Nightmare Fuel: 2026 Mismatches
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Use code Johnson30 for 30% off a subscription! Within every Class are athletes that give opponents fits trying to stop, or even slow down. Athletes with superior size, or elite athleticism, or a combination of both in the most dominant…
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Within every Class are athletes that give opponents fits trying to stop, or even slow down. Athletes with superior size, or elite athleticism, or a combination of both in the most dominant occasions. The Class of 2026 has several athletes out wide that fit those categories and are a nightmare to line up across from and defend. That is our focus here. The receiving threats who are set to become upperclassmen, that have already proven to be massive mismatches on the gridiron.
Tony has proven to be a dominant receiving threat in his first two years in HS. He has a long, lean frame at 6’2″ 170 lbs. Despite his size, Tony is an athletic mismatch. He is quick off the line, agile with his releases, and can really open up in the open field with his long strides. Tony finds, tracks, and adjusts to the ball so easily and plucks the ball out of the air with soft hands. The scary part is he can become even more dangerous out wide. Get on this kid early.
Lamont is a special athlete who is going to have the option of playing football or basketball at a high level in college. The 6′ 170 lbs athlete has elite agility, speed, and quickness that make him a nightmare for the defense. Lamont has D1 level acceleration off the line and knows how to position himself downfield so he can be in the best position to go up and get the ball. Lamont is excellent at the catch point too. He can the leaping ability to go above the rim to bring it in, has great concentration to make the catch in traffic, and is strong to secure the catch through contact. Hamilton has also taken the next step in his route running, using leverage and that elite burst to leave DBs chasing out of his breaks. The athletic profile with Lamont is special and should garner him several offers.
The WR Class in 2026 is not short on talent at the top. Harper is another special prospect that is going to be a nightmare for the next two years to matchup with. His film shows plenty of examples where his pure speed is enough to create the big play deep downfield. That is far from his only high end trait. Hughes is also gifted with the quick twitch athleticism that gets him off the line and out of jams very quickly. He can start/stop on a dime in his routes forcing DBs to chase or play way off him. When they do play off it again plays into his hand because of his elusiveness in space. Then on top of it all, CBs have to worry about him quickly closing the cushion and delivering key blocks in the run game. Harper is showing a well rounded game that is only going to get better over the coming years.
Brandon is another Kenosha Bradford WR/ATH who is quickly coming into his own, and on the way is dominating defensive backfields. Brandon has excellent track speed that translates to the field. Bradford loves to use Walton deep downfield, or getting him the ball quickly so he can use that speed to do damage. I liked the examples of him playing against zone, feeling when to break into open space, and then making the secure catch. Brandon is also a standout at DB on defense. Give his tape a look. I have a feeling we see a big breakout from him this fall.
Michael Farr Michael Farr 5'11" | 175 lbs | ATH Racine Case | 2026 State WI Jr.
Michael Farr Michael Farr 5'11" | 175 lbs | ATH Racine Case | 2026 State WI Jr.
A new athlete to my radar is Racine Case’s sophomore Michael Farr Michael Farr 5’11” | 175 lbs | ATH Racine Case | 2026 State WI . The 5’11” 175 lbs WR is a well put together, strong receiver. That power and balance shows up early in the highlights as he runs through DBs on the way to a long score. That power isn’t just after the catch, it is at the catch too where he is able to hold onto it through hits and multiple hands. What makes Michael so exciting is that on top of already being a physical prospect, the sophomore also has the athleticism to be a mismatch with his quickness and speed. No question, Farr is the type of athlete that coaches will be confident can handle the physicality of the next level, and also has the athleticism to play in space. I’m excited to cover Michael the next couple years.