Wichita/Western Kansas '26ers Ready to Roll

Coming down the homestretch to August high school football practice officially kicking off, we will be publishing reports on an almost daily basis in order to highlight as many standout players from the Sunflower state as possible. Along with scouring camps, clinics, and social media, we will be talking with coaches and fellow scouts to flush out the up-and-coming stars who have yet to generate much attention.   In the last few weeks I have focused on the class of 2025 to get the seniors-to-be as much coverage as possible, while adding a sprinkling of 2027 reports to stay on top of the young guns coming up. In today's report, I wanted to get back to the class of 2026 and make sure they were not getting overlooked.   Especially the guys ranked lower than they should be and the players who are completely flying under the radar.   So, without further adieu, I bring you, the 2026 studs that make up the Sunday Five:   [player_tooltip player_id='1333003' first='Kharson' last='Montgomery'], 5'11, 290, OL/DL, Smith Center. He is coming off a solid sophomore season a year ago when he lined up on both sides of the ball and made things happen in the trenches. He can play anywhere along the line of scrimmage on the offensive side of the ball. With a powerful base and quick initial step, he uses his heavy hands to move defenders around at will. In the run game he is a pounding blocker who locks on and piledrives the defender into the turf. On defense he is a wrecking machine of a mauler, lining up at nose guard or defensive tackle, he blows through gaps and shucks blockers as he gets into the backfield in a hurry. He moves well for his size and has excellent read and react skills that he uses effectively to find the football. He is getting ready to do some damage this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='1228893' first='Deitric' last='McDaniel'], 6'2, 180, ATH, Cheney. He is coming off a solid start to his high school career and is putting the state on notice that this fall will be a breakout year. A long, athletic multi-positional player, he can play any of the defensive back positions and is also a dangerous receiver on offense. After hitting many of the top camps and clinics this summer, including running a 4.5 forty recently, he is ready to help Cheney run it back and look to achieve a rare back-to-back championship. On defense he uses his top-end instincts and closing speed to fly to the football as a ball hawk free safety. On offense he has soft hands and an excellent catch radius that he uses to go up to the apex point for the pass or make the contested grab over the middle. Get out and see a stud in the making this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='1325108' first='TJ' last='Mills'], 5'11, 175, WR/DB, Eureka. Another high-impact two-way player who is off to a great start, he lines up split as a wideout or in tight in the slot on offense. On defense he can play any of the secondary positions. As a receiver he is a playmaker waiting to happen. With excellent hands, quick feet and good burst and acceleration, he makes the tough catch look easy. Once the ball is in his hands he is an elusive runner who weaves in and out of traffic and rips through arm tackles. He is used all over the offense, whether taking the shotgun snap, or getting the reverse handoff out of motion. On defense he has a nose for the ball and makes things happen. Get out and see a baller flying under the radar.   [player_tooltip player_id='1325120' first='Tucker' last='Goss'], 6'1, 190, FB/LB, Ellsworth. He is coming off a solid start as a sophomore who can play both sides of the ball with reckless abandon. On offense he is a hole-gouging fullback who is rarely tackled by one person. As a middle or outside linebacker on defense he is a human torpedo once the ball snaps. His first step is never wasted as he flies to the ball delivering bone-jarring hits and essentially shutting down the run game between the tackles. With his next-level instincts and ability to read and react in the blink of an eye, he closes fast and furious whether on the inside or attacking the perimeter on sweeps and bootlegs. He is an old school headhunter linebacker who is getting ready to shine this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='1333005' first='Cody' last='Wright'], 5'10, 175, RB/LB, Colby. He is coming off a good start to his high school career as a versatile two-way player who can do a little bit of everything. On offense he lines up in the backfield as a running back. On defense he can play either linebacker positions or as a hybrid defensive back. On special teams he is an accurate long snapper. Where he really shines is as an active, rugged inside linebacker who uses excellent instincts to read and react to the ball quickly and effectively. He lines up with good knee bend and body lean and once the play starts he uses his strength and athleticism to shut down the run game. He has great closing speed which he uses to full effect when chasing down running backs on sweeps and other perimeter plays. Get out and see him go off in 2024.   In conclusion, get these guys on your watchlist. They are getting ready to make some serious noise this fall. And, as always, if anyone knows of players flying under the radar feel free to reach out to CoolDaddyO via DM on X.

Coming down the homestretch to August high school football practice officially kicking off, we will be publishing reports on an almost daily basis in order to highlight as many standout players from the Sunflower state as possible. Along with scouring camps, clinics, and social media, we will be talking with coaches and fellow scouts to flush out the up-and-coming stars who have yet to generate much attention.