Ball Hawks Returning in 2026

***Code Johnson30 for 30% off a Prep Redzone annual subscription***   Turnovers are one of the quickest ways to change a game, swing momentum, and put an individual athlete on the map. However, turnovers are not easy to come by as you have to find a way to force your opponent into an error. Whether that be making a bad decision with a throw, or trying to rip the ball away from an RB to force a fumble. Because of that turnovers can be so inconsistent, yet here in WI we have several athletes who were able to create those turnovers on the backend of the defense at a high rate. We are saw so many athletes with 5-9 INTs in 2025. Unfortunately, many are graduating and moving on to the next level or hanging up their cleats. But there is another group. That group is the athletes who were able to produce at a high rate in coverage and still have years to play at the high school level. Those kids are our topics of discussion today. Some of the top ball hawks roaming the secondary and snagging INTs.    Rex was making plays all over the secondary for Bay Port as the Pirates made a return trip to Camp Randall in 2025. Rex ended the regular season with an impressive 6 INTs, and then added 2 more in the playoffs for a total of 8 INTs. Add on 3 more PBUs and you have a 2027 DB who has a strong knack for getting his hands on the football while in coverage. The junior reads QBs like a veteran. He is patient, baiting them into bad decisions and then flashing his closing burst to jump the route and ball skills to create the turnover. Rex does a great job of keeping everything in front of him and reading things as quickly as they unfold. Definitely a kid to keep an eye on this year. Check out the highlights that includes those picks.      This is an intriguing northern WI junior. Kolton dominated on both sides of the ball for Coleman. He was nearly a 1,4000 yard rusher for the offense and then on defense secured 7 INTs, returned 1 for a score and had 2 other PBUs. Kolton is a long, lanky athlete but once he gets under those bright lights he flips a switch showing patience and then burst, vision, long speed to break off the big play or run in the secondary. I'm expecting another highly productive two way year for the 2027 ATH.     Chris is another dominant two-way athlete for a small school. That isn't just any small school, though, as SJCA brought home the D7 State Championship in 2025. A big reason why was the dominance Chris displayed. He is an explosive athlete as a RB, handling 15-20+ carries in a game while also flying around the secondary at safety too. His vastly superior athletic profile allows him to play 15 yards off the ball and close on the ball anywhere on the field within seconds. The Swiss Army knife can be found all over the defensive alignment, but one thing for sure is that wherever he is at the offense better account for him. Kenesie is one of the top returning athletes in the Class of 2027 and has the production to back it up with his 7 INTs and 6 PBUs. Check him out.      Ezra hit my radar while researching for this article. I love having these hidden gems jump out to me in these moments of research. Ezra is another two way contributor, but his largest impact is definitely in coverage. In 2025 we saw Ezra contribute 6 INTs and return 1 for a TD. It is fun watching the highlights from those INTs. The junior seems to always be in the right place at the right time to make those highlight reel plays. When he isn't, you see the ability to quickly process what the WR is doing and react to be able to get in position to make a play. The 2027 barely leaves the field playing DB, returner, RB and also lining up out wide at WR. Take a look.      I don't think I have ever done this article and had to include an LB before, but [player_tooltip player_id='2103634' first='Cole' last='Hank'] of Appleton North has changed that. The undersized LB could be a chess piece for the next level that rotates in on those obvious passing situations. Cole is a fluid athlete, easily sliding out into a zone and changing direction quickly so that he can jump those passing lanes in the short-intermediate throws. The junior has natural hands to secure those 6 INTs. I'm interested in how he performs this summer at any camps he might attend. Definitely an interesting and productive athlete.      It is really no surprise to see Zeke on this list of athletes. Everywhere he plays the 2027 ATH delivers game-changing moments. He led Darlington to a dominant 14-0 season and State Championship as a junior while putting up elite numbers as a runner, passer, and DB. On defense you see the high football IQ, diagnosing plays quickly and then using that next level athleticism to always be in the right place at the right moment. In the end, Zeke hauled in 5 INTs, returned 1 for a score, and an additional 4 PBUs. This is a need to know athlete in the Class of 2027 here in WI.      Larenzz is a legitimate D1 level athlete. His combinations of athleticism and power, fluidity and violence separate him from the crowd. Pratt makes this list because he makes it look so easy running stride for stride with WRs, reacting to their breaks in a split second, and then getting in position to become the WR instead of the DB. Larenzz ended his junior season with 5 INTs and returned 3 of them for TDs. When he wasn't securing those picks he was delivering the hardest hits I have seen from a CB. This kid is one that D1 programs need to have on their boards.      What a year for [player_tooltip player_id='1227463' first='Amarie' last='King'] of Racine Case. While he may be undersized for the safety position it is hard to argue against his production. Amarie finished 2025 with 5 INTs and an additional 8 PBUs. He did really well at taking in what was in front of him, reading the QB, and knowing when to run and close on the ball. The junior plays with a very high football IQ and even has a few highlights where you see him come off his responsibility and go make a play on the ball. I'm really hoping to see him this summer so we can get more looks at him in 1 on 1 coverage. Tap into these highlights.      This is another new athlete on my radar thanks to the research for this article. The Luther DB is a very long CB who finished 2025 with 5 INTs, returning 1 for a TD. The athletes have a lot of the same things in common, but most of all it is the innate ability to read and react and a high football IQ. Trent is another kid with that talent as his highlights show him repeatedly go outside his responsibility to make a play because he reads it and is confident he can get to the spot in time. Check out the hidden gem.

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