Senior, OL - Chris Owens, Arlington Lamar
After redshirting his freshman year, Owens has made his impact felt on the offensive line. Owens found himself filling in at center for the Tide after All-American Landon Dickerson suffered a torn ACL against Florida in the SEC Championship game. Owens helped the Tide complete their season with a Championship title playing Monday night against Ohio State.
At Arlington Lamar, Owens was a four-star guard and rated as the No. 10 guard Nationally according to a 247Sports composite and the No. 2 Guard in Texas. Owens earned an All-State selection by the Texas Associated Press and chose Alabama over Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas A&M.
Freshman, PK - Chase Allen, Colleyville Heritage
Allen joined Alabama as a walk-on addition this season. Allen has served the Crimson Tide by kicking off in various instances to include the starting kickoff duties in the first four games of the 2020 season, against LSU, Mississippi State, Kentucky, and Auburn. Although Allen didn't play during the National Championship game, he totaled 2,029 yards on kickoffs for the Crimson Tide.
At Colleyville Heritage, Allen was ranked as the No. 1 kicker and punter in Texas 5A Division 1. He earned an All-District 4-5A Special Teams Player of the Year honor his senior season and recorded a touchback on 30 of his 46 kicks during his senior season. Allen chose Alabama over Ole Miss and Villanova.
Freshman, RB - Jase McClellan, Aledo
McClellan has shown his ability more than once on Alabama's offense and special teams. He got his first collegiate playing time against Missouri early in the season where he played on special teams before doing the same against Texas A&M in the Tide's home opener. McClellan even earned special teams player of the week recognition from the Alabama coaching staff against Mississippi State where he helped limit MSU to zero yards on punt returns. McClellan totaled 245 rushing yards, two touchdowns, and one receiving yard during the 2020-2021 season with Alabama. McClellan joined on special teams during the National Championship game.
At Aledo, McClellan was a highly sought-after recruit. As a four-star prospect, he was ranked as the No. 6 running back and the No. 6 player in the state of Texas according to a 247Sports composite. McClellan was selected to play in the Under Armor All-American Game and competed in Nike's "The Opening". McClellan helped lead Aledo to a State Title in the 2019-2020 season with a 45-42 win over Fort Bend Marshall. McClellan totaled over 6,800 yards and 842 carries with 125 touchdowns. He chose Alabama over Oklahoma after first pledging his loyalty to the Sooners two years prior to his Tide commitment.
Freshman, OL - Drew Sanders, Denton Ryan
Drew Sanders came out of Denton ready to show his strength to his SEC opponents. Sanders saw consistent play on special teams throughout the entire season as an outside linebacker. In his collegiate debut, Sanders recorded an unassisted tackle against Missouri early in the season. Sanders earned special teams player of the week from the Alabama coaching staff for his play against Tennessee and Arkansas. Sanders recorded four solo tackles and five assisted tackles prior to the National Championship game. Sanders saw playing time against Ohio State during the Championship showdown.
At Denton Ryan, Sanders made a name for himself and quickly became a five-star recruit. Rated as the No. 1 player in Texas according to a 247Sports composite, Sanders played on both ends of the ball where he completed over 10 passes and scored over 45 touchdowns in his career. Sanders was also named as a finalist for the 2019 Landry Player of the Year. Sanders chose Alabama over Oklahoma, LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon, and more.
In Class 6A, Lancaster continues to stand on business, navigating a demanding slate without a stumble thus far. North Crowley has followed a similar script, while Southlake Carroll’s résumé remains among the most intriguing. The Dragons’ lone loss came against Argyle, but the rest of their body of work suggests a group capable of replicating their four-round playoff run from 2024.
Plano East, quietly perfect in district play, looms as a team no opponent should overlook as the calendar flips toward February. Meanwhile, Decatur has hardly skipped a beat since claiming last year’s 4A Division I crown, riding an extended winning streak and asserting itself once again as the standard in its classification.
Elsewhere in 5A, Walnut Grove, Highland Park, and Wakeland round out a crowded field of early headliners, each positioning itself as district play intensifies. With plenty still to be decided, the current rankings offer a telling snapshot of a race that figures to tighten before it breaks open.
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VYPE Dallas-Fort Worth Combined (6A-4A) Top-10 Girls Basketball Rankings -- January 2026
1. Denton Ryan Raiders (5A) -- 24-4 // 5-0 in 6-5A
2. Argyle Eagles (5A) -- 22-4 // 4-1 in District 6-5A
3. Lancaster Tigers (6A) -- 20-4 // 6-0 in 11-6A
4. North Crowley Panthers (6A) -- 19-4 // 5-0 in 3-6A
5. Decatur Eagles (4A) -- 23-4 // 6-0 in 7-4A
6. Southlake Carroll Dragons (6A) -- 23-1 // 9-0 in 4-6A
7. Walnut Grove Wildcats (5A) -- 22-5 // 6-0 in 9-5A
8. Plano East Panthers (6A) -- 21-7 // 9-0 in 6-6A
9. Highland Park Scots (5A) -- 18-7 // 6-0 in 12-5A
10. Wakeland Wolverines (5A) -- 22-5 // 5-1 in 12-5A
Others to Watch: Flower Mound Jaguars (5-6A), Duncanville Pantherettes (11-6A), Aledo Bearcats (5-5A), Marcus Marauders (5-6A), Cedar Hill Longhorns (11-6A), Lincoln Tigers (11-4A), Lone Star Rangers (12-5A), Lovejoy Leopards (9-5A), Byron Nelson Bobcats (4-6A), Coppell Cowgirls (5-6A)
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