Round One Playoff Standouts: Players Who Shined in AAA

Get 30% Off Your Subscription with Code PRZWV30 at Checkout!   32 teams have advanced to the playoff quarterfinals after the opening round of the postseason in West Virginia, with many players standing out in round one. Here are some Top Performers from the first round of the AAA playoffs.    2026 Spring Valley big man [player_tooltip player_id='1138231' first='Maddox' last='Barron'] set the tone up front for the Timberwolves on both sides of the ball in their hard-fought opening round playoff win against Elkins. The 6'5 320 tower was a key cog in the middle of their defensive line and helped shut down a potent Elkins rushing attack that saw plenty of success this season. Barron projects as an offensive lineman, but did a great job in round one of owning the line of scrimmage on defense, especially.      2026 OLB/DB [player_tooltip player_id='1050583' first='Christian' last='Robinson'] had a strong defensive showing in the first round of the AAA playoffs against Nitro. He recorded 9 tackles, including three for loss, and forced a fumble, consistently disrupting plays in both the backfield and the secondary. Robinson's aggressive, all-around performance was a key factor in keeping Nitro's offense largely in check and setting the tone defensively for his team.      One of the more underrated prospects in the 2026 class is Capital LB [player_tooltip player_id='894636' first='Camdyn' last='Harris']. He's had a great senior season for the Cougars and has developed well in their program since being primarily a running back early in his career. Harris has excelled at middle linebacker since then and had a strong performance against a very good Nitro offense in the first round. He has the athleticism and physicality to play at the D2 level and should earn some opportunities from that level soon.      2027 Keyser ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1589140' first='Addison' last='Brafford'] had a dynamic, all-around performance in the first round of the AAA playoffs against North Marion, racking up 222 all-purpose yards. Brafford contributed 80 passing yards, 42 rushing yards, 60 receiving yards and added a 40-yard kickoff return, finishing the game with three total touchdowns. His versatility and big-play ability were instrumental in Keyser's near-upset bid, showing he can impact the game in multiple ways.      2027 Elkins RB/LB [player_tooltip player_id='864596' first='Jaden' last='Hatfield'] had a solid performance in a tough loss against Spring Valley in round one of the playoffs. He made an impact on both sides of the ball with some explosive runs and a big forced fumble on defense to change momentum. Hatfield's speed translated well at linebacker in this matchup against a tough, physical Wing-T offense, and he was a big reason why the Timberwolves were held to just 13 total points in the close loss.      2026 Nitro DB [player_tooltip player_id='1741549' first='Dawson' last='Hill'] has come on strong in the second half of the season for the Wildcats and has steadily improved in his new program since the start of the year. He had 8 tackles and an interception in their round one victory over Capital. Hill was physical, coming downhill on underneath passes, while closing on receivers with ferocity. He's a big, physical defensive back with speed who could be playing himself into some scholarship offers soon.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/dawson_hill30/status/1989823067347193977 </div></figure>     2027 Bridgeport RB/LB [player_tooltip player_id='2056764' first='Eli' last='Knight'] had an excellent game against PikeView in round one of the playoffs. Knight made a large impact on both sides of the ball and led the Indians in tackles with 13, including 3.5 for a loss. His unselfish play on offense, as primarily a blocker in their single-wing, helped open large running lanes for his teammates. The WVU wrestling commit set the tone as a blocker and as an edge defender in the win, while making timely plays on offense at times as well for a complete round one performance.      Robert C. Byrd had one of the best upset wins in the first round of the playoffs in large part due to their success in the trenches. 2026 OL [player_tooltip player_id='1324949' first='Julian' last='Bailey'] was among the forefront of that on both sides of the ball and set the tone for the Eagles along the line of scrimmage. He was physical on both sides of the line and was instrumental in RCB's offensive and defensive success. D2 programs would be wise to get Bailey on their recruiting boards heading into signing day.      Another Robert C. Byrd lineman who stood out in the Eagles' upset of Fairmont Senior in the first round was 2026 DL [player_tooltip player_id='882762' first='Trevor' last='Dean']. He moved down to the defensive line again in the second half of the season after seeing time at linebacker early on, which is his most natural position. Dean is a scrappy player who excels in 1-on-1 matchups with offensive linemen with good agility and footwork. He's a great D3 prospect in our eyes and would be a great addition at a program at that level.      Several Chapmanville Tigers had big nights in their first playoff win in 14 years against Greenbrier East, but 2026 TE [player_tooltip player_id='1137047' first='Benji' last='Adkins'] should be commended for his play. The 6'5 235 big man made timely plays in the passing game, but it was his play as an extra blocker that really caught our eye. Adkins was utilized in both the passing and running game as a blocker, and you can see why with his large frame. He looks like he could grow into a future offensive tackle at the next level depending on how he develops in college and is an underrated prospect in the 2026 class.      2026 Greenbrier East WR [player_tooltip player_id='1803523' first='Kaden' last='Stone'] continued his big-play ability in a high-flying matchup with Chapmanville in round one. He's an explosive athlete on both sides of the ball with very good speed and burst as a receiver and when closing on the ball as a defensive back. He'll place well in our final 2026 rankings update next month as a player we've underrated to date. Stone is worthy of D2 looks with the athleticism and ball skills that he has.      Another 2026 Greenbrier East WR prospect who had a big game in a close loss to Chapmanville was [player_tooltip player_id='1137480' first='Nathan' last='Suttle']. He's been a multi-year standout for the Spartans during his career and has steadily developed and improved over his career. Suttle took back the opening kickoff for a touchdown to set the tone early in what would foreshadow a high-scoring affair. He's an excellent athlete who will make a D2 program very happy with his services at the next level.      Chapmanville set the tone up front in their big opening round win over Greenbrier East, and 2028 OL/DL [player_tooltip player_id='1311031' first='David' last='Browning'] was at the forefront of their success on both sides of the line. He's a young two-way standout for the Tigers who currently ranks as a Top 10 defensive linemen in his class, but has high upside on offense as well. Browning made impactful plays on both sides this week as he's done all season long, and has a bright future in their program.      The Winfield Generals had a tough opening round loss to Herbert Hoover, but 2027 LB [player_tooltip player_id='865431' first='Carson' last='Samples'] was all over the field on defense. He's deserving of a spotlight for his play on defense with high effort pursuit of the football. Samples is an undersized but scrappy player that allows him to overcome those size concerns. He reads plays well and plays with physciality to get off blocks and get to the ball tenaciously.

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