GFL Preseason Rankings

Disclaimer(because the internet is a wild place): These rankings are entirely subjective and based on my personal opinion of where the teams stand as of today. It’s not the end of the world if you have a team ranked higher or lower—this is just how I see things right now!

North

1.  Dresden Monarchs

Right now, I’ve got Dresden at #1. They came up just short in last year’s final, losing 27-21 to Potsdam. What stood out was their ability to adjust, after getting blown out twice in the regular season, they nearly pulled off the win when it mattered most.

This year, they’re bringing back their defensive coordinator and have re-signed Devonni Reed, which is again great potential. With that, they bolstered their secondary with the signing of Jason Denneboom and Emmanuel Ikharo—two key additions that should lock things down on the back end.

Offensively, there’ll be some new faces, with Americans Justin Miller at QB and Tyler Hudson at WR. But I think the foundation of this team, its experience, chemistry, and coaching continuity will shine through. Most of these guys have played together for a while, and keeping a lot of the staff the same only strengthens their chances.

2.  Potsdam Royals

The Royals are going to look a bit different this year with the departure of their go-to guy, Jaylon Henderson, who’s off to the ELF. They’re also bringing in a new offensive coordinator, Gabriel Landa, which adds another layer of change. The team hasn’t publicly announced many of their signings yet, but even with the uncertainty, I have no doubt the Royals will be in the mix. It’s just a matter of what they’ll look like when the pieces come together.

3. NewYorker Lions

Braunschweig is coming off a 7-5 season, finishing third in the North last year. They had some ups and downs, but four of those losses were within two scores, so they were right in the mix. They’ve already made a solid number of signings while bringing back many of their core players and adding a few key pieces. I’d bet on the Lions ironing out last year’s issues and becoming a serious force in 2025.

4. Hildesheim Invaders

The Invaders are an interesting one for me. In their first year back in the GFL 1, they put together a strong 7-5 season and made a deep playoff run before falling to Dresden 27-13 in the semifinals. They’ve done a great job keeping much of their core intact while adding new pieces, so they should still be a tough team.

So why don’t I have them ranked higher? The departure of head coach Marcus Herford. From a schematic standpoint, he’s one of the best offensive minds in the league and has a great feel for controlling games. Losing him will have its impact. That said, There is still expectation for the Invaders to be a tough matchup for anyone in 2025.

5. Berlin Rebels 

The Berlin Rebels have the potential to be a very good team in 2025. I’ve been a huge fan of their A-import signings so far. On defense, they picked up Koi Freeman (previously with Rhein Fire) and Reggie Strong from Fresno State—who, for some reason, keeps producing solid DBs over the past few seasons. Then, the Rebels went out and added Aaron Jackson (Berlin Thunder) and Naz Bombata from the University of Arizona. This squad is making moves, and if everything clicks, they could be a serious problem next season.

6. Kiel Baltic Hurricanes 

Last season was tough for the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes, but it wasn’t all bad. They stayed competitive throughout the year. They’ve managed to keep their core intact, which is a plus, but they’re still cycling through quarterbacks to find their guy. There are still a lot of question marks surrounding this team, but I’ll be keeping a close eye on them to see how things shake out.

7. Paderborn Dolphins

The Paderborn Dolphins didn’t have the best 2024 season, but they’re sticking with their head coach, which shows some stability. They’ve made changes at offensive and defensive coordinator, which could shake things up, but they’re also bringing back most of their A-imports. It’ll be interesting to see how these adjustments play out, but they have a chance to build on last season and take a step forward.

8. Dusseldorf Panthers

Düsseldorf is back in the GFL 1 after earning promotion from GFL 2, and they’re looking to make a big statement. They’ve been on a roll with signings, bringing in a lot of new talent to compete at the top level. I absolutely love their young head coach, Jaycee Kreig. I truly believe he’s one of the best up-and-coming coaches in Europe. Of course, with so many new faces, there will be an adjustment period, but this team has the potential to surprise a lot of people.

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South

1. Schwabisch Hall Unicorns

I have Schwäbisch Hall taking the top spot in the South again after a solid 9-3 season in 2024, even though they fell to the Invaders in the quarterfinals. You can never count this team out, they’ve been one of the most consistent programs in the league and always have a shot at winning it all. Expect them to be right in the mix once again.

2. Allgau Comets

The Comets are always a competitive team and a squad that can hand you a loss if you come into a game unprepared. They finished 6-6 last season and unfortunately ran into the Royals in the first round of the playoffs, a tough draw for any team. They’ll be looking to build on that in 2025, and as always, they’re a team you can’t take lightly.

3. IFM Razorbacks

The Razorbacks finished 2nd in the South last year and, just like the Comets, are one of those tough teams that can give anyone trouble. You definitely have to watch out for them in 2025, they've got the talent and experience to make some noise again.

4. Straubing Spiders

Straubing finished the season 7-5 last year and heads into 2025 with new head coach Cody Kent. With more changes coming to the club, it'll be interesting to see how they transition and what direction they take this season.

5. Saarland Hurricanes

Saarland had a rough year last season but is sticking with most of its coaching staff while making some solid A-import signings. That being said, the hope is they can take a step forward and improve on their 3-9 record from last year.

6. Munich Cowboys

Munich had a solid season despite their 5-7 record. They were competitive in a lot of games, but a few just didn’t go their way. With Zachary Whitehead returning, maybe we see them make a real run in the South this year under Max Macek?

7. Pforzheim Wildogs

The Wild Dogs soared through GFL 2, earning promotion to the first league after an impressive 9-1 record. They have everything to prove heading into 2025, so let’s see if they can carry that momentum into the GFL South.