Crandall Pirates • 2026 Season Preview
Crandall Football: Breakout Candidates for 2026
By Merv Moore
Every championship contender needs more than its established stars. Crandall already knows what it has in Jeremiah Douglas and Darrik Ward Jr.
What the Pirates don’t yet know is which of the names around them will grow into the difference-makers a district title actually requires.
Some of these players already have varsity snaps under their belt. Others simply have opportunity, created by a senior class that graduated and left real openings behind. Here’s a closer look at the Pirates most likely to take a bigger step in 2026.
The Offensive Depth
Douglas and Ward will draw the headlines, but the players who complement them may decide how difficult Crandall’s offense actually is to defend.
Christian Ingram
| RUSH YDS | TD | YDS/CARRY |
| 351 | 3 | 6.38 |
Ward will lead the running game, but Ingram gives Crandall a proven second option who can absorb carries without a drop-off. A larger workload here would help keep Ward fresh through a schedule that opens with two Class 6A opponents.
Micah Wright
| RUSH YDS | TD | CARRIES |
| 185 | 4 | 35 |
Four touchdowns on just 35 carries is an efficient rate in a limited role. If Crandall deepens its running back rotation or injuries create more opportunities, Wright is positioned to make the most of them.
King Franklin
| REC | YARDS |
| 12 | 117 |
Most of the coverage attention in Crandall’s passing game goes to Douglas. That creates room for Franklin, and if he turns into a consistent second option, the entire passing game becomes harder to game-plan against.
The Defensive Question Marks
Crandall’s defense lost several of last season’s leading contributors. These are the returning players with the clearest opportunity to fill that gap.
Davyn Davis
🏈 Holds a Division I offer from UTEP
Davis already has varsity snaps in the secondary and enters his junior year as one of the more talented pieces on the roster. With several experienced defenders gone, he has a real chance to move from contributor to one of the defense’s most important players.
Jayden McCleary
McCleary brings a full season of varsity experience to a secondary that needs stability. His responsibilities figure to grow considerably against a schedule loaded with capable passing attacks, and he has an opportunity to become the player who gets everyone lined up correctly before the snap.
Cayson Hardman
Linebacker play will matter against a schedule that includes Terrell’s Wing-T attack and several other district teams built around the run. Hardman is the veteran Crandall needs to handle assignments, tackle consistently and organize a front seven replacing significant experience.
Colton Craft
Crandall lost its top pass-rush producer from a year ago, and Craft is the clearest candidate to help fill that role at defensive end. A stronger season from him would help in two areas at once: more pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and more consistency against the run.
The Trenches
Crandall’s biggest offensive names only go as far as the line in front of them allows.
Colton Braswell
Center rarely makes preseason headlines, but Braswell’s continuity matters as much as any skill-position storyline. He returns with varsity experience and will work directly with Isaac Briones as the senior takes over the offense full-time, handling protection calls and exchanges that go unnoticed until they go wrong.
Khylan Dyer
Ward needs running lanes. Briones needs time to find Douglas and the rest of the receiving corps. Dyer’s development up front will be one of the quieter factors in whether Crandall’s offense reaches its ceiling in 2026.
The Two-Way Piece
Maurice Jones
Jones’ most meaningful opportunity likely comes on defense, where graduation losses have opened real playing time at linebacker. A productive junior season could establish him as part of Crandall’s plans well beyond this fall.
Who Else Will Emerge?
Not every breakout player can be identified before opening night. Crandall will almost certainly have younger players who earn larger roles during the first three non-district games against Denton Braswell, Rowlett and Terrell — a stretch demanding enough to tell the coaching staff exactly who’s ready before district play begins.
Crandall already knows what it has in its established stars. Finding three or four more dependable contributors from this list could be just as important to the Pirates’ championship chances.
