Class of ‘27 Recruiting Buzz: Defensive Playmakers

Photo: Prep Redzone

Santino Bernal May 31, 2026 @ 07:24 PM

It's the final day of May, and I wanted to close out the fifth month of 2026 by following up on recruiting buzz for the Class of ‘27. The offensive playmakers were in the spotlight in my previous report. Now it's time to look at some defensive playmakers.   There's a common theme with this group of six. Each of them performed at a very high level as juniors, and lately they have been reaping the rewards of their success. Here's some of the latest buzz for these prospects.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Pass Rushers</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='1641841' first='Larry' last='Jones'] - Mill Valley, 6'2”, 240, Edge   Starting us off first is the 3rd ranked edge rusher in the class. Jones of Mill Valley emerged as one of the Jaguars' top defensive players in 2025, but next season he has the potential of being the top guy. Throughout May he received offers from Benedictine College, Butler Community College, Missouri Southern, Nebraska Kearney, and Southwest Baptist University. He's also had conversations with multiple D-I and D-II programs.   [player_tooltip player_id='2063120' first='Alex' last='Bart'] - Lawrence, 6'5”, 230, DL   This next pass rusher had himself a pretty good junior season as well. However, look for 6-foot-5, 230-pound [player_tooltip player_id='2063120' first='Alex' last='Bart'] to take things to another level as a senior. Bart heads into his senior summer with offers from Benedictine College, Butler Community College, and Dodge City Community College. This young man takes care of business in the classroom too, as he scored a 31 on the ACT earlier this month.    [player_tooltip player_id='1656511' first='Holden' last='Edelman'] - Sabetha, 6'2”, 255, DL   The third pass rusher of this group is Edelman of Sabetha. He's an underrated small-town prospect that will head into the ‘26 season with multiple All-League selections under his belt. Edelman has also earned All League selections for his play along the offensive line. During May he picked up offers from Benedictine College and McPherson College.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Skill Players</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='2129802' first='Rowan' last='Minnick'] - Shawnee Mission South, 6'2” , 200, DB   The lone defensive back in this group is Minnick of Shawnee Mission South. He was a player discovered earlier this year, and was one of the most recent additions to the Class of ‘27 rankings. Minnick's stock has risen since then. He now holds offers from Benedictine College, Butler Community College, and Central Methodist University.    [player_tooltip player_id='934071' first='Jysir' last='Chatmon'] - St. Thomas Aquinas, 6'0”, 215, LB   Next up are the linebackers of this group. The first one I'll be highlighting is Chatmon of St. Thomas Aquinas. He's the leader of the second level to Aquinas' defense, and he's one of the most physical backers in the class. This month he's met with recruiters from the University of St. Thomas and Yale . It's only a matter of time before Chatmon starts receiving offers.    [player_tooltip player_id='2129799' first='Cash' last='Warren'] - Olathe West, 6'1”, 225, LB   Finally, we have Warren of Olathe West. The 6-foot-1, 225-pound backer made his debut in the rankings earlier this year at No. 62 overall. Much like his peers in this report, he's met with multiple recruiters ahead of this summer. In addition, Warren has also been offered by Augustana University, Benedictine College, Butler Community College, and Northeastern State University.

It's the final day of May, and I wanted to close out the fifth month of 2026 by following up on recruiting buzz for the Class of ‘27. The offensive playmakers were in the spotlight in my previous report. Now it's time to look at some defensive playmakers.