2026 NY Rankings: Athletes

<p>The "ATH" or "Athlete" position is given to players for a couple of reasons. The main reason is that a player displays the ability to play more than 1 position at the next level or will play a position in college they do not play much in High School. A good example is a player who could play WR OR DB, RB OR LB, DE or OT just for some examples. These guys all show the requisite athleticism and movement skills to play at different levels of college football but the college game is so different that these guys skillsets may be suited for positions they have never even played. </p>   <p>Check out the updated 2026 Rankings <a href="https://prepredzone.com/new-york/rankings/2026-rankings/">HERE</a>. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Top Prospect</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1248861' first='Gerald' last='Green Jr'] was a fairly clear choice for the #1 ATH spot; the Moore Catholic LB/RB put some really quality stuff on tape his sophomore season and really could have even had a stronger year if not for Moore Catholic's strength and depth at each of the positions he plays. </p>   <p>Green Jr could project as an SS/OLB or even RB at the next level; he showcases really solid movement skills with short-area quickness and burst. He is a long-strider who is a really solid track performer and has the ideal body frame for a couple positions at the next level. </p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Next Five Prospects</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">The first thing you see when you look at the information on Gamble is that he is a smaller prospect at 5'7 170, will a lot of players struggle to overcome size limitations Gamble is the type of player who has the type of athleticism and traits on film that push the size concerns to the side. At 170, Gamble still has the frame to fill out; his body type could end up holding 190+.</p>   <p>Gamble is super athletic and one of the best open-field players in the state; he can impact the game from the backfield on all three downs and has return ability. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">O'Brady is a player whose tape I thought was very impressive; at 6'2 210, O'Brady probably is an LB at the next level, but he still is raw when it comes to any positional skill set. Entering his Junior season, O'Brady is one of the most athletic prospects from Long Island, and he has the size, strength, and explosiveness that set him apart from a lot of other bigger ATH prospects. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Palazzolo is a super twitchy slot receiver who can impact the return game, and while his production lies at the WR position, he has the athleticism to potentially impact the game as a defensive back as he gets bigger. </p>   <p>Palazzolo is a really solid route runner. I have seen him do some work live, and he runs routes, changing up his tempo and using his burst to separate out his breaks. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Winter out of Babylon is a good case of a team asking their best athlete to do almost everything on the field; with tons of varsity experience, Winter has the most film of anyone on this list. </p>   <p>Winter can play a couple of offensive positions in college or even do work as a safety; the way he is used at Babylon showcases his ability with the ball in his hands where he shows great contact balance and a high-motor physical running style. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Andrade was a really strong sophomore performer for Monsignor Farrell against very tough competition. The WR/RB/KR/PR prospect can be involved in the offense in a ton of different ways. Andrade is really quick and twitchy; he excels in open space where he can make guys miss. Andrade has some explosiveness to his game, and I think if he hits the 185+ mark, he will do his best work as an RB/returner at the next level. </p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Three Names To Know</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Miller, brother of former Rye QB AJ Miller, has played a little all over for Rye so far in his career but will take over the quarterback spot this year. Miller is much more of an athlete with the potential to play quarterback at the next level at the moment.</p>   <p>I like Miller's DB tape from last season; he moves really well in space and should be more of a dual-threat prospect for Rye. I think he flashes the athleticism for multiple positions at the next level. 100% a player to know going into this season. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Gilbert, a true SAF/WR prospect for ITC-Syracuse, is one of the best 2026 prospects in Syracuse. Gilbert has great ball skills on both sides of the ball and is an effective hands catcher. He shows good range and closing speed defensively and at the WR position flashes some ability to make guys miss in space being a reliable target at all three levels of the field. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Richardson is coming off an injury where he missed a lot of last season, but the Sleepy Hollow RB/ATH was coming off one of the top freshman campaigns in 2022. Richardson is a really solid Track & Field athlete, and on tape, you see a player who can impact the game as a WR or an RB. He is a smooth athlete with a one-cut upfield style of running where is burst helps him beat defenders. </p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">ATH Rankings Table</h2>

The "ATH" or "Athlete" position is given to players for a couple of reasons. The main reason is that a player displays the ability to play more than 1 position at the next level or will play a position in college they do not play much in High School. A good example is a player who could play WR OR DB, RB OR LB, DE or OT just for some examples. These guys all show the requisite athleticism and movement skills to play at different levels of college football but the college game is so different that these guys skillsets may be suited for positions they have never even played.