PRZVA Class of 2026 Rankings Initial Reaction

<p>The updated <a href="https://prepredzone.com/virginia/rankings/2026-rankings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Class of 2026 Rankings</strong></a> were posted the other day, and I am here to give some initial thoughts on them. A lot of effort and time goes into finding and ranking almost 700 players across the state in one class. A huge thank you to our lead scouts who take the extra time to put the rankings together. Below are some highlights of the rankings and my initial thoughts.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Holding the Top Spot</h2>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='235425' first='Darius' last='Gray'] once again is found as our top-ranked player in the state. Newcomer and recent Georgia commit [player_tooltip player_id='1519647' first='Valdin' last='Sone'] did make us think, but we are sticking to our conviction of Darius being the top prospect. I was able to see Valdin play <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2024/10/st-annes-belfield-vs-blue-ridge-game-report/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>this past fall</strong></a> and he is the real deal. Darius has not committed yet, but he is down to <strong><a href="https://x.com/dariusgrayy_/status/1944472088863248887" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">five teams</a></strong> and I expect we will be hearing his commitment soon. If we are lucky, we will get to see Darius and Valdin compete against each other on the college gridiron. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Woods Takes Top TE Spot</h2>   <p>Abingdon's [player_tooltip player_id='853067' first='Aidan' last='Woods'] moves up to not only the top Tight End rank, but also moves into the top 20 overall sitting at 18th. In last year's update, I went through the entire <strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2024/06/tight-ends-1-5-in-the-virginia-class-of-2026-rankings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tight End class</a></strong> and I loved Aidan's blocking ability from the position. He proved me right as a top OL performer at our<strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/01/przva-showcase-highlighting-the-top-offensive-linemen/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> January Player Showcase</a></strong> and North Carolina agrees as Aidan is committed to play for the Tar Heels.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Specialists Arrive</h2>   <p>This update includes an alphabetical listing of specialists who have profiles at the bottom of the rankings, so they should not be viewed as an order of who we think is better. A number of them have received article coverage in the past. Be sure to check out our specialists starting at rank 673.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Players to Note</h2>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Wide Receivers to Note</h3>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='402766' first='Isiah' last='Dougan']</strong> is a WR I have liked since I first watched him <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2024/03/class-of-26-prospects-to-know/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>last year</strong></a>. His combination of size and athleticism is what D1 schools are looking for. He is set to announce his commitment on<a href="https://x.com/IsiahDougan/status/1947032624888746317" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> August 9</a>.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Liberty Christian Players in the Top 250</h3>   <p>Liberty Christian Academy boasts three players in our Top 250. [player_tooltip player_id='853895' first='Jayden' last='Cowart'] makes his return, and if we broke down Defensive Backs into Safeties and Corners, he would be one of the top ranked Safeties. A multi-year varsity starter at Safety, Jayden has been a part of <strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2024/12/liberty-christians-road-to-back-to-back-state-championships/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">back-to-back state championship teams</a></strong>. With the graduation of star prospect Gideon Davidson, we very well could see Jayden have a role in the offensive backfield this fall as well, a part of his game I have liked but we have not seen featured as much.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='971513' first='Austin' last='Tremblay'] makes his rankings debut at rank 100. He is a stout Edge defender and Tight End for LCA. His college future is likely on the defensive side of the ball, but for LCA, he is a key part for offense and defense. His blocking is good enough to play TE and OL if needed. Currently holds a number of offers at the D1 level.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1318838' first='Bodie' last='Aronson'] also makes his ranking debut for us at overall rank 206 and 35th overall for Offensive Line. Bodie transferred to LCA last fall and made the switch from Center to Left Tackle. He played very well for LCA and is back to hold down that position again this fall. His size may prevent him from D1 offers, but he is one of the top non-D1 players in my opinion.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">One of the Toughest Players in the Class</h3>   <p>Quarterback and Defensive Back [player_tooltip player_id='1298411' first='Ayden' last='Slash'] of Heritage High School is a player I have always been impressed with. I have had the opportunity to watch him play live twice the past two seasons, including a classic matchup of cross-town rivals in the <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2024/11/the-jug-bowl-heritage-pioneers-vs-e-c-glass-hilltoppers-report/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Jug bowl</strong></a> this past fall. He will be one of the better athletes on the field and will not back down from a challenge. <strong><a href="https://x.com/AydenSlash5/status/1865037188989104512" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">In 2024</a></strong>, he passed for 1,400+ yards, Rushed for 1,100+ yards, had 25+ TDs, and only 2 interceptions and was give 1st-Team All-District honors. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Final Thoughts</h2>   <p>Congratulations to every player ranked. A lot of work goes into these rankings, and we are not perfect when it comes to ranking over 600 players. If we missed you, be sure to DM us on X <a href="https://x.com/PrepRedzoneVA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>@PrepRedzoneVA</strong></a>, and we will have one of our scouts get you covered in an upcoming article. If you think we ranked you too low, prove us wrong this fall.</p>   <p></p>   <p><em>**Cole cannot communicate with prospects directly due to his work in college football. Any questions related to his content must be directed to the <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneVA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@PrepRedzoneVA</a></em> <em>account**</em></p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <p><em>Click <a href="https://prepredzone.com/prospect-index/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a> to claim your Prep Redzone Prospect Index profile.<br>Follow me on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/GoLions1934" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@GoLions1934</a> for further content | <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneVA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@PrepRedzoneVA</a>, and <a href="https://x.com/PrepRedzone" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@PrepRedzone</a> | Virginia Scouts <a href="https://twitter.com/carljfred" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@carljfred</a>, </em><a href="https://x.com/EdOBrienCFB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>@EdOBrienCFB</em></a><em> & <a href="https://x.com/coachbrown757">@coachbrown757</a></em> | <em>View my previous Prep Redzone articles <a href="https://prepredzone.com/author/cole-laing-author/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a></em></p>

The updated Class of 2026 Rankings were posted the other day, and I am here to give some initial thoughts on them. A lot of effort and time goes into finding and ranking almost 700 players across the state in one class. A huge thank you to our lead scouts who take the extra time to put the rankings together. Below are some highlights of the rankings and my initial thoughts.