2026 Rankings: New Additions (Defense)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Interior lineman and edge rushers. Middle linebackers with ridiculous numbers and safeties who move into the crease with ease.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Corners with elite skill sets.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>All of them are among the additions to the Prep RedZone Class of 2026 rankings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In total, 26 of the 50 additions to our list stem from the defensive side of the ball. They help comprise rosters at schools big and small alike.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The one thing that draw them together is an ability to play this game at a high level early in their careers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's introduce you to each of the new names in the PRZ rankings.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1267332' first='Cedric' last='Wherry'] DB, South Pointe - Finished his sophomore season with 45 total tackles, nine pass breakups and a pick from his roaming spot in the secondary.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1267324' first='Ophir' last='Hill'] LB, Lower Richland - Diamond Hornets top tackler from a season ago averaged better than six stops per game.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1267317' first='Daniel' last='Capehart'] LB, Dillon - Well positioned to finish next season with 80-plus tackles and make more of the high-impact bigger plays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1267316' first='Denardo' last='Henry'] LB, Ridgeland - Edge can start with his hand on the ground or in a standing position. His goal every time is the same; get to the quarterback.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1267315' first='Jayden' last='Jenkins'] DB, Palmetto - Five interceptions from 2023 got our attention. His 32 tackles on top of the picks showed he wasn't a one-trick pony.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1267314' first='Elijah' last='Brown'] LB, Ware Shoals - Even if Brown didn't chip in at tailback, he's be right here because of his proficiency making stops in heavy traffic.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1267312' first='John' last='Miedreich'] LB, Riverside - Averaged better than 13 stops per game, and he wasn't even the Warriors' top tackler. That player has graduated, leaving Miedreich potential for more.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1267311' first='Julian' last='Senn'] LB, Newberry - Seen is only beginning to show his long-term possibilities for not only tackles, but tackles for loss and turnovers.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1054176' first='Grayson' last='Gunter'] LB, Gilbert - Graded out at better than 90 percent last season while making all sorts of plays in areas other than tackles.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1267288' first='Elijah' last='Williams'] DL, Myrtle Beach - Didn't have big numbers while starting every game last fall, but he chewed up space so others could.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1267287' first='Jordan' last='Ravenell'] DB, Goose Creek - Drew some hefty assignments on the island as a sophomore, and still made play after play after play.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1267285' first='JT' last='Williams'] LB, Summerville - Williams got to learn on the job and contributed. Now he steps into a bigger role on the Green Wave defense.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1267280' first='Jordyn' last='Best'] DB, Lower Richland - Safety knows how to lower the boom and cover a lot of ground on the back end at the same time.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1213961' first='Anthony' last='Atkins'] DB, Christ Church - Had more of the state championship-winning corner's PBUs turned into INTs, you would have heard his name a lot earlier.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1258072' first='Kayden' last='Payne'] LB, Ninety Six - Made 32 tackles and two pass breakups and showed he could develop in a big way leading into his junior season.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='284136' first='Miles' last='Wilson'] DL, South Pointe - In 20 career varsity games, Wilson has already put up 63 tackles and 14 TFL. Now, he's an upperclassman.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1267265' first='Amare' last='Reaves'] DB, South Florence - Reaves pitches in on the Bruins roster with consistency, but he's also able to make the home run defensive play, too.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1220232' first='[player_tooltip player_id='1206285' first='Christopher' last='']' last='Glover'] LB, Calhoun County - The Saints' top returning tackler will have to absorb some of the losses from three influential graduating players from last year's team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1267229' first='Antonio' last='Brown'] LB, Myrtle Beach - Even at 5-foot-8, he finished the year with 78 tackles and 12 tackles for loss and a defensive touchdown for the Seahawks.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1043170' first='Wynn' last='Meetze'] DB, Gilbert - Indians' top tackler finished 2023 with 123 stops, 11 tackles for loss, four picks and five pass breakups.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1267216' first='Kevin' last='Rivers'] LB, Berkeley (pictured) - Registered 65 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, two pass breakups and a forced fumble in his first full season on varsity. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1267215' first='Michael' last='Posey'] DL, Eastside - Posey's numbers behind the line from last fall are ridiculous, and he only played a portion of the Eagles' schedule.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1267211' first='Gray' last='Patterson'] LB, Fort Mill - From his size to his mobility to his consistency, it's not hard to be impressed by what he's capable on this defense.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1267206' first='Dontrell' last='Wilson'] DL, Camden - Finished his sophomore season with 61 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1014892' first='Jordan' last='Boston'] DB, Brookland-Cayce - Most cornerbacks aren't 6-foot-2, but Boston isn't most cornerbacks, either.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1267200' first='Tamarion' last='Watkins'] LB, Northwestern - Everyone talks about the Trojans' offense. Watkins is among the reasons the defense should be mentioned more.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->