Now less than six weeks away from the official start of the 2025 high school football season, our All-Star prediction panel is gearing up to pick all the winners (and the scores) again this season.

All six members of our panel return from 2024 with one new addition – former Homewood High star and current WKRG sports anchor and reporter Gerhard (G Money) Mathangani.

RELATED: 2025 By the Numbers

With high school media days kicking off in some parts of the state next week, our fearless prognosticators will give their thoughts this week on six key questions entering the new season.

The first question: Who will be the surprise team in 2025?

Here are the answers:

Thomas Ashworth, AL.com

St. Clair County. Had very impressive summer in 7-on-7 camps and brings back plenty of players on offense to make some noise. The trajectory under third-year coach Tyler Robinson has been nothing but positive, but the Saints will have their work cut out for them in a loaded Class 5A, Region 6 that also includes Moody, Leeds, Center Point, Jacksonville, Springville and Lincoln.

Simone Eli, WKRG-TV sports director

Spanish Fort. The Toros wouldn’t normally fall in this category due to their history of past success, but Spanish Fort hasn’t made it through the first two rounds of the playoffs since playing for the 6A title in back-to-back years in 2019 and 2020. This year, Chase Smith has added a pair of former head coaches to his staff to go along with returning QB and South Alabama commit Aaden Shamburger.

Randy Kennedy, AL.com and IHeart Radio

Booker T. Washington. Led by two of the 15 players on the A-List (DB Dylan Purter and WR Marquez Daniel), the Golden Eagles hope to build on last year’s 5-4 season. Deandre Austin’s first team started strong, winning its first four games, but struggled to a 1-4 finish and missed the playoffs.

Gerhard Mathangani, WKRG-TV sports anchor and reporter

James Clemens. After one successful year as head coach at Baker High in Mobile, Johnson moves north to take over the Jets. James Clemens went 6-5 a year ago and gave up 70 points in a first round playoff loss to eventual 7A runner-up Central-Phenix City. The Jets’ last playoff win came against Vestavia Hills in 2019.

Ben Thomas, AL.com

Benjamin Russell. Look for the Wildcats to make big noise in Class 6A. The team finished just 5-6 a year ago, losing at Spanish Fort in the first round of the playoffs. However, new coach Kirk Johnson is coming off a pair of state championships at Montgomery Catholic. Alabama receiver commit C.D. Morgan is the No. 1 recruit in the state and Johnson’s QB last year at Catholic, Kingston Preyear, transferred in as did wide receiver BJ Bedgood. It should be a good year for the Wildcats. Also watching: Russell County, Theodore and Pell City.

John Vella, AL.com

Gulf Shores. The Dolphins dropped to 4-6 in 2024 in Class 6A after winning the state championship in Class 5A in 2023. Gulf Shores looks to overcome injuries and distractions in coach Mark Hudspeth’s fifth season. The Dolphins again open with a tough stretch of games, including Saraland and Mary G. Montgomery. Jud Harris returns as starting quarterback with 20 games started under his belt leading the offense. Landon Everett (178 tackles in 2024) will anchor the defense.

Dennis Victory, AL.com

Hoover. Coach Chip English settled in nicely after the chaos of last year’s preseason boondoggle. New OC Darrell LeBeaux brings a different mindset to the offense.

COMING TUESDAY: The team most likely to win a state title in 2025.