Tale of the Tape: 2026 Ranking Update Highlights

With the marathon film review for the latest 2026 updates continuing after the holiday weekend, the Prep Redzone Kansas Team continues to plow through tape to ensure the new ranking updates are as spot on as possible. There has been a ton of progress and maturation by many who are already ranked that will be recognized, but there will also be significant attention paid to flushing out players flying under the radar.   My process will stay consistent as I will continue to identify standout players as I go through the tale-of-the-tape film study and report on five to six players that really impressed me three times a week.   To kick off the post-holiday 2026 updates, we will be looking at a couple of players who are already making a name for themselves early in their high school careers, but also are including a handful of guys who look promising but are currently unranked. The five players below caught my eye as athletes who are getting ready to shine even brighter this fall.   The Post-Holiday Five are listed below:   [player_tooltip player_id='283952' first='Rey'zhian' last='Shears'], 6'0, 205, LB/SS, Wichita East, is ranked #13. He is coming off a breakout year last season as a versatile, hard-nosed linebacker. He can play any of the linebacker positions or even line up as a strong safety, but where he really excels is as an inside linebacker who slams the gate shut on the run game between the tackles. He is a strong, athletic defender who has good wheels and moves well laterally. He flies to the football and hits like a sledgehammer coming in low and hard and at full-speed. He has strong read and react skills and is brutally effective shooting gaps or coming off the edge to throttle backs on the perimeter. He is getting ready to take his junior season by storm. Get out and see him this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='595717' first='Ja'Marcus' last='Vornes'], 5'11, 175, WR/KR, Junction City, is ranked #22. He is coming off an excellent campaign in 2023 when he put the state on notice of things to come. A versatile wide receiver and slippery return man, he is a major threat anytime the ball is in his hands. As a wideout he is moved around quite a bit to force mismatches in the secondary. He runs disciplined, tight routes that he disguises well off the ball and carves up opposing defenders with a variety of outs, hitches and slants. Once he has the defense adjusting to his short game, he burns up the seams and sidelines on the long ball. He has great hands and makes the contested catch over the middle. He is also an excellent return man and a standout stalk blocker on the perimeter. He is getting ready to make some noise this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='1228931' first='Trevion' last='Cook'], 5'10, 250, OL/DL, Maize, is currently unranked. He is coming off a solid season a year ago as a part of a stout Maize offensive line. He can play anywhere along the offensive front but is particularly effective as a versatile guard who can pull, provide excellent pass pro and handle any business in the trenches as needed. He has a strong base and good feet that he uses well to wall off in pass protection or get to the second level to knock out linebackers. He gets squared up, uses his hands to strike under defender pads and applies well-calculated leverage to finish the job. He is relentless as a drive blocker, caving in down blocks inside and going hard from snap to whistle. Get out and see this guy in action in 2024.   [player_tooltip player_id='1260097' first='DyVair' last='McCray'], 5'10, 175, DB/WR, Leavenworth, is currently unranked. He is coming off an excellent season a year ago when he lit things up as a dangerous return man and a suffocating defensive back. As a kick returner, he uses his breakaway speed and quickness to take it all the way on any kick. He has excellent straight-line speed, but it is his acceleration that is the eye catcher. He is also a special teams warrior, blocking kicks and flying down the field like a torpedo on kick coverage. As a defensive back he is versatile enough to play anywhere in the secondary but really shines as a ballhawk free safety who has great instincts, read and react skills and collapses on the ball quickly. He moves well laterally and flips his hips seamlessly to mirror receivers in coverage. This kid is the real deal, get out and see him tear things up this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='1632848' first='Malachi' last='Hines'], 5'7, 150, DB/RB, Wichita Southeast, is currently unranked. He is coming off a breakout year when he let the rest of the city league know there is a new scatback on the loose. Dynamite comes in small packages and with his speed, split-second cuts and standout elusiveness he is keeping defensive coordinators up at night figuring out how to slow him down. As a kick returner he is explosive in open field and is a threat to take it to the house at any moment. On offense he stars as a tailback or single back who is tough and difficult to bring down for his size. On defense he can operate as a smothering, shutdown corner who comes up hard to make tackles at the line of scrimmage or floats in zone as a safety to pick off passes. Definitely an exciting one to put on your watchlist.     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. 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.

With the marathon film review for the latest 2026 updates continuing after the holiday weekend, the Prep Redzone Kansas Team continues to plow through tape to ensure the new ranking updates are as spot on as possible. There has been a ton of progress and maturation by many who are already ranked that will be recognized, but there will also be significant attention paid to flushing out players flying under the radar.