2026 Rankings: Diving into the ranked Linebackers

Photo: Prep Redzone

Alex Pallone January 7, 2023 @ 01:56 PM

<p>The first version of the 2026 rankings has a bounty of young talent to watch out for. With the linebackers, we have two incredible players who have already earned a state ranking! This article will dive a little deeper into what got them ranked and what both of them can do to continue raising their stock! </p>   <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#7 | [player_tooltip player_id='566881' first='Nathan' last='Gersh'] | Dexter </strong></p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='566881' first='Nathan' last='Gersh'] is a freshman linebacker for Dexter High School, standing at 6'2" and weighing 215 lbs. Gersh recently impressed at the Rising Stars 250 Showcase, demonstrating both his intelligence and speed on the field. As a freshman, Gersh has already shown promise and could be an essential asset to Dexter's defense. His stats immediately jump off the page, as he totaled 76 tackles, 8 TFLs, 2 recovered fumble, and 1 sack across 13 varsity games. No less, on an emerging powerhouse program and championship contender. </p>   <p>As stated above, this showing at the Rising Stars 250 showcase served as a major factor in Nathan's ranking. Receiving praise from the likes of Allen Trieu and Brice Marich (247, CBS) is huge. A few big selling points for Garsh are his speed and ability to win 1-on-1s. Gersh is apparently already getting some P5 attention, and I'm not surprised in the slightest. Gersh's film showcases great tackling ability and solid fundamental game. He isn't overly aggressive, but not timid either. I'm looking forward to seeing Gersh become more dominant as his high school career continues! </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/BriceMarich/status/1604546072159952896 </div></figure>   <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>#22 | [player_tooltip player_id='567890' first='Javari' last='Funches'] | Lansing Everett </strong></p>   <p>I discovered Javari as I was combing the Capital-Blue for prospects. In hindsight, perhaps an "ATH" classification works better for Javari, but the fact remains that he possesses fantastic potential at the Linebacker position. Already a focal point in the Everett offense and defense, this is a two-way freshman starter who works hard during the offseason. Offensively, Funches is able to line up at any skill position and is often asked to take handoffs, block, and catch the ball. Defensively, he's a hard hitter that will significantly benefit from a bit of increased explosiveness. For now, Javari deserves the #22 ranking but will have to work tirelessly to raise his stock further. If Funches leads the charge in a Lansing Everett resurgence, he'll be an extremely coveted prospect. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/JavariFunches/status/1588198717961764873 </div></figure>

The first version of the 2026 rankings has a bounty of young talent to watch out for. With the linebackers, we have two incredible players who have already earned a state ranking! This article will dive a little deeper into what got them ranked and what both of them can do to continue raising their stock!