2026 Rankings: The Stock Risers
In this article:
The offseason evaluations have led us to this. The Class of 2026 includes eight players who forced our hand. We’ve loved what we’ve seen since the completion of last season, as each of these guys made significant strides to back…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe offseason evaluations have led us to this.
The Class of 2026 includes eight players who forced our hand. We’ve loved what we’ve seen since the completion of last season, as each of these guys made significant strides to back up what we knew before.
It has us thinking they’ve only scratched the surface.
FROM UNRANKED TO TOP 50
Dontrell Wilson Dontrell Wilson 6'1" | 310 lbs | DL Camden | 2026 State SC OL, Camden (No. 48 overall)
Less than a year removed from losing it’s Mr. Football at the position, Camden had its defensive tackle of the future ready to go. Like nothing, Wilson stepped in and put up 61 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles. He’s 6-foot-1 and 310 pounds and plays in a place that knows how to build players in the trenches.
Jordan Boston Jordan Boston 6'2" | 180 lbs | DB Hammond School | 2026 State SC DB, Brookland-Cayce (No. 26 overall)
Boston is going to be a big-ticket recruiting item over the next two years. He gets the big assignments at corner and does his job and then some. It doesn’t hurt that he’s 6-foot-2 and getting plenty of attention this offseason. Boston will be one to watch this fall, as he’s stock is only going to continue to rise.
Tamarion Watkins Tamarion Watkins 6'3" | 195 lbs | LB Northwestern | 2026 State SC LB, Northwestern (No. 24 overall)
There’s not much to not like about Watkins’ game. He’s an outside linebacker who has great anticipation of what’s about to happen and often gets into the perfect position even when his head is turned watching an opposing offensive player. Watkins (pictured) doesn’t miss many tackles and he’s explosive enough to contribute on special teams without losing a step in his primary role.
Malcolm Gaston Malcolm Gaston 6'4" | 340 lbs | OL North Augusta | 2026 State SC OL, North Augusta (No. 21 overall)
We’re going to start with the obvious. Gaston is 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds. There, we said it. Now, what Gaston does with all that mass is what’s important. We pushed him darn near to the Top 20 because he’s not content just taking up space. He wants to put any defensive player who challenges him on the ground and neutralize the threat. He succeeds plenty.
Tre Aiken Tre Aiken 6'5" | 275 lbs | OL Clinton | 2026 State SC OL, Clinton (No. 18 overall)
Aiken had a huge night at the Joanne Langfitt Challenge in December. And then he won top offensive lineman honors at that Carolinas Coaches Combine in Spartanburg last month. He’s the real deal, with or without another growth spurt. A master of leverage of relatively lean for 6-foot-3 and 285 pounds, his projections as a major college interior lineman will have to wait for a couple more years of dominant high school tackle.
NEW TO THE TOP 20
Jude Hall Jude Hall 6'4" | 185 lbs | WR Christ Church | 2026 State SC WR, Christ Church (Up 29 spots)
Hall is the “other” receiver at Christ Church, thanks to playing alongside the speedy and dangerous Jackson Repp Jackson Repp 5'8" | 160 lbs | WR Christ Church | 2025 State SC (who had north of 1,500 yards last fall). But few will argue that Hall isn’t a sure-fire Power 4 receiver when it’s all said and done. He’s long and fast and athletic and able to haul in passes in traffic. We think his conversion to a bigger class will be just fine.
Zyon Guiles Zyon Guiles 6'5" | 280 lbs | OL Carvers Bay | 2026 State SC OL, Carvers Bay (Up 25 spots)
Guiles already had us on alert when he showed out during the majority of last fall. After all, we had him in the top 40 overall. But we’ve determined that he was too low. The 6-foot-5, 260-pound tackle has room to grow and is still in a lot of ways raw. If that doesn’t get you excited for his next two years in a Bears uniform, you need to check your pulse. He’s the next great offensive lineman to come out of Georgetown County.
NEW TO THE TOP 5
Caden Ramsey Caden Ramsey 6'5" | 195 lbs | DB Cross | 2026 State SC ATH, Cross (Up three spots)
We’ve been tracking Ramsey on a weekly basis for the last calendar year. And in that time, he’s done just about everything right, including learning from his mistakes. The 6-foot-5, 195-pound safety and receiver is more than likely going to be the most athletic player on any field he steps foot on over the course of the next two seasons. And after seeing this cheat code at the last two big offseason events, we’re comfortable bumping him up to No. 5 overall in the class.