Brayden Bonik: Ridge Point's Four-Star LB Fueling Another District 21-6A Title Run

District titles have become routine at Ridge Point, and the Panthers enter 2026 as the favorite to claim another crown in District 21-6A. A big part of that expectation rests on the shoulders of a four-star junior who already turned heads as a sophomore.

Brayden Bonik, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound outside linebacker, earned District 21-6A Newcomer of the Year honors last season and has quickly emerged as one of the most recruited defensive prospects in the Houston area. He brings speed, length, and a football bloodline that runs deep — his father played linebacker at Oklahoma State under Jimmy Johnson in the early 1980s and went on to spend 11 years coaching in the NFL with the Jaguars, Titans, and Falcons.

Bonik plays for head coach Rick Lafaver, who brings 14 years of college football coaching experience to Missouri City's Ridge Point High School. That background has translated into a consistent pipeline of players moving on to the next level — a tradition Bonik is well-positioned to continue.

The Panthers will face a stiff non-district schedule against Dickinson, Shadow Creek, and Bridgeland before opening District 21-6A play against Strake Jesuit. Ridge Point also absorbs the loss of twin defensive linemen who are now suiting up for SFA, meaning Bonik will be asked to anchor a rebuilt front. A track athlete in the offseason, he enters the fall in strong physical condition.

If Ridge Point is going to extend its run of district dominance, Bonik figures to be at the center of it.