January Stock-Risers: 2027 Edge Rushers

We recently released our January <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/01/updated-2027-north-carolina-rankings/">2027 Rankings Update</a>, and it's time to break down the players who tell the story of the update. I've hit a couple of big-picture items so far, namely <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/01/three-things-to-know-about-the-class-of-2027/">three things to know</a> about the class and my traditional <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/01/behind-the-scenes-of-the-2027-rankings-january-update/">behind-the-scenes piece</a>. We're bouncing back and forth between the offense and defense, and here we're breaking down all the 2027edge rushers that moved up in our latest update.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2027 Edge Rusher Stock-Risers</h2>    Cotton was our biggest mover at edge rusher, something that tends to happen after a 21-sack season at the 6A level. Since August, he's our biggest riser in the class, regardless of position, going from unranked to 85th in a matter of months. There's some untapped potential, as he has room to add more weight and improve his power. Still, he knows how to get after the quarterback.     Conlon continues to quietly impress in limited reps, but that could change in 2026. He's put on some weight, and he could end up playing as a full-time off-ball linebacker in the future. For now, we like when he gets after the passer, as he's relentless in pursuit.     Perkins really came on down the stretch, and his film is vastly improved from last year. His get-off and bend are what you'd expect from a future highly sought-after recruit, and he has the work ethic and motor to become even better. The bend is the tantalizing trait here, and he has the ability to make talented offensive linemen look silly on a speed rush.     We thought we were high on Kalama before the bigger offers started to come, and when they did, we had to go back and consult the tape. He's grown tremendously as a pass-rusher in the past year. At times, he was unblockable and even had a huge game in Reagan's playoff loss against Grimsley and its impressive offensive line.     At one point the top overall player in the 2027 class, Galloway continues to quietly impress us, even if the sack numbers don't jump off the page. He's probably the best run-stopper on the edge in the state, regardless of class. He's a developing pass-rusher and the tools are there, as he has a nice mix of quickness and power. In 2027, his bend improved, and he's a guy we could see continuing to creep up the rankings.    There's plenty to come from Matt Morrow, Joshua Graham, and I on the 2027 rankings over the next week. Stay locked in with Prep Redzone for more insights, evaluations, and rankings updates. Want to share Prep Redzone with a friend? Promo code Helms30 will get them 30% off their first billing cycle for any subscription.

We recently released our January 2027 Rankings Update, and it's time to break down the players who tell the story of the update. I've hit a couple of big-picture items so far, namely three things to know about the class and my traditional behind-the-scenes piece. We're bouncing back and forth between the offense and defense, and here we're breaking down all the 2027edge rushers that moved up in our latest update.