Haverkamp, Wentworth Shine in Rankings: Rising ’29 Stars to Watch

Santino Bernal February 28, 2026 @ 07:43 AM

With this February update only being the second one for the ‘29 class there weren't many stock risers. That should change later this summer though. So for now, I'll be switching up the stock riser coverage.   Instead of highlighting who recently climbed the rankings, I wanted to share some projections. This report will be more of a look at players that have the potential to climb the rankings during the ‘26 campaign. These six players caught my eye during the evaluation process, and I'm excited to see what they do throughout this year.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Defensive Prospects</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='1651498' first='Chance' last='Grant-Barnett'] - Mill Valley, 5'9”, 160, DB    The defensive side begins with the first of two Mill Valley prospects. While there weren't many stock risers in this update, Grant-Barnett was one of the few prospects that saw significant change. He climbed 17 spots to No. 15 overall and is the 3rd ranked DB in the class. His physicality jumps out on film. It especially shows when he's coming down to stop the run. He's a player the Jaguars' defensive staff can trust in their secondary at the varsity level.   [player_tooltip player_id='1651500' first='Derek' last='Cloughley Jr'] - Mill Valley, 6'0”, 190, LB   Another young defender the Jaguars' staff can trust next season is Cloughley Jr. The six-foot 190-pound linebacker stayed in the Top 25 through this update, and is the 3rd ranked player at his position. He just seems like the type of linebacker that consistently puts himself in the right position. Not to mention he's a textbook tackler, as well as a solid backer in coverage. Cloughley Jr and Grant-Barnett have the potential of being key leaders for the Jaguars' defense in the future.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Offensive Prospects</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='1745453' first='Nick' last='McCarty'] - Olathe South, 5'10”, 135, WR   Starting off the offensive group is McCarty of Olathe South. In this update he was ranked No. 37 overall and is the 3rd ranked WR in the class. McCarty didn't have much film from last season, but from the few highlights I've seen, he could be a playmaker for the Falcons in the future. He's shifty with the ball in his hands, and possesses the speed to stretch the field. I could see him developing into a very solid slot receiver.    [player_tooltip player_id='1576402' first='Kellan' last='Haverkamp'] - Shawnee Heights, 6'1”, 160, QB    After reviewing film on this recruiting class, I think it's safe to say the QB's are one of the strongest position groups. A few of them already have varsity experience, and even more should see the varsity field this fall. Haverkamp of Shawnee Heights is one of those players. He's a little unknown as a prospect, but he does have decent size for the position, and he was able to learn behind [player_tooltip player_id='611096' first='Aiden' last='Scott'] this past season. Haverkamp could emerge as the Thunderbirds' QB1 in the fall.    [player_tooltip player_id='1709181' first='Aidyn' last='Wentworth'] - Hays, 6'2”, 150, WR    Wentworth of Hays was another prospect that was included in the small group of stock risers in this update. The 6-foot-2, 150-pound wideout climbed 11 spots to No. 38 overall and is now the 4th ranked WR in the class. His freshman season was unfortunately cut short due to injury. But, he did show promise in the few games he played in. A few things stood out from his film. He has a wide catch radius, and he could be a go-to target for Hays in the redzone. He'll have this offseason to recover from his injury, and he has the potential to bounce back in a big way during his sophomore year.   [player_tooltip player_id='2128275' first='Gage' last='Hodges'] - Salina South, 6'4”, 185, TE    Capping off this group of prospects is the new top-ranked tight end in the class. Hodges of Salina South made his debut in the rankings at No. 42 overall. He already boasts a promising frame at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds, and he has plenty of time to add size. His size played a factor during his freshman season, as he showed an ability to rack up yards after the catch. He looks like he could develop into a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. I wouldn't be surprised if he earned a starting job as a sophomore.

With this February update only being the second one for the ‘29 class there weren't many stock risers. That should change later this summer though. So for now, I'll be switching up the stock riser coverage.