Central Texas high school football coaches answer who are the area's best teams and players

What do Central Texas high school football coaches think of other Austin-area teams and players?

The American-Statesman sent out a questionnaire earlier this month with eight topics to two dozen local coaches. Fifteen responded on the condition their answers would be anonymous. Here are the six questions related to area teams and players with a summary of their answers.

Note: Coaches could not vote for their own players or team. Some coaches didn't answer every question.

What Central Texas team is most likely to win state?

Only four teams received votes, with Lake Travis leading the way with five.

Weiss and Vandegrift both garnered four votes, while Westlake received one vote.

Weiss' Jaxon Schad had the most votes with six, edging Bastrop's Weston Nielsen, who received four. Chase Ames of Dripping Springs garnered two and Cedar Park's David Cooper received one.

Best local player (non-QB) you'll see on your schedule?

Weiss wideout Tre Moore tallied the most votes with four. Hutto wide receiver/defensive back Jaiden Fields was the only other player to receive more than one vote, finishing with two. Lake Travis defensive back Luca Antoun, LBJ running back Marquis Murry II, Manor running back Andre Terry, Legacy Ranch quarterback Drew Langford, Taylor running back Eric Walker, Manor edge Princeton Umanmielen and Round Rock wideout Dylan Jaeger also received votes.

Best local player (non-QB) who isn't on your schedule?

Moore, a Washington commit, and Fields, an Oklahoma pledge, led the way again here with three votes each. Liberty Hill running back Dylan Belinga, Westlake running back CJ Jones, Westlake defensive back Wylie Nichols, Bastrop wideout Dallas Crescenzo and LBJ's Murry all received one vote.

What Austin-area team will surprise this year?

There was no consensus here, with Cedar Ridge, East View and Cedar Park being the only teams to receive more than one vote, with all three getting two. Others cast ballots for Manor, Hedrickson, Dripping Springs, Del Valle, Jarrell, Austin High, Vista Ridge and Bowie.

DeSoto led the way with five votes. Galena Park North Shore garnered three votes, Waxahachie had two votes, and Allen, Smithson Valley and Lake Travis each received one vote.