2028 Rankings Update: The Stockrisers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Editor's note:</em></strong><em> Prep RedZone's Spring Rankings Update window means savings for you. Throughout the entirety of the cycle, you can save 40% off an annual or two-year subscription by using the offer code “Guerin40” at checkout. This will unlock all rankings and subsequent content at the discounted rate. <a href="https://prepredzone.com/subscribe">Get in the game here.</a>&nbsp;</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With 264 players in the Updated Prep RedZone Class of 2028 Rankings, we had no shortage of movement involving those who had previously made the cut.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Stockrisers in this cycle run the gamut from powerful edge rushers to high-IQ linebackers to some pass catchers ready to jump up the ranks to some quarterbacks whose stars are aligning at exactly the right time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are the biggest movers and shakers up and down the rankings.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2098782' first='Nasir' last='Walker']</strong> DL, AC Flora (Up 16 spots)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Walker made arguably the biggest impression on our overall Top 25 by continuing to put his motor on display throughout his 2025 season. Throughout our evaluation, we saw the type of edge rusher who doesn't take plays off, knows at the very least how to set that edge and at most camp out in the backfield (21 TFL, 12 sacks).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1856928' first='JaBron' last='McFadden']</strong> DL, Wilson (Up 18 spots)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The rejuvenated Tigers' defense is on a steady upward trend from the loaded and productive secondary right up to the line. It's not an elite unit yet, but McFadden is setting himself up to make a huge mark up front. He's still in that tween space that will have to be figured out with time, but his ability to play tackle or end right now is a useful tool for Wilson.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1061094' first='Jaylen' last='Pryor'] </strong>LB, Summerville (Up 21 spots)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Our corner of the Internet briefly looked like a Pryor fan club in late March when he showed up to the Carolinas Coaches Combines at Woodland and put on a show. If you look deeper, though, you've seen what we have: A Class 5A linebacker who knows assignment football and has the physical tools to execute those plans better than most.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1817499' first='Jay' last='Todd']</strong> LB, Loris (Up 24 spots)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Yes, we have Todd listed as a linebacker, and he's going to stay there until we officially need to move him. However, we can't ignore that Loris' leading tackler from a stout defense last fall was also the team's back-up quarterback and will likely see snaps behind center no matter what this fall. Todd's ability to break tackles (11.8 ypc in limited reps on offense) is a direct tie to his toughness.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1816896' first='Jonah' last='Young']</strong> QB, Rock Hill (Up 29 spots)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In a lot of ways last fall, Young was simply getting his feet wet. He threw for 1,600 yards and 12 touchdowns and completed 60 percent of his passes while throwing six picks in 220 attempts. Now, he's loaded up with developed weapons and will be heading into 2026 at least 20 pounds heavier and with a healthier understanding of the offense.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1825202' first='Lavay' last='Penny']</strong> LB, Camden Up 41 spots)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Penny is always around the ball. And we mean always. You don't put up 88 solo tackles (128 overall) as a sophomore while adding six tackles for loss, three sacks and four fumble recoveries on a whim. We don't point out lightly that 400 career tackles is not only a possibility, it's tilting toward the probable.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1824948' first='Riggs' last='Savage'] </strong>TE, Powdersville (Up 46 spots)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's a reason Savage's offer sheet is shooting the moon and nowhere near done. Guys who are 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds and equally adept at hauling in passes with that type of catch radius while being an accomplished blocker are rare. His role in the Powdersville offense is only going to continue to grow, which will lead to more targets and more attention.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1822754' first='Desiray' last='Christian']</strong> WR/DB, Emerald (Up 49 spots)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Greenwood transfer is going to take on the look of much more of a two-way player for Emerald, and it's already begun to take hold. Christian is linking up with an offense that doesn't mind throwing the ball in droves. All the while, he has the physical tools to man a safety position and use his athleticism to shake up what opposing offense are able to even attempt.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1856841' first='Britton' last='Davis']</strong> QB, Irmo (Up 72 spots)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Irmo is undoubtedly very good at putting its quarterbacks in position to be successful. And while we're not saying Davis is a P4 guy right now, his size and arm strength tell us the Yellow Jackets' high-powered offense isn't going to miss much of a beat with Davis as the helm full time. He was able to see some quality snaps here and there last fall. Now, he gets all of them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1644552' first='Ari' last='Rendell']</strong> DL, Sumter (Up 76 spots)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When we first scouted Rendell live last September, we saw a massive human being who very raw and relying more on his size than anything else. By the end of the year, we noticed teams were starting to scheme away from him more and more. Then, he showed up to PRZ's Football City Clash and showed how athletic he was by playing some tight end and even safety. His time is coming quickly.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1605269' first='Jayden' last='Wheeler']</strong> DL, JL Mann (Up 81 spots)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At 6-foot-1 and 370 pounds, Wheeler (pictured) has been able to move folks around on the football field. But it's his ability to move that changes the dynamic. Before he ran a highly respectable (for his size) 5.47 40 or 5.09 pro shuttle this past Sunday at the Carolinas Coaches Combines, he had 14 tackles for loss (41 total tackles) and three sacks from his spot in the interior last season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>OTHER NOTABLE TOP 100 CLIMBERS</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1827469' first='DJ' last='Johnson']</strong> DB, North Augusta - Up 16 spots</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1818414' first='Josiah' last='Robinson']</strong> LB, Dutch Fork - Up 12 spots</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1467808' first='Anthony' last='Simmons']</strong> DL, North Charleston - Up 11 spots</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1051659' first='Hayden' last='Denmark']</strong> LB, Goose Creek - Up 9 spots</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1818416' first='Zy' last='Rouse'] </strong>ATH, Strom Thurmond - Up 9 spots</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1636916' first='De'Andre' last='Caldwell'] </strong>DB, Swansea - Up 9 spots</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1816961' first='Demarcus' last='King']</strong> DL, Summerville - Up 8 spots</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1467850' first='Elijah' last='Harper']</strong> ATH, CA Johnson - Up 6 spots</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1790580' first='Jacob' last='Owings']</strong> QB, Wren - Up 6 spots</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1615102' first='Jay'Sean' last='Culp']</strong> DL, Lewisville - Up 6 spots</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1816457' first='Andrew' last='Frick']</strong> QB, Brookland-Cayce - Up 5 spots</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1823858' first='Zach' last='Williams']</strong> QB, Lugoff-Elgin - Up 4 spots</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='873100' first='Zion' last='Dawkins']</strong> DB, Gaffney - Up 2 spots (Overall Top 10)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->