Update for the Class of ‘28: May Stock Risers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Before the first official week of May is behind us, here's some more coverage on the latest rankings update for the Class of ‘28. I'm following up the reveal of the Top 10 with a look at more stock risers. Last week I previewed a few from this group but did not reveal their new ranking. However, now that the rankings are live I can go into more detail.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This group of four features a couple of prospects that have recently landed on the <em>D-I </em>radar, one promising offensive lineman, and a small-town athlete primed for a big ‘26 season. Take a look at where they now sit in the rankings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2047467' first='Cade' last='Liggett'] - Pratt, 6'0”, 190, ATH</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Liggett of Pratt High headlines the group. In this update he climbed 36 spots to No. 11 overall, and is now the 2nd ranked athlete in the class. His stock has steadily been on the rise since mid-April and now it's on the verge of exploding. Just within the past week he's added offers from <em>Eastern Michigan</em> and <em>Wake Forest</em>. Not to mention he also holds an offer from the <em>UTSA Roadrunners</em>. Liggett may be from a small-town, but it's only a matter of time before big programs take notice of his talent.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1629811' first='Taylen' last='Washington'] - Derby, 6'3”, 210, Edge</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Derby's upcoming junior class is shaping up to be a special group. There are currently four Derby Panthers inside our Top 50, and more players are likely to join their teammates in the rankings. One of their Top 50 prospects is [player_tooltip player_id='1629811' first='Taylen' last='Washington']. This young man is a versatile defender, and has the potential of being an absolute problem this fall. He moved up a few spots to No. 14 overall in this update, and picked up an offer from <em>Kansas State</em> this week.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1556879' first='Samuel' last='Bates'] - Blue Valley Southwest, 6'2”, 300, OL</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bates of Blue Valley Southwest saw an increase of 11 spots in this update. The BVSW product is now the 68th ranked player overall and the 5th ranked OL prospect in the class. Not only has Bates been busy adding size this offseason, but he's also put together a standout showcase performance. While competing at the popular <em>KC Varsity Combine</em> series in late-April, Bates took home <em>Co-MVP</em> for the offensive line group. Since then he's received multiple camp invites for this summer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1619542' first='Hayden' last='Mell'] - Pleasanton, 5'10”, 180, ATH</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Recognition for this next prospect is long overdue. Not only is Mell of Pleasanton a stock riser in this update, but this is also his first time being featured. His increase in rank is well deserved. Mell moved up 10 spots to No. 119 overall. In 2025 he emerged as the leading tackler for Pleasanton, as he recorded 94 total on the season. He also contributed to the Blue Jays' run game, and should have a larger role offensively next season.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->