7 Recruits To Watch This Fall In The 2026 Class

<p>We're hitting a bit of a bigger list today, but it's well worth it because we've got 7 recruits in the '26 class who each just had a good fall and should be looking for more in the years to come.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1182214' first='Jameson' last='Crawford'] - Knightstown - RB - 5'8" 175lbs</h2>   <p>The other day we highlighted some young pieces for Knightstown that are up and coming, but the best of the bunch may just be their stud back in Crawford who is coming off of an impressive sophomore season. What makes this season he just put together even more impressive is it kind of came out of nowhere, at least from an outsider's perspective. His freshman year saw him carry the ball twice for 8 yards. Well, his sophomore year he came out and rushed for 1076 yards and 13 TDs on 6 YPC. He's an effective runner. He wastes very little movement, has fantastic vision, can run the inside zone, and the outside zone, can break tackles, and has the agility to make guys miss. On top of that, he's got soft hands and caught a handful of passes out of the backfield. He's much faster than you'd think at first glance, but he's ripping off big runs every time he touches it. Crawford's sophomore season where he burst onto the scene like that was impressive and should be a guy to watch moving forward. Better yet, it seems like Knightstown is stocking some good young talent and they might be a team to contend if they all develop and stick together.</p>   <p>Twitter: <strong>@JamesonCrawfo11</strong></p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1182884' first='Gunner' last='Ruppert'] - Greenwood - ATH - 6'2" 190lbs</h2>   <p>Hidden in the middle of the Indianapolis region is Ruppert. They threw him on the backend of the defense and let him and his length roam around and make plays. He's raw as a DB, but he's instinctive, closes in a hurry, and can wrap up in the open field. Most of his tackles this season were solos, which typically represent just that, a guy who gets to the ball and makes the play. He's got the speed and length to run down defenders from behind, as he showed during a kickoff. However, if he's able to clean up the footwork and work on angle pursuit, he's a guy who could lock down entire backends. He's already flying around and making plays like tipping passes and picking passes off. I do wonder how he would be rushing the passer, but for now, he's playing well when the live bullets start flying. There is a chance he could see more work in the running game on offense next season, but time will tell. He got worked in a little bit last year but mainly stayed on defense where he put up those 106 tackles, an interception, and caused 2 fumbles. Ruppert is a bit more raw than some defensive recruits, but his upside seems to be much higher. He could be a hybrid player who could potentially see all 3 levels of the defense depending on how he's being used, but for now, he's looking good on the backend.</p>   <p>Twitter: <strong>@Gunner_Ruppert</strong></p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1182217' first='Dayson' last='Kirby'] - Bedford Lawrence North - QB - 5'11" 170lbs</h2>   <p>After wrapping up a sophomore season where he got his feet wet with some Varsity action, things are trending upward for the young QB. He's confident in the pocket and can go through his reads and make a nice throw when he's clean back there. While he doesn't have the biggest arm, it's certainly capable, but more accurate than anything else. He's much more of a touch pass thrower and can drop the ball over the shoulder of his receiver. He can throw guys open and hit them in stride, but can make off-platform throws. He's wiggly in the pocket and does a good job buying himself enough time to make the throw. He'll keep his eyes downfield and deliver the ball if possible. I know mechanic work and fundamentals are what he's been working on this offseason. The simple things go a long way and if Kirby keeps working, he could be a good QB for the next few years. He's got the arm talent and showcased his potential last season.</p>   <p>Twitter:<strong> @DaysonKirby</strong></p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1182216' first='Javarious' last='Graham'] - Evansville Reitz - ATH - 6'2" 180lbs</h2>   <p>Graham is about as raw as they come on both sides of the ball, but the pure athletic ability is so obvious they just had to get him on the field last year. He's well-built and looks good for his age. He's oftentimes one of the most athletic guys on the field. He's twitchy and when he attacks the ball, he flies downhill without any second thoughts. He's so explosive on the defensive side that he's able to get away with taking more aggressive angles. His length alone makes him intriguing on the defensive side. I just wonder how he would be rushing the passer off the edge, but he can run so well it makes sense to put him in coverage or move him around. If he works on keeping his feet chopping and other little things, he's a guy who could seemingly blow up overnight. There are a lot of things to like about Graham and what he could be down the road. He's more than athletic enough and it'll be up to his development because he's got the raw talent.</p>   <p>Twitter: <strong>@6iixJfoe</strong></p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1182215' first='Arnaz' last='Hamilton'] - North Central - DL - 6'1" 270lbs</h2>   <p>A big man who understands how important the interior of the line is, and is already doing a good job stuffing the run and creating pressure from that center spot. To be fair, from what I've seen North Central runs 4 down linemen and Hamilton has been 2 or out and never truly a nose, he's still in the middle eating up space and making plays which is what you want to see. Truthfully, he's crafty at the line and he's able to shake guys off of him. He's powerful as well, so it's not like he's relying on speed in the middle. He just has that quick little twitch here and there when you need it. While I don't have any numbers to go off of, he did play some Varsity last year. While I'm not sure how many games, I do know there's quite a bit of opportunity to watch him on the JV tape and he's the same player, which is likely why they started rotating him in. Hamilton's an intriguing guy to watch over the next few years because interior DLs are worth their weight in gold.</p>   <p>Twitter: <strong>@ArnazHamilton</strong></p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='320277' first='Brady' last='Ballart'] - South Dearborn - LB - 6'3" 210lbs</h2>   <p>One of the recruits we hit coming out of last year because he had a sound freshman year and had a decent build. Since then, he's only improved his frame. You can see the weight room starting to pay off and he's fully growing into the length of his frame. He's aggressive and has no issue playing around the LOS, yet can drop back into coverage. He's athletic enough to run sideline to sideline and force the ball carrier back inside and run down some of them. If he's given a sliver of room, he'll take it and make the play. His vision is about as good as anyone's in the class. His ability to wrap up in space & come to balance to make the tackle is a sight for sore eyes. He'll also play through the whistle as well as time the snap fairly well. Small things add up quickly, and with Ballart he's checking off boxes as he goes. He even added 525 rushing yards and 8 TDs offensively this past season because he's a good athlete who is hard to bring down. Through 2 seasons of Varsity, he's put up 162 tackles, 13 TFLs, 2 sacks, an interception, and 2 recovered fumbles. Big guys with athletic ability and a nose for the ball are typically hot targets, and Ballart should be no different if he continues to develop on the path he's on.</p>   <p>Twitter: <strong>@BradyBallart</strong></p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='756262' first='Kasmir' last='Hicks'] - Decatur Central - ATH - 5'11" 165lbs</h2>   <p>Hicks is someone we hit early last year coming out of their freshman year with the anticipation he'd break out on offense. Well, while he was involved some both rushing and receiving, he mainly played defense and returned kicks. He hit a long kickoff return for a TD against Martinsville for 95 yards. At one point in the middle of the field there was a cluster of guys where somehow Hicks slipped through and came out the other side. While that was his only TD of the year, it was an impressive one and certainly showcased what we already knew, he's a fantastic athlete. Decatur Central has a handful of younger athletic versatile players that are just so athletic they've forced their way on the field wherever they could be used. The best part, they've developed together and you can see that nucleus starting to form. If they stay together, it could be a special bunch. Either way, Hicks's ability to play on the outside 1 on 1 is big for what they do on defense. I saw Decatur Central play live last year and I noticed Hicks staying strictly on the outside dealing with the opposing team's best WR. I stood in the endzone & could hear the communication when they got pinched into the red zone. Hicks wasn't afraid to be vocal and help hold the standard on the backend. 32 tackles, 3 TFLs, and 20 passes deflected for his Sophomore season all while proudly wearing a CB badge.</p>   <p>Twitter: <strong>@KasmirJHicks2</strong></p>

We're hitting a bit of a bigger list today, but it's well worth it because we've got 7 recruits in the '26 class who each just had a good fall and should be looking for more in the years to come.