Five Kansas 2026 Playmakers Rush to Historic Careers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2026 class will go down as one of the most prolific in Kansas High School football history. It is led by a crop of rushers that rewrote many record books across the state. I must say these are not the only five that reached such feats during their careers in the 2026 class. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With further ado lets showcase these rushing legend as they prepare for their college football futures in the coming months. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1229105"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-693cdfe8acb9a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The 5-foot-8, 180-pound Young is the lone 8-Man prospect to make this update but he deserves his roses when it comes to athletes that have left their mark in state history. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">He was recently named Sports in Kansas 8-Man I Offensive Player of the Year after a record setting career. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">He plays quarterback for the Indians and went 71-108 passing for 1,143 yards, 16 touchdowns and only five interceptions on the season. It was his legs he did most of his damage and had 200 carries for 2,112 yards rushing and an additional 38 touchdowns. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Defensively he chipped in 27 tackles and five interceptions from his secondary spot. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">For a overall career, Young had eye-popping numbers with him producing 6,261 total yards and 119 touchdowns. He had 80 rushing scores, 25 passing touchdowns, 10 receiving touchdowns and lastly four returns for scores on defense/special teams. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">He holds the Wichita County school records for rushing yards in a season and rushing touchdowns in a single game (7). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Young has multiple NAIA offers, with plenty more to come. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1229095"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-693cdfe8acc36"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Gebhardt looks the part of a college running back and the 5-foot-8, 185-pound coaches son has had a stellar career for the Trojans. It just is not his legs but his receiving abilities that make him stand out above many others. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">For a career he has rushed for 4,139 yards on 478 carries and 59 touchdowns. He has a 8.7 yards per carry average during that time span. For his senior season, he rushed for 2,066 yards on 208 carries and 33 touchdowns. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">As a receiver out of the backfield, he has produced 54 receptions for 984 yards and 14 more touchdowns. Overall he has 5,228 career total yards. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">He has been equally as effective on the defensive side of the ball from his linebacker position. He racked up 86 tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks this past fall. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Gebhardt has been honored as a two-time 2A All-State 1st-Team selection. The offers have started to roll in since the season has come to an conclusion. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1590226"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-693cdfe8acc94"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">When it comes to the bigger classifications, the 5-foot-8, 175-pound Lind is one of the better running backs to come out of 5A as a late. He had helped Hays reach the 5A state championship game as a junior. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Lind was a 1st-Team 5A All-State selection this past fall after being a Honorable Mention honoree as a junior. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">This past season he led the Indians in rushing with 1,597 yards rushing (7.46 yards per carry) and 15 touchdowns. He could've just as easily surpassed the 2,000 yard mark but he split carries with talented junior running back Braxton Basgall this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">For a career he had 357 carries for 3,866 yards rushing. Which both are school records. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Lind has started picking up offers and should only see things continue to pile up as we head for signing day. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["780500"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-693cdfe8accef"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Much like [player_tooltip player_id='1229105' first='Cashton' last='Young'], the 6-foot-0, 215-pound Hajek plays quarterback but is known mostly as a bellcow ball carrier. He had one of the greatest career any Kansas high school football player has ever seen. Rivaling the likes of DeAngelo Evans and Bryce Brown. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Hajek rushed for 7,902 yards on a staggering 1,106 carries and 129 rushing touchdowns (132 total scores). He topped 100 yards rushing 33 times and surpassed 200 yards rushing 15 times in his illustrious career. He is ranked as a the third best rusher in Kansas state history. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">This past fall he rushed for 2,638 yards on a whopping 326 carries and 41 touchdowns.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">As a passer, he threw for 3,014 yards and an additional 37 passing touchdowns for a career. His senior season he threw for 830 yards on 55-90 passing and 12 more scores to go along with just four interceptions. He also passed for 1,143 yards as a junior. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Overall he rushed for 2,000+ yards on back-to-back seasons helping him be named the Sports in Kansas All-Classes Offensive Player of the Year, 2A Offensive Player of the Year and was named to the All-Classes Top 11 team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hajek has been accumulating Juco and D-II offers but could see higher level offers come in due time. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["780341"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-693cdfe8acd49"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The bruising 6-foot-1, 220-pound Schwarz is a very similar type of build and runner much like Hajek. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">That is not the only place the similarities are similar as Schwarz rushed for a career rushing total of 7,482 yards on 692 carries and 101 touchdowns. He averaged 10.8 yards per carry throughout his four years as a starter. Schwarz also had 29 games in which he rushed for over 100 yards. This past fall he rushed for 2,500 yards on 213 carries and 38 touchdowns (11.7 yards per carry). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Much like Gebhardt, he was dominating defender where he finished with 244 career tackles, 31.0 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and lastly seven interceptions from his outside linebacker position. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Over his career he has been named a two time 1st-Team 3A All-State selection. Schwarz is the 4th All-Time rusher in Kansas History. He has committed to Washburn and had also landed a opportunity to play at Kansas this next season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Keep an eye out for more updates on 2026 prospects that have had stellar carriers. Signing day is just around the corner and I want to be able to promote as many deserving Kansas kids as possible. In my next article, look for five defenders that have produced eye popping prep careers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->