Rising Stars Shift Gears to the Off-Season Grind

The 2025-26 Off-Season has officially kicked into gear and in the baller Sunflower state that means grindin' like your life depended on it.   When playmakers from Kansas step up they go big while the guys from the other states stay home...   The evidence is starting to stack up as we have phenoms playing all-state ball in their first year of varsity. We have sophomores dominating like never before.   Has Kansas cornered the market on players taking their game to the next level early and often?   Of course, not...   The Sunflower ballers have been coached up on the criticality of sustained work, which translates into making things happen once it's time to take the field.   Actions scream, words are, well, just words...   In this report we will take a look at three guys from 2029, four guys from 2028 and seven from 2027 who have their ears pinned back getting ready to blow it up in their senior year.   But first things first and that means embracing the off-season grind...   So without further adieu, let's check these guys out:     2029's:   [player_tooltip player_id='1331011' first='Ryder' last='Sedlacek']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/ryder-sedlacek/"></a> , 5'10, 165, QB, Hanover, first out of the chute we have a freshman state champion who was a part of the legendary Hanover team that not only won the state title, but knocked off powerhouse Axtell not once, but twice, with the first win snapping a 58-game winning streak. With the work put in by the team and learning what it takes to be a winner he will be able help keep the team flying high for the foreseeable future. Once the season ended this rising star QB immediately shifted gears to playing hoops and continuing to workout for football with Kegan Schuman and Revive Performance as well as fine-tuning his overall skill sets. And, with his dual-threat, high-IQ game and a commitment to being elite, this young gun will be ready.   [player_tooltip player_id='1651118' first='Landon' last='Reed']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/landon-reed-2/"></a> , 5'11, 185, LB/RB, Derby, he is another Derby baller who I have had my eye on since last summer when he dominated in hardball, hitting a 400' home run, stole 30 bases and continued to amp up the arm with an 80+ mph fastball. He has stepped up in the Panther program learning from some of the top LBers in the state and then dominated in JV with 32 tackles, one sack, one interception, one pass deflection, and three tackles for a loss. He has already shifted gears to the off-season grind once the season ended and is working with noted local trainer Coach Rashad and continuing to study film and be ready when his varsity opportunity presents itself. Definitely get this standout athlete on your watchlists as he is ready for a breakout season in 2026.   Braigan Dinkel, 5'11, 175, QB, Russell, this young gun dual-threat QB caught my eye earlier in the year as a baller coming off a frustrating injury. He met the challenge straight on, working hard with Sharp Performance and was busy in the camp-combine circuit getting ready for his first year of varsity. The Broncos flipped the script from 3-6 to 7-3 last year which made it very difficult for freshman to get any playing time. Nonetheless, his work and drive enabled him to play in eight games as a ballhawk strong safety or where ever in the secondary he was needed, making eight tackles and added a tackle for loss and a sack for good measure. With a senior QB leading the troops he didn't get to see much action behind center but his time is coming in hard and fast. Get some eyes on this guy as he is baller ready to take the next step.     2028's   [player_tooltip player_id='2047467' first='Cade' last='Liggett'], 6'0, 195, ATH, Pratt, '28, first up for the sophomore ballers is a guy who was sidelined with a broken collarbone during football and a fractured scaphoid in basketball a year ago. He hit the grind hard, which included playing multiple sports as well as staying busy all summer hitting camps throughout the state. The result was a banner season when he carried the ball for 1,000+ yards and scored nine times. He also caught 11 passes for 131 yards and a pair of TD's, to go along with 137 yards passing and two more scores. He also added 54 tackles and four tackles for loss on defense. This off-season he is already heavy into hoops and will use the same gameplan as last off-season to get ready for year three. With his versatile game and speed he is going to be an even more dangerous skill player next season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1327831' first='Maxson' last='Smiley']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/maxson-smiley/"></a>  , 6'0, 185, QB, Colby, '28, he is another western Kansas young gun quarterback who my counterpart Coach Mitchum has been doing a great job covering but I wanted to touch on his QB game which has been impressive to date. He started getting attention as a freshman when he produced an incredible JV stat line with over 3,000+ total yards and then parlayed that into a breakout sophomore season when he passed for 1,322 yards, fired 13 TD passes and only suffered three picks. He has already shifted gears into the off-season where he will play multiple sports in winter and spring as well as shoe horn in his QB training and throwing to his receivers. This guy is the real deal so get out and see him in action when you can.   Fisher Elder, 6'2, 220, RB/LB, Wellington, '28, this guy was on a short list of ballers I unfortunately overlooked earlier in the year as an unranked three-way player who was definitely flying under the radar. He proceeded to put on a show this past fall with a jaw-dropping 115 tackles, nine tackles for loss, eight sacks and a forced fumble. In one four-game stretch he averaged just under 14 tackles per game. On offense he was a solid all-purpose back with 100+ total yards and two touchdowns. He also handled kickoff duties and even return kicks as needed. He has already moved into the off-season grind and will be hitting it hard in the off-season in the Crusader's standout off-season program led by Coach Meeks. I am excited to see what this baller brings to the table in 2026. If it is anything like this last fall, it will be stellar.   [player_tooltip player_id='1147299' first='Holden' last='Ferralez']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/holden-ferralez/"></a> , 6'0, 165, QB/ATH, Sedgwick, '28, it was a tough transition year for this talented gunslinger as a group of upperclassmen helped lead the team deep into the playoffs when he was a freshman, only to have the script flipped last fall as the Cardinals fell to 2-7 with a young team. Nonetheless, he stepped up to the challenge and after a slow start delivered 1,317 passing yards and 10 TD's to go along with five rushing TD's on offense and then on the other side of the ball piled up 34 tackles and picked off a pair of passes, all in eight games. He didn't waste anytime shifting gears to the off-season where he is playing hoops and laser focused on helping lead the Kansas Colts to success this spring in 7v7. This guy is one of the top young-gun talents in the Wichita area as well as the state.<a href="https://x.com/HoldenFerralez"></a><a href="https://x.com/HoldenFerralez"></a>     2027's:   [player_tooltip player_id='1113168' first='Brody' last='Pfannenstiel']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/brody-pfannenstiel/"></a> , 6'4, 235, DE/TE, Hoisington, '27, the first junior to roll out is also one of the top players in the state and has consistently been ranked among the elite players in his class. This past fall he helped lead a team that went 10-1 and lost in the playoffs to eventual champ Andale. Along the way this multi-positional standout piled up 60 tackles, four sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery, while also operating as a hybrid TE/All-Purpose back who generated 464 receiving yards and six TDs, added 326 rushing yards and six more scores. As a result, he has become a hot D1 commodity with offers from Minnesota, KSU, Illinois, KU, Michigan State, and Duke.. Once the season ended he shifted gears to basketball, has continued training and working on his next-level game and was recently named Non-Senior Defensive Player of the Year 3A & Below.   [player_tooltip player_id='1362958' first='Levi' last='McLaughlin']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/levi-mclaughlin/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/levi-mclaughlin/"></a> , 6'3, 185, DB/WR, Rose Hill, '27, next up we have another rising star defensive player who is also starting to get attention from scouts and coaches as he brings to the table D1 prototype size, speed and athleticism. He and his teammates helped jump start a Rose Hill team that had gone 2-7 his sophomore year but improved to 6-4 last fall, getting hot in the second half of the year going 4-1. With his 4.5 speed, 38" vertical and ideal length, he is going to be a high-demand playmaker. For the year he piled up 51 tackles, 14 TFL, five forced fumbles and did not give up a TD all year. Once the season closed he went right into winter track, running the sprints as well as continuing to train with Coach Rashad and get ready for 7v7. He can play as a shutdown CB but will probably be slotted as a safety at the next level. This guy is a rising star.   [player_tooltip player_id='934065' first='Angelo' last='Engler']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/angelo-engler/"></a> , 6'3, 320, OL, Blue Valley NW, '27, when you need a mauling, brawling dominator in the trenches, this guy fits the bill. He caught my eye earlier when I looked at a lot of tape and was impressed with his explosiveness and quick feet for his size. He is a steamroller on the offensive front, where he can play multiple positions but will probably play guard at the next level. He has ideal size, at one time playing at over 300 pounds but has been working hard on cardio and shedding some weight in order to highlight his speed and athleticism. The effort was a success as he as he did not allow a sack the entire year, had zero holding calls, zero tackles for loss and registered 30+ knockdowns. He is already busy in the off-season, camping out in the weight room and continuing his position work with Coach Gomez.   [player_tooltip player_id='1166125' first='Colt' last='Curry']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/colt-curry/"></a> , 6'2, 205, QB, Maize, '27, after starting the year playing for Lawrence, his dad took a job in Wichita and he now attends Maize. The last two years he has backed up first-team all-state QB's and is chewing at the bit to show what he can do once he has the reins in hand. He is a dangerous dual-threat QB with ideal size, speed and athleticism. He can make plays running the RPO or extending plays with his speed and quickness, but where he really shines is in throwing the ball. He has strong pocket mechanics and footwork that he has been training with Coach Hoover four days a week, and is getting in the best shape of his life working with Coach Rashad at NXTLEVEL Performance four days a week as well. He throws an accurate ball and has the velocity to make the third-level throws or dial it back and make pin-point strikes in the short game. He is bypassing winter/spring sports, with his focus on the senior year and I am betting it is going to be a good one.   [player_tooltip player_id='1343604' first='Kyler' last='Coleman'], 5'10, 200, Wichita East, '27, next up we have a baller who has not been getting near the attention he deserves but all that is getting ready to change. He is coming off a junior season when he had 90 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and three sacks on the year. As a battering ram of a middle or inside linebacker, he has outstanding instincts and read and react skills. He diagnoses plays instantly and then shows off his lateral mobility and closing speed to bring the hammer on arrival. He is another stud in the making who I somehow overlooked coming into the 2025 season but not for long as he started making some noise early in the year. He is also skipping all the other sports so he can work exclusively on his next-level LB game. He has already started the off-season grind working out daily. This guy is going to be a beast in '26.   [player_tooltip player_id='1268347' first='Rylan' last='Morrell']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/rylan-morrell-2/"></a> , 5'10, 175, RB/LB, Nickerson, '27, and last, but certainly not least we have a standout running back/linebacker who is coming off a strong junior season, rushing for 830 yards on 156 carries, averaged 5+ per carry and scored seven touchdowns in nine games. And, as good as he was on offense, he really stood out as an outstanding LB who can play inside or outside and ended up with 40 tackles and four tackles for loss last fall. He and his teammates have the Nickerson program going in the right direction under Coach Parker and once the season was over he jumped into the team's off-season training as well as is playing basketball and is expecting to hit a number of camps this summer to be ready for his senior year. As a LB he is a headhunter who can bust through double teams and shoot gaps like a torpedo and once he makes the hit you know he's been there.     In conclusion, keep an eye on these guys as they come into their own.   Note: if your stats referenced above are inaccurate let me know - my stat source is primarily MAXPREPS and lately have been catching errors in their numbers.   And, most importantly...   Keep Grindin'

The 2025-26 Off-Season has officially kicked into gear and in the baller Sunflower state that means grindin' like your life depended on it.