Analysis: After graduating one of the best senior classes that one could dream of, American Fork finds itself right back into the mix and could make a lot of noise even with the losses. Top returner Kaden Evans may not have as many teammates around him while he's racing, but the group behind him still isn't one that anyone should overlook. The next four runners are all hypothetically set to cross the finish line roughly within half of a minute of one another, but knowing Timo Mostert, it's safe to say the gap between the pack and Evans will not be what it is on paper, instead much smaller.
Though Evans is the lone returner from the Cavemen squad that finished runner-up last year at NXN, fully expect American Fork to simply re-load instead of re-build.
COROS MILESPLIT50
PRESEASON BOYS TEAM RANKINGS
*Click on the teams below for analysis
| RANK | ATHLETE |
| 25 | Monroe-Woodbury (NY) |
| 24 | Jesuit (CA) |
| 23 | Valor Christian (CO) |
| 22 | Mountain View (UT) |
| 21 | Cheyenne Mountain (CO) |
| 20 | Rockhurst (MO) |
| 19 | Coronado (CO) |
| 18 | Jesuit Portland (OR) |
| 17 | Buchanan (CA) |
| 16 | Plainfield North (IL) |
| 15 | Austin Vandegrift (TX) |
| 14 | ML King (CA) |
| 13 | Jesuit New Orleans (LA) |
| 12 | Bridgeland (TX) |
| 11 | Great Oak (CA) |
| 10 | Ridgefield (CT) |
| 9 | Crater (OR) |
| 8 | Coeur d'Alene (ID) |
| 7 | Downers Grove North (IL) |
| 6 | American Fork (UT) |
| 5 | Belen Jesuit Prep (FL) |
| 4 | Southlake Carroll (TX) |
| 3 | Niwot (CO) |
| 2 | |
| 1 | Herriman (UT) |