5 Upcoming Seniors Ready to Explode in 2026

Today, we're looking at a handful of under-the-radar players who are poised to break out in their final year of high school football in 2026. Though some of these athletes are already established and recognized in regional recruiting circles, they could catapult themselves onto the national radar with a big senior season this year.   Related - <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/06/2027-rankings-review-running-back-room-runs-deep/" id="https://prepredzone.com/2026/06/2027-rankings-review-running-back-room-runs-deep/">2027 Rankings Review: Running back room runs deep</a>    One of the more under-the-radar running backs in the state of Virginia, [player_tooltip player_id='1332226' first='Lawrence' last='Hewlett'] was an absolute stud for PGHS as a junior last fall. He was able to rumble through defenses for 1,161 rushing yards and scored 9 touchdowns in 9 games in 2025, while also playing quarterback on and off for his team.   If he has a big season in 2026, it wouldn't be surprising whatsoever to see Hewlett start to rake in some more legitimate FBS offers by the time National Signing Day rolls around.   In-state programs like James Madison, Liberty, and Old Dominion are hot on his trail, with PITT recently offering him as well.     In his first year as a full-time starter for Radford, [player_tooltip player_id='1313337' first='Peyton' last='Dobbins'] threw for 1,860 passing yards and had a 21/9 TD:INT ratio, while completing 61.8% of his passes. Those are some pretty gaudy numbers for a passer in an offense that relied heavily on the run, as most high school teams do at that level.   The 6'0.5", 165-pound QB has an unusually strong arm, and consistently shows it off both at practice and in-game. He's more than capable of making some tough throws across the field, and there's a good chance that the Radford coaches will incorporate more of a passing element to the offense in 2026.   Dobbins may not have the stocky build that FBS coaches like to see, but he's the type of guy who Division 2 and 3 programs have gravitated towards as of late. It'll be interesting to see whether he garners low-level D1 interest this year.     [player_tooltip player_id='1313654' first='Logan' last='Hamilton'] is a super athletic pass rusher who's built incredibly well for a rising high school senior. He has a verified 4.6s 40-yard dash time and jumped a mind-blowing 35.5" in the vertical jump.   He's participated in football camps at Liberty and UVA so far this offseason, and the coaching staff at each event worked him out at both defensive end and linebacker, allowing him to showcase his movement skills in a two-point stance.   He currently holds offers from schools like Richmond, William & Mary, North Carolina A&T, and Elon, but the FBS offers should start rolling in this upcoming season if he can continue his dominance on the field for the Cavaliers.     One of the biggest mysteries in all of Virginia high school sports right now is why [player_tooltip player_id='1337962' first='Zayden' last='Burks'], the leading rusher in the state in 2025, the MaxPreps Offensive Player of the Year, 1st-team All-State, and D3 Offensive Player of the Year, doesn't have more FBS offers.   Burks truly is a "hidden gem" after rushing for 2,897 yards and 28 touchdowns as a junior, while averaging 9.5 yards per carry. He was a full-time player on defense for Skyline as well, where he recorded 65 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 3 INT's, and 1 sack.   He recently attended camps at Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Maryland, but only has offers from JMU and Maryland at the FBS level. Burks should garner some more Power Four interest at the very least in 2026 if he puts together another video game-like season as a senior.     [player_tooltip player_id='1313583' first='Trevion' last='Mills'] just ran a 4.27s 40-yard dash at 6'0", 200 lbs., rushed for 1,300+ yards over the past two seasons, and still doesn't have a D1 offer. Though the numbers aren't astronomically impressive, the explosive playmaking ability is fully there. Once he touches the football, very few players have the type of speed to catch up to him.   Mills should be able to drum up some more interest once he's able to spend an entire season at running back, which sounds like the plan heading into his senior year. Consistency and production were the only things holding him back until now, and there's a very good chance that we could be hearing his name quite a bit throughout the 2026 high school season.

Today, we're looking at a handful of under-the-radar players who are poised to break out in their final year of high school football in 2026. Though some of these athletes are already established and recognized in regional recruiting circles, they could catapult themselves onto the national radar with a big senior season this year.