Receivers on the Rise: Spotlighting Six of 2026’s Brightest Stars

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the offseason fully underway, let's take a second to shine a light on some of the talented receivers in the class of 2026 who may be flying under the radar up to this point. These athletes may be listed as wide receivers, but they all fall into the category of "play-makers." </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1177552"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='1177552' first='Khalil' last='Bender'] led all sophomores in receiving yards in Arizona for the 2023 season. It's easy to see why with the way he glides through a defense; it's as if he's driving through oncoming traffic in a Need For Speed game. He has great agility and puts it on full display any time he gets the ball in open space. His quick feet will swiftly dodge a defender and then he has the quickness to get right back up to speed and keep going. Bender does an excellent job tracking the ball through the air. He has no problem adjusting to the ball to put him in the best position to make plays, oftentimes putting defenders in bad spots along the way. He's the type of player who's always going to try to make a play and he has the speed to make it happen more often than not. He's so lethal with the ball in his hands that a little refinement on his footwork off the line of scrimmage to get more separation on his short routes will add another element to his game. He's already an elite deep-route runner as it is. Bender received the most votes amung fans for u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/BJMedia1u0022u003eBJ Media'su003c/au003e 'Underclassman of the Year' award this past season. Imagining what he'll be able to do with another full offseason under his belt is, no doubt, scary for McClintock's 2024 opponents.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65d6e69b7750d"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/BJMedia1/status/1730506235223621835","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/BJMedia1/status/1730506235223621835 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1134319"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='1134319' first='Kamari' last='Stanbury'] immediately stands out because of how physical a receiver he is. It's rare to see anyone at that position be ultra physical in this day and age, never mind a sophomore. Right from the line of scrimmage, he shows that he's not afraid to use his body to get the positioning he needs to make the play. While he may not have the best top-end speed, Stanbury's feet are incredibly quick and it allows him to get good separation. He's not just making plays on the offensive side of the ball; he also takes that physicality with him when he plays defense where he's flying all over the field. I was pleasantly surprised to see the effort that Stanbury put into blocking, occasionally being the key block to seal the edge for his running backs. Averaging 80 yards a game this season, next year will be something scouts won't want to miss.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65d6e69b7757f"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/KamariStanbury/status/1745135967206539333","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/KamariStanbury/status/1745135967206539333 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["283581"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Listed at 5'7”, [player_tooltip player_id='283581' first='Noah' last='Chanez'] has a frame tailor-made for a slot wide receiver, and it seems like he's embraced that in every way. He's a very quick and tough runner with the ball in his hands. He's not at all afraid to lower his shoulder in order to get a few extra yards and is strong enough to get them. With his quick feet, he's not only able to make defenders miss after the catch, but he's able to generate immediate separation. Chanez makes sure to use this to his advantage in the short game and excels at getting open quickly and being a reliable target for his quarterback. A clear playmaker for his team, they try to get him the ball in any way they can. He runs the ball, returns kicks, returns punts, and catches passes – finishing the year with 1610 all-purpose yards. A playmaker like Chanez is one you don't want to miss out on.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65d6e69b775dc"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/HSTucson/status/1710492943998767422","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/HSTucson/status/1710492943998767422 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1177576"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='1177576' first='Trey' last='Peck'] understands the game of football. From top to bottom, he not only understands what should be happening, but how to do it. For starters, he's an excellent route runner with really crisp breaks that often lead to him getting a step on defenders. He knows how to attack zone defenses and how to use leverage within them, which is incredibly rare at his age. This play below is a perfect example. He has to travel far inside in order to convince the defender that's where he's going. The second the defender passes him off, he cuts back over the top into a wide open gap in the zone for a touchdown. He's also another true play-maker on this list with over 970 combined kick and punt return yards this past season. Peck's game doesn't stop there. He's also a critical piece on defense where he had 15 pass defenses and five interceptions. This kind of impact on all three phases is something we don't often see in football, at any level.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65d6e69b7763a"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/jacob_seliga/status/1722807340003684485","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/jacob_seliga/status/1722807340003684485 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["401167"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"The first thing that jumps out about [player_tooltip player_id='401167' first='Julian' last='Moncivaiz'] is his footwork off the line of scrimmage. Both quick and refined, he's able to burst off the line and close any gap between him and his defender in the blink of an eye. He continues with that good footwork through the sharp breaks in his routes. Moncivaiz's body control is impressive too. The ability to keep concentration as the ball travels and make acrobatic catches while keeping his spacial awareness is extremely mature for a sophomore. Although he's definitely a shifty player who can make defenders miss after the catch, he's not one to shy away from contact by any means. Once he gets the ball in his hands, he's a very hard runner. He's running with a purpose – to get into the endzone – and it shows. After announcing a transfer to Cactus this offseason, he'll be an integral part of that offense in 2024.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65d6e69b77695"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/WSSArizona/status/1744805436061323624","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/WSSArizona/status/1744805436061323624 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["401157"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='401157' first='Devin' last='Fitzgerald'], son of Arizona Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald, has a great frame to be an X wide receiver. With incredibly long arms, he has an impressive catch radius. He also has long legs, which usually indicates a player won't be very quick. It's rare to find someone so long who can also be very quick with their feet, but Fitzgerald certainly is. He's able to use that quickness to make defenders miss and is really good overall after the catch. What stood out the most to me about Fitzgerald was his effort in the run game. He's consistently putting everything he has into helping his running backs get as many yards as possible. With an increased role in this coming season, along with getting some wise words from the greatest college coach of all time, Fitzgerald is poised to rise up the wide receiver rankings.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65d6e69b776ef"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/sabanfaux/status/1755841137053778151","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/sabanfaux/status/1755841137053778151 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->