6 Players to Know For the Next 2027 Rankings Update

The most frustrating aspects of rankings updates are that—without fail—there's always a handful of unranked players who surface immediately after a release. Sometimes, they're late bloomers who pop up on the radar, sometimes players or coaches immediately reach out to say, "This guy should be ranked too!" and sometimes, we find out after the fact that a player or two we truly thought we had in the rankings turns out to be missing.   Here, we're fixing that. In this special piece, we're looking at some of the 2027 prospects who should be safely in the rankings in our spring update.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Future 2027 Rankings Additions</h2>   Here, we'll break down a few guys who will definitely make the next update, and frankly, who have a strong argument for inclusion now.   [player_tooltip player_id='2063296' first='Camron' last='Lyons'] | RB/DB | Southern Nash   Lyons was key to Southern Nash's success in 2025 and will play an even larger role in 2026. He's a gadget guy who can do it all on offense, finishing the year with 11 carries a game and nearly 1,000 yards on the ground, while also leading the Firebirds in receiving. A true two-way player, Lyons also finished fourth on the team in tackles behind three seniors, and he'll be a key defensive leader next season for a strong 5A team. He was our <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/01/unsung-heroes-big-east-5a-6a/">Unsung Hero</a> for the Firebirds last year, but he should be in the spotlight as a senior.   [player_tooltip player_id='1271067' first='KJ' last='Jackson'] | QB | Gray's Creek   Jackson impressed in his first year as a starter, throwing for 1,500 yards and scoring 16 total touchdowns. He impressed us as a younger player at a few camps and has been on our watchlist for a couple of years. We think his 2025 performance is certainly enough to warrant inclusion in the rankings.   [player_tooltip player_id='2106957' first='Jordan' last='Buford'] | RB | Hendersonville   Shoutout to teammate [player_tooltip player_id='1106521' first='JaRon' last='Ward'] for alerting us to Buford's talent. The Hendersonville took to Twitter/X to let us know that we'd missed his running back. After consulting the film, I agree. The shifty, speedy back was one of only a handful of players to score a touchdown in every game this season. He's tough to square up in the open field and flashed some as a receiver this year, as well.   [player_tooltip player_id='1719071' first='Eric' last='Kline'] | QB | Westover   Kline had a nice year as the starter for Westover, throwing for nearly 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns, with just five turnovers on the season. He has good arm strength and throws a catchable deep ball. I'd like to see him use his legs a bit more, as he has ample mobility, and I like that he keeps his eyes down the field when he moves in the pocket.   [player_tooltip player_id='1692741' first='Jackson' last='Laws'] | LB/Edge | Cannon School   If you're wondering how we could leave a guy with 19 sacks out of the rankings, it's truly because I just assumed he was in the rankings. It turns out that we just missed him. Sorry, guys! Laws has impressive get-off, and he's an excellent finisher—you don't have a streak of six-straight games with multiple sacks without having that elite ability to convert pressures to sacks. He's a guy we could see moving far into the rankings as he shapes his body to match his newer role closer to the line of scrimmage.   [player_tooltip player_id='1685581' first='Tariq' last='Leggett'] | DB | Fairmont   Our own Joshua Graham texted me almost immediately after the rankings release and asked if we'd forgotten Leggett. Three days later, the two-way Fairmont star earned his first offer, a Power Four offer from Wake Forest. The athletic upside here is tantalizing, as he has a rare blend of size, speed, and length. We like him best as a rangy safety who can get to balls most other defenders couldn't dream of reaching.   This is the time of year when we have the most time to dive into film, reevaluate prospects, and change our minds about players. Send your film on Twitter/X (<a href="https://x.com/whelms21">@whelms21</a>), so I can evaluate you. Want to share Prep Redzone with a friend? Promo Code Helms30 is good for 30% off your first billing cycle.

The most frustrating aspects of rankings updates are that—without fail—there's always a handful of unranked players who surface immediately after a release. Sometimes, they're late bloomers who pop up on the radar, sometimes players or coaches immediately reach out to say, "This guy should be ranked too!" and sometimes, we find out after the fact that a player or two we truly thought we had in the rankings turns out to be missing.