2026 Watchlist to Ranked: Part II

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Deep dive into 2026 prospects who have worked their way up from the watchlist and into the rankings going into their senior seasons.</h2>    Thomas had a breakout junior season finishing with 1,052 yards on 47 receptions with 16 touchdowns. He's a difficult cover with excellent acceleration, sharp route running, and high level ball skills. At 5'9” 165 lbs. he's got good all around game speed from his hard drive phase off the ball to his ability to create plays after the catch. Creates quick separation with clean cuts at the top of his routes and bursting out of his break. Strong at the catch point, he flashes quick hands to snag the ball out of the air. Does a good job extending and catching the ball away from his body to come down with tough grabs in tight spaces. Dynamic route tree that can be a threat at all three levels of the field. He's a sleeper that is flying under the recruiting radar currently but is expected to put up big numbers again as a senior.      High-caliber athlete with excellent versatility to make an impact on both sides of the ball at WR and OLB. At 6'0” 185 lbs. he's a natural football player that flashes excellent ball skills at WR and sharp instincts at LB. He's a confident receiver that attacks the ball in the air with strong hands. He's got good ball judgement skills and the adjustment ability, body control, and spatial awareness to gain positioning and make contested plays in traffic. Defensively, he's a high motor quick reaction OLB. He's able to process his reads and anticipate ball location to trigger and close space. Aggressive tackler with the lateral mobility and speed to pursue the ball sideline to sideline. Effective as both a zone dropper and in man coverage with the ability to stay in phase and clog up throwing lanes. His ability to contribute in multiple phases, paired with his physical tools and competitive edge make him one of the more under recruited players in the 2026 class.      Webb posted an excellent junior season totaling 74 tackles, 11 sacks, and 18 TFL. The 6'1” 200 lb. hybrid OLB/Edge is constantly attacking downhill and is a disruptive force to opposing offenses. Quick and athletic he explodes off the ball with a fast first step to gain immediate penetration and make a ton of plays at or behind the LOS. Shows good short area speed and lateral agility to change directions and redirect to the ball. He's able to slip blockers with a variety of both speed and power moves. Likes to work off the edge and dip below blockers to get into the backfield and locate the ball. Highly aggressive, he plays fast and physical through contact to finish ball carriers to the ground. Relentless in pursuit playing with a high motor and great effort. Recruitment has continued to build this summer with four offers to date.      Deon is a well-rounded safety with impressive range and the versatility to impact both run and pass game. He covers ground quickly on the back end, showing smooth movement and sharp instincts in coverage whether dropping into zone or tracking receivers deep. Attaches well to receivers and steps into throwing lanes to eliminate them as a target. Plus ball skills, he's able to track the ball in the air and time out his jump and break to compete for the ball at the high point. Against the run, he's violent and disciplined coming downhill with speed, taking clean angles, and finishing tackles in space. His ability to read the QB, react with speed, and stay under control makes him highly dependable as a last line of defense. Recently picked up his first offer from Ottawa but should see more recruiting attention as a senior.      Good frame for the interior OL at 6'2” 295 lbs. with good build in both his upper body and lower half. Possesses natural strength and power at the POA to create vertical movement at the LOS and open up running lanes. Quick out of his stance, he's able to get to the spot and establish positional leverage. Attacks his blocks with a low center of gravity and good contact balance to stay in front and sustain. Good hand usage and placement to latch on to his blocks and maintain control throughout the play. Would like to see him play with better pad level, tends to get a high hat but does a good job maintaining leg drive through contact. Three offers to date from Wisconsin-River Falls, Lake Forest, and Western New Mexico entering his senior season.