bishop Gorman | |
| No. 144 | RB | Jamal Currie-Elliott | IMG Academy | |
| No. 147 | LB | Eriq Gilyard | Trinity Christian | |
| No. 152 | S | Mike Jones Jr. | IMG Academy | Clemson |
| No. 159 | S | Chamarri Conner | Trinity Christian | |
| No. 162 | OT | Chris Bleich | IMG Academy | Penn State |
| No. 174 | OG | Sebastian Sainterling | St. Thomas Aquinas | |
| No. 180 | OG | Curtis Dunlap Jr. | IMG Academy | |
| No. 185 | S | Atanza Vongor | South Grand Prairie | |
| No. 197 | RB | Asa Martin | IMG Academy | |
| No. 221 | LB | Rocky Shelton | St. Thomas Aquinas | |
| No. 281 | TE | Glenn Beal | John Curtis | |
| No. 299 | WR | Darryle Simmons | St. Joseph’s Prep |
*Please note: No player has signed with a school
-30-
-
-
-
-
-
