Prep Redzone AL's 2025 Preseason All-State Team: ATH Picks

We've made it to August! With the season quickly approaching, it's time for us to give our preseason All-State selections!   Today, we're focusing on some of the most dominant ATHs across the state!   You won't want to miss out on this group of talent. Be sure to check out their film below. Now, here are our preseason selections:   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">7A</h2>    [player_tooltip player_id='1625575' first='Shondell' last='Harris'] is one of the most versatile and dominant players in the 7A- his senior season is going to be one to watch.   "Harris is highly athletic and plays with a ton of speed wherever he lines up, especially on defense. Defensively, Harris is an impact playmaker who flies around the field to create tons of stops against the run and pass.   Harris is terrific out in coverage- he isn't easily beat downfield, has impressive closing speed, and does a great job tracking and breaking the ball to come up with pass breakups and interceptions. Harris is just as dominant against the run- he flies downhill, works through blockers, and has the pursuit skills to consistently hunt and take down the ball carrier at or behind the line of scrimmage."   Harris finished last year with 103/169 passing attempts for 1,416 yards and 15 TDs, 692 rushing yards and 8 TDs, and racked up 49 total tackles (27 solo, 6 for loss), along with one INT/4 PBUs.   A little while back, Harris committed to Jacksonville State!   Everyone should watch out for him this fall; he has a huge season ahead:     <h2 class="wp-block-heading">6A</h2>    [player_tooltip player_id='401115' first='Jordan' last='Holmes'] has been one of our top ATHs in the state since his freshman season. We can't wait to see what he does in the 6A this fall.   "At DB, Holmes showcases exceptional ball skills and the ability to cover both quick slot receivers and bigger threats on the outside. He's quick on his feet, plays with great instincts, and uses his hands to make plays on the ball.   Offensively, Holmes thrives as a rusher/receiver by using his vision and speed. He's great at following blocks, can make defenders miss, and has top-end athleticism he uses to create huge plays both on the ground and out in the secondary."   Holmes made plays all over the field last fall. He ended the year with:   710 rushing yards and 9 TDs on the ground, 214 passing yards and 5 TDs through the air, 185 yards and one TD as a receiver- AND 80 total tackles (4 for loss), 21 PBUs, 3 INTs, 2 FR, and 1 FF on defense.   Earlier this offseason, Holmes committed to Kennesaw State!   Holmes and Pike Road have a big season in store this fall- be sure to watch some of his film below!     <h2 class="wp-block-heading">5A</h2>    [player_tooltip player_id='1536089' first='Joshua' last='Douthard'] is a 2027 two-way star out of Saint Clair County who's set up for a big junior season in the 5A this fall.   “On offense, Douthard is a dominant WR/RB who can come up with explosive plays wherever he lines up. At WR, Douthard plays with a ton of speed, runs impressive routes, and consistently takes the top off of defenses for huge plays in the passing game. Douthard uses the same game-breaking speed out of the backfield- he has great vision and breakaway speed that he uses to turn up and make huge plays in the open field.   Defensively, Douthard is a dominant DB with great ball skills who can make a ton of plays on the ball out in coverage. I'm impressed with his instincts and timing out in the secondary- he flies around the field and puts himself in great position to come up with stops against the run and pass.“   Since the end of last season, Douthard has blown up in the recruiting world, picking up offers from Notre Dame, South Carolina, Pitt, and many others.   Make sure you watch out for Douthard this season- he's already put together some great tape you can watch below:     <h2 class="wp-block-heading">4A</h2>    [player_tooltip player_id='1406607' first='Kadyn' last='Pace'] is a talented ATH out of North Jackson that everyone in the 4A should watch out for this fall.   "At 6'1 165, Pace has great size, speed, and hands he uses to make plays on both sides of the ball. As a WR, Pace does a great job utilizing his size and catch radius to high-point and haul in tough-to-catch passes through contact and over the tops of defenders. Pace is also really productive as a blocker; he frequently paves the way for huge plays downfield with how he lays out defenders for his teammates.   Defensively, Pace might even be more impressive- he flies around the field to make plays out in coverage and against the run. I'm seriously impressed with how easy it is for Pace to find and make plays on the ball- he's terrific against the run, consistently flying downhill to fill in rushing lanes and take down the ball carrier. Against the pass, Pace is just as good at locating and breaking up passes out in coverage, constantly using his hands to jar the ball free from WRs."   Pace put together an impressive season last fall, ending his junior year with 25 receptions for 368 yards and one TD out wide, and 78 total tackles (15 solo), one sack, one INT, and 7 PBUs.   Everyone should watch out for Pace this fall; he put together some great tape from last season. Check it out below:     <h2 class="wp-block-heading">3A</h2>    [player_tooltip player_id='1610217' first='Braden' last='Gordon'] is an elite 2027 ATH out of Montgomery Academy that everyone in the 3A will have circled this year.   “At 6'4 200, Gordon is excellent at using his size and speed to his advantage on both sides of the ball. As a WR/RB, he consistently outmatches opposing DBs in the secondary, easily gets open, and can create a ton after the catch and out of the backfield with how fast he is in the open field.   Defensively, Gordon completely overwhelms OL off the edge to create huge stops in the backfield. He uses his speed to his advantage and consistently pursues the ball carrier/quarterback to make impressive hustle plays nearly every snap.“   Gordon ended his sophomore season with 41 carries for 288 yards and 6 TDs on the ground, 46 receptions for 749 yards and 8 TDs through the air, and 50 total tackles (37 solo, 14 for loss), 11 sacks, and one FF.   With how dominant he's been, Gordon has picked up offers from Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, and many other top-tier programs.   Watch some of Gordon's tape below, you'll be impressed.     <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2A</h2>    [player_tooltip player_id='1645177' first='Ahmod' last='Billins'] dominated the 2A last season in so many different ways, we can't wait to see what he does this fall.   "At QB, Billins is an explosive dual threat who can create huge plays with his arm and legs. He plays well under pressure, can make some seriously impressive throws on the run, and can tuck the ball and head upfield for huge gains on the ground.   At WR, Billins is an explosive playmaker who can easily beat DBs downfield for huge gains. Billins is also a threat off of shorter/screen passes, he can take them the distance by using his speed and twitch to make defenders miss after the catch.   At CB, Billins is incredibly physical and thrives in press man. He's great at jamming up WRs at the line of scrimmage and has the ball skills to track and break up passes all over the field."   A few weeks back, Billins picked up an offer from Missouri! I'm a huge fan of Billins and can't wait to watch him this upcoming season. He's got a big year ahead.   Billins put together some fantastic tape from last season. Everyone should take a look below:     <h2 class="wp-block-heading">1A</h2>    [player_tooltip player_id='1127666' first='Garrett' last='Hendrix'] is a talented two-way player out of Woodland who has a big junior season ahead in the 1A this fall.   Offensively, Hendrix is an explosive back who kills defenses with his vision, patience, and acceleration. He waits for blocks to develop and can quickly turn upfield for huge gains within moments' notice, making the most out of every carry.   Defensively, Hendrix is a downhill threat against the run who racks up tons of tackles down by the line of scrimmage. He's quick to identify plays and has the speed, pursuit, and tackling skills to quickly adjust and come up with stops no matter where he lines up pre-snap.   Hendrix ended his sophomore season with 32 carries for 165 yards on the ground and 40 total tackles (15 solo, one for loss) on defense.   Be sure to check out some of Hendrix's tape below:

We've made it to August! With the season quickly approaching, it's time for us to give our preseason All-State selections!