Wichita Area 2026 Multi-Position Player Reviews

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the Super Bowl over the 2024 football season comes to a close. Sure, the high school and college championships wrapped up sometime ago, but as long as there is football on the air waves, it is <em>"football season".</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But once the Super Bowl is over, it puts an exclamation point on it being the time to officially step up and commit to the all-important <em>off-season training grind</em>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For some, it is a juggling act between multiple sports while still remaining committed to<em> "the grind".</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Others use it as a time to heal up, with some parlaying the down-time into an extended break after a long, grueling season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Still others just pack it up and go skiing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But, for the "<em>Next-Level Warriors</em>", those dedicated ballers who already have a laser focus on one day playing at the collegiate level, shifting gears to the <em>off-season training grind</em> and locking in on rock-solid, repeatable habits is the ticket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Getting to the next level is ruthlessly competitive these days, so if you can't filter out the noise and stay drilled down on training commitments, plan on getting buried by the avalanche of ballers who will.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's now or never...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this report we will take a look at players from the class of 2026 who are already <em>grindin'</em>, knowing it is the precursor to a springboard season that will lead to playing on Saturdays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So, without further adieu, lets take a quick look at some versatile performers representing a variety of positions who are getting ready for standout senior seasons:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1620863' first='Alan' last='Grandberry']</strong>, 5'11, 225, DL, <em>Coffeyville-Field Kindley</em>, '26, is coming off a standout season and was a pleasant surprise for Field-Kindley head coach Deonta Wade, who was impressed with his rapid ascension last fall. He had not played since his freshman year so was an unknown commodity to start with, but turned out to be a versatile mauler who can play multiple positions along the defensive front. He can shut down the run game between the tackles or move laterally with good closing speed and make plays on the edge. For the season he piled up 56 tackles, an eye-popping 17 tackles for loss, a pair of sacks and a fumble recovery. He has a powerful base with quick feet and hands, a relentless motor and has a nasty streak to his game that gives him a mental edge. He is going to use his junior-season performance as the launch pad for an encore season this fall. This guy is peaking at the right time and will be a wrecking ball along the line of scrimmage this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1403609' first='Arley' last='Morrell']</strong>, 6'6, 210, ATH, <em>Pratt</em>, '26, he is coming off a good junior year that was just a hint of things to come. He has a very high ceiling with prototype size and athleticism and is versatile enough to play multiple positions on both sides of the ball. On the year he had 19 catches for 446 yards and four scores and added 100+ yards rushing. With his wing span and elite catch radius he is a slam dunk in the zone and this past fall reinforced that when he set the all-time school record for two-point conversions with seven. He was used in a variety of ways in the Pratt offense, split wide, in the slot, lining up essentially as an H-back, and proceeded to attack defenses on precise routes and the occasional jet sweep. He was also a headhunter on defense coming off the edge to demolish plays before they even got started. On the year he piled up 49 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, four sacks, two fumble recoveries and had a blocked punt. He is starting to pile up significant D1 interest, so get your popcorn ready, he is going to put on a show this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1403530' first='Wyatt' last='Starns']</strong><em>,<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/wyatt-starns/"></a>&nbsp;</em></strong>5'10, 250, OL/DL, Cheney, '26, he is coming off a solid season in the trenches for the Cardinals and according to coaches is an up-and-comer who is already making serious strides in the standout Cheney program. On offense he is versatile enough to play multiple positions along the front but has shined in the interior as an offensive guard. He has a powerful anchor, with strong legs, quick feet and a low center of gravity that enables him to piledrive down blocks and manhandle blitzing backers. He has continued to improve on pulling and getting out on the perimeter and is getting adept at blocking in space and walling off in pass pro. He is focused on being another in the long line of Cardinal studs who is locked in on his off-season training getting ready for a big senior year. Get this guy on your watchlist as he is getting ready to take his game to another level this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1578932' first='Kellen' last='Gibson']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/kellen-gibson-2/"></a>&nbsp;</strong>, 6'1, 180, QB,&nbsp;<em>Winfield</em>, '26, is a dual-threat gunslinger who is coming off a good season but nothing like what he is getting ready to deliver this fall. He is a versatile, athletic playmaker with a powerful arm who runs like an elusive tailback. He is dangerous running the RPO and using his speed and quickness to get out on the corner when extending plays. He started to show his elite-potential throwing the ball last fall. He now has numerous passing arrows in his quiver, from quick strike darts, high-velocity second-level missiles, as well as the long-ball launch. Last fall he ran and passed for 1,400+ yards and 18 TD's, and impressively only threw a half dozen picks. He has continued fine-tuning his pocket mechanics and arm range with QB Coach Brad Cagle with Midwest Passing Academy, who has impressed with the work he has done developing young-gun QB's. Winfield is in good hands with this guy, he is going to be an apex predator of a QB this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1115788' first='Deanthony' last='Jones']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/deanthony-jones-2/"></a>&nbsp;6'0, 200, RB,&nbsp;<em>Wichita East</em>, '26. he is coming off a solid season showing off his dynamic game on both sides of the ball when given the opportunity. On offense he is a battering ram of a back who hits the hole hard, makes decisive cuts and then takes it to the next level with great burst and acceleration. He is a big, strong back who blows through arm tackles and delivers big yardage after the initial hit; but has the speed to get wide as well. On the other side of the ball he is a multi-positional player who can go at linebacker, strong safety or come off the edge and destroy plays in the backfield. He already has his game face on and is locked in on training six days a week with an intense regimen of hill climbs, speed training, footwork and finesse, catching the ball, pool recovery work, and the usual stretching, strength and agilities so he is ready for a knock-out punch of a senior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In conclusion, these guys are right on the cusp of great things, so get them on your watchlists and follow their progress through the off-season. And, as always, if you run across a player or team deserving coverage give me a shout via DM on X. Keep grindin'…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->