2027 Watchlist: Rising Stars This Fall

The more I dig into the football Class of 2027 the more I like what I see. There is a significant amount of talent, which I expected, but upon digging a little deeper it was impressive to see the amount of work being put in to get better. Most of these kids are playing multiple sports as well as training for football almost year around.   We have loaded the first one-hundred players into the initial rankings, with more coming. There are quite a few deserving players who are flying under the radar, so join my network and keep me posted on who is getting overlooked. I will follow up on every shout out received and keep you on top of any developments.   In this report, we will be covering five rising stars playing five different positions who jumped off the tape. They may still be a little raw on occasion but for the most part I was impressed with the maturity and seasoning some of these kids were already demonstrating at such a young age.   So, without further adieu, I bring you the "End-of-the-Week Five" - these guys are getting ready to make some noise this fall!   [player_tooltip player_id='1113168' first='Brody' last='Pfannenstiel'], 6'4, 230, DE/TE, Russell, is ranked #4. He is the highest ranked player in this report and has earned every bit of his ranking. He is coming off a strong start to his high school career as a brawler of a defensive end who is athletic enough to play tight end on the other side of the ball. On defense, he really shines coming off the edge with great body lean, driving power and a variety of moves to frustrate blockers. He comes out of his stance like a torpedo and can either bust the tackle in the mouth and go over him, speed rush around him or give him a wicked spin move to flip to the inside lane. He has a prototype frame, with quick feet and heavy hands and moves well laterally and in pursuit. He essentially shuts down the run game on the perimeter to his side. Get out and see a stud who is on the rise while you still can.   [player_tooltip player_id='1125648' first='Maddox' last='McGinnis'], 6'4, 290, OL, Wichita NW, is ranked #16. He is coming off a solid start to his high school career, carving out a spot at left guard and getting plenty of early experience. He has an excellent frame for the trenches, with a strong base and good reach. He has quick feet for his size and moves well laterally, particularly when he is pulling down the line to take out defensive ends or cutting off linebackers on the next level. He has a good initial strike step, moves his feet well and uses his hands to work under the defender's pads when redirecting in pass pro. He is a mauler of blocker in the run game, piledriving down blocks and unloading on defenders in space. He will be counted on to help protect all-state QB [player_tooltip player_id='585904' first='Jaylen' last='Mason'] ('26) this fall. Get out and see a stud in the trenches take it to the next level.   [player_tooltip player_id='856864' first='Pearce' last='George'], 6'0, 175, QB, Maize, is ranked #36. He is a young gun QB being groomed in a great environment, learning from standout QB [player_tooltip player_id='780340' first='Eli' last='Ribaudo'], and all-state wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='442624' first='Bryson' last='Hayes'], who is headed to Nebraska. In the meantime he is showing the football world what he can do, piling up 1,700+ yards and 23 touchdowns, with only three picks in the last 11 games he has played. An athletic gun slinger of a QB he has a smooth delivery in the pocket, with a compact shoulder rotation, but can also throw off platform or from different arm angles as needed. He has a strong arm and can make all the throws from quick surgical strikes to the long touch ball down the seams. He throws with a lot of touch and doesn't try to over power the ball or force it into low-probability windows. Get this kid on your watch list.   [player_tooltip player_id='415448' first='Kayden' last='Augustus'], 5'11, 180, Blue Valley North, is ranked #44. He is coming off an excellent start to his high school career last season when he put the rest of the state on notice that a stud running back has officially been turned loose. In eight games a year ago he piled up just under a thousand yards rushing, scored 19 TD's and added a couple of scores returning kicks. He is a smooth, athletic running back who hits the gap hard and fast and once he gets in the secondary he is gone. He has good running back vision, with top-end burst and acceleration and is very elusive, using the entire field to weave in and out of defenders, reverse course to the opposite sideline and turn on the after burners into the end zone. He is already a surprisingly polished running back/return man for this stage in his career. Get your popcorn out for this kid, he has some headlines coming his way this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='1083296' first='Ryan' last='Slaughter'], 6'3, 265, DL, Wichita East, is ranked #71. He is coming off a good start last fall getting some exposure to the high school game and showing he is going to be a player. Lining up on the defensive line he can play down as a three or wider as a five technique. He has excellent size with a powerful base and good upper-body strength that he uses effectively to keep blockers off his pads. He comes off the ball quick and is very mobile moving inside-out flowing to the football. He can be an effective presence helping stop the run game between the tackles, or hit the gap to cause disruption in the backfield. He may be a little raw at this stage in his high school career but he is going to be a force with some additional experience. Get out and see him make some noise this fall   In conclusion, these are future Sunflower state stars so get out and see them while you still can. And, as always, if you have questions or concerns or want to pass on someone flying under the radar, feel free to reach out to me via DM on X.

The more I dig into the football Class of 2027 the more I like what I see. There is a significant amount of talent, which I expected, but upon digging a little deeper it was impressive to see the amount of work being put in to get better. Most of these kids are playing multiple sports as well as training for football almost year around.