For more than a month, we’ve taken a trip through two decades of Carroll football, revisiting the careers of some of the most accomplished players ever to wear the Dragon helmet.
From state champions and All-Americans to future NFL stars and players who helped define an era of Carroll football, the Dragon Pride Era Top 20 gave us plenty to debate. And now, the countdown is complete.
Here’s how the final rankings shook out:
20. Brady Boyd
A standout receiver who continued the Boyd family’s Carroll football legacy before earning his next opportunity at Jacksonville Jaguars camp.
19. King Newton
A dynamic Carroll playmaker who helped establish himself as one of the program’s memorable defensive lineman.
18. Robert Barnes
An explosive safety whose physical style made him one of Carroll’s defensive standouts.
17. Carson Green
A dominant offensive lineman who helped pave the way during one of the most successful stretches in Carroll history.
16. Lil’Jordan Humphrey
What couldn't he do? Humphrey went from Carroll standout to NFL veteran, carving out a career at the highest level.
15. Sam Schwartzstein
A high-level offensive lineman and key piece of Carroll’s championship-era teams who later continued his football career at Stanford.
14. Cade Foster
One of the nation’s top kickers as well as a stud linebacker, Foster went on to play at Alabama.
13. Sabian Holmes
A talented defensive standout whose career made him one of the most memorable players of his Carroll era.
12. Justin Padron
A tackling machine for Carroll at the linebacker position.
11. Blake Cantu
Cantu caught everything thrown his way while a leading receiver for the Dragons.
10. Drew Brown
A standout kicker who became another Carroll special-teams success story at the college level.
9. R.J. Mickens
A defensive playmaker who starred at Carroll before becoming a standout at Clemson. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers.
8. Evan Brown
A physical offensive lineman who developed from Carroll standout into a longtime NFL starter and veteran presence.
7. Brayden Burnett
One of Carroll’s most productive defensive playmakers, Burnett made his presence felt throughout a decorated Dragon career.
6. Brock Boyd
Carroll’s all-time receiving leader, Boyd finished his Dragon career with 3,034 receiving yards before heading to Ohio State.
5. Tre Newton
A Carroll standout who starred at running back before continuing his career at the University of Texas.
4. Owen Allen
One of the most productive running backs in Carroll history, Allen was the centerpiece of the Dragons’ offensive attack during his time in Southlake.
3. Will Davis
The greatest linebacker in Carroll history.
2. Kenny Hill
A nationally known quarterback who starred at Carroll before becoming a Texas A&M standout and one of the era’s most recognizable Dragons.
1. Riley Dodge
The ultimate Dragon: record-setting quarterback, state champion, and eventual Carroll head coach.
And We're Not Done Yet...
The Dragon Pride Era countdown may be finished, but there’s more coming.
Next, we’ll unveil our Dragon Pride Era All-Time Offense and All-Time Defense, bringing together the best players from 2006-2026 at every position.
And then there’s the inevitable question: Who's missing?
We know there are plenty of Carroll fans already thinking of a name that deserved to be on this list. That’s why we’ll also be putting together a “Who Did We Miss?” list featuring some of the most notable omissions from our Top 20.
Thank you for following along, debating the rankings, sharing memories and celebrating 20 years of Dragon football with us.