2029 Rankings Debut: The Top 20

<p><strong><em>Get 30% Off Your Subscription with Code PRZWV30 at Checkout!</em></strong></p>   <p>The release of our inaugural 2029 Top 100 rankings provides an early look at some of the top young talent across West Virginia. With most of these prospects just beginning their high school careers, evaluations are based on a combination of freshman film, camp performances, live exposures, athletic traits, and long-term upside. At this stage, projection plays a large role, but there is already plenty of talent emerging throughout the state. These rankings are far from final and will continue to evolve as players gain experience, develop physically, and put more film out for evaluation. For now, this serves as our first look at the names we believe have positioned themselves among the top prospects in the Class of 2029.</p>    <p class="text-gray-700">2029 South Charleston WR/DB Devin Lazo was firmly in the mix for a Top 10 spot and has every opportunity to work his way into that group over the next few years. Lazo earned a two-way starting role as a freshman and wasted little time making an impact for the Black Eagles on both sides of the ball. His ability to contribute early at a high level speaks to both his talent and maturity as a player. Lazo is a fluid athlete who moves naturally and consistently flashes the playmaking ability that coaches look for in skill position prospects. Whether the ball is in his hands or he is making plays defensively, he has a knack for impacting the game. With his athleticism, versatility, and early production, Lazo has established himself as one of the top young playmakers in West Virginia's 2029 class.</p>      <p class="text-gray-700">2029 Martinsburg WR Nehemy Appiah checks in a little lower than his ultimate ceiling may be, largely because there is still limited film available for evaluation. Even with that, Appiah was an easy inclusion among the top receivers in the class thanks to the physical traits and flashes he has already shown. He brings the size of a true outside target and looks like a player who could emerge on the varsity level sooner rather than later. Appiah joins Christian Irving and Jeremiah Brown to give Martinsburg three receivers ranked inside the Top 15, an impressive feat for any program. Much of this ranking is a projection based on his tools and early flashes, but it is a bet we feel comfortable making. Once more film becomes available, there is a good chance Appiah validates the hype and continues climbing the rankings.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/AppiahNehemy/status/1931446107013574753 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">2029 Moorefield LB Matthew Iman established himself as one of the top young prospects in the state after earning a two-way starting role as a freshman for the Yellow Jackets. Iman impacted the game in a variety of ways, contributing at running back, tight end, and linebacker, but LB is where we believe his highest long-term ceiling lies. He already possesses an impressive 6'3 200 frame for his age and pairs it with quality athleticism that allows him to move well at his size. Iman also backed up the film with a top performer showing at our recent Exposure Series, further reinforcing the upside we see in his game. His combination of size, versatility, and athletic traits makes him our top-ranked linebacker in the 2029 class, and if he continues developing as we expect, Iman has the potential to become one of the premier defensive prospects in West Virginia.</p>      <p class="text-gray-700">2029 Independence WR KJ Viars put together one of the most productive freshman seasons of any player in the state and quickly established himself as a name to know in the class. Viars surpassed 1,000 receiving yards and scored seven touchdowns, impressive numbers for a player early in his high school career. He brings a long 6'1 frame and good early athleticism that give him significant upside as he continues to mature physically. The production is already there, but there is still plenty of room for growth in his game. Continued development as a route runner and adding more strength to his frame should help unlock even more of his potential. With his combination of size, athleticism, and early success, Viars has all the ingredients to remain one of the top prospects in the 2029 class.</p>      <p class="text-gray-700">2029 Huntington TE Aiden Barnett is one of the more intriguing developmental prospects in the class thanks to his combination of size, athleticism, and long-term upside. Barnett carries a 6'3 210 frame and was a standout at the JV level for the Highlanders last season, showing flashes of what he could become as he matures. While his biggest varsity impact is still ahead of him, he has already put together a strong offseason and performed well on the 7v7 circuit against quality competition. Barnett possesses a quality frame that colleges look for at the position and moves well for a player of his size and age. His upside is evident, and by his senior year, Barnett could develop into one of the better tight end prospects in the state.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Aiden_Barnett5/status/2048927557114876007 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">2029 Huntington DB Khyren Chandler is one of the more projection-based evaluations in the rankings, but the upside was too intriguing to ignore. Limited film keeps some uncertainty around his placement, as only a handful of clips were available for evaluation, yet those flashes suggested a player with significant long-term potential. Chandler debuts as our top-ranked defensive back in the 2029 class based largely on the athletic traits and potential he showed in those limited opportunities. There is still plenty we need to see as his body of work grows, but the foundation of a high-level prospect appears to be there. As more film becomes available over the next few years, he is a name worth following closely because his potential is clear.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/KhyrenChandler/status/1979005532011635155 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">2029 George Washington ATH Davon Brockman enters the rankings after an impressive freshman season at Riverside, where he impacted the game in all three phases. Brockman consistently showed versatility that makes him such an intriguing young prospect. His athletic traits are evident on film, but what stood out just as much was his natural feel for the game and ability to make plays in a variety of situations. Brockman showed good instincts with the ball in his hands and regularly found ways to create positive plays for his team. As he matures physically and refines his game, his athleticism and versatility should allow him to emerge as one of the more complete athletes in this class.</p>      <p class="text-gray-700">2029 Fairmont Senior WR Elijah Holmes brings plenty of excitement to the Polar Bear program after transferring in from Robert C. Byrd, where he established himself as a standout multi-sport athlete. Holmes may not be the biggest receiver in the class, but his athleticism jumps off the screen and makes him a threat whenever the ball is in his hands. He is the type of slot receiver offensive coordinators enjoy building around because of the different ways he can be utilized. Whether it's quick passes, screens, jet motion, or finding him in space, Holmes can create explosive plays and make defenders miss consistently. His playmaking ability was evident early in his career, and that should only continue as he develops. With his skill set and versatility, Holmes feels like a player who will become an important part of Fairmont Senior's offense sooner rather than later.</p>      <p class="text-gray-700">2029 Bridgeport EDGE Zeke Swiger is one of the more intriguing projection prospects in the rankings, thanks to his physical profile. Swiger already possesses a 6'5 215 frame that could eventually develop into a traditional DL prospect as he continues to add size and strength. The evaluation comes with some uncertainty given the very limited film available, but the combination of his frame and athletic upside makes him difficult to overlook. Much of this ranking is based on where we believe he can be in the future. Swiger is a player whose body and skill set should continue evolving over the next few years, giving him significant long-term potential. As he begins earning varsity opportunities and produces more tape, Swiger is a name worth monitoring closely because his upside is substantial.</p>      <p class="text-gray-700">2029 Wheeling Park OL William Burger has the type of frame that immediately grabs attention from college coaches at 6'6 290. Burger already has rare size for a player entering his sophomore season, and that physical profile helped him earn an early offer from Glenville State. With varsity opportunities potentially coming this fall, he will have a chance to prove himself against higher-level competition. The biggest area for growth moving forward will be his athletic development, as improvements there could significantly raise his ceiling as a prospect. Burger's size alone makes him an intriguing player to follow, but becoming more comfortable moving within his large frame will further improve his game. Currently ranked as the #20 prospect in the class, Burger has plenty of room to climb if those athletic strides continue and his game progresses as expected.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/i-6ojPVLI3c?si=3461qxdQ9VUtJB2g </div></figure>

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