Southlake Carroll isn't disappearing from the Texas high school football conversation in 2026, but the Dragons enter the new season with significantly more questions than they had a year ago.
Carroll finished No. 5 in the final Texas Preps rankings last season after a 14-1 campaign and a trip to the Class 6A Division II state semifinals. The Dragons came within a yard of potentially advancing to the state championship before DeSoto stopped them on fourth down in the closing seconds.
That run established Carroll as one of the best teams in our coverage area. But when the 2026 Texas Preps preseason rankings are released, expect the Dragons to open lower than where they finished.
The drop isn't because Carroll suddenly lacks talent. It's because this is a different Southlake team that lost major pieces from last year's semifinalist while undergoing changes at two of the most important positions in the program. The biggest loss comes at quarterback, where Carroll must replace Angelo Renda.
Renda helped guide the Dragons through their 14-1 season and deep playoff run, leaving sophomore Hudson Tomcheck to take over one of the highest-profile quarterback jobs in Texas high school football. Tomcheck isn't entering the position without expectations. The young quarterback has already collected a few Division I offers and will be surrounded by plenty of talent.
But regardless of his upside, replacing an experienced starter with a sophomore quarterback creates uncertainty entering Week 1. Carroll also lost Ohio State signee Brock Boyd from its receiving corps. Fortunately for the Dragons, the position remains one of their strengths.
California commit Blake Gunter and Illinois pledge Brody Knowles return after combining for 106 receptions, 2,073 yards and 25 touchdowns last season.
Carroll will also add Dez Bryant Jr. to the equation. Bryant transferred from Colleyville Heritage during last season but didn't play for the Dragons. He enters his junior season with a growing list of Division I offers and gives Tomcheck another potentially dangerous target.
The offensive line should also provide stability for a young quarterback. Carroll returns a highly regarded group up front, giving the Dragons an experienced foundation while the new offense develops.
National expectations haven't disappeared, either. MaxPreps currently has Southlake Carroll at No. 29 nationally in its expanded preseason Top 100, while other preseason projections have continued to place the Dragons among Texas' strongest teams.
Quarterback isn't the only major change. Longtime head coach Riley Dodge departed Southlake Carroll for SMU, ending his run leading the Dragons. Former Carroll defensive coordinator Lee Munn takes over the program in 2026.
Munn obviously isn't unfamiliar with Southlake or its expectations, but a head coaching transition adds another variable to a team already replacing important production. That's a lot of change for a program that spent much of last season near the top of our rankings.
Carroll finishing No. 5 in our final rankings last season was based on what that 2025 team accomplished. The preseason rankings have to evaluate what remains in 2026. Those are two different things.
Carroll lost its starting quarterback, lost important offensive production and enters the season with a new head coach. Meanwhile, other contenders across Texas return established quarterbacks and significant pieces from last season. That's why Carroll is expected to fall from its No. 5 finish when the Texas Preps preseason rankings are released. But don't confuse a drop with us being low on Southlake.
The Dragons remain firmly in the conversation among the best teams in Texas Preps' coverage area, and they'll remain highly ranked within Class 6A. There's simply more for Carroll to prove entering this season than there was at the end of 2025.
The good news for Southlake is that there won't be much waiting around to determine whether the preseason concerns are justified. Carroll opens against Jenks on Aug. 27 before one of the biggest early-season tests in Texas: a Sept. 4 road matchup against North Crowley. Then comes Allen on Sept. 11.
That means within three games, we'll have a significantly better idea of what Tomcheck looks like running the offense, how quickly Munn has adjusted to his new role and whether the Dragons deserve to climb back toward the position they held at the end of last season. Carroll has enough talent to make our preseason ranking look conservative by October.
Gunter and Knowles give Tomcheck experienced weapons. Bryant adds another major receiving threat. The offensive line remains a strength. And this is still Southlake Carroll — a program where competing deep into December is the expectation rather than the exception.
The difference is that this year's team won't begin the season based solely on the reputation created by the one before it. Southlake Carroll finished 2025 at No. 5. They'll begin 2026 lower. Where they go from there will be decided on the field.
