Class of ‘28 Rankings Update: New Faces in the Top 5

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another week of August has gone by which means we're another day closer to kickoff in the <em>Sunflower State</em>. To help everyone get their football fix while we all eagerly wait for the first week of September; I have some exciting news.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Folks across the state can now see who are the top sophomores heading into the ‘25 campaign, as the Class of ‘28 rankings have been updated. Obviously a lot will change in the next update with more prospects set to see the varsity field this season. But for now, the 150 ranked players in this update are definitely some of the best in the class.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>During the evaluation process there were some significant changes made to the top of the rankings. While the No. 1 overall ranking remained the same, the other four spots in the <em>Top 5 </em>feature some new faces. It'll be interesting to see if these five prospects can maintain their elite status during the ‘25 campaign. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1083570' first='Baron' last='Marshall'] - Blue Valley NW, 6'3”, 180, WR</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As I mentioned above, no surprises here with the top spot in the class. Our site, like many other recruiting sites, agree that Marshall of Blue Valley Northwest is hands down the top overall player in the Class of ‘28. He's heading into his sophomore season with a <em>4-Star</em> rating.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1777762' first='Reece' last='Wilmes'] - Free State, 6'5”, 255, OL</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first new face in the <em>Top 5</em> is Wilmes of Free State. Wilmes is following in his older brother's footsteps, as he's quickly becoming a highly sought-after offensive lineman. He heads into his sophomore season with <em>Division I </em>offers from <em>Iowa State</em>, <em>Kansas</em>, and <em>Nebraska</em>.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1655189' first='Remington' last='Merlau'] - Rose Hill, 6'3”, 230, Edge</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At No. 3 overall is a rising edge rusher out of Class 4A. Merlau has the potential to make an immediate impact for Rose Hill's defense, and is sure to draw more <em>Division I </em>interest this season. The top-ranked edge prospect holds offers from <em>Iowa State </em>and <em>Kansas State</em>. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1638191' first='Chyler' last='Walker'] - Derby, 6'5”, 230, TE</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It seems as if elite tight end prospects are just growing on trees in Derby, KS. After developing DaSaahn Brame, the Panthers now have [player_tooltip player_id='1638191' first='Chyler' last='Walker'] ready to burst onto the varsity scene. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound prospect debuts at No. 4 overall and is the top-ranked TE prospect in the class. He currently holds an offer from <em>Texas Tech</em>.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1433319' first='Cooper' last='Cranston'] - Holcomb, 6'1”, 195, ATH</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I've said it before and it still holds true. The Holcomb Longhorns continue to churn out extremely underrated talent. Cranston is the latest example, and the dynamic two-way prospect is primed for a big season. He rounds off the <em>Top 5</em> and is the new top-ranked ATH in the class. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->