Dawson is a long-striding 2026 wide receiver that I am surprised the more in the NSIC hasn’t caught wind of yet. He’s a springy route-runner that can gain quick seperation and plenty of it when he utilizes his change of direction and athleticism. I have Dawson coming up my radar on our 2026 rankings due to the tape he’s put up thus far this season, so he needs to be on more radars. Dawson and the Wall Eagles are my 11A favorites, so he is a name you will want to keep checking in for down the line this season.

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We made it clear in our first batch of Part I stockrisers that attending our Prep Redzone Dakotas Combine is beneficial, especially to underclassmen looking for their first and significant exposure which is sure the case with Wall wide receiver Dawson Handcock Dawson Handcock 6'2" | 165 lbs | WR Wall | 2026 State SD . This kid’s change of direction once he reaches the second level to cut on his route shows off great elusiveness which for his 6’2 160 pound frame has more deepth than you would exect for a 2026 wide-out. Dawson has length than I believe goes further than his size as I would like to get a measurable on his wingspan from someone. Jackson also shows off some great balance with his footwork and one I can grasped has notched up his speed since our Spring showcase in Sioux Falls. What is even better? I still believe Dawson has some of the highest upside in the group we will talk about tonight as he still has some frame to grow and could be one that splashes at camp this summer.

Getting a chance to watch Dawson at our Prep Redzone Dakotas combine over the summer you could see the upside brewing with his route running. But man, watching his change of direction on his routes from some of his game tape shows how agile and sudden this young man is. The 6’2 155 pounders length also helps his case, as he can utilize throws that focus on precision and using that stretchy frame to extend plays on the second and third level. He also has another level of game speed that is at a faster pace than what his 40-yard dash will show you. Dawson is also instinctive with his transition tracking the ball as I love the way this young man’s football IQ is trending for this Wall Eagles 2026 wide receiver. Twitter

Dawson was one pre-combine I was excited to see in attendance and get some testing numbers on. He wasn’t as fluid in the 40 as I hoped to see, but the change of direction he showed off with his L-Drill top number lived up to what I was hoping for. He was a fringe 1st/2nd teamer that was probably one play away from being a 1st teamer, as the seperation ability and choice of route in 1v1s would have moved the neddle in my eyes. No question that the tape shows off the seperation that Dawson has deep in his routes, which is why I love the upside of this kid to come as one of two of Lex Heathershaw’s Wall Eagles to make our Top Performers list in Sioux Falls. Twitter