Five 2026's Who Are Impressing At The Midseason Point

DE [player_tooltip player_id='284105' first='Michael' last='Branch'] (Taylor) 6'3 225- I caught onto Mike as a freshman. He was very physically impressive for a freshman getting his first snaps of varsity action. Since then, he's continued to grow and add moves to his pass rush repertoire. Branch has a strong bull rush and shed, but where he's going to make his money is in the pass game. He has an array of moves at his disposal. He has an explosive shoulder dip that he can use to shoot the inside gap. He has a move where he jukes and then has an explosive upfield movement. As Branch gets bigger and stronger, I expect his game to go to another level to where he can physically dominate opposing offensive lineman. It's still early but there's no doubt in my mind that Branch has P5 potential.   DB [player_tooltip player_id='730825' first='Jakob' last='Weatherspoon'] (Avon) 5'11 175- Weatherspoon was a player who started to make a name for himself last offseason with his combo of speed and athleticism. In track he's an elite runner in the 400-meter dash. Weatherspoon is already a really good corner in man-to-man coverage. He's not afraid to line up on the line of scrimmage and head up on receivers. He's sound in has backpedal and turn and run. He does a really good job of getting his head turned with the receiver to make plays on the ball. Jakob gets great breaks on the ball and is a threat to jump a route and pick it off at any time. He's not afraid to come up against the run or in the blitz game. He put out some really good film against a very talented Glenvill skill group. It's pretty easy to see why he picked up an offer from the University of Michigan on a recent visit. He has all of the traits. That list will continue to grow as I think he's a 30-offer guy.   WR [player_tooltip player_id='1017372' first='Zion' last='Neal'] (Lakota East) 5'9 155- Neal is a fun watch on film. The word "jitterbug" comes to mind. Neal has explosive short space quickness that he shows off both in his route running and when he gets the ball in his hands. In his route running he shows off good speed and explosive breaks that he uses to get open and create separation. When he gets the ball in his hands, he uses that explosiveness and athleticism to make guys miss. When he does get hit he has great contact balance that he uses to extend the play for more yards after the catch. The Thunderhawks use Neal in many different ways: down the field, wide receiver screens, and reverses. He's a weapon who can hurt you in many ways. I'm excited to see Neal continue to make plays and start to get recruiting attention, as I think he's a D1 prospect.   QB [player_tooltip player_id='1017373' first='Deangelo' last='Birch'] (Princeton) 6'2 190- The Princeton Vikings are off to a 6-0 start and are currently the 2 seed in Division 1 region 4. Birch has done a good job of leading the Vikings offense over that span. Deangelo is a dual threat quarterback who can hurt you with his legs or his arm. In the passing game Birch has a big arm and can really air it out. He shows the ability to make multi-level throws. While the Vikings don't throw the ball a lot, Birch has been extremely efficient completing over 70% of his passes. You also see the ability to look off and make the quick read and throw. He feels the rush well and can make throws on the run. As a runner Birch shows good vision, ability to make cuts, and make guys miss. While he's not a burner, he has plenty enough speed to get downfield and pick up yards and keep the chains moving. One thing you worry about with a young quarterback is ball protection. Not so with Birch, as he's only turned the ball over once on the season. With continued physical and skill development I think Birch has D1 potential and I'm excited to s   ATH [player_tooltip player_id='958217' first='Jamyan' last='Theodore'] (Lutheran West) 6'0 160- Theodore, is a playmaker on both sides of the ball. As of right now I project Jamyan to the defensive side of the ball. Jamyan is a tough cover corner who can thrive in man v man or in zone coverage. He has the fluid hips and athleticism to turn and run on a dime. He has the speed to then run with receivers. He has great awareness of when the ball is in the air and the ball skills to take it away as evidenced by his 4 interceptions on the season. If Theodore can continue to develop physically and get stronger, he could add a press man element to his game that would take his game to the next level. Even as a sophomore Jamyan is a corner who you can put on an island and feel comfortable he's going win his reps. I expect Jamyan to start to get D1 attention heading into next camp season. With a strong camp showing that could lead to offers. The future is bright for Theodore!

DE Michael Branch Michael Branch 6'3" | 225 lbs | DL Taylor | 2026 State OH (Taylor) 6'3 225- I caught onto Mike as a freshman. He was very physically impressive for a freshman getting his first snaps of varsity action. Since then, he's continued to grow and add moves to his pass rush repertoire. Branch has a strong bull rush and shed, but where he's going to make his money is in the pass game. He has an array of moves at his disposal. He has an explosive shoulder dip that he can use to shoot the inside gap. He has a move where he jukes and then has an explosive upfield movement. As Branch gets bigger and stronger, I expect his game to go to another level to where he can physically dominate opposing offensive lineman. It's still early but there's no doubt in my mind that Branch has P5 potential.