‘27 Rankings Preview: A Look at 6 Newcomers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The month of March for me has solely been dedicated to the next rankings update for the upcoming senior class. Recruiting is heating up for the Class of ‘27, and the group has been busy competing in offseason showcases. Which means there's plenty to evaluate and discuss.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Before the rankings go live next week I wanted to share a few of the incoming prospects. Be sure to see where these six newcomers land in the rankings.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><em>Offense</em></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1926086' first='Chase' last='Jehle'] - Shawnee Mission East, 6'5”, 200, WR</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Up first is a matchup nightmare from Shawnee Mission East. At 6-foot-5, 200 pounds, [player_tooltip player_id='1926086' first='Chase' last='Jehle'] presents a challenge to any defensive backs in coverage. He's more of a possession receiver, but with his length he's capable of hauling in 50/50 balls on just about anyone. Jehle is also a physical blocker in the run game. He ended his junior campaign with 30 receptions for 437 yards and one score. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2158585' first='Avinn' last='Ray'] - Blue Valley Northwest, 6'5”, 325, OL</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Our staff continues to discover next level caliber talent at the offensive line position for this class. Ray of BVNW is yet another great addition to the group. He's a 6-foot-5, 325-pound right tackle that had a solid 2025 season. It could be argued that he was snubbed of <em>All-League</em> honors. The big man will leave no doubt during the ‘26 campaign though. He'll be a player to monitor during camp season this summer.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2158586' first='Jayden' last='McDaniel'] - Bishop Miege, 6'1”, 195, WR</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The final offensive prospect in this report is another talented wideout from the Kansas City metro. For as good of a junior campaign [player_tooltip player_id='2158586' first='Jayden' last='McDaniel'] had, I honestly feel as if he hasn't received nearly enough praise. This young man was one of Miege's top offensive weapons in 2025, and was rewarded with a <em>1st Team All-League</em> selection. During his junior season McDaniel hauled in 53 catches for 781 yards and eight touchdowns. He currently holds one offer from <em>Missouri Western State</em>, but he should receive more throughout this year.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><em>Defense</em></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2084675' first='Charlie' last='Peek'] - Basehor-Linwood, 6'1”, 195, LB</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Starting the defensive side off is Peek of Basehor. The 2025 Bobcats had a number of senior leaders sign to play at the collegiate level. Peek has the potential to follow in his teammates footsteps. He's another prospect that was snubbed of postseason honors. His film and numbers speak for themselves though. During his junior season he displayed excellent vision and quick instincts, and he is a textbook tackler. He's likely to exceed 100 total tackles yet again this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2158605' first='Newt' last='Schreiner'] - Eudora, 5'9”, 170, LB</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Schreiner of Eudora is a scrappy linebacker that emerged as a leader for the Cardinals' program in 2025. The Eudora product finished the ‘25 campaign as one of the team's leading tacklers, as he corralled 104 total and came up with 11 TFL's. As a result he was a <em>1st Team All-League</em> selection.&nbsp; Schreiner also had success during wrestling season. At state he placed 6th in the 157-pound division.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2158609' first='Jackson' last='Connell'] - Olathe Northwest, 6'2”, 215, LB/ATH</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This report concludes with a prospect that has the potential of being a two-way star next season. Connell of Olathe Northwest was the 2nd leading tackler for the Ravens last fall with 93 total on the season. While he's likely to replicate those numbers as a senior, I'm interested to see if his role on offense expands. The Ravens are graduating quite a bit of their rushing production from last season, which gives Connell an opportunity to make his presence felt in the ground game. Look for him to have a big senior season.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->