STOCK RISERS: New 2026 Prospects On The Rise

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Which young 2026 prospects are bound for breakout seasons in 2023?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Redzone has all the details below...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='283859' first='Jayreon' last='Campbell'] - RB - McEachern</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A tough young back with vision, it's tougher to find a more impressive freshman back in West Cobb for the 2203 season. At 5-foot-11 190-pounds, Campbell was McEachern's 2nd-leading back last year, but with their leading rusher from last year graduated, Campbell has an opportunity to step into the starter's role and have a big sophomore season for the Indians. As a freshman last year, Campbell rushed 54 times for 236 yards and a touchdown. He's great in short-yardage situations and runs hard for someone his age. He hits the hole hard, falls forward after first contact, and will only improve year after year. He earned a recent offer from Michigan and will likely see more come his way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/JayreonC/status/1656695039601397765?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/JayreonC/status/1656695039601397765?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='212296' first='CJ' last='Harris'] - ATH - Columbia</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A hard-hitting middle linebacker who played lots of plays on special teams last year for Cedar Grove, Harris is a tough defender with a compact frame who should have a big season for Columbia next fall as a sophomore. A quick-reacting defender against the run, Harris knows how to deliver a big hit whether he's on special teams or at linebacker. He can fly into the backfield if not blocked correctly and will leave a bruise when he gets there. He doesn't hit like a 2026 prospect, and he's only going to get better over the next few years. He's one of the top 2026 linebackers in the Atlanta and could see some impressive D1 offers come his way after a big sophomore season next fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='682944' first='Rodney' last='Colton JR']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/rodney-colton-jr/"><strong></strong><strong></strong><strong></strong></a><a></a>&nbsp;. – Newnan</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A top young versatile defender who can play linebacker or in the secondary, Colton Jr. was a hard-hitting freshman with range and plenty of power behind his tackles. He's instinctive, reacting quickly against the run with the ability to make a big tackle on the ball-carrier. The Newnan forced three fumbles last year, an impressive number for anyone, much less a freshman. He has plenty of size already at 6-foot-1 and around 180-pounds, showing D1 potential all season long. He shows a great motor and knows how to make a play in the backfield. as well. As good as he was as a freshman, he has a chance to have a real breakout sophomore season in 2023. Last season, Colton Jr. made 34 tackles, 5 TFLs, and created multiple turnovers. According to the latest 2026 update, Colton Jr. is now ranked as the No. 2 linebacker prospect and the No. 16 overall prospect in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='681180' first='Amari' last='Latimer'] - RB - Sandy Creek</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the top young running backs in the Atlanta area, Latimer is a speedy back who can really take off down the field when given a sliver of space to run. He shows great vision for his age and appears to have D1 potential if he continues to improve off a big freshman season. He's shifty, can made defenders miss, and shows good burst. Playing for the reigning 3A state champions, LAtimer showed he can be a reliable option in the running game as he took off for 648 yards on 112 carries with 7 touchdowns. The 6-foot-0 190-pounder has good size for his age and has a massive sophomore season ahead of him in 2023. Look for him to make plenty of big plays at linebacker as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->