5 2027 Edge Rushers Stepping Up As Seniors

We've been hitting the <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/09/predicting-winners-and-mvps-for-every-top-10-matchup-in-the-east/">preview</a> and <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/09/week-3-instant-analysis-2/">analysis</a> parts of North Carolina's 2026 high school football season, and we're also taking the time to highlight <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/09/5-union-county-offensive-linemen-impressing-early/">underappreciated players</a>. This one falls into the latter category, as I'm looking at five senior edge rushers who have taken their game to another level.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Which 2027 Edge Rushers Have Impressed Us</h2>    Blow hit our radar just before the season thanks to his freakish athleticism, but he's putting together a fantastic season on the field. The two-way star has four sacks through three games, one away from his season total last year. He's still contributing on offense, too, and had three touchdowns in a win over Farmville Central last week.     Sibert is a dog off the edge. His relentless motor and impressive raw speed mitigate any size disadvantage he may have. The senior is picking up where he left off last season, with back-to-back massive games for a strong Roberson team. Ultimately, his frame may force a move in college to off-ball linebacker, but he has elite speed and should be just fine there. Plus, he'll excel as a blitzer.     Brown is putting together a nice senior season and has so far stepped up his game since last year. He's always played multiple positions, most often with his hand in the dirt in odd fronts. He's excelled against the run, but this year he's also become more consistent as a pass rusher. He's a bit undersized, but he shoots gaps to pressure offensive lines and make plays in the backfield.     Falls was a productive tackler who lived around the ball last season, but he added weight and is thriving as a pass rusher in 2026. He's too quick for tackles to square up, and even when he's chipped, he usually finds a way to keep his balance and re-accelerate. While he's on pace for similar numbers to last season, aside from a couple of extra sacks, he's arguably taken the biggest jump as a prospect, and he should be one of our biggest movers in the midseason rankings update.     Drayton's been a hard evaluation for us over the years, because he's a guy who looks the part and just hadn't put it all together. We saw flashes last season, but this year he's taken his game to an entirely new level. He looks quicker, more explosive, and he's finishing plays in the backfield. He's had a handful of truly dominant reps through the first three weeks, and he's looking strong.    <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Other 2027 Edge Rushers Off to Strong Starts</h3>   [player_tooltip player_id='1332130' first='Josiah' last='Mitchell'] | Northwest Cabarrus   [player_tooltip player_id='1941008' first='Holton' last='Westbrook'] | Northern Nash   [player_tooltip player_id='2109373' first='Kye' last='Johnson'] | Southern Durham   [player_tooltip player_id='2244748' first='Armahd' last='Barber'] | Walkertown   [player_tooltip player_id='1678650' first='Kadence' last='Pruitt'] | Reidsville   We'll have more on overlooked players throughout the state this season. Follow Prep Redzone for coverage of regions, areas, teams, and players from across the entire state. What did we miss? Who needs to be highlighted? Help us help players, and let me know on Twitter (<a href="https://x.com/whelms21">@whelms21</a>).

We've been hitting the preview and analysis parts of North Carolina's 2026 high school football season, and we're also taking the time to highlight underappreciated players. This one falls into the latter category, as I'm looking at five senior edge rushers who have taken their game to another level.