2026 Rankings Update 4.0: Defensive Stock Risers

As we head into the 2025 off-season , we in a new round of rankings updates in the state of Kentucky with the latest update being posted for the class of 2026. After already covering the top players at each position in the class, I wanted to take some time to focus on some players outside the top five at their positions who climbed in our latest update. With the offensive side of the ball already being taken care of, here are some stock risers who stood out to me in the class of 2026 in the state of Kentucky on the defensive side of the ball.    [player_tooltip player_id='971492' first='James' last='White'] is a player who has been on our radar for a while now and continued to impress as a junior. White lined up at free safety where he was very reliable in pass coverage. He does a great job of reading the quarterback and flowing through the secondary to put himself in a position to make a play on the ball. When the ball is thrown his way, White has shown impressive ball skills, coming away with two interceptions in 11 games as a junior. He also finished the season with 46 tackles and one tackle for loss, and made an impact on offense with 13 receptions for 193 yards and three touchdowns. James doesn't currently hold any offers but he is a player who college coaches should be keeping an eye on heading into his senior year.     [player_tooltip player_id='1175821' first='Xavier' last='Conrad'] is a player who saw his ranking climb quickly with a strong junior year. He is a very dangerous pass rusher off the edge, using his speed and bend to blow by opposing offensive tackles with ease on his way to the quarterback. Conrad finished this past season with five sacks in 11 games. He also proved to be reliable against the run, showing the ability to run sideline to sideline to make tackles in the open field. Xavier finished his junior year with 53 tackles and six tackles for loss, and also returned a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Conrad doesn't currently hold any offers but he should be a player to watch heading into his final season.     [player_tooltip player_id='335123' first='Logan' last='Smith'] is a linebacker who has been on our radar for a while now and continued to stand out this past season. Smith is very impressive against the run, showing the ability to read his keys quickly then use his speed to flow to the ball carrier in a hurry. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he explodes through contact and finishes his tackles with a ton of physicality. Smith finished his junior year with a team-high 96 tackles along with five tackles for loss in 10 games. Logan also finished the season with one sack and an interception, and led his team in rushing with 161 carries for 757 yards and two touchdowns. Smith doesn't currently hold any offers but he has received some college interest and should be a player to keep an eye on heading into his senior year.     [player_tooltip player_id='401693' first='Cliffton' last='Yocum'] is a player who caught my attention with a strong junior year. He lined up at defensive tackle where he was dominant against the run. Cliffton does a great job of using his strength to shed blocks quickly then showing the speed to get to the ball carrier to make the tackle before they can get going. Yocum finished this past season with 43 tackles and five tackles for loss in 13 games. He also showed the ability to rush the passer, finishing the year with five sacks. Cliffton doesn't currently hold any offers but he is definitely a player who college coaches should have their eyes on heading into his senior season.     My final stock riser in the class of 2026 in the state of Kentucky who stood out to me this past season is defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='1176958' first='Nicholas' last='Sims'] from Owensboro Catholic. Sims lined up at free safety where he was very reliable in pass coverage as a junior. He showed the ability to read the quarterback and flow through the secondary to put himself in a good position to make a play. When the pass was in the air, he showed the ability to break on the ball with perfect timing to either come away with the interception or break up the pass. He finished his junior year with two interceptions in 13 games, returning one of them for a touchdown. Sims also showed the ability to fill the lane and provide support against the run, finishing the season with 46 tackles. Nicholas doesn't currently hold any offers but I wouldn't be surprised to see some come his way soon as he has received some college interest and has the talent to play at the next level.

As we head into the 2025 off-season , we in a new round of rankings updates in the state of Kentucky with the latest update being posted for the class of 2026. After already covering the top players at each position in the class, I wanted to take some time to focus on some players outside the top five at their positions who climbed in our latest update. With the offensive side of the ball already being taken care of, here are some stock risers who stood out to me in the class of 2026 in the state of Kentucky on the defensive side of the ball.