2026 Rising Stars In the Spotlight

The Prep Redzone Kansas Team continued the marathon 2026 rankings updates over the weekend as the last-second recommendations and discussions rolled in. The new 2026 rankings official release date has not been released, but it will be forthcoming in early May. We will get the word out once a date has been finalized.   And, as I conclude my reporting and coverage of the class of 2026 players for the foreseeable future, I wanted to highlight five of the 2026 players I really enjoyed watching on tape over the past few months. There were a number of standouts - both ranked and unranked - who I was fortunate to see at an early stage in their football journey and plan to follow them going forward, but these guys jumped off the tape and I wanted to circle back and put an exclamation point on them as we accelerate toward the 2024 season.   The Weekend Five From the Class of '26 who I want to recognize are listed below:   [player_tooltip player_id='1114762' first='DJ' last='Ngassa']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/dj-ngassa/"></a> , 6'0, 250, DL, Wichita East, is ranked #36. Talk about getting out of the blocks fast, he staked his claim in the trenches early in his sophomore campaign and never looked back. Piling up 95 tackles, a mind-numbing 44 tackles for loss, 13 sacks and 26 quarterback pressures, he was a wrecking ball of a destroyer between the tackles. He is versatile enough to play anywhere along the defensive line, as a dominating defensive tackle or a ball-buster off the edge. He is a rock-solid defender with a powerful anchor of a base and heavy hands who plays in aggressive attack mode on every play. He is strong and quick enough to split double teams and uses his agility and body control to get in the backfield in a hurry. He has great football instincts and moves laterally through traffic fending off hits well as he tracks down ball carriers. This guy is a stud.   [player_tooltip player_id='426515' first='Brayden' last='Pappas']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/brayden-pappas/"></a> , 5'9, 185, RB/LB, Eisenhower, is ranked #31. Another versatile athlete who is coming off a standout sophomore season when he played five different positions. A year ago he focused on defense, and was an aggressive headhunter of a linebacker, racking up 64 tackles on a tough Eisenhower defense. This year he will continue to go both ways but will focus on carrying the ball. He has been super active in the camp/combine circuit and has been fine-tuning his craft as he prepares for his offensive focus. Usually lining up as a single back, he has a low center of gravity and is a driving, pounding runner who makes decisive cuts, sees the field well and has good burst and next gear in the open field. He is a physical runner between the tackles and can also hit the corner and outrun defenders on the perimeter. This kid is going to provide a powerful running game for a lights-out Eisenhower offense this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='1113456' first='Kris' last='Harding II']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/kris-harding-ii/"></a> , 6'0, 175, QB/DB, Chanute, is ranked #97. Although not getting as much recognition playing in southeast Kansas, he is coming off an excellent sophomore season when he passed for 1,669 yards, 15 touchdowns, with a sparkling 109 QBR, and rushed for 177 yards. He matured quickly into a dangerous dual-threat quarterback, who runs the ball well extending plays and scrambling, and is tough to bring down in the open field. Where he really stands out, however is in throwing the football. He has a strong, accurate arm capable of throwing surgical strikes on outs, posts and crossing routes in the short-to-intermediate passing game. He can also launch the deep ball with touch, and can throw off platform and from different launch angles. He has good pocket presence and has a compact, smooth shoulder rotation, hip/weight transfer and release. This guy won't be flying under the radar for long.   [player_tooltip player_id='586976' first='Pharrell' last='Adams']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/pharrell-adams/"></a> , 6'0, 210, LB, Wichita East, is ranked #7. He is coming off a standout sophomore season when he accumulated an impressive 110 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, six sacks, and added a fumble recovery and an interception. When I first reported on him I referred to him as the “Beast From East” who was already one of the top linebackers in the state and off and running making a name for himself as an athletic, rugged hitter. He can play any of the linebacker positions but particularly excels as a middle or inside backer who blows up the run game from sideline to sideline. He is an agile, athletic ball hawk who uses his weaponized hands and good burst to shoot gaps like a heat-seeking missile. He is a defensive playmaker who can float in pass coverage baiting QB's to throw his way, but strong enough to bust offensive tackles in the chops and still chase down speedy backs on the perimeter. This kid is the real deal.   [player_tooltip player_id='283949' first='Jarek' last='Purdy']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/jarek-purdy/"></a> , 6'0, 170, WR, Hays, is ranked #8. He is one of the highest-ranked players in this report and is coming off an excellent season when he caught 25 passes for 404 yards, averaging over 16 yards a catch, scored seven touchdowns, averaged over nine yards a carry rushing, scored a pair of rushing touchdowns and is a dangerous return man on punt and kickoff returns, just because he can. He is a versatile, superbly-gifted athlete who lines up all up and down the line of scrimmage, whether it is in the slot, split wide to force mismatches or getting the ball on the reverse. He runs precise, disciplined, possession routes, and is able to make the difficult contested catch. He is particularly dangerous in tracking the long ball, using his speed and instincts to create separation and fly to the endzone. He is a slippery, elusive runner after the catch and is difficult to bring down in the open field. Get your popcorn out for this kid.   In conclusion, get out and watch these guys or put them on your watchlist to follow through the remainder of their high school football careers. You will not be disappointed. And, as usual, feel free to reach out to me with any comments, questions, or if you have any names of players “flying under the radar”, via DM on X.

The Prep Redzone Kansas Team continued the marathon 2026 rankings updates over the weekend as the last-second recommendations and discussions rolled in. The new 2026 rankings official release date has not been released, but it will be forthcoming in early May. We will get the word out once a date has been finalized.