Class of ‘26 Update: New WR’s & DB’s in the Rankings

Several prospects from the Class of ‘26 have impressed through the first six games the of ‘24 campaign. There's a handful that have already become household names, and some have made significant strides since Week 1. Needless to say, the junior class has our staff's full attention.   As a result of the progress the junior class has made, the rankings have grown to 375 ranked prospects as just over 50 players were added in this October update. With wide receivers and defensive backs being my area of focus, I'll be breaking down eight of the latest newcomers. Here are four wideouts and four defensive backs that were welcomed to the rankings in the latest update.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Wide Receivers</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='1515933' first='Dylan' last='Theel'] - Osage City, 5'10”, 180   Theel of Osage City starts us off first for the wideouts. The 5-foot-10 junior received the highest debut from this group of four, as he entered the rankings at No. 336 and is the 29th ranked player at his position. So far this season Osage City has used Theel more in the ground game, but he has taken snaps in the slot as well. He has over 400 yards rushing and seven scores on the ground, and has caught 14 passes for 99 yards and one touchdown.   [player_tooltip player_id='1425448' first='Jaxon' last='Myers'] - Salina South, 5'11”, 160   After only catching 14 passes as a sophomore, Myers has established himself as Salina South's No. 1 receiver. Myers leads the Cougars in every receiving category with 36 receptions for 474 yards and four touchdowns. He debuted at No. 346 and is the 30th ranked wideout in the class. If he continues his strong season he'll definitely be a candidate for a higher ranking in the next update.   [player_tooltip player_id='1466503' first='Ty' last='Hadsall'] - Chaparal, 5'10”, 145   Hadsall is another junior that's transformed into a No. 1 wideout this season. It's taken him only five games to eclipse his numbers from his sophomore year, and he should continue to see many more targets the rest of the way. Hadsall entered the rankings on the outside of the Top 350 at No. 366 and is 31st ranked receiver in the class.   [player_tooltip player_id='1515794' first='Walker' last='Middleton'] - Russell, 5'10”, 150   This next prospect has quietly been one of the top receivers in the Class of ‘26. This season is [player_tooltip player_id='1515794' first='Walker' last='Middleton']'s third at the varsity level and he's put together enough film and stats to prove that he's a stud. In just his sixth game of his junior campaign, Middleton has already reached 1,400 career receiving yards. He may currently be the 32nd ranked wideout in the class, but look for that to change in the next update.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Defensive Backs</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='1425478' first='Jalen' last='Cheeks'] - Salina South, 6'1”, 170   Myers wasn't the only Salina South Cougar to crack the rankings in this update. Cheeks joined his teammate just inside the Top 350 at No. 345 and is the 32nd ranked defensive back in the class. He's a lengthy corner capable of playing nickel or out on the perimeter.   [player_tooltip player_id='1462646' first='Jaylin' last='Washington'] - Washington, 6'3”, 165   Washington was featured earlier this season as a Game Ball recipient and is now an official member of the rankings. The 6-foot-3 safety was off to a strong start this season, but he recently announced that he will unfortunately be out the remainder of his junior campaign due to injury. Despite being unable to finish the rest of this season, he's a prospect with some promise. Washington debuted at No. 360 and is the 33rd ranked defensive back in the class.   [player_tooltip player_id='1466492' first='Cincere' last='Lewis'] - Schlagle, 5'10”, 170   Another defensive back from the Meadowlark Conference also cracked the rankings. [player_tooltip player_id='1466492' first='Cincere' last='Lewis'] checked in just a few spots behind Washington as the 34th ranked defensive back in the class and the 362nd ranked prospect overall. Lewis has been a solid two-way player for the Schlagle Stallions this season. Defensively he's racked up 25 total tackles with one pick six, and offensively he's accounted for over 1,000 yards of total offense and 14 total touchdowns.   [player_tooltip player_id='1515972' first='Tucker' last='Prideaux'] - Rawlins County, 5'8”, 130   Prideaux of Rawlins County wraps up this group of newcomers. He was one of the final additions in this October update as he made his debut at No. 374 overall and is the 35th ranked defensive back in the class. The 8-Man prospect has been one of Rawlins County's top defenders this season. Prideaux is currently second on the team in total tackles with 52, and he's come up with a sack and two pass breakups as well.

Several prospects from the Class of ‘26 have impressed through the first six games the of ‘24 campaign. There's a handful that have already become household names, and some have made significant strides since Week 1. Needless to say, the junior class has our staff's full attention.