2027 Rankings Update: Best of the New Additions

We saw close to 100 athletes make their first appearance on the 2027 Rankings during our recent update. It was a huge influx of talent that led to a lot of movement within the rankings from the top down. Just within the Top 100 we had 22 debuts, so there is plenty of new top-end talent to get acquainted with. We are starting that journey today with a look at the best of the best when it comes to the newcomers. Let's dive into the tape and see what these studs have to offer as they gear up for their junior seasons.    Anthony is an extremely intriguing TE recruit. He hasn't been heavily utilized in the pass game, 7 receptions in 2024, but the massive 6'6" 265 lbs incoming junior looks the part of a future Power 4 recruit. For Union Grove, Anthony essentially plays as an extra OL, devastating defenders on the edge with his power. Even at 265 lbs, Anthony has great footwork and quickness to be able to adjust and stay square while engaged with his man. Plus he does a great job of being able to drop his pad level and give himself even more of an advantage by winning the leverage battle. I won't be surprised if we see a future change to OL. With his size, power and athleticism Anthony could turn into a Power 4 OL recruit. He is definitely an exciting athlete to scout and project.     This might just be my favorite addition from this update. Harker's highlights are wildly impressive. To start things off, Harker has an elite frame for the LB position at 6'4" 220 lbs. That elite size is loaded up with elite athleticism. Watching through the highlights, highlights that included RB play, it was clear that the big man was also arguably the fastest kid on the field. Larsen is able to get to top speed in a hurry and pull away in the open field or cover ground on defense. Even as an underclassman, Harker was showing a nose for the ball and an ability to knife through traffic to get to the ball and make a tackle. Harker was just scratching the surface back in 2024. This is going to be a special year for himself and this Evansville team.     Another freakish new addition to the 2027 rankings is LB [player_tooltip player_id='1733711' first='Guardian' last='Harris'] of Fond du Lac. Guardian is back with an additional 10 lbs to his frame compared to last year. The LB has a great frame at 6'4" with long arms that will allow him to stay clean and quickly disengage with blockers. That length is also huge for him as a pass rusher off the edge. His motor, length, get-off, and power are making him a very impactful edge defender. But the 2027 is far more of a versatile athlete than that. You will see him out in the flats over WRs and flying in to make violent tackles in space. Guardian rounds out his exciting skill set with a reliable base of athletic traits that can make him successful in space as much as between the tackles or flying off the edge. I can't wait to see what he looks like this fall. He is going to be a must watch athlete.     It is a fantastic TE group in the Class of 2027. Debuting at TE3 and 20 overall is Waunakee's [player_tooltip player_id='1729995' first='Mac' last='Johnson']. The 6'5" 230 lbs athlete has that prototypical frame that you would draw up in a lab. Mac fits the role of the traditional TE. You can align him inline and let him impact the game as a receiver or blocker. He has the athleticism to roam the front seven landing key blocks with good angles, or he can get a quick release and leave LBs in his wake as he carves up the intermediate levels of the field with his route running. What I love is that Mac runs after the catch with the same anger and violence as he plays with while run blocking. He is a kid that can change a game with the ball in his hands or not. That is great piece to have at the TE position.     Marquette fielded a talented offensive line in 2024, and anchoring it at center was the 6'4" 280 lbs sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1621128' first='Ian' last='Beckes']. Ian will be back to lead the way in 2025, and his sophomore film has me jacked up for what is to come. Ian is massive and plays how you would expect a big, strong, nasty IOL would play. He is looking to dominate dudes. Ian is able to get snaps off quickly and flash his quick hands to get inside position on nose guards or DTs. Ian packs a punch right from the snap too. Everything he does has that same devastating power behind it. Beckes is looking to dominate his man every snap, and it has me excited for what he is going to do this fall.     The 2027 QB Class is unveiling some impressive new talents to us. The top newcomer is Evansville starter [player_tooltip player_id='1733717' first='Matthew' last='Wickersham']. Matthew has that next level frame at 6'4" 180 lbs, and he uses that size to sit back, scan, and pick defenses apart. He already has a really good understanding of when he needs to use touch and drop it in a bucket or when he needs to uncork it and drive it on a rope into a tight window. His control over his exact ball placement shines on tape as well as his targets are able to stay in stride through the catch for chunks of yards after the catch. Matthew will lead a loaded Evansville offense this fall, making this school a must stop for future recruiting trips.     It looks like the next standout DB to come out of Muskego is going to be [player_tooltip player_id='1625062' first='Taylen' last='Czarniak']. He already looked the part in 2024, flying around at 6'1" 185 lbs and making plays at every level of the field. Even as an underclassman you could see the instincts were there. He was quick to diagnose plays and knew when to attack the ball and when to stay back in that last line of defense position. When Taylen did go on the attack I loved the way he closes quickly, avoids traffic, and is a reliable 1 on 1 tackler in space. Taylen is a safety that can line up 15 yards deep and make tackles within a yard or two of the line of scrimmage. He can also turn and run to either sideline while tracking the ball in the air. This is his year to take that big leap forward. Be prepared for it.     One of my favorite skill position players in this update is Verona WR [player_tooltip player_id='1653433' first='Dejon' last='Knutson']. The kid is a playmaker. Speed to stretch the field. Natural ball skills to not only track it and adjust on the fly, but to also reel in some wild catches at awkward angles and body positions. Dejon has the wow abilities that grab your attention with his raw talent. What has me so excited is that he was raw back in 2024. With an offseason under his belt we could see even more refined route running. He has the balance, footwork, agility, and acceleration to take that next big leap. I'm excited and hoping to see him on Friday nights and see it all start to come together. Knutson is a mismatch to be well aware of.     Daniel first hit my radar this offseason when he earned his first offer from Mankato following an event on the Mavericks campus. The 5'10" 180 lbs RB brings 4.5 speed to the field on top of that compact, strong frame. That speed is on display when they use him to attack the edges. Daniel has no trouble stretching the field horizontally then sticking his foot in the ground and getting up field before the defense can flow to him. His vision in those scenarios, and behind the line in general, is a massive strength too. He finds blocks, seams, and can set up defenders. Daniel is quickly developing a strong feel for how to attack the defense carry to carry. He also is a contributor at LB on defense too.     We end with one more impressive OL prospect. [player_tooltip player_id='1668347' first='Cole' last='Carl'] of Brookfield Central is a force in the trenches, especially as a run blocker. He is heavy-handed, has a powerful lower body, and also has shown the ability to drop his pad level before contact so that he is underneath the DL. Cole makes it look almost too easy at times as he runs DLs off the ball or down the line away from the called gap. The big man also has nimble feet that are well worth noting. Several plays you see him not just maul his opponent, but also quickly position himself so that his butt is to the hole so his man can't get to the ball without finding a way to get through him. You have to love this kid's size, power, quickness, and violence.

We saw close to 100 athletes make their first appearance on the 2027 Rankings during our recent update. It was a huge influx of talent that led to a lot of movement within the rankings from the top down. Just within the Top 100 we had 22 debuts, so there is plenty of new top-end talent to get acquainted with. We are starting that journey today with a look at the best of the best when it comes to the newcomers. Let's dive into the tape and see what these studs have to offer as they gear up for their junior seasons.