2026 Cap 8A Conference Football Preview: Storylines, Predictions, Players to Watch

Last year, Millbrook broke through its Rolesville problem and looked dominant in a 28-7 win over the Rams to secure the first championship in the Cap 8A era. The Wildcats eventually played in the 8A state championship game and were shut out by Hough.

2026 presents another opportunity for Millbrook to stay ahead of Rolesville as the Wildcats return their Power 4 prospects and Rolesville works in new head coach Kevin Reddick.

Leesville Road has an opportunity to make some noise at the top of the standings, despite the Pride losing last year’s standout quarterback to a transfer.

Elsewhere, Enloe could be ready to make its next move up the conference ladder.

The 2026 North Carolina High School Football Conference Previews are brought to you by Talk it Out NC.

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Just like winning a big game, preventing underage drinking takes teamwork. Parents and teens can visit https://www.TalkItOutNC.org for resources to start the conversation about the risks of underage drinking.

Athens Drive Jaguars

Players Who Will Be Missed From Last Season: Alex Luebke (ECU OL) Returning Players to Know: Cam Young (senior WR/CB), Jai’Shaun Sheppard (junior OL/DL), TreShawn Barlow (junior WR/DB), James Cochran (senior DE/RB), Trevon Sturdivant (junior OL/DL) New Faces to Look Out For: Jaylen Hepner (junior QB), Will Anderson (junior OL/DL)

Athens Drive has the makings of a surprise team in 2026. Yes, the Jaguars finished 0-10 last season, but this team has more experience (13 returning starters) combined with some exciting players ascending from JV.

Head coach Tommy Smith Jr. feels a stronger sense of brotherhood and player leadership with this year’s group.

The offense returns exciting playmakers Cam Young, a senior, and TreShawn Barlow, a junior. Barlow averaged 20.4 yards per reception last year.

Starting running back Jamari Tuck is back for his senior year.

Excitingly, Athens has a new quarterback who is bound to make some nice plays. 6-foot-2, 205-pound junior Jaylen Hepner is up from JV. He has a strong frame for a high school quarterback and made some exciting plays with his legs and arm last year.

On the offensive line, junior 240-pound tackle Jai’Shaun Sheppard and junior 245-pound tackle Trevon Studivant are returning starters. Athens is also excited about 6-foot-2, 280-pound newcomer Will Anderson at center. The added help of Jamison Britton bumping out to tight end will give Athens options for blocking the run game.

Defensively, Cam Young should be a nice player to have at corner, Sturdivant will make plays at safety, and Sheppard and Sturdivant will play some on the line. James Cochran, a 5-foot-10, 195-pound defensive end, plays bigger than his frame. He was the team’s leading tackler in 2025.

Athens is expected to roll out Jayden Cleare, Jihad Abdallah, TJ Outlaw, and Bradyden Ladner to complement Young in the secondary to try to counter some of the strong passing attacks in the conference.

Team Outlook: With palpable improvements to the locker room cohesion and leadership, Athens Drive can take advantage of some of its emergent talent at key spots to make a push for a playoff appearance.

Broughton Capitals

Players Who Will Be Missed From Last Season: Xavier Howard, Chase Will, Kyian Bates Returning Players to Know: Darias Johnson (junior EDGE), Kareem El-Boulaki (senior OL), Dean Calvillo (senior WR) New Faces to Look Out For: RJ Daye (sophomore WR), Dutch Holland (junior QB), Austin Youngs (junior WR), Jack Townsend (senior TE), Markeil Williams (senior LB), Luke Pagan (junior RB)

The Capitals brought in former NC State standout Bryan Peterson to lead the program after moving on from Tom McGuire.

The biggest loss for Peterson to work around is the graduation of Xavier Howard, who had nearly 1,000 total yards and 13 touchdowns a year ago.

Peterson brought in Zach Gordon to coordinate the offense and Airius Moore to lead the defense.

Broughton has some high-end players who will keep it in the conversation.

Darias Johnson has emerged as one of the hottest prospects in the class of 2028. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound edge rusher has accumulated offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, and LSU. He hasn’t been overly productive so far at the varsity level, but we’re expecting him to start racking up numbers as he puts all of his tools together.

The new offense is going to lean on the depth of the offensive line. Peterson says he plans on it being a physical unit that paves the way for a good rushing attack. The coach is happy with the quality of his offensive line coach, EJ Joseph. The group up front is led by powerful senior Kareem El-Boulaki, who is 6-foot-4, 315 pounds, and has two offers.

Of the five returning starters on offense, four from the offensive line.

Junior Dutch Holland will take over the quarterback duties after he played in four varsity games last year. A top passing target for Holland should be senior Dean Calvillo, who led the team with 23 receptions and 372 yards a season ago.

Team Outlook: We don’t know what exactly Bryan Peterson’s schematic vision for the Capitals is just yet, but the credibility he has from his playing days could cause effective belief from the student-athlete side.

Corinth Holders Pirates

• Corinth Holders did not respond to the preseason questionnaire.

Players Who Will Be Missed From Last Season: Carter Lawson (graduated WR), Jordan Ashworth (graduated LB), Jackson Poole (graduated OLB) Returning Players to Know: Demarion Hicks (junior WR), Ayden Jones (senior OL), Tanner Day (senior DB), Lamont Hunt (senior DT) New Faces to Look Out For: N/A

The Pirates’ JV team defeated all but Rolesville and Leesville Road.

The quarterback spot is a mystery for Corinth. Former starting quarterback David Jarman graduated. The only other player to record a passing attempt was rising junior Hampton Gibbs, with two.

Blake Beckwith led Corinth with 885 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns as a junior last fall. He has been listed on Clayton football’s Hudl roster, but we don’t have confirmation if he is now with the Comets instead of the Pirates just yet. If Beckwith is gone, Corinth will be without its top nine rushers from last year’s team.

Junior Demarion Hicks, a receiver, figures to be a top option in the skill department. He caught nine passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns last season, making him the third-leading scorer for the team as a sophomore. He has also been productive in the return game over his first two seasons.

On the offensive line, the Pirates should have some size back with 6-foot-6, 315-pound Ayden Jones and 6-foot-3, 270-pound Tyler Heckman.

The top two returning defenders for the Pirates appear to be Tanner Day, who was second on the team in tackles as a junior and tied for first with three interceptions, and 5-foot-10, 250-pound defensive tackle Lamont Hunt, who had 37 stops in nine games last year.

Team Outlook: In 2024, Carl Smith led Corinth Holders to its only winning season of the past 10 years. For the Pirates to get back above .500 in 2026, their strong JV team will have to translate to wins against the lower Cap 8A Conference teams.

Enloe Eagles

Players Who Will Be Missed From Last Season: Alexander Chapman-Evans (Graduation), Ryan Person (Graduation), Robert Harp (Graduation), Chase White (Graduation), O'Sean Johnson (Graduation), Derek Matthis (Graduation)

Returning Players to Know: Jacob Stanford (junior DE), Jaiden Creath (senior LB/DB), Sam Offor (senior OL), George Hill (senior LB), Zion Bullock (junior OL)

New Faces to Look Out For: Noah Nelson (senior OL), Jack Croom (senior DE/LB), Justin Matthews (junior LB/DB)

Things have been on the come-up for Enloe. Sixth-year head coach Ryan Clark led the Eagles to back-to-back winning seasons in 2024 and 2025, which is the first time that happened for the Eagles since 1973-74.

A third consecutive winning season for Enloe is practically unheard of - but it could happen.

Clark is happy with his senior quarterback, Leo Gorga. He has good physical talent, and another year mastering the system will result in some more efficient numbers out of him. After all, this is the very first instance of Clark having the same starting quarterback in back-to-back seasons at Enloe.

In terms of Gorga’s weapons, Enloe returns wide receivers with starting experience in Kameron Wright, a senior, and Robert Lamar, a junior. James Chapman, a junior, could see a bigger role as well.

The running back position is yet to be determined for Enloe this season.

Enloe has become a bit of an offensive line factory. This year, the Eagles have senior Sam Offor, who has developed into a Division I prospect. He is 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds. Enloe is excited to have back 6-foot-5, 340-pound senior Noah Nelson on the offensive line. He is coming off an ACL injury three games into last season. Junior Zion Bullock has the potential to be a college prospect by the time he’s a senior, as well. 315-pound senior James Jones projects to be a solid starter at left guard.

The Eagles’ best returning defender is Jaiden Creath, a reigning all-conference selection. Enloe plays him at a mixture of linebacker and slot corner. He led the team in tackles last season with over 100.

In addition to Creath, Enloe’s second-leading tackler from a year ago, George Hill, is also back for his senior year.

Jacob Stanford is an emerging prospect in the 2028 class. He recently picked up an offer from Wake Forest University. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound defensive end accumulated 56 tackles, a team-leading seven tackles for a loss, and 4.5 sacks as a sophomore.

Senior Jack Croom is expected to be utilized as an edge/linebacker type in his first year as a full-time starter.

The Enloe secondary is going to be young, but on the plus side, it might be Clark’s most athletic defensive backfield in his time at Enloe. It will just take them some time to get used to Friday night ball.

Justin Matthews and Ian Dobbin are a couple of names to know about in the secondary.

Team Outlook: With 12 starters back, Enloe could be in a position to make another move up the Cap standings.

Leesville Road Pride

Players Who Will Be Missed From Last Season: Devin Goldston (WR), Damacio Cueto (QB), AkShar Barnes (RB), Gavin Lennon (DL), Derek Schemenauer (LB) Returning Players to Know: Jacob Edwards (LB), Evan Brown (DB), Jha Thompson (DB/WR), Donovan Best (RB), Michael Ramsey (RB), Jayden Lee Perry (WR), Sam Hutchinson (OL), Michael Harrod (OL/DL) New Faces to Look Out For: Bryce Thomas (QB), Wyatt Gardner (DL/TE), Jayden Grimes (DL/TE), Canyon Wagner (WR), Jaylen Mickles (DB), Austin Moye (WR), CJ Clackburn (OL), Major Howell (freshman EDGE)

The modern high school offseason was not overly kind to Leesville Road, but our expectations for the team remain high.

Rising seniors Damacio Cueto and AkShar Barnes were positioned to return as starters in the backfield, but they left for Clayton and Southern Durham, respectively.

However, based on our early looks at the Pride, it doesn’t seem like they’ve skipped a beat.

Junior quarterback Bryce Thomas is taking over the offense. He has been the most impressive new quarterback at the Triangle-area 7-on-7s, to our eyes.

While Barnes was the leading rusher last season, rising senior Donovan Best was right on his heels with just 18 fewer yards per game. Additionally, Michael Ramsey is back after finishing third on the team in overall rushing and second in yards per game. Together, Best and Ramsey found the end zone 12 times last season.

The graduation of 1,000-yard, 10-touchdown receiver Devin Goldston is a big loss, but Leesville is still going to be happy with the group that it has.

Senior Jayden Lee Perry is back after finishing second on the team with 531 yards and adding five touchdowns. 5-foot-11 junior Canyon Wagner and 6-foot-5 senior Austin Moye are players who could see key roles.

On the offensive line, starters Sam Hutchinson (5’11, 235) and Michael Harrod (6’3, 300) are back. The rest of the group is a competition, but C.J. Blackburn is an early name to know about.

Tight ends Wyatt Gardner and Jayden Grimes are going to be a big help in Leesville’s multiple scheme. You’ll also see them rotate in on the defensive line.

Defensively, two of Leesville’s four most productive student-athletes are returning.

Senior linebacker Jacob Edwards led the team in tackles last year with 88 to go with 8.5 tackles for a loss and two picks.

Evan Brown, a senior defensive back, is coming off a 61-tackle, two-interception season.

Also in the secondary, senior Jha Thompson is very effective for his 5-foot-7 frame. He is coming off a year with seven pass breakups and an interception.5-foot-10 junior corner Jaylen Mickels is another player the Pride believes could be a solid contributor.

Keep in mind, Ben Kolstad is one of the best defensive schemers in the area.

Team Outlook: Despite some of the departures, Leesville Road can contend in the Cap 8A and will be a tough out in the 8A East playoffs.

Millbrook Wildcats

Players Who Will Be Missed From Last Season: Malachi Thomas (Campbell WR), Malachi Gilchrist (Elizabeth City State WR), Taden Martin (Ferrum College WR), Brilison McCullers (Reedley College RB), Marcelo Chitty (ECSU OL), Creston Avery (ECSU OL), Kamari St. Clair (NC Wesleyan DT) Returning Players to Know: Quinton Cypher (senior LB), Rashad Streets (senior LB), Bryson Gray (senior QB), Chase Sizer (senior EDGE), Amir Daniels (sophomore OT), Haynes Brawner (senior TE), Marqez Wilbert (senior DT), Cairo Williams (senior DB), Carsen Adams (senior LB) New Faces to Look Out For: Zavian Young (junior LB), Darius Smith (senior DB), Dominique Ellis (sophomore DB), King Murdock (junior WR)

The task for Millbrook in 2026 is to improve upon its historic campaign in 2025.

The Wildcats will have one of the best defenses in North Carolina again. But the offense will have to find a way to improve for a potential rematch against Hough in the 8A state championship game.

Millbrook was shut out by the Huskies in last year’s title. The Hough defense graduated 4-star corner Samari Matthews, but has replaced him with 5-star transfer Josh Dobson and also added a 4-star safety in Davion Jones. They’ve also added standout linebacker Michael Griffin Jr. and 4-star defensive tackle Cory Cunningham to their already-strong front seven. All that to say, the Hough defense that caused problems for the Millbrook offense is not exactly going to take a step back.

Luckily, the Wildcats have what a lot of teams wish they had: a premier returning starting quarterback.

Senior Bryson Gray led all of 8A in passing yards last season. We expect his numbers to improve now that he has a full year and state championship experience under his belt. He has added offers from Mercer, NC A&T, ETSU, and Campbell.

At running back, there is a void left with the graduation of Brilison McCullers. However, 5-foot-7 senior Santonis Wright had 682 yards and 10 touchdowns as the No. 2 back last fall.

Millbrook has to figure out its receiving room. Last year, the Wildcats sent three pass catchers to college.

The Wildcats do return 6-foot-6, 245-pound senior tight end Hayes Brawner, a Campbell commit. We’re expecting his production to increase.

At receiver, Millbrook is going to rely on new faces like junior Harnett Central transfer King Murdock and sophomores Jayeln Allen and Antonio Robertson to replace all of the missing production.

Other than Gray and Brawner, the most solid experience Millbrook has on offense is on its offensive line.

Sophomore tackle Amir Daniels is positioned to become a top ~150 national prospect. He played well as a freshman last year and is 6-foot-5, 280 pounds. Georgia, Miami, Alabama, UNC, and NC State are among the schools that have already extended an offer. He is switching over to left tackle this year.

The Wildcats also return senior all-conference linemen Andrew Jaynes at left guard and William Ramsey at right guard. Ramsey is a mammoth on the interior at 6-foot-6 and 340 pounds. Sophomore Zach Brawner is 6-foot-3 and 270 pounds. He is a player who could develop into a Division I prospect as a center. The right tackle position is being battled for by senior Alex McDlendon and high-upside 6-foot-4, 245-pound sophomore CJ Crawford.

After giving up an incredible 6.6 points per game a season ago, it’s hard to imagine Millbrook’s defense being any better this year. But it can be.

5-star defensive end Rashad Streets and top 200 linebacker Quinton Cypher can still take their games to another level, which is terrifying. Their best complementary players are back, too.

Senior 275-pound defensive lineman Markez Wilbert is back and now has a year of experience in defensive coordinator Marcus Gladden’s system after he arrived late last offseason. He was second on the team to Streets with seven sacks last year. Wilbert will choose between more than a handful of Division I opportunities.

Edge player Chase Sizer is in a similar spot to Wilbert - he returns after a year of producing while learning the system. Sizer, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound Campbell commit, was credited with 100 tackles, 24.5 tackles for a loss, and 4.5 sacks last year.

Juniors Jacob Bowen and Derrion Barfield are two players in the defensive line room whom you’ll start to hear about. They could become college prospects themselves.

Besides Cypher at linebacker, Millbrook returns senior Carsen Adams, who would be the top linebacker on 95% of high school teams. Adams compiled 134 tackles, 22 tackles for a loss, and a whopping six interceptions as a junior.

The Wildcats also added a move-in from Alabama in 6-foot-2, 225-pound junior Zavian Young. Millbrook sees him as a Division I prospect. There’s also senior Jarvis Tripp, an outside linebacker with two years of experience who will play a key role linking things together.

Millbrook’s secondary is going to be in good shape as well. The Wildcats return senior 3-star prospect Cairo Williams, who has 15 offers. They’ve also added corner Darius Smith from Panther Creek, who has offers from the likes of Richmond and Miami (Ohio). Sophomore defensive back Dominique Ellis Jr. also holds a Miami (OH) offer.

Team Outlook: While Hough looms in a potential 8A championship game, Millbrook has a very good chance at winning the 8A East regional championship again. If that were to happen, winning it in back-to-back years is a gargantuan achievement on its own for the program.

Rolesville Rams

Players who will be missed from last season: Malachi Harris (Old Dominion DL), Gavin Waddell (Louisville WR), Zavion Griffin-Haynes (UNC LB), Jayden Griffin-Haynes (UNC LB)

Returning players to know: Marquis Bryant (senior S), A.J. Roberts (senior WR), Amir Brown (senior RB), Jack McHugh (senior LB), Derrick White (senior OL)

New faces to look out for: Le’Eric Cooper Jr. (senior WR), Genesis Allen (sophomore DL), KJ Sutton (junior DL)

Rolesville is welcoming a new head coach in Kevin Reddick, who had been the defensive coordinator under former head coach Ranier Rackley.

Reddick’s goal is to be a disciplinarian as a leader, which he believes will help the Rams stop making self-inflicted errors.

It is a team both in transition and with a lot of returning talent.

Key players like the Griffin-Haynes brothers on defense and receiver Gavin Waddell are off to ACC schools. Still, the Rams also return Kentucky safety commit Marquis Bryant, Virginia Tech commit A.J. Roberts at receiver, and Nebraska commit Amir Brown at running back.

A new player who will help take defensive attention away from Roberts is receiver Le’Eric Cooper, a Knightdale transfer. He has over 1,200 career receiving yards and 15 touchdowns from his time at Knightdale.

At quarterback, it’s looking like out-of-state move-in Marley Emerson will take the reins. The Pennsylvania native has looked effective in 7-on-7s and has done a good job from a leadership standpoint.

This isn’t the offensive line situation that the Rams had a couple of years ago, when they had five clear starters up front.

The Rolesville defensive line will look different without the likes of Malachi Harris, but it has potential. Sophomore Genesis Allen and junior KJSutton are expected to take steps up this year. Senior Braylen Cooper, a transfer from New Bern, had 50 tackles last season.

Jayden Broadie is the most well-known player in the defensive line group. At one point, he was ranked as high as a top 200 prospect in the class of 2027, but he has slipped a little bit. He has picked up some quality offers from SEC and ACC programs.

Senior Jack McHugh is a leader in the linebacker room. Senior Javon Campbell should also have a nice year.

With Bryant back in the secondary, the Rams have a higher ceiling than most. Bryant has been insanely productive over his career with 23 pass breakups and eight interceptions.

Team Outlook: While it’s going to be different than the previous few years, Rolesville is still uniquely talented in the grand scheme of things in 8A. The Rams won’t be favored to beat Millbrook, but it’s not inconceivable for them to win that game and the conference.

Wakefield Wolverines

Players who will be missed from last season: Cayden Gardner (OLB) Returning players to know: James Williams (senior CB), Grayson Clopton (senior TE) New faces to look out for: Landon Brogdon (junior QB), Kiylan Dingle (junior RB), Bryson Balint (sophomore LB), Isaiah Bingham (junior EDGE)

For Wakefield to get back to the Wakefield that consistently made playoff runs in the late 2000s and early 2010s, the Wolverines’ brass decided that the best long-term strategy would be to hire a young head coach in Brandon Hughes off of Millbrook’s staff.

Hughes has been known to build strong relationships with his players. Ideally for Wakefield, he’ll be able to foster quality relationships that will prevent the best players from transferring to other schools. If you could imagine a 2026 Wakefield team built around Millbrook defensive end Chase Sizer and Clayton running back Terris Hobbs, that would be a good start to a potential playoff berth. Both players started at Wakefield before leaving for those other schools.

While young, Hughes has ample experience learning under Scott Riley, Joe Capps, Hunter Jenks, and Laymarr Marshall. Hughes’ offensive philosophies come from Joe Capps in particular. He plans on deploying a similar fast, versatile spread offense that Cleveland runs.

The program made a key hire in bringing on former Broughton leader Tom McGuire, who is serving as an associate head coach and helping Hughes adjust to the head coach role. Hughes also hired Noel Garcia from Apex and Cleveland to run the defense.

Wakefield’s workout participation increased from the 30s to the 90s in Hughes’ brief tenure so far.

6-foot-6, 225-pound senior tight end Grayson Clopton will be a big part of what Hughes designs on offense. Clopton is seen as a potential Division I prospect.

Overall, Wakefield’s receivers group could be the deepest on the team. Players like freshman Seth Grimes, senior Amir Lewis, and sophomore Dom Stevens could become productive pass catchers for the Wolverines.

Landon Brogdon, a 5-foot-10 junior, is expected to be the team’s quarterback. He has done what Hughes has asked of him so far. If the offense clicks like Hughes thinks it might, he could end the year with some good numbers.

At running back, 5-foot-6, 180-pound junior Kiylan Dingle is expected to shoulder the load. Fans should also look out for senior athlete Peter Stanicek and junior athlete Nirah Harrington, who could both see touches in some shape or form.

On defense, it starts with 6-foot-2, 180-pound corner James Williams, who Hughes describes as a shutdown type of guy. He was all-conference a year ago.

Sophomore Bryson Balint and senior Greer Hinton should have nice impacts at linebacker. At the edge spot, 6-foot-3, 245-pound junior Isaiah Bingham could have a breakout year.

Team Outlook: Wakefield has reasons to be excited about the new era under Brandon Hughes, but even the biggest Wolverine fans know that the rebuild could take longer than this year.

Conference Superlatives

• Toughest Schedule — Rolesville: The Rams play Mallard Creek at home and Providence Day on the road to start the year. Then, they host 7A contender Richmond in week 3.
• Most Favorable Schedule — Athens Drive: The Jaguars take on Green Level, Cary, and Green Hope to kick off the season.
• Breakout Team — Enloe: Ryan Clark’s Eagles return 12 starters from last season, including, importantly, four returners on the offensive line.
• Team With the Most Questions — Corinth Holders: The Pirates seemingly have many key positions to fill and could be impacted by the opening of a new high school in Johnston County.
• Player of the Year Favorite — Quinton Cypher, senior, Millbrook: If healthy, Cypher’s pure production will be hard for voting coaches to ignore.
• The Player Who Could Have the Biggest Breakout — Jaylen Hepner, junior, Athens Drive. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound quarterback caused a lot of problems for opposing teams on JV. His unique athletic profile gives the Jaguars a rare weapon to design an offense around.

Standings Prediction

1. Millbrook
2. Rolesville
3. Leesville Road
4. Enloe
5. Athens Drive
6. Broughton
7. Wakefield
8. Corinth Holders

Playoff Forecast

• Likely to Earn a Home Game: Millbrook, Rolesville, Leesville Road
• Likely to Make It: Enloe, Broughton
• On the Bubble: Athens Drive, Wakefield, Corinth Holders