2028 Edge Rusher Newcomers: Winter Rankings Update

We released our updated <a href="https://prepredzone.com/north-carolina/rankings/2028-rankings/">2028 class rankings</a> last Monday, which included 58 newcomers from the sophomore class, pushing our total ranked players in the 2028 class to 281. I looked at some of the numbers driving the update in my <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/01/behind-the-scenes-of-the-2028-rankings-update-january/">Behind the Scenes</a> piece, then wrote <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/01/3-things-to-know-about-the-2028-class/">three things to know</a> about the class as a whole. Now, it's one of my favorite pieces, the newcomers. Here, we're evaluating every new edge rusher in the rankings.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Newly-Ranked 2028 Edge Rushers</h2>    St. Pauls is becoming something of a defensive lineman factory, and while the older, more established recruits certainly shone bright last season, Richardson was an impressive secondary option in the pass-rushing department. Despite his youth, he's built like a college-ready defensive end, and he flashed some elite potential throughout the season. His first step is excellent, and he's already one of the bigger and stronger prospects in the class.     Dow flew a bit under the radar in 2025, despite having a strong season when he played, but he's gained some traction on the recruiting trail in the offseason. He's a strong tester who will likely be on everyone's radar heading into the 2026 season. With excellent length, great quickness, and a frame to add more weight this offseason, Dow won't fly under the radar for long.     Hunt might have the best group of edge rushers in the state, and Bynum's addition to the rankings makes four Warrior defensive linemen in our rankings for the classes of 2027 and 2028. Bynum has great get-off and excellent change of direction, so he's able to make plays even on play action, screens, and misdirection.     A long, high-motor edge rusher, Sayre plays bigger than his listed size. He made plenty of plays in the backfield last year, and even if his initial pass-rush is stalled, he has secondary and tertiary moves that he uses to get to the quarterback. He has good timing on stunts, and he has the length and bend to make plays around the edge.     West finished the 2025 season among the state leaders in sacks by a sophomore. He was a big part of Northern Nash's suffocating defense that gave up just 14 points per game once conference play started. He has the frame to add some more weight and we won't be surprised if he grows another inch or too, either.     Taylor played well as both a run-stopper and pass-rusher last season, finishing with six sacks and 41 tackles for Wake Forest. He has a good first step, and he doesn't often get fooled by misdirection, meaning he was often in the right place at the right time to make plays. He's not the biggest defender, but he's a smart player who makes big plays.    There's plenty to come from Matt Morrow, Joshua Graham, and me on the 2028 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 released our updated 2028 class rankings last Monday, which included 58 newcomers from the sophomore class, pushing our total ranked players in the 2028 class to 281. I looked at some of the numbers driving the update in my Behind the Scenes piece, then wrote three things to know about the class as a whole. Now, it's one of my favorite pieces, the newcomers. Here, we're evaluating every new edge rusher in the rankings.