Class of 2026 Risers

Alex Pallone November 19, 2025 @ 04:04 PM

For most of the class of 2026, high school football is a thing of the past. Now, it's time to look toward the offseason, college, and winter/spring sports. While I haven't spent a ton of time watching this class this season, there are a few who were still able to stand out. Here's who I have for my 2026 risers- three of whom play this weekend!   RB | [player_tooltip player_id='1615813' first='Kayden' last='Dickerson'] | Portland   Kayden began his rise in the offseason with a few truly standout camps. In the offseason, Kayden was able to stand out with his testing numbers in addition to his 1on1s. In-season, Kayden rushed for 1,461 yards, 21 touchdowns, 9.5 YPC, in addition to 51 tackles on defense. Kayden checks a ton of boxes, and he's one of those senior risers who usually earn late recruiting attention. Kayden proved to be a great all-around player this season, and especially impressed with his breakaway speed and willingness to be physical.   TE/ATH | [player_tooltip player_id='1306699' first='Brady' last='Smith'] | Lowell   A standout last season, and a massive part of Lowell's semifinal run this season. Last week, Brady was a huge part of Lowell's win against defending champion Zeeland West. A 47-yard reception was the biggest play of Brady's night, while he's also a huge part of the Lowell defense, tallying a sack. Film from earlier in the season showcases Brady's quick getoff and ability to fly by good offensive linemen. In short, Brady has upgraded his game on both sides of the ball. Upgraded production offensively and defensively.   LB | [player_tooltip player_id='551269' first='Carter' last='Hladki'] | Groves   Carter has shown consistent improvement throughout his high school career. He's developed into a great between-the-tackles run stopper, and his senior tape proves it. When he's able to blitz, Carter is great at cutting off rushing lanes and earning TFLs. When he's not blitzing, Carter has developed a better IQ compared to last year. His eyes are constantly in the backfield, and he does a solid job of playing downhill, hitting a hole, and tackling a running back. This weekend, Carter is going to be a major part of Groves' semifinal game against Dexter.   WR | [player_tooltip player_id='568193' first='Austin' last='Abbate'] | Saline   Austin has backed up his ranking and even more. This season, Austin seemed to have been Saline's primary deep threat. He excelled at screaming upfield with double-moves. Additionally, there are a few instances of him running a short crosser and earning a ton of yards after catch. I do feel that Austin has upgraded his route running and RAC this season. He's also a very fast wide receiver, running up to 20.3 MPH this season.   RB | [player_tooltip player_id='1290864' first='Jared' last='DeVries'] | Unity Christian   Jared has been a big-time needle-mover for Unity Christian this season, and will be a 2026 rankings riser. Last week, Jared rushed for 4 touchdowns against a strong Big Rapids defense. Additionally, his tape proves that he's a reactive linebacker. Offensively, DeVries is a high-volume (10+ carry) back, and plays with quite a bit of power. Against Big Rapids, he was the main goalline back, and excelled at running between the tackles. It's rare that you get a two-way player as productive as Jared in the D4 semifinals. UC is a heavy favorite this weekend, and much of that is because of Jared's contributions.

For most of the class of 2026, high school football is a thing of the past. Now, it's time to look toward the offseason, college, and winter/spring sports. While I haven't spent a ton of time watching this class this season, there are a few who were still able to stand out. Here's who I have for my 2026 risers- three of whom play this weekend!