Look Inside Process of Compiling ’26 Update

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Redzone Iowa dropped its Class of 2027 update earlier this month. Thursday, we released an <a href="https://prepredzone.com/iowa/rankings/2026-rankings/">update for '26</a> with plenty of movement, especially in the Top 10.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's a strong junior class, one that has enjoyed an excellent offseason. It has the feel of a group where we could see more shuffling in future iterations. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As I <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2024/08/methodology-behind-iowa-class-of-27-updated-rankings/">wrote in a piece</a> about how we arrived at our new '27 rankings, we wanted to provide more perspective and context to our update on the junior class. These lists should come with an explanation beyond the <a href="https://prepredzone.com/how-we-rank/">one included on the site</a>. It's not a one-size-fits-all blueprint. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Most of these rankings can be separated into tiers. Very rarely are there clear demarcation lines between student-athletes. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That's certainly the case with this update. The first three guys listed sit in a tier. A strong argument can be put forth for any of them being at the top. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We landed on dynamic West Des Moines Valley Athlete [player_tooltip player_id='283946' first='Jayden' last='McGregory'], who moved up from No. 2 in the last update. He's enjoyed a very productive offseason, standing out at camps and junior days, and reporting scholarship offers from Michigan, Tennessee, Nebraska, Wisconsin and others since the beginning of April. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Waukee tight end [player_tooltip player_id='1221928' first='Evan' last='Jacobson'] jumped up two spots to No. 2 in the update. He exploded on the camp circuit this summer, securing offers at Ohio State, LSU, Penn State, Colorado and more. He has collected 20 opportunities in all before starting his junior year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1221926' first='Carson' last='Nielsen'], an OT at Waterloo West, is our No. 3 player in the update. He's coming off a quiet summer with only an Iowa camp experience after committing to the Hawkeyes in April. His ceiling is very high. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Again, a case can be made for McGregory, Jacobson and Nielsen at No. 1. They're very different players but all difference makers on the gridiron. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fort Dodge linebacker and wrestling phenom [player_tooltip player_id='856075' first='DreShaun' last='Ross'] checks in at No. 4 in our update. He received a flurry of offers this calendar year even though he was focused on grappling. <a href="https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/12708116-the-dreshaun-ross-decision-college-football-college-wrestling-or-both">His </a>path has been a lot like that of Hawkeye LB Ben Kueter, who is taking a year off from football to wrestle. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rounding out our new Top 5 is Iowa City West defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='1238512' first='Julian' last='Manson'], who stood out on the summer camp circuit. He reports scholarship offers from Iowa and Minnesota, which were delivered after he worked with coaches from those programs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sioux City Heelan LB [player_tooltip player_id='1238514' first='Kasen' last='Thomas'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1238174' first='Colin' last='Whitters'], a lineman at Iowa City West, move up to No. 6 and No. 7, respectively, in the update. They balled out at camps, both picking up offers from Iowa and Iowa State since the beginning of May. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ross, Manson, Thomas and Whitters form the second tier of these rankings. They're interchangeable and have the potential for upward mobility as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 7-10 spots on the update are filled by Johnston OL [player_tooltip player_id='1241376' first='Colton' last='McClish'], Sargeant Bluff-Luton LB [player_tooltip player_id='1370736' first='Joey' last='Hardy'] and Valley WR [player_tooltip player_id='283945' first='Jayden' last='Brown']. That trio makes up the third tier of these rankings. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If you dig beyond the Top 10, you quickly realize that quite a few guys are beyond capable of rising into one of the top three tiers. They're not far off from it now. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hopefully that gives you folks some insight into how we view this class heading into a new season. And so much can change this fall before we conduct this exercise again. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stay tuned for our Class of 2025 update, which will drop next week. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->