2029 Rankings Debut: The Top 60

<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 Cabell Midland ATH [player_tooltip player_id='2111876' first='Tayten' last='Nelson'] earned valuable varsity experience as a freshman, an encouraging sign for his long-term development. While undersized right now, he makes up for it with his athleticism and instincts. His versatility allows him to contribute on both sides of the ball, giving the Knights another young playmaker with multiple ways to impact the game. Nelson has a natural feel for the game and puts himself in a position to make positive plays. As he continues to gain experience and his role expands, expect his production to grow along with it. Don't be surprised if his name becomes much more familiar over the next few seasons as he develops into a key contributor for Cabell Midland.</p>      <p class="text-gray-700">Princeton's [player_tooltip player_id='1716376' first='Cayden' last='Webb'] debuts as the early #5 2029 ATH after a standout freshman season on the Tigers' JV squad. Webb showcased his versatility by making plays at multiple positions on both sides of the ball, giving Princeton plenty of options as he continues to develop. He is dangerous with the ball in his hands, whether lining up at running back or receiver, and has the athleticism to create explosive plays in space. His defensive film was equally encouraging, flashing the traits to develop into a quality defensive back as his career progresses. That ability to contribute in several different roles is what makes Webb an exciting young prospect. With continued physical development and future varsity opportunities, he has all the tools to become a major contributor for the Tigers over the next three seasons.</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/Cayden_Webb8/status/2061827117310980099 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Projecting ahead played a major role in evaluating 2029 Martinsburg OL/DL [player_tooltip player_id='2205226' first='Evan' last='Hockman'], as there is currently no game film available. We did get the opportunity to see Hockman compete at our Exposure Series, where he showed enough to justify an early spot in the rankings. His 6'4 frame gives him plenty of long-term upside, especially as he continues adding strength and growing into his body over the next few seasons. Hockman is also the younger brother of 2027 OL [player_tooltip player_id='894658' first='Noah' last='Hockman'], and their physical traits make both players intriguing. While this ranking is based more on projection than production, the foundation is there for him to develop into a quality prospect in time. He's a name worth tucking away now because his best football is still well ahead of him.</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/EvanhockmanFB29/status/2056134549675901054 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">2029 Bridgeport OL/DL [player_tooltip player_id='1716462' first='George' last='Whitehair'] put together a strong freshman season while competing on both the freshman and JV teams. Whitehair already has an encouraging 6'4 240 frame, and there is still plenty of room for him to continue adding size and strength as he develops. Bridgeport has built a reputation for producing tough, physical offensive and defensive linemen, and Whitehair will fit well within that tradition. As his opportunities increase over the next few seasons, expect his game to continue taking steps forward. Whitehair is a quality developmental prospect who is well worth keeping tabs on throughout his high school career.</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/G_whitehair/status/2066281921517129834 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">2029 Huntington OL [player_tooltip player_id='2112427' first='Xavier' last='Smailes'] turned in an encouraging freshman season on the Highlanders' JV team and is a developmental lineman worth watching over the next few years. While his 6'0 230 build is smaller than some others in the class, he plays with the physicality needed to compete in the trenches and comes off the ball with purpose. He also flashed upside along the defensive line, where his ability to fire off the snap and play aggressively was evident. With varsity opportunities likely to come as a sophomore and junior, he'll emerge in time. </p>      <p class="text-gray-700">2029 Morgantown OL [player_tooltip player_id='1694907' first='Marcus' last='Cyphert'] continues the trend of promising young offensive linemen developing within the Mohigans' program. Cyphert was one of the top performers at our Exposure Series and has his coaching staff excited about his future. While his 5'11 245 build is on the smaller side for the position, he makes up for it by firing off the ball with urgency and playing with plenty of power and physicality for his age. A varsity role could be in the cards as soon as his sophomore season, and additional experience should only accelerate his development. As he continues getting stronger and refining his game, Cyphert has the potential to become another quality offensive lineman to come through Morgantown's program.</p>      <p class="text-gray-700">2029 George Washington DB [player_tooltip player_id='2227907' first='Trenton' last='Stump-Nelson'] places as the early #5 defensive back after earning valuable varsity experience as a freshman. Stump-Nelson is a rangy defender who plays with good instincts and has a mature understanding of the position for his age. He closes on the football quickly, breaks down well in space, and is a reliable tackler. His confidence in coverage also stood out, as he showed a willingness to challenge receivers and play the ball in the air. Competing in a strong program should only continue aiding his development over the next three seasons. As he adds strength and develops, Stump-Nelson has the potential to climb even higher among the top defensive backs in the class.</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/TrentonStump/status/2028249586343514444 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Washington's [player_tooltip player_id='2112708' first='Johnathan' last='Mitchell'] makes his debut in the 2029 rankings as the early #6 LB after seeing varsity action as a freshman for the Patriots. Mitchell lined up at both defensive end and linebacker, but I like his long-term projection best at outside linebacker, where his athleticism can shine. He moves well in space, closes on the football with urgency, and has the versatility to impact the game from different alignments. There's still plenty of physical development ahead for him, which will raise his ceiling over the next few years. Mitchell is an easy player to bet on because of his athletic profile and the flashes he showed early in his career.</p>      <p class="text-gray-700">2029 Parkersburg South WR [player_tooltip player_id='1716385' first='Ledger' last='Corwin'] looks poised to become another reliable playmaker for the Patriots after a standout freshman season on their younger squad. Corwin has a natural feel for the receiver position, with reliable hands and athleticism that give him an excellent starting point. He already looks comfortable playing the position at a young age, and a large varsity role feels likely this fall based on the traits he's shown early. Corwin debuts as the #13 WR in the class, but he can climb higher as he makes plays on Friday nights.</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/LedgerCorwin/status/2028856559959220634 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Versatility is what makes 2029 George Washington WR/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1716434' first='Titan' last='Kortz'] an interesting player to follow. Kortz had a strong freshman season on the Patriots' JV team while also getting a taste of varsity football, giving him valuable experience early in his career. He can contribute in several different ways, whether it's at receiver, safety, or even as a punter, making him the type of player coaches can find multiple roles for. His athleticism allows him to fit naturally into a variety of roles, and that flexibility should help him carve out more varsity playing time this fall. </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/TitanKortzCO29/status/2057533798993014862 </div></figure>

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