Josh Pratt’s 3A DI Football Preseason Top 20

1. Brock - 16 all-district players return from a 14-3 state finalist team.

2. Goliad - 15 all-district players return from a 11-2 state quarterfinalist team

3. Franklin - 19 all-district players return from a 10-3 regional semifinalist team

4. Edna - 8 all-district players return from a 8-5 regional semifinalist team

5. Malakoff - 9 all-district players return from a 9-2 bi-district finalist team

6. Hallettsville - 10 all-district players return from a 9-2 area finalist team

7. Diboll - 8 all-district players return from a 6-4 bi-district finalist team (4a)

8. Atlanta - 8 all-district players return from a 5-6 bi-district finalist team (4a)

9. Woodville - 14 all-district players return from a 9-2 area finalist team

10. Yoakum - 9 all-district players return from a 13-2 state semifinalist team

11. Bushland - 6 all-district players return from a 11-3 state quarterfinalist team (4a)

12. West - 6 all-district players return from a 10-3 regional semifinalist team

13. Wall - 6 all-district players return from a 12-1 regional semifinalist team

14. Whitesboro - 13 all-district players return from a 9-4 regional semifinalist team

15. Rockdale - 8 all-district players return from a 13-3 state championship team

16. Shallowater - 9 all-district players return from a 10-2 Area Finalist team

17. Jefferson - 16 all-district players return from a 10-2 area finalist team

18. Tatum - 1 all-district players return from a 3-8 bi-district finalist team (4a)

19. George West - 19 all-district players return from a 10-2 area finalist team

T20. Hitchcock - 16 all-district players return from a 7-4 area finalist team

T20. East Chambers - 15 all-district players return from a 7-4 area finalist team

T20. West Rusk - 8 all-district players return from a 10-2 regional semifinalist team

T20. Mount Vernon - 12 all-district players return from a 11-1 area finalist team

T20. Jim Ned - 15 all-district players return from a 9-3 area finalist team

Region I

Brock (1), Bushland (11), Wall (13), Whitesboro (14), Shallowater (16), Jim Ned (T20). This region is going to be all about Brock in 2018. The Eagles played in the state championship a year ago and return 16 all-district players, which is 10 more than Bushland, the second team I have ranked in the region. Bushland dropping down is going to provide some depth to the region after their 4-round deep performance in 4A DII last season. Wall is Wall and will always be in the mix, while Whitesboro, Shallowater and Jim Ned should provide nice depth.

Region II

Malakoff (5), Atlanta (8), Jefferson (17), Tatum (18), West Rusk (T20), Mount Vernon (T20). Region II was flat out not very good a season ago, but there will be dramatic changes here for 2018. Besides the quarterback position, Malakoff was very young a season ago, and will be moving over from region III. After that, you have a host of 4A teams dropping down, including Atlanta and Tatum. Jefferson seems to always fall below expectations, but they return the house. West Rusk gave Newton a tough battle (21-7) last season.

Region III

Franklin (3), Woodville (9), West (12), Rockdale (15), East Chambers (T20). Franklin and then everyone else? At this point, the Lions appear to be locked and loaded with more all-district players returning than any other team in this top 20 list. Woodville has turned a corner the past couple of seasons and West seems to be getting better each and every season. You have to give Rockdale, the defending state champs, a little love with a fair amount of all-district players returning.

Region IV

Goliad (2), Edna (4), Hallettsville (6), Yoakum (10), George West (19), Hitchcock (T20). Early on in the 2017 playoffs, there was no team with a more impressive victory than Goliad, when they easily beat Hallettsville in the area round, 37-14 and Edna in the regional semifinals, 57-31. With a majority of that team returning, it’s an easy pick to put these guys inside the top five of the state. After that, you have the usuals in Edna, Hallettsville and Yoakum. The crazy thing is that all four of these teams will reside in the same district. To me, this makes it the toughest in the state for 3A DI.