2026 Players on the Rise

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>More studs to uncover than there is time, but the&nbsp;<strong><em>Prep Redzone Kansas Team</em></strong>&nbsp;continues to burn the midnight oil looking for young talent who deserves to be upgraded or added to the rapidly approaching 2026 ranking updates in May.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I will continue my marathon film study through the month, taking a look at as many players as possible in that timeframe. As a part of this approach, I will publish reports three times a week that provide status on the 2026 stars in development, as well as select five to seven players in each report who seriously caught my eye in the daily/weekly review process.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this report, I will be focusing on three ranked players who have surprisingly not received as much coverage as they probably should have. I will also be presenting a couple of up-and-coming&nbsp;<em>unranked</em>&nbsp;players who are getting ready to make some noise this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Listed below are the end-of-the-week stars in the Kansas football scene that caught my eye in the last few days.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The&nbsp;<strong><em>End-of-the-Week</em></strong>&nbsp;<strong><em>Five</em></strong>&nbsp;are listed below:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='291673' first='William' last='Owens']</strong>, 6'2, 230, TE/ATH, <strong>Wichita East</strong>, is ranked #52. He is coming off a solid start to his high school career, having played his sophomore season with the Newton Railers. He has since transferred to a loaded Wichita East team and with his position versatility should be a good addition. He can play as a bruising tailback or in a one-back set, and line up on the other side of the ball as an outside linebacker or defensive end as needed. He will probably play tight end or as a hybrid H back for East this fall. He has a strong frame with good reach and with his proven ability to run the ball and his athleticism should be an asset after the catch. Get out and see this kid come into his own in 2024.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1114811' first='Trevon' last='Creager']</strong>, 6'3, 220, K/P/TE, <strong>Washburn Rural</strong>, is currently unranked. He is coming off an excellent season a year ago when he handled all of the kickoff and punting duties for Washburn Rural as well as filling in as a tight end as needed. He has a big frame with a strong base, good catch radius and blocks well as a tight end. Where he really shines, however, is when he is called on to kick or punt the football. On kickoffs, he has a cannon for a leg and regularly drives the ball through the end zone. He kicks a towering ball that reaches standout elevation. As a punter he averaged just under 45 yards a punt and had numerous balls downed inside the ten yard line. Get out and see a guy that is a master at his craft this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1228925' first='Hayden' last='Heller']</strong>, 6'1, 255, DL, <strong>Mill Valley</strong>, is currently unranked. He is coming off an excellent sophomore season as a starter on the state champion Mill Valley defense. He is a versatile defensive lineman who can line up as a nose tackle or scheme up and down the interior line of scrimmage as needed. He comes out of his stance low and hard with great pad level. He has a powerful first step and uses his weaponized hands to bust linemen in the chops and shut the run game down between the tackles. He has good feet and moves quickly in lateral pursuit, splitting double teams and getting into the backfield in a hurry. He has excellent read and react skills and a nose for the football. Get out and see a kid make some noise this fall. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1114737' first='Braden' last='Wilmes']</strong>, 6'8, 285, OL, <strong>Lawrence Free State</strong>, is ranked #6. He is coming off a good sophomore season and is already getting significant attention from recruiters and scouts. He lines up at left tackle in the Free State offense and is a towering presence along the offensive front. He has prototype size and reach and moves very well for his size. He has good feet and is quick enough that he is even used to pull and block on the perimeter. He has a good initial step in pass pro and is very effective at walling off dangerous edge rushers. He locks in on his target and drives from snap to whistle. He is definitely a star on the rise, get out and see him while you can.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='904112' first='Lark' last='Anderson']</strong>, 6'0, 180, QB, <strong>Blue Valley North</strong>, is ranked #69. He is coming off a solid sophomore season as the starting Blue Valley signal caller. He is a versatile dual-threat quarterback who is a shifty, elusive runner and effective dropping back and rolling out in the passing game. He can make all the throws, from short-to-intermediate darts on crossing routes to deep touch passes down the seams. He has good pocket mechanics and a compact throwing motion. He can throw off platform as needed and from a variety of launch angles when pressured. He is still a little raw in the passing game but you can see significant potential. He is athletic and can do everything the elite quarterbacks are called on to do. Get out and see a rising star this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In conclusion, get out and see these guys in action this fall. You will not be disappointed. And, as always, if you know of someone flying under the radar, feel free to reach out to me via DM on X.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->