Inside Decatur Central: Six Prospects Who Will Fill Key Roles

After back-to-back state championship appearances in 2023 and 2024, including a victory over Warsaw in the latter year, Decatur Central moved up to 6A and held their own in 2025.  They had just two losses to 6A teams: an overtime heartbreaker against Avon to open the year, and a 47-23 loss to the unstoppable state champion Brownsburg in the regional finals.   Still, the Hawks captured a 6A sectional title with a win over Lawrence Central. With losing several top-end prospects like [player_tooltip player_id='401633' first='Alec' last='Surber'], [player_tooltip player_id='1000045' first='Mykul' last='Campbell'], [player_tooltip player_id='223703' first='Bo' last='Polston'] and several others to graduation, the 2026 team will look much different. PRZ was on the ground at Decatur Central last month, and we got the latest intel on these six rising stars who are expected to step up and fill key roles.    [player_tooltip player_id='1660929' first='Malik' last='Campbell'] has a chance to be one of the best Class of 2028 prospects in Indiana. Campbell has great first-step quickness, strong edge speed and his 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame will likely get bigger and stronger in the years ahead. His height, size, arm length and speed are all top-shelf qualities. Plays with good bend and a very high motor. I would expect him to have a breakout junior season.     [player_tooltip player_id='1707068' first='Colton' last='Ison'] is a strong pass rusher with a nose for the ball. Ison, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound outside linebacker, has great instincts and takes great pursuit angles to wreck havoc on the backfield and make open-field tackles against the run. He is likely Decatur Central's top returning starter, holds an offer from Toledo, and with a 4.1 GPA, he gets the job done in the classroom and his football intelligence shines on tape.     Hunter Harvey is a strong two-way player who excels on both sides of the ball. At safety, he flashes good closing speed and range, taking great angles to runners and making open-field tackles in space. Harvey has good ball skills and timing to break up passes. He is also a threat on offense as a receiver/running back, where his top-end speed makes him a threat to go the distance. He has good vision, patience to follow blocks and great second-level burst.     Drew Dalton is a prospect the staff at Decatur Central is excited about. Although he doesn't have film posted, he is a 5-foot-11, 165-pound receiver and safety who can play and contribute on both sides of the ball. Coach Enright thinks the Class of 2028 prospect has a lot of potential.     Troy Vanjelgerhuis is a specialist with high upside. He is quick to snap, step and get into position to block oncoming punt rushers. He was 18-for-18 on punts last season with a .68 speed average. VanJelgerhuis has a strong, thick, and athletic frame for the college level.     [player_tooltip player_id='1672716' first='Ezekiel' last='Hester'] is a top-shelf Class of 2029 prospect who the staff expects to blossom next season. The dual-threat quarterback earned an invite at FBU's camp, and he already has a 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame as a rising sophomore. Hester has a strong arm, hitting receivers in stride on the deep ball and he already flashes beign exceptional at throwing on the move. As a runner, he can break through contact, stay balanced and gain yards after contact. It's early, but Hester could be Indiana's top prospect in the Class of 2029.

After back-to-back state championship appearances in 2023 and 2024, including a victory over Warsaw in the latter year, Decatur Central moved up to 6A and held their own in 2025. They had just two losses to 6A teams: an overtime heartbreaker against Avon to open the year, and a 47-23 loss to the unstoppable state champion Brownsburg in the regional finals.