2027 Player Rankings Update: Newly Ranked Watchlisters, Part I

For some prospects, the long wait is over. Part of the beauty of Prep Redzone's rankings watchlist is in the name and intention itself - we watch. After watching countless hours of film, here some of the prospects who lived on our watchlist for various periods of time, only to be revealed as top prospects.    Versatility, physicality, and a knock-back mentality are the three biggest characteristics to describe [player_tooltip player_id='1259105' first='Aidan' last='O'Neil']'s game. O'Neil can play both interior line and off the edge, showcasing that he has the ability to walk linemen backwards to establish a new line of scrimmage. Additionally, like a textbook example we see him get hands on down blocks and squeeze with authority. His get off is solid; however, he is exceptional at executing line stunts and has a nasty long arm he deploys. Inside or out, even or odd front, O'Neil is a monster in the trenches.     If you had five [player_tooltip player_id='1658068' first='Oluwasemilore' last='Olubobola']'s lining up along the offensive line, I doubt you would lose a single game. Aside from his raw size and inherent strength, Olubobola does an excellent job firing off the ball and can get someone on the ground within his first two steps. It goes without saying that his force translates to annihilating double teams; however, not lost upon him is the presence of mind to keep his head up in order to peel off for down hill linebackers. His quick feet are married to a wide base that allows him to easily cut off and win angle blocks. Olubobola's same feet allow him to handle speed rushers with speed as well. The sky is the limit for Olubobola as he still has two more full seasons to play.     There might just be an embarrassment of riches out in the Wick. Add [player_tooltip player_id='1305209' first='Qua'Yon' last='Williams'] name to that list. As a returner he has vision to set up his blockers before turning on the jets to toast a coverage team. Additionally, Williams can dig deep and find yet another gear to burn defenders who seem to have an angle. As fast as he moves his feet, they are also quick. At receiver his quick feet allow him to gain positioning for clean releases. Solid ball skills are demonstrated on tape too, as the 2027 graduate can contort himself to be in a competitive position to come up with the ball. Needless to say, he uses his hands to catch the ball. As a corner Williams shows reactive instincts that allow him to jump routes. Williams has tons of athleticism too. Able to quickly move well in all directions, I walked away impressed with his ability to laterally run. You would think that he is not one for physicality, right? Wrong. Williams has shown that he is the type of blocker who grinds whistle to whistle and fights hard to maintain his force leverage as a run supporter.     It seems as though West Orange's tradition of big, tall receiving target continues with [player_tooltip player_id='1648966' first='Sydney' last='Padilla']. His long frame comes with long arms. Used frequently in tight end pop situations, His long frame comes with long arms uses his hands to catch the ball and does a good job doing so in traffic. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, immediately out of his stance you see a vivid, dramatic burst that pushes defenders on their heels.     There is something special about running backs who can make one cut and gain enough speed to out-run everyone off of the field. I would probably describe [player_tooltip player_id='909525' first='Roman' last='Duckett']'s frame as a stout one, but all the while he maintains speed and patience. That impressive patience might be exactly what allows him to make his one cut and get vertical. Physicality is also a big part of Duckett's game too. We see him be unafraid to fight for touch yardage and weaponize his body in shot yardage situations; however, Duckett might be at his most physical in pass protection. Lastly, what makes him such an outstanding back is the fact that he keeps his feet moving and runs behind his pads. It also looks like he has thick thighs that make him hard to bring down to the ground.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2027 Player Rankings Update Coverage</h2>   <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2026-player-rankings-update-ranking-stock-risers-part-i">Rankings Stock Risers, Part I</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/2027-player-rankings-update-newly-ranked-watchlisters-part-i">Newly Ranked Prospects from the Watchlist, Part I</a>

For some prospects, the long wait is over. Part of the beauty of Prep Redzone's rankings watchlist is in the name and intention itself - we watch. After watching countless hours of film, here some of the prospects who lived on our watchlist for various periods of time, only to be revealed as top prospects.