2026 Standout Skill Players Ramping Up The Off-Season

The off-season is starting to heat up and it's not just because the weather is getting warmer. The winter sports have given way to baseball, track and 7v7, among others, and the college recruiting gauntlet continues unabated.   As mentioned in an earlier article, the off-season opportunities for making gains are slipping away so if you haven't joined your baller teammates and opponents in jacking up your game, you will regret it if your goal is to be an elite player.   There are no shortcuts - no off-season work gets you nowhere fast...   The saying "you snooze, you lose" has never been more accurate as the high school competition for scholarships is getting more daunting than ever before and with the advent of out-of-control NIL money, it floods the recruiting market with college free agents stealing high school scholarships.   With all that going on, you either step up, or drag your hind end home...   In this report, we will take a look at five guys approaching the all-important senior season. Three of the guys below are proven QB's, while a couple others are all-purpose backs who are ready to do whatever is needed to take that next-level step.   So, without further adieu, let's check out five players on the cusp of greatness this fall:      [player_tooltip player_id='1113404' first='Kade' last='Mitchell']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/kade-mitchell/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/kade-mitchell/"></a> , 5'10, 175, RB/DB, Hayden, '26. He is getting ready for baseball as we speak, coming off last year when he started as a sophomore and led the team in RBI's on the way to winning the 3A state championship. He also shined on the gridiron last fall, as he helped his team to a state runner-up finish. On the season he was a three-way destroyer of a back, racking up 1,600+ total yards and scored 26 TDs. On the ground he is a slippery, elusive runner with next-level acceleration who ran for 808 yards and scored 18 touchdowns. Through the air he added 34 receptions for 543 yards, five TD's and another 272 yards in returns and three additional return touchdowns. And, he was just as good on defense, as he was a Defensive POY Finalist, piling up 72 tackles, four TFL and three interceptions. With camp season coming up he is planning on going to Emporia State, Washburn, and Central Oklahoma so far. He has been lifting every morning and doing his speedwork. This guy is going to be a supernova back this fall.     [player_tooltip player_id='426515' first='Brayden' last='Pappas']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/brayden-pappas/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/brayden-pappas/"></a> , 5'8, 185, RB, Eisenhower, '26, After starting as a sophomore and playing five different positions he shifted gears to focus on running back last year and has worked his way up to the top of the RB rankings. Last fall he led the Tiger running attack as an all-purpose back who ran for 1,218 yards on 202 carries, averaged 6+ yards per carry and scored seven touchdowns. He was also a threat in the air, catching six passes for just under a hundred yards and another TD. The off-season has been a lot of hard work as he is lifting and conducting extensive speed and agility work. He is a versatile back with a low-center of gravity, powerful legs and has the burst needed to create instant separation in traffic. Recruiting is heating up, as he is getting notice from scouts and coaches. School visits and camps this spring and summer are still being decided, but he plans on attending as many as possible. A grinder year around, he continues to hit it hard and is going to cash in on all those off-season deposits for a huge year in 2025.     [player_tooltip player_id='904442' first='Robert' last='Hunter']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/robert-hunter/"></a> , 6'0, 175, QB/WR/CB, Wichita East. '26. He is a multi-positional athlete who is coming off a stellar year leading his team into the playoffs. A versatile baller, he can play anywhere, as a wideout or slot if needed and can also dominate on the other side of the ball as a shutdown cornerback. Where he has been most vauable so far, however, is as an athletic dual-threat quarterback who is fast and elusive executing the RPO, but is also a well-rounded passer. He has a clean delivery and quick release and is comfortable throwing from the pocket or rolling out. When he is extending plays or buying time in the backfield, he is a dynamic force who leaves defenses grasping for air. Last year he piled up 2,000+ total yards running and passing, and had 14 touchdowns. He completed 101 of 182 passes, for 56%, 13 TD's and only a solo pick for an elite-level 109 passer rating. This spring he is running track and so far is planning to attend junior-days at North Dakota State, South Dakota, South Dakota State and K-State. This guy is getting ready to do some damage this fall.     [player_tooltip player_id='1113458' first='Jordey' last='Pierce']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/jordey-pierce/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/jordey-pierce/"></a> , 6'5, 220, QB, Ark City, '26. He has been hard at it in the weight room, doing speed work and getting in plenty of passing with teammates working on timing and feel in the off-season. And the work is already starting to reap dividends, as he is up to just under 220 pounds on his 6'5 frame and is still getting faster. A three-year starter already, he is a big, strong dual-threat southpaw who finished among the state leaders in passing yards last season and has already run and passed for just under 5,000 yards and accounted for 39 touchdowns in his high school career. This year's off-season has focused on fine-tuning his passing game, working on ball placement, making throws at all levels, using his eyes and footwork precision and agility in and out of the pocket. He throws an accurate ball on quick passes but also has the velocity to make cross-field throws or the long touch pass. These last three years have just been a warm-up. The work is going to pay off as this guy is going to air out the Bulldog passing game in 2025.       [player_tooltip player_id='1578939' first='Brayden' last='Myovela']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/brayden-myovela/"></a> , 6'4, 205, QB, Maize, He is coming off a standout basketball season leading his team to a third-place finish in state and is being pushed for numerous post-season awards as we speak. He is coming off a junior season that started quietly but heated up in a hurry. He is one of those rare, gifted QB's with the prototype size and pure athleticism that the D1 schools are scrambling to lock in. He has all the tools, from a shotgun for an arm and smooth release to the size and speed that enables him to humble defenses in any number of ways. He has already developed a laundry-list of throws, from off-platform to different launch angles, under duress and when throwing on the move. Once he was seated in as the starter, he shifted into overdrive fast, completing 48 of 97 passes for just under 900 yards and 11 touchdown passes with only two picks. He also ran for 500 yards, averaging 10+ yards a carry and scored four times. Get your popcorn handy, he is going to put on a show this fall.    In conclusion, these guys are getting ready to make some noise this fall. And, as always, if you know of any players flying under the radar, give me a shout via DM on X.

The off-season is starting to heat up and it's not just because the weather is getting warmer. The winter sports have given way to baseball, track and 7v7, among others, and the college recruiting gauntlet continues unabated.