New to the 2026 Rankings (31-40)
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The 2026 Rankings have been updated and increased to 100 total players ranked in the class. 62 new players have seen their name added in the update and we’ll break down who was added. Here were the players who debuted…
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Continue ReadingThe 2026 Rankings have been updated and increased to 100 total players ranked in the class. 62 new players have seen their name added in the update and we’ll break down who was added. Here were the players who debuted in the 2026 rankings in this update.
Philip Barbour’s Cameron Bennett Cameron Bennett 6’1″ | 185 lbs | WR Philip Barbour | 2026 State WV is just a playmaker for the Colts. Bennett totaled 850 all-purpose yards and led the team in receiving with 548 yards and 8 touchdowns. His playmaking ability carries over to special teams where he’s a lethal returner averaging over 26 yards per touch and had one score. Bennett was also the 4th-leading tackler on defense with 49 total while also returning a fumble for a touchdown and picking off two passes. I think his best position is receiver where he’s able to use his 6’1 length and speed to benefit from the most. Bennett has next-level speed which he shows in his separation ability before and after the catch. He’s a very good YAC receiver who is light on his feet and can make defenders miss too. His release off the line is very quick often beating his man before they can even react. Allowing him to get a free release spells trouble for any defense and Bennett was highly effective on slot fades and seam routes this season. Anytime he gets the ball in his hands he’s a threat to score and as he fine-tunes the technical side of his game he’ll become a nightmare to defend.
An early candidate for a Top 10 offensive lineman in the 2026 class is North Marion’s Logan Gump Logan Gump 6’2″ | 260 lbs | OL North Marion | 2026 State WV . The 6’2 260 sophomore protected the blind side for the Huskies this season en route to a Class AA state runner-up finish. Although Gump doesn’t have the prototypical OT length at this time, he’s light on his feet and nimble for a young big man. He has great hand usage with a strong grip when he gets his hands on defenders with the strength to be able to control and drive them where he wants them. Gump’s step blocks are also quality for his age and can block down to the second level and in space with his athleticism. He has good bend and plays with low leverage which also speaks to his athletic ability for a young lineman. Gump is physical at the point of attack and sustains his blocks until the whistle. Ultimately, if he doesn’t increase in length the next two years he’ll likely be a guard prospect but has a lot of early tools and traits to build on.
Marcos Kniska Marcos Kniska 6’0″ | 200 lbs | LB University | 2026 State WV burst onto the scene this season for the University Hawks after coming over from Trinity Christian for his sophomore season. Kniska is a 6’0 200 DE/OLB hybrid type of player right now and had great production for the Hawks this season. He led them in TFLs and sacks totaling 12 and 5 respectively along with 49 tackles and also led Trinity Christian in all three categories as a freshman in 2022. I just got to see Kniska at the Winter Exposure Showcase back in December where he earned Camp MVP honors firmly putting him on my radar before watching his highlight tape. On the field, Kniska is a tenacious player with a high motor and great pursuit. He showed a diverse skillset on film and can rush the passer, support in run defense, and athletic enough to drop into coverage. Even at his current size, Kniska can bull rush with the strength to drive tackles backward but also has the speed and quickness to work a pass rush move. I loved his sophomore tape, and the only question with him moving forward will be how much bigger he can get which will tell you which position he translates best to at the next level.
We’re taking a bit of a flyer on Fairmont Senior’s Tarran Boda Tarran Boda 5’10” | 175 lbs | DB Fairmont Senior | 2026 State WV as a DB prospect after playing mostly linebacker this past season. His size at 5’8 170 paired with the athleticism he flashed on his sophomore highlights supports more of a DB outlook at this time but time will tell if he grows or not. You can imagine him being a safety or SPEAR hybrid type of player when watching his film from this season. Boda has very good speed and quickness and is a downhill thumper. He gets reps at running back and should see an increased role on both sides of the ball in the next two seasons. Couldn’t find any coverage highlights from Boda so this is a big projection evaluation but the athletic traits are there for him to develop into a DB or possibly move to LB in our rankings in time.
Highlights
Oak Hill’s Brayden Knight Brayden Knight 6’3″ | 290 lbs | OL Oak Hill | 2026 State WV is a very raw prospect right now with great upside who showed flashes of what he can develop into with time during his sophomore season. The 6’3 320 big man will need time to develop in the weight room which is to be expected for a young lineman his size. Knight mans the center position for the Red Devils speaking to how much they trust him at a young age. I thought he gave Oak Hill good reps at defensive tackle too which will be something to monitor if he emerges as a better DL prospect in the future with the ideal size that he has there. Typically outsizing defenders, Knight can use his larger size to overpower smaller defensive linemen knocking them to the ground. His upside and potential warranted an early Top 10 OL ranking but Knight will need to keep developing in all facets and taking the next steps to maintain that high thought of him.
The youngest of the Blunt brothers in our rankings is sophomore Keltin Blunt Keltin Blunt 6’2″ | 170 lbs | DB University | 2026 State WV who shows early signs of potentially being the highest-ceiling athlete of them all. He has great length for a young corner at 6’2 165 who you could see eventually sliding over to safety depending on his development. I got to see him earn MVP honors at the Winter Exposure Showcase back in December which got him on my radar before seeing his film. Blunt plays the corner position like a safety with limited highlights playing the ball in coverage which further supports a potential move to safety in the future. He’s a willing tackler at corner who reads the play well to get out of coverage for a reactionary tackle. Blunt is a quality open-field tackler as well with apparent athleticism that he can build around. He’s another high-upside and potential player who flashed some good things as a sophomore and will raise his ceiling with continued development over the next two years.
Highlights
Second Team All-MSAC performer Jermare Smith Jermare Smith 5’10” | 175 lbs | WR Capital | 2026 State WV from Capital debuts in the 2026 rankings 37th overall and the #8 WR in the class. Limited receiving production this past season but also doubles as a quality safety as well who should see a receiving increase the next two seasons. Each time he did get the ball offense he was making a big play averaging over 30 yards per catch. Smith has the ideal size for a slot receiver at 5’10 175 with the athletic ability to pair with it to develop into a high-level prospect in time. With the limited receiver sample size right now we’re making an investment in him that he’ll make a big jump in production and in his development over the next two seasons to warrant his high ranking. I expect all of these Capital underclassmen to make a big jump with former head coach Jon Carpenter returning to lead the Cougars once again.
Another raw interior offensive line prospect with high upside and potential is Liberty-Harrison’s Braydon Hendricks Braydon Hendricks 6’3″ | 285 lbs | OL Liberty-Harrison | 2026 State WV . He plays left tackle in high school but with his 6’3 280 size and stature, I see him as a guard at the next level if he doesn’t increase in length. Hendricks is farther ahead in run blocking right now than pass blocking and his current footwork also suggests a move to guard eventually. I thought his leverage looks solid at this point and he does a nice job sustaining blocks after initial contact. Liberty-Harrison runs a lot of 1 and 2 TE sets which seemingly allows Hendricks to play more comfortably with a TE attached to him. You can see the early strength and power in the young lineman, especially with run plays and something that he can build on moving forward the next two years.
Highlights
A young interior defensive lineman who flashed some really good things on his sophomore highlight tape was Morgantown DT Zevon Shipman Zevon Shipman 6’0″ | 260 lbs | DL Morgantown | 2026 State WV . Shipman has quality size for a young defensive tackle at 6’0 260 and appears to have some solid strength behind it. He’s mostly a run-stopping DT right now who makes a bulk of his plays at the line of scrimmage. I thought Shipman did show some violent hands and a staggering first punch at times which is a great early sign to see in a young defensive tackle. He does a nice job fighting off offensive linemen and holding his ground at the LOS further showcasing his physical strength. It’s fun to watch him throw offensive linemen out of the way and if Shipman increases in quickness and size he’s going to be a serious problem for the next two seasons for the Mohigans.