5 Stand Outs from the Class of 2026
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As we look back on last season, several players from the class of 2026 had tremendous statistics and are headed for bright futures. As we turn the spotlight on five of the top Iowa high school football sophomores, it’s time to analyze…
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Continue ReadingAs we look back on last season, several players from the class of 2026 had tremendous statistics and are headed for bright futures. As we turn the spotlight on five of the top Iowa high school football sophomores, it’s time to analyze what makes these players so unique.
What these five players proved last year makes us excited as we anticipate the next football season. Each of them are destined to have a big year and will rise in the rankings for the class of 2026. Let’s dive into what makes these players some of the top Iowa high school football sophomores.
Beaver was a menace on the defensive line, leading all sophomores in sacks with five and had seven total tackles for a loss. His relentless motor and physical mentality immediately stands out on film. Beaver destroys offensive linemen and quickly disrupts plays in the backfield. He’s a strong, powerful interior player who wins with an explosive get-off and great strength at the point of attack. Beaver fires explosively through gaps and destroys plays before they even get started. He understands how to use leverage to his advantage, controlling reps and shedding blocks. Beaver has the size and tools to be one of the top defensive linemen of his class.
Kayden James
Kayden James
James was a tackling machine last season, totaling 45.5 tackles, seven coming for a loss, and was tied for second in the class with three sacks. He’s a tremendously instinctive linebacker who has shown flashes of timing snaps and shooting gaps, disrupting the play before it gets going. James is ridiculously quick firing downhill and rarely gets caught chasing due to his good positioning and understanding of what offenses are running. He has great size and solid length to reach ball carriers that are out of his tackle radius. James has power behind his hits, as he puts his shoulder down, wraps up, and drives ball carriers to the ground. Look for him to have a big junior season next year.
DeGroote looked great last season, gaining 1425 offensive yards and 17 touchdowns. As a sophomore, he showed off great arm qualities, displaying a great deep ball and good mechanics. DeGroote has solid footwork in his dropback, getting his cleats in the dirt, delivering a strong pass with good velocity, and placing the ball where his receiver can make a play on it. He proved he can deliver accurate passes to all areas of the field, showing off great touch on his deep ball and good arm strength to deliver a pinpoint pass in tight windows. As DeGroote gets another year under his belt, he could be in for a massive rise as he continues to develop.
Highlights
Cameron Cantonwine Cameron Cantonwine 6'1" | 190 lbs | QB Ames | 2026 State IA
Cameron Cantonwine Cameron Cantonwine 6'1" | 190 lbs | QB Ames | 2026 State IA
Cantonwine had an amazing season, leading all sophomores in all-purpose yards with 1330, 878 of which came on the ground and scored 15 touchdowns. As a quarterback, he’s used a ton on designed runs and rollouts to get him in space to read defenses. As someone who runs a lot, Cantonwine also has a decent arm, with the ability to drive the ball deep and has good placement throughout all three levels of a defense. When he decides to run, he has great speed that he uses to outrun defenders, quickly getting the edge and turning upfield. Cantonwine is tough to bring down and can lower his shoulder, running over defenders and gaining the tough yards. His patience at the line of scrimmage to wait for holes to open up is tremendous, and his vision to locate open running lanes allows him to hit the home run on any given play.
Braiden Johnson
Braiden Johnson
Johnson had a phenomenal sophomore season, tying for the most receptions in the class with 34 while gaining 440 total receiving yards and two touchdowns. He’s a great slot receiver who can create separation with his shiftiness and athleticism. Even though he’s not the biggest player on the field, Johnson can go up and get the ball, fight through contact, and make contested catches. He has phenomenal hands and understands how to work the sidelines and the end line of the end zone. When he gets the ball in his hands, Johnson can make defenders miss and gain yards after the catch. There are subtle nuances to his route running and technique, and as he continues to develop throughout the coming years, Johnson will be rising in the high school wide receiver rankings this season.