Coming to the ‘28 Rankings: Preview of 5 Debuts

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Santino Bernal January 8, 2026 @ 06:16 AM

In my most recent report I hinted at an update for the Class of ‘28, and rest assured folks, it's coming. Since the start of the new year I've dedicated my time to rolling this update out for a few reasons. One being that many prospects have outdated rankings, and there is much to discuss when it comes to their progress. The second reason is that there are several deserving prospects ready to crack the rankings.   As I've done over the past few updates, I wanted to give folks a preview of some prospects to look for from the upcoming group of newcomers. Remember these five names once the rankings go live.   [player_tooltip player_id='2065032' first='McCoy' last='Martin'] - Basehor-Linwood, 6'0”, 190, LB   This group of five begins with one of the top linebacker prospects in the class. Martin of Basehor-Linwood made a statement in his first varsity season. He not only emerged as one of the Bobcats' top defenders in 2025, but he looked like a seasoned veteran when it mattered most. During Sub-State and the 5A State Championship Game, Martin recorded 25 total tackles, one sack, one blocked punt, and a blocked field goal. He's an impact player capable of making serious noise during the ‘26 campaign.   [player_tooltip player_id='1677993' first='Carter' last='Lewis'] - Eudora, 6'3”, 250, OL   With the exception of a few prospects, there haven't been too many offensive linemen in this class that have set themselves apart. That however is not the case with this next prospect. After an impressive sophomore campaign, Lewis of Eudora has made a strong case to be one of the top ranked players at his position. Lewis shined in the trenches during the Cardinals' 9-2 season, and as a result he received All-State and All-League recognition. The Eudora product is shaping up to be one of the top returning offensive linemen in Class 4A next season.    [player_tooltip player_id='2101266' first='Jaylen' last='Johnson'] - Bishop Miege, 6'4”, 205, Edge   It didn't take long while watching this prospect's film to determine that he's an absolute stud. [player_tooltip player_id='2101266' first='Jaylen' last='Johnson'] will without a doubt be one of the top ranked edge rushers once he makes his debut. During his sophomore season he showcased next level traits and went on to be recognized as an All-League performer. He looks so natural coming off the edge at such a young age, and right now he's mainly relying on his length and athleticism. But once he adds some moves to his repertoire, opposing offenses better watch out. Miege has a history of fielding highly sought after prospects, and Johnson looks to be next up.    [player_tooltip player_id='2101265' first='Owen' last='Smith'] - Blue Valley North, 5'9”, 160, DB   During this evaluation process for the update, one position group that's really stood out to me has been the defensive backs. There are quite a few promising DB's that played well during their first varsity season. Smith of Blue Valley North was one of them. He showed he's capable of covering out on the perimeter, as well as holding down the slot. The 5-foot-9 corner finished the ‘25 campaign with 38 total tackles and 10 pass breakups.   [player_tooltip player_id='1921500' first='Justus' last='Sprague'] - Olathe South, 5'6”, 145, RB   This final prospect is arguably the most explosive running back in the class thus far. Sprague may be a little undersized, but he used that to his advantage in 2025. It was difficult for defenses to corral him because of his quickness and elusiveness. He also proved to be a threat in the passing game as well. Sprague concluded his sophomore season rushing for 620 yards on 75 carries and hit paydirt eight times. As a pass catcher he tallied nine receptions for 134 yards and a score.

In my most recent report I hinted at an update for the Class of ‘28, and rest assured folks, it's coming. Since the start of the new year I've dedicated my time to rolling this update out for a few reasons. One being that many prospects have outdated rankings, and there is much to discuss when it comes to their progress. The second reason is that there are several deserving prospects ready to crack the rankings.