2026 Off-Season Warriors Getting Primed For This Fall

It was a busy weekend as we closed out the month of April with quite a few camps and clinics all over the state. The weather wasn't exactly ideal, but that didn't dampen spirits once they got rolling.   The months of off-season work and prep for the coming season is on full display as competitive athletes hitting the combines can attest. There is something very satisfying about blowing PR's out of the water after toiling in obscurity in the early months of the year.   For others, it is a rude awakening as the combines start spitting out facts and data. Players find out very quickly if they are competitive and then when they actually see the numbers on paper, it can be initially jolting if you were expecting better.   It is back to the drawing board...   These kind of eye-openers can be a good thing if approached the right way and it is used as motivation to get better. Get pissed off and blame the weather, tight muscles, the timers, the coaches, even your girlfriend if you are so inclined.   But do it at your own peril...   For the guys training to be elite ballers, it is just another speedbump in the road, an opportunity to turn a setback into a comeback.   In this report we are taking a closer look at five 2026 players getting ready for the all-important senior season who are locked and loaded on achieving top performance this fall. Below we have an intriguing mix of a couple of next-level wide receivers, followed by three talented running backs.   So, without further adieu, let's check out the "Weekend Five".   [player_tooltip player_id='1115792' first='James' last='Fieser'], 6'3, 190, WR/ATH, Liberal, '26. He is coming off an excellent junior season helping his team to a 7-3 record and into the 6A playoffs on the strength of his 33 receptions, 783 yards and nine touchdowns. A long, athletic wideout, he has sticky hands and an impressive catch radius with game-breaker potential on every play. Once the reception is made he uses his quickness and burst to load up yards after the catch. He will also get the chance to play safety on the other side of the ball this fall. A three-sport athlete, he is coming off a big season playing hoops and will play on a travel basketball team this summer. He is also out for track and is continuing to catch passes and work on mechanics. He may be flying under the radar now, but he is going to produce fireworks this fall..   [player_tooltip player_id='780090' first='Ryder' last='Campbell']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/ryder-campbell-2/"></a> , 6'3, 185, WR, Wichita NW, '26. He is another big-target, athletic wideout who is getting ready for a monster season this fall. With his soft hands, length and ability to make the contested catch in traffic, he is particularly dangerous in the redzone. Lining up in the slot or split wide he generates separation off the ball and rolls right into running precise routes. He was also impressive sliding into the soft spots in zone coverage and in going up to the apex point for the ball. He has been busy this off-season playing basketball, 7v7 and is currently training with Coach Daniels locally four times a week. Gearing up for a number of camps, he plans on hitting the Lindenwood Mega camp, Wyoming and KU, among others. This guy is on the verge of a breakout season this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='1593671' first='Jesiah' last='Gooch']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/jesiah-gooch/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/jesiah-gooch/"></a> , 6'2, 210, RB/LB, Hillsboro, '26. He has been super busy this off season after an impressive junior year as a powerful tailback on offense and a pounding linebacker on the other side of the ball. Last fall he picked up 900 yards rushing and receiving and logged 84 tackles and seven TFL on defense. He recently turned heads at the PRZ camp in Oklahoma and is doing the same on the track team as he is running on one of the top 4x100 relay teams in the state. He has been busy with school visits, recently wrapping up Texas State, Washburn, Missouri Western, and Fort Hays and is looking into summer camps, including Drake, Iowa State, K-State and South Dakota among others. He is also training with Sharp Performance in Salina several days a week. This guy is going to blow it up this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='780429' first='Zane' last='Farney'], 6'0, 185, RB/ATH, Sterling, '26. He is coming off another outstanding season and his second-consecutive year gaining 1,500+ yards rushing. Last year he lit it up with 1,676 yards rushing, scored 22 touchdowns, was an all-state RB and has been a two-time player of the year finalist. He was also a standout on defense, racking up 67 tackles on the year. He is currently running track and is one of the top sprinters and hurdlers in his class. He has already started receiving offers and is looking to hit camps at Southern Nazarene, Ft Hays, KU, K-State, and Northwestern among others. He is a gifted, all-purpose running back who has been dominate pounding the rock the last few years. This fall is going to be the encore, as he is on a short list of backs with a legit shot at the ultra-rare 2K-rushing season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1598898' first='Conner' last='Bush'], 5'11, 180, ATH, Rossville, '26. He is a multi-positional athlete who is coming off a standout junior season when he earned All-State honors. A dangerous all-purpose back, he has the situational awareness, vision and instincts to find open space and piled up 900 yards running and receiving and scored 11 touchdowns along the way. On defense he was even better as a headhunter of a defender, with great read and react skills who had an eye-popping 120 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and picked off a couple passes. He is also a good punter, averaging 33+ yards a punt and pinned several inside the twenty. He is currently playing baseball and just got back from Junior-Day visits to Washburn and Emporia. Get your popcorn handy, this guy is going to put on a show this fall..   In conclusion, these guys are getting ready to make some noise, so get out and see them in action this fall. Additionally, you can reach me via DM on X for any players flying under the radar.   And, as always...   Keep Grindin'

It was a busy weekend as we closed out the month of April with quite a few camps and clinics all over the state. The weather wasn't exactly ideal, but that didn't dampen spirits once they got rolling.