Central Bobcats Picked to Finish Third in District 2-6A

SAN ANGELO, TX — Texas high school football is about six weeks out, and media across the state are beginning to make predictions about where our football teams will finish this season.

One of those publications is Dave Campbell's Texas Football. The annual magazine has the Central Bobcats picked to finish third in District 2-6A, led by quarterback Micah Smith, who was named the Preseason Offensive MVP.

The Bobcats finished 8-4 in 2025 and 3-2 in district play. Central won its playoff opener over El Paso Pebble Hills, 24-14, before falling in the second round to eventual state semifinalist Southlake Carroll. 

Dave Campbell's has the Bobcats gaining zero ground on either Midland Legacy or Odessa Permian this season, even with the return of six starters on offense and five on defense.

The Bobcats bring back key players like senior QB Smith (6-1, 185), junior running back Zey Johnson (5-11, 225) and senior offensive lineman Ethan Boyd (6-4, 305), who has committed to play football for UTSA.

It may be a tall order to claim a district title after losing key players such as linebacker Mason Van Sickle, defensive back Jaekob Jackson and wide receivers Colton Hill, but the Bobcats have several players ready to step up.

Smith returns under center after another productive offseason. He finished with 2,281 yards and 21 touchdowns through the air last year and is poised to take another leap forward. Johnson comes off a sophomore campaign in which he rushed for 1,042 yards and 16 TDs on 173 carries. He averaged 6.0 yards per carry and 94.7 rushing yards per game.

Defensively, the Bobcats lost their two leaders in Van Sickle and Jackson, but have several players ready to step up. The main returners on the defensive side of the ball are defensive lineman Gage Renfro (6-4, 265) and linebacker Tucker Beaty (6-4, 220). Also, look out for defensive back Troy Ceballos, linebackers Chris Walker and Kash Jastrow, and defensive lineman Riley Oines to have a bigger impact this season.

Dave Campbell's picked Odessa Permian to repeat as district champions after finishing 11-2 overall and 5-0 in district on the way to the regional semifinals. Midland Lee is picked second, while Midland High is picked to take the fourth and final playoff spot. Odessa High rounds out the predictions to finish at the bottom of the district.

Central kicks off this season at home against Abilene High on Aug. 28. 

Check out the Bobcats' entire 2026 football schedule below: