Introducing the Next Top Prospects in Kansas

Since the completion of the '22 campaign in late November, ranking season has been in full effect for each graduating class in the state. Over the past few months, each class has been updated with the Class of '25 being the most recent. But one class that has yet to be highlighted, is the Class of 2026. The anticipation for this update has been building, and the time has now come for folks to be introduced to the next wave of top prospects in Kansas.    The top-ranked player in this class was revealed earlier this week, as [player_tooltip player_id='585903' first='Aaron' last='Bohannon Jr.'] of Wichita Northwest made his debut at No. 1 overall. The rest of the prospects featured in this update consist of players that were on the radar of Prep Redzone Next, as well as players we've been tracking since September. This group of nine in particular follow behind Bohannon Jr. to form the rest of the Top 10. Change is bound to happen in future updates, but for now, these are the top players from the Class of '26.   [player_tooltip player_id='586960' first='LJ' last='Bowens'] – Blue Valley North, 5'8”, 160, RB   Twitter: @bowenslj5   Checking in at No. 2 overall in the class is Jamie “LJ” Bowens of Blue Valley North. Bowens exhibited great vision and elusive running during his freshman campaign, and he made an early case to be considered the most explosive player in this class. His ability to consistently find cutback lanes and accelerate past defenders helped him earn Blue Valley North's Freshman Offensive MVP. It's evident that he is already one of the most talented players on North's roster, and his playmaking could uplift a varsity squad that struggled to score points in 2022. Look for Bowens to compete for playing time this season.    [player_tooltip player_id='585904' first='Jaylen' last='Mason'] – Maize, 6'1”, 175, QB   Twitter: @_jaylenmason   The 3rd overall prospect should be a familiar name to some. Prep Redzone Kansas first became aware of [player_tooltip player_id='585904' first='Jaylen' last='Mason']'s potential last summer at the KC Varsity Combines, and he's been a prospect on our radar since then. He enters the rankings as the top quarterback prospect in the class after showcasing his impressive dual-threat ability at the junior-varsity level, and under the bright lights of the varsity stage. In Mason's six varsity appearances, he accounted for 280 yards of total offense and two rushing touchdowns. Maize will have a good problem on their hands this season, as Mason and [player_tooltip player_id='354613' first='Drew' last='Kemp'] are both capable of being the starting quarterback for the Eagles.   [player_tooltip player_id='585905' first='Hunter' last='Higgins'] – Maize South, 6'4”, 215, DL   Twitter: @HigginsHunter11   At No. 4 overall is a prospect that could give [player_tooltip player_id='585904' first='Jaylen' last='Mason'] and the Maize Eagles some trouble over the next few years. A freshman starting at the varsity level isn't very common in Class 5A. What's even more uncommon is earning All-League honors as a freshman. That just goes to show the talent [player_tooltip player_id='585905' first='Hunter' last='Higgins'] already possesses. Higgins earns the top defensive lineman ranking after an exceptional first year starting at defensive end for the Mavericks. The lengthy edge rusher collected 34 total tackles in 2022, and contributed four sacks as well. He's already displayed some next-level traits, and is likely to build on that during his sophomore year.     [player_tooltip player_id='585906' first='Iverson' last='Scott'] – Wichita East, 6'2”, 185, QB   Twitter: @IversontheQb1   The Blue Aces of Wichita East shape up to be an intriguing team this coming season. Everyone in the state knows who will be under center for them this fall, as [player_tooltip player_id='146114' first='DaeOnte' last='Mitchell'] returns for his fourth year as the starter. However, folks may not know who will be the heir to throne in 2024. That spot is likely to be occupied by [player_tooltip player_id='585906' first='Iverson' last='Scott']. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound lefty rounds off the Top 5, and follows just behind [player_tooltip player_id='585904' first='Jaylen' last='Mason'] as the 2nd ranked quarterback in the class. Even as a backup this past season, Scott still managed to earn an All-League Honorable Mention nod. It's rare for a program to have two highly touted quarterbacks on their roster.    [player_tooltip player_id='611096' first='Aiden' last='Scott'] – Shawnee Heights, 6'3”, 165, QB   Twitter: @Aiden_Scott14   [player_tooltip player_id='611096' first='Aiden' last='Scott'] of Shawnee Heights kicks off the second half of the Top 10. Scott enters the rankings at No. 6 overall and is the 3rd ranked quarterback in the class. This high debut comes after Scott performed well at the freshman and junior-varsity level in 2022. In addition to his play from this past fall, Scott also turned heads at a few showcases, which drew him slight interest from Oklahoma State and Tulsa. While some quarterbacks from this class may have to wait their turn during the '23 campaign, Scott could be one that sees the varsity field sooner rather than later.    [player_tooltip player_id='585907' first='John' last='Hoytal'] – Washburn Rural, 6'2”, 180, QB   Twitter: @hoytal_john   One of the common themes from this first update for the Class of '26, is the surplus of talent at the quarterback position. [player_tooltip player_id='585907' first='John' last='Hoytal'] of Washburn Rural adds more depth to the position group, as his debut at No. 7 overall makes it four quarterbacks ranked inside the Top 10. There's not much film out on Hoytal, but the freshman did show glimpses of his arm talent during an event in December. He possesses an athletic frame at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, and has the arm strength to fit the ball into tight windows. Hoytal is likely to backup [player_tooltip player_id='145519' first='Branton' last='DeWeese'] this year, but he'll be another signal caller to look out for in 2024.    [player_tooltip player_id='585908' first='Traeh' last='West'] – Shawnee Mission South, 5'5”, 145, DB   Twitter: @TraehWest   Up next at No. 8 overall is the top defensive back in the class. [player_tooltip player_id='585908' first='Traeh' last='West'] of Shawnee Mission South was a player that earned his stripes in 2022. He was a rising prospect on the Raiders' freshman squad, and eventually worked his way up to the varsity level late last season. His first varsity experience is a small sample size, but he fared well against a tough Olathe West team. The freshman displayed some encouraging signs in that game. He covered ground quickly, showed solid open field tackling, but most importantly; he wasn't intimidated. His talent will be on full display when he competes with Emp1re 7-on-7 this spring and summer.    [player_tooltip player_id='585909' first='Cameron' last='Love'] – Olathe North, 6'4”, 155, ATH   Twitter: @Cam_Love0   Several years ago, Olathe North produced a two-way prospect that possessed a rare combination of size and athleticism. That prospect turned out to be Isaiah Simmons. Fast forward to 2023, Olathe North could have another potential star on their roster. While [player_tooltip player_id='585909' first='Cameron' last='Love'] has a long way to go before he becomes the high school prospect Simmons was, he did show flashes of being a playmaker on both sides of the ball at the freshman level. Love's rangy frame and speed will present many options for the Eagles' coaching staff this fall. The 9th ranked prospect can be a legit vertical threat on the perimeter, or he can be a versatile safety on defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='586974' first='Rey'Zhian' last='Shears-Montgomery'] – Wichita East, 5'11”, 170, ATH   Twitter: @ReyShears   Capping off the Top 10 is the 2nd ranked athlete in the class. [player_tooltip player_id='586974' first='Rey'Zhian' last='Shears-Montgomery'] isn't quite the two-way prospect [player_tooltip player_id='585909' first='Cameron' last='Love'] is, but he is arguably the most versatile defender in the class. His play in 2022 not only earned him a spot in the rankings, but he also received multiple showcase invitations, with notable ones like the KC Varsity Combines and the You Are Athlete camp. In addition to this, Shears-Montgomery was invited for an unofficial visit to Pitt State in November. Getting his name out in the recruiting world this early will be very beneficial. Especially when he gets to see how his game measures up against a variety of competition.

Since the completion of the '22 campaign in late November, ranking season has been in full effect for each graduating class in the state. Over the past few months, each class has been updated with the Class of '25 being the most recent. But one class that has yet to be highlighted, is the Class of 2026. The anticipation for this update has been building, and the time has now come for folks to be introduced to the next wave of top prospects in Kansas.