PrepNation 101 Preseason FB Countdown: No. 41 Southlake Carroll

41. Carroll (Southlake, Texas)
Last season’s record: 11-2, lost in third round Class 5A/II playoffs
Coach: Hal Wasson
Key players: QB Kyle Padron (6-4, 210, Sr.), DE Brayden Burnett (6-3, 245, Sr.), DE Jackson Richards (6-4, 250, Jr.), OG Will McWhirter (6-0, 247, Sr.), LB/K Cade Foster (6-0, 205, Sr.), LB Mitchell Osborne (6-2, 190, Jr.), OT Matt Boyles (6-3, 270, Sr.), WR/DB Josh Rake (5-11, 185, Sr.), RB Tommy Avers (5-8, 165, Jr.)
Biggest strength: Depth, speed, special teams, tradition
Question mark: Inexperience on offense
Outlook: With only returning offensive starter and four on defense, the Dragons are outside the preseason Top 25 for the first time since 2003. Carroll won state championships four times (2002, ’04-06) and National Prep Poll titles twice (2004-05) under coach Todd Dodge, who is now head coach at North Texas. Last year, Wasson’s first, the Dragons took their earliest exit from the postseason since 1999. Padron takes the reigns of Carroll’s high-energy, high-performance offense after seeing spot duty as a junior. Despite his inexperience, he already earned and accepted a scholarship offer from SMU. Rake and Avers will attempt to fill giant voids at receiver positions completely emptied by graduation. McWhirter, the lone returning starter on the offensive line, will be flanked at one tackle by Boyles. The defensive end positions are manned by a pair of Division I recruits. Burnett was first-team all-district last season and Richards, only a junior, has given an early pledge to play at Texas Tech. Foster, all-district in ’07 as a kicker, will also line up beside Osborne at linebacker.
Toughest games: Sept. 19 at Mesquite, Sept. 27 vs. North Shore, Oct. 17 at Marcus, Oct. 31 at Hebron