Offseason Predictions: 5 Breakout Players in 2026 (Pt. 12)

<p id="block-32896c7d-e14b-42fd-9249-e04a7ae8bf4f"><strong><em>Get 30% Off Your Subscription with Code PRZWV30 at Checkout!</em></strong></p>   <p>We're still 6 months away from the 2026 season, but there's no better time to predict breakout stars during the offseason who have flashed in the past but haven't fully broken out yet. The transfer landscape has yet to be finalized, which may impact some of these predictions in the future. However, here is one player from each school, listed in alphabetical order, that we believe will have a breakout season.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>OAK GLEN GOLDEN BEARS</strong></h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='2079510' first='Jacob' last='Everett'] wasted no time emerging at Oak Glen, and his freshman production backs up the early buzz around him in the 2029 class. He already carries a varsity frame at 6'0 210, and plays with the kind of edge you want in the middle of a defense, finishing with 75 tackles and five tackles for loss as the team's second-leading tackler. He was just as impactful offensively, logging 100 carries for 715 yards and five touchdowns as the second-leading rusher as well. With graduation losses creating openings at the top of both categories, the path is clear for Everett to take on an even larger role on both sides of the ball. If he builds on what he showed as a freshman, he has every tool to separate himself as one of the premier young two-way players in the state.</p>     <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>OAK HILL RED DEVILS</strong></h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1659048' first='Cade' last='Compton'] closed his junior season at Oak Hill with real momentum after putting together one of the more productive two-way campaigns in the class, which is why he now sits inside the Top 20 linebacker rankings. The All-State standout topped the 1,000-yard mark on the ground for the Red Devils and showed the kind of toughness and work rate that translates well to the defensive side, where his long-term projection points squarely to middle linebacker. He has a natural feel for finding the football and plays with the kind of pursuit and urgency coaches trust in the middle of a defense. Compton has the makeup to turn a strong junior year into an even more complete and impactful final season.</p>     <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>PARKERSBURG BIG REDS</strong></h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1331228' first='Devin' last='Widman'] comes out of his junior year at Parkersburg as one of the more under-the-radar linebackers in the 2027 group, especially considering how productive he's been. Even with limited film available, earning First Team All-MSAC and Second Team AAAA All-State honors tells you that coaches and opponents both felt his presence. At 5'10 200, he is built low and strong, plays downhill, and shows the kind of tackling reliability you want anchoring the middle of a defense. He attacks the football with urgency, brings real pop on contact, and shows enough lateral quickness to work sideline to sideline. If his senior year matches the production and recognition he already has, he has a chance to move from a respected defender to a linebacker prospect who draws broader recruiting attention if he posts more film. </p>     <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>PARKERSBURG SOUTH PATRIOTS</strong></h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='2139527' first='Logan' last='Graham'] is one of those underclassmen you keep an eye on because the tools are there, even if the exposure is limited. At 6'1 175, he has the frame and athletic background you want on the perimeter, and his sophomore numbers show two-way upside with 10 catches for 149 yards and two scores on offense and 49 tackles with five passes defended on defense. Without full film available, you lean on the profile. He is a basketball contributor, which usually translates to body control, timing, and competitiveness in space. The next step for Graham is turning that foundation into expanded production as he heads into his junior year. He has the makeup to take on a much larger role for the Patriots and emerge as a legitimate breakout name in the 2028 class.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>PENDLETON COUNTY WILDCATS</strong></h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">2028 Pendleton County WR/DB [player_tooltip player_id='2139524' first='Britton' last='Lough'] quietly put together a strong junior season for the Wildcats, and the numbers point to a player whose role could expand quickly as a senior. He finished as the Wildcats' third leading receiver with 30 catches for 622 yards and six touchdowns while also racking up 82 tackles, which tells you he rarely left the field. With a 1,000-yard receiver now graduated, there is a clear opportunity for someone to step forward as another primary target, and Lough is a top candidate based on production alone. Even without film available, Lough has a real chance to turn steady junior numbers into a breakout senior season. </p>

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