A Way Too Early Look At Class 6A-1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Throughout the month of January, we've been recapping the 2024 football season with All State teams, season recaps and many more player awards. But it's now 2025 and it's time to take a far too early look at the 2025 football season and we start in Class 6A-1. Now again, it's January and we are seven months away from the 2025 season kicking off so there are quite a few things that can change between now and then. For instance, looking back at our way too early look at the 2024 season in Class 6A-1, a big swing and a miss was not having Norman in the top ten and Edmond Memorial at #10. Both teams would finish 2024 in the top five. But it's time to take a look ahead and see how 2025 could shape up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>WAY TOO EARLY TOP TEN FOR CLASS 6A-1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>1) BIXBY<br></strong>- There were changes all across the 6A-1 landscape with new coaches everywhere but Bixby remained solid. They'll go into 2025 looking for their eighth consecutive state championship and no other program has ever done that in state history. And the Spartans are not going to be lacking talent as all the young players on the 2024 roster will now be a year older. The team will be headlined by a three-year starter at quarterback in [player_tooltip player_id='284114' first='Carson' last='Kirby'] and plenty of other 2026 standouts. [player_tooltip player_id='415161' first='Braeden' last='Presley'] emerged as a star in the state title game, [player_tooltip player_id='414994' first='Cord' last='Nolan'] has been a dude since he was a freshman and [player_tooltip player_id='402387' first='Trey' last='McGlothlin'] is primed to explode this offseason. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2) JENKS<br></strong>- The Adam Gaylor era has begun at Jenks as the Trojans promoted their defensive coordinator following Keith Riggs stepping down as head coach. And Gaylor is ready to embrace the heavy expectations that come at a program like Jenks. And the Trojans will once again not be lacking talent on both sides of the ball. Jenks has the top overall prospect in the state's 2026 class with [player_tooltip player_id='402378' first='KD' last='Jones'] and the top overall prospect in the state's 2027 class with [player_tooltip player_id='478124' first='Semaj' last='Stanford'] and there are quite a few top prospects around them. The offensive line should be stout with multiple D1 prospects and talent scattered everywhere on defense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3) OWASSO<br></strong>- The Rams have a familiar face leading the program with Bill Blankenship coming out of retirement after Antonio Graham went to Union. 2027 quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1235926' first='Drew' last='Frankenfield'] returns with a pleothra of skill players coming back as well but they'll need to rebuild the offensive line after losing [player_tooltip player_id='350246' first='Blake' last='Cherry'] and [player_tooltip player_id='350245' first='Ryker' last='Haff'] to graduation. Defensively, the Rams should be solid once again with 2026 defensive tackle [player_tooltip player_id='1179991' first='Tajh' last='Overton'] coming back and other players like defensive backs [player_tooltip player_id='521089' first='Bryson' last='Brown'] and [player_tooltip player_id='402368' first='Carter' last='Langenderfer'] ready to take the next step in 2025. The Rams had a memorable 2024 campaign and we think they'll be right back in the mix again in 2025. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>4) UNION<br></strong>- Antonio Graham has returned home to be the head coach of his alma mater and he's inheriting a roster that has some holes but also returns plenty of talent, specifically on the defensive side of the ball. Union's secondary specifically is a unit that we are very high on with 2026 DBs [player_tooltip player_id='858871' first='Daijon' last='Gaines'] and [player_tooltip player_id='402381' first='Oliver' last='Smith'] returning. 2026 running back [player_tooltip player_id='858876' first='Tayveon' last='Parry'] is coming off a breakout season at the running back position and the Redhawks might have a young monster on the defensive line with 2028 DL [player_tooltip player_id='1532195' first='Terrance' last='Evans'] to keep an eye on. But the Redhawks will have a new quarterback after three-year starter [player_tooltip player_id='188014' first='Shaker' last='Reisig'] graduates. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>5) NORMAN NORTH<br></strong>- Norman North will be incredibly hungry to get off to a better start in 2025 after starting the 2024 season with an 0-6 record. They rallied to make the playoffs and also made the quarterfinal round. Finding someone to replace [player_tooltip player_id='595685' first='Owen' last='Eshelman'] at quarterback won't be easy but the Timberwolves have become a very underrated quarterback factory over the last decade and they might have another potential star in 2028 QB [player_tooltip player_id='1522514' first='Nash' last='Henry'] coming up. Superstar 2026 wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='284117' first='Mason' last='James'] returns and the Timberwolves also have some talented players on the offensive line that we're excited to see in the spring. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>6) BROKEN ARROW<br></strong>- When Broken Arrow opened up, Travis Hill was the first name that popped up and the former Muskogee head coach is now the leader of the Tigers. And #6 might be a little high for a program that has gone through a few losing seasons but we honestly think it might be too low. The Tigers have talent coming back and Hill can breathe life into a program like few coaches across the state. 2026 quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='402376' first='Jeramiah' last='Ssettimba'] returns with 2027 running back [player_tooltip player_id='649663' first='Octavian' last='Roberson'] and that duo will be one of the top 1-2 backfield duos in the state. We're buying stock in the Tigers but they'll have to prove it on the field. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>7) EDMOND MEMORIAL<br></strong>- Edmond Memorial is in a position very similar to other 6A-1 programs in this top ten. They have to find a way to replace a D1 signee at quarterback with [player_tooltip player_id='209872' first='David' last='McComb'] heading to Kansas. But the Bulldogs are also not lacking talent moving forward. We've been very vocal in the last month how we think that 2027 linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='216547' first='Colton' last='McComb'] is primed for a breakout offseason and he's just the tip of the iceberg. The Bulldogs aren't lacking talent on both sides of the ball but this was also a very senior-heavy team. The Bulldogs made the 6A-1 semifinals in 2024 and they'll need to reload to make another run to the final four. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>8) NORMAN<br></strong>- As mentioned earlier, we got the Norman Tigers completely wrong at this time last year. But after a fantastic 2024 season, they will need to reload after losing star quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='211962' first='Phoenix' last='Murphy'] following his stellar senior season and they also lose linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='595746' first='Behrett' last='Boyd'] on defense. But the Tigers aren't lacking talent so this ranking might be a little low but we want to see how they replace those names on both sides of the ball. [player_tooltip player_id='595759' first='Crew' last='Noles'] and [player_tooltip player_id='595689' first='Ryder' last='Murphy'] each had breakout moments throughout the 2024 season so we could end up seeing both of those standouts take that next step going into the 2025 season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>9) DEER CREEK<br></strong>- At this time last year, Deer Creek was projected as a top five team in Class 6A-2 but the emergency redistricting in April bumped them up to Class 6A-1. The Antlers had a pretty successful first campaign in the state's largest class considering they weren't even supposed to be in 6A-1 in 2024. But the Antlers lose a lot of production on both sides of the ball as they turn the page to 2025. So it will be interesting to see how the Antlers reload. They have some solid guys returning like 2026 running back [player_tooltip player_id='402380' first='Lemar' last='Davis'] but replacing a three-year starter at quarterback like [player_tooltip player_id='242231' first='Grady' last='Adamson'] is not going to be an easy task. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>10) MUSTANG<br></strong>- Mustang finished the 2024 season at #10 in our 6A-1 rankings and we're keeping them right there for now. We've written quite a bit over the last few years how Mustang's 2026 and 2027 classes had the chance to be pretty special and there still are signs of just that. 2026 standouts [player_tooltip player_id='1041452' first='Jaden' last='Johnson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1211251' first='Jaytee' last='Johnson'] lead a talented team returning in 2025. But they have to find a replacement at the quarterback position and they'll need some key pieces to step up in other places. There are parts of this team that we really like but there are a lot of unknowns and we'll know a lot more when spring football rolls around. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->