WV 2026 Rankings Debut: The Next 30 Ranked (Defense)

Our 2026 rankings made their debut on Tuesday and the Top 10 offensive and defensive players were highlighted but what about the next 30 ranked players? Today and tomorrow we will highlight some of those players ranked outside the Top 10 for offense and defense and further break down the first edition of the 2026 rankings that are sure to change a ton the next three seasons. Here are the rest of the defensive players that made our first 2026 rankings.   [player_tooltip player_id='882762' first='Trevor' last='Dean'] - Robert C. Byrd | DL | 5'10 220 Overall Ranking: 36 | Position Ranking: 4   The only thing keeping Robert C. Byrd defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='882762' first='Trevor' last='Dean'] from being even higher in the 2026 rankings is size. Dean is listed at 5'10 220 and for an interior defensive lineman that's not very big but Dean can really play. I got to see him at the GCOH Performance Exposure Camp back in June and Dean absolutely dominated. He earned DL Camp MVP and was one of the biggest standouts at the entire camp. Dean dominated in 1-on-1s and had one of the best camp performances I've seen this year. Dean is really quick off the ball and his pass-rush moves are very advanced for a young player. Hopefully, he'll continue to get bigger and if he does, watch out! He'll enter the 2026 rankings as the #36 overall player and #4 ranked DL.   [player_tooltip player_id='895002' first='Joey' last='Hall'] - Wheeling Central Catholic | DB | 5'10 150 Overall Ranking: 38 | Position Ranking: 4   [player_tooltip player_id='895002' first='Joey' last='Hall'] saw a lot of playing time for Wheeling Central Catholic's Final Four team as a freshman and had several interceptions for the Maroon Knights. The 5'10 150 speedy cornerback is quick to the ball and showed he was a willing tackler as well which is great to see in a young DB. Hall is also a good special teams player covering punts and kickoffs too. While he'll need to keep adding weight, Hall has the athleticism and nose for the ball to be considered one of the top 2026 DB's in the state early on. He debuts as the #38 overall player and #4 ranked defensive back.   [player_tooltip player_id='894974' first='Isaiah' last='Wang'] - Spring Mills | DB | 6'1 175 Overall Ranking: 39 | Position Ranking: 5   Spring Mills DB [player_tooltip player_id='894974' first='Isaiah' last='Wang'] saw some JV and varsity time as a freshman for the Cardinals and he appears to have a bright future. I already really like his 6'1 175 size for a corner and that will pay dividends for him. Wang is also a talented receiver but he'll initially enter the rankings as a defensive back. He'll need to keep working on his speed and getting quicker but there is a lot to work with there. Wang comes in as the #39 overall player and 5th ranked DB for the 2026 class.   [player_tooltip player_id='894972' first='Trey' last='Lester'] - Sherman | DB | 6'1 145 Overall Ranking: 41 | Position Ranking: 6   Sherman WR/DB [player_tooltip player_id='894972' first='Trey' last='Lester'] was a great hidden gem that we came across when searching through Hudl profiles and a Single A name to know. I really liked his wide receiver film as well and he can stretch the field and go up and get it. Lester is already lengthy at 6'1 and once he starts filling out his long frame he's going to be scary in small school ball. I was impressed with his speed as well and he can really turn it on when he needs to. I'm excited to follow the rest of his career and see how high his ceiling can get. Lester comes in as the #41 overall player and #6 ranked DB.   [player_tooltip player_id='894994' first='Tavon' last='Jones'] - Washington | DB | 5'11 165 Overall Ranking: 42 | Position Ranking: 7   Film is limited right now for Washington WR/DB [player_tooltip player_id='894994' first='Tavon' last='Jones'] but from what is currently available he appears to be a player to watch for the next three years. You can tell he has spent a lot of time in the weight room early on and physically looks the part for a young player. As more film comes out on Jones we'll get a better idea of his talent and he's a player that could really rise up these rankings. Jones debuts as the #42 overall player in the 2026 class and our #7 ranked DB.   [player_tooltip player_id='894624' first='Bryson' last='Elia'] - Tug Valley | DB | 5'9 150 Overall Ranking: 46 | Position Ranking: 8   Tug Valley DB [player_tooltip player_id='894624' first='Bryson' last='Elia'] earned Class A Second Team All-State as a defensive back last season as a freshman and looks to have a very bright future. Elia is also a very talented running back but he'll initially enter our 2026 rankings as a DB for now. The 5'9 150 two-way star had nearly 800 yards rushing, almost 1,500 all-purpose yards, and 10 touchdowns on offense in 2022 while racking up 45 tackles and 5 interceptions on defense. While he's not facing the same kind of competition as some of the other names in the 2026 rankings, he still performed very well for a young player and is worthy of making the Top 50 for the 2026 class. Elia ranks as the #46 overall player and #8 ranked DB for his class.   [player_tooltip player_id='895001' first='Adrian' last='Ramsey'] - Webster County | LB | 5'10 170 Overall Ranking: 50 | Position Ranking: 5   Another Class A 2026 athlete that showed early signs of potential is Webster County's [player_tooltip player_id='895001' first='Adrian' last='Ramsey']. Believe it or not, Ramsey played a lot on the defensive interior line at 5'10 170 and wreaked havoc. He even lined up at nose guard too at times and as a stand-up edge player/linebacker as well. The early versatility and ability to get into the backfield warranted our final spot in the initial Top 50 2026 rankings. Ramsey is a little wrecking ball right now and fun to watch. If he can get the speed to stay at linebacker full-time he has the chance to stick in the Top 50 by the time he's a senior.

Our 2026 rankings made their debut on Tuesday and the Top 10 offensive and defensive players were highlighted but what about the next 30 ranked players? Today and tomorrow we will highlight some of those players ranked outside the Top 10 for offense and defense and further break down the first edition of the 2026 rankings that are sure to change a ton the next three seasons. Here are the rest of the defensive players that made our first 2026 rankings.