Class of ‘26 Rankings: Five Defenders to Know

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Throughout this initial update for the Class of 2026 we've highlighted 14 of the Top 25 prospects in the class. The coverage isn't stopping there either. To continue the coverage of the latest recruiting class in Kansas, we'll now be examining some prospects from the defensive side of the ball. Folks have become familiar with players like [player_tooltip player_id='585905' first='Hunter' last='Higgins'], [player_tooltip player_id='585908' first='Traeh' last='West'], and [player_tooltip player_id='586974' first='Rey'Zhian' last='Shears-Montgomery']. However, it'd be wise to remember these five prospects as well. This group features two defensive linemen with major upside, two linebackers capable of covering lots of ground, and a defensive back with game altering ability.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["611097"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cp style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eWhen we first revealed the Top 10 players from the Class of '26, [player_tooltip player_id='585909' first='Cameron' last='Love'] received high praise for his potential as a standout two-way player for Olathe North. But there's another freshman on the Eagles' roster that could make a splash over the next few years. [player_tooltip player_id='611097' first='Kelvin' last='Parker III'] was a menace in the secondary for the Eagles' freshman squad. The six-foot tall sophomore-to-be showed flashes of being a lockdown corner in the future, and proved to be a reliable defender against the run in 2022. He did an excellent job of pressing the opposition at the line of scrimmage and used his length to breakup multiple passes. But, one of the unique aspects about his game, is his knack for creating turnovers.u003c/pu003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["586964"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"u003cp style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eIt's becoming apparent the Mill Valley Jaguars have a recipe for not only producing breakout players on defense, but specifically producing them along their defensive line. This past season, top-ranked sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='519316' first='Jayden' last='Woods'] put everyone on notice, and during the ‘23 campaign, [player_tooltip player_id='586964' first='Christopher' last='Wash'] looks to be the next young Jaguar to burst onto the scene. Wash is a physical 6-foot-2, 210-pound edge rusher that's likely to make some noise throughout this off-season. He's already made his presence felt during this current wrestling season, and he is sure to earn some showcase invitations based on the buzz out of the Mill Valley community. The 14u003csupu003ethu003c/supu003e ranked prospect missed time in 2022 due to injury, but expect for him to be motivated to make up for that lost time this fall.u003c/pu003e","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["586961"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"u003cp style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eThe 15u003csupu003ethu003c/supu003e ranked prospect heads into the '23 campaign with a similar situation to [player_tooltip player_id='586964' first='Christopher' last='Wash']'s. [player_tooltip player_id='586961' first='Jalen' last='Johnson'] of Olathe West is another sophomore-to-be determined to maintain his program's reputation as a defensive line factory. In 2022, the Owls had sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='570193' first='Chase' last='Campbell'] make plays off the edge, and this year, Johnson could be a force on the interior of the Owls' defensive line. The 6-foot-1, 260-pound defensive tackle excels against the run, and possesses good hands at an early age. If he can develop a quicker first step, then opposing offensive linemen might be in trouble. He's recently generated some buzz, as he's been highlighted by other scouting sites, and he earned an invitation to the u003cemu003eNUC All-American Gameu003c/emu003e later this year.u003c/pu003e","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["586976"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"u003cp style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eWichita East's 2026 graduating class has shown a lot of early similarities to their talented 2024 class. Many of those prospects became contributors during their first year of high school football, and they're now some of the top prospects in our Class of '24 rankings. Now after a solid 2022 season, a few players from their freshman class are on that trajectory. So far three of them have been featured during this update, but it's time folks met [player_tooltip player_id='586976' first='Pharrell' last='Adams']. In terms of having elite range, Adams arguably has the most out of any defender in this class. His ability to play sideline-to-sideline along with his awareness in coverage will open many doors for him. He's listed as a linebacker currently, but he could also have a bright future at safety.u003c/pu003e","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["533064"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"u003cp style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eTo finish this piece, we have the 19u003csupu003ethu003c/supu003e ranked prospect overall and the 2u003csupu003endu003c/supu003e ranked linebacker in the class. [player_tooltip player_id='533064' first='Samuel' last='Kile'] comes in just behind [player_tooltip player_id='586976' first='Pharrell' last='Adams'] after a strong season at the freshman level in 2022. While he's listed as a linebacker in our rankings, he did his damage in the trenches at defensive end last fall. The reason he's listed with the backers is because of his ability to fight through blocks, his angles of pursuit, and his high motor. In addition to those three characteristics, Kile's 6-foot-1, 215-pound frame is the ideal mold of an inside backer. Blue Valley's coaching staff may opt to continue to develop him at defensive end, but pairing him with [player_tooltip player_id='570190' first='Maguire' last='Richman'] presents a very formidable linebacker duo.u003c/pu003e","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63e1b73acc957"} /-->