The top two way athlete on the perimeter is Prescott’s Kobe Russell Kobe Russell 6'1" | 185 lbs | ATH Prescott | 2026 State WI . The 6’1″ 185 lbs athlete put together an outstanding junior season on both sides of the ball. A season that has helped him earn several FCS and FBS offers with more to come. I love watching his CB tape. The ’26 has explosive closing speed that helped him make a lot of his biggest plays. That speed and his easy change of direction allowed him to run step for step with receivers all over the field. Kobe is such a natural catching the ball too, plucking it out of the air or adjusting to make the grab on a pass outside his frame or even grabbing one handed INTs. On offense those same dynamic athletic traits translate over. His quickness shines in his releases and route breaks. The speed allowed him to stack the CB and pull away deep downfield. Plus the ball skills allowed him to effortlessly track down the ball in flight. Kobe is a mismatch, a playmaker, and need to know athlete in this Class.

Rankings Jump: 36 Spots

The northern WI standout proved to be an extremely versatile, and talented two way player for Prescott last fall. Kobe is a long-limbed DB/WR with an elite level of athletic traits. It jumps off the tape as Kobe seems to play the game at a different speed than everyone else around him. Closing burst, acceleration out of his backpedal, change of direction, route breaks, they are all examples of when we get to see his elite acceleration and balance/body control. Russell also has the game breaking speed and that second gear to pull away and not let any pursuit angles cut him off. Kobe is such an easy athlete and a fantastic playmaker. The tape is loaded with him making the most difficult plays look standard. You have to check out the kid’s tape and see why he launched himself into the Top 10.

Stats: 3 Receptions, 136 Yards, 2 TDs

The most naturally gifted athlete on the field last night was Kobe Russell Kobe Russell 6'1" | 185 lbs | ATH Prescott | 2026 State WI , and I expect that to be a fact for pretty much the rest of his HS career. The 6’1″ 185 lbs junior is definitely on the rise after watching him in person. He has a good frame for the WR/DB positions, but really stands out with an impressive wingspan to provide a larger than expected catch radius and it gives him a little extra cushion in coverage. Kobe has developed a dominant, high-level combination of speed and power at WR. He can easily get on top of his CB and is a natural tracking the deep ball. Russell also showed off his ability to run with power after the catch, ripping through arm tackles. Kobe also has the quick twitch agility is short areas to be a reliable man coverage CB as well. The 2026 ATH is a big time playmaker and a gifted athlete that all D2 and higher level schools should have on their radar, right now.

Kobe is an athlete who we really liked coming into the season, and he has definitely taken that next step this fall. Through five games, Kobe has shined at S and WR. The athletic profile of the 6’1″ 185 lbs junior matches that of a future college football player. He has the long speed in the open field, the quick burst and change of direction in short areas, and he is explosive so he can high point the ball or quickly close on the catch point. What also sets Kobe apart is that he plays with power too. He isn’t just a speed guy. While covering ground like he does, Russell has the power to run through arm tackles at any moment and keep his balance through contact or fight for the ball through a sea of hands. I also love how nuanced he is becoming as a route runner. You see him set up DBs or alter the speed he uses throughout routes to create space. Kobe is an impressive athlete and getting better. Get him on your boards early.

A talented two way playmaker who had himself a great rankings debut is Kobe Russell Kobe Russell 6'1" | 185 lbs | ATH Prescott | 2026 State WI of Prescott. The northern WI ATH checks in at 6’1″ 185 lbs, and the frame was already looking well filled out and strong like that of a senior despite only being a sophomore in his most recent tape. On offense Kobe is able to really let his athletic traits shine. He consistently runs away from CBs on routes at every level of the field giving his QB easy targets. The ’26 is a shifty, sudden route runner with the balance required to be able to get through route breaks while maintaining speed and accelerating out of them. The ’26 is a natural playmaker with the ball in his hands too. He is able to see the field, set up blocks, find green grass or create it by making defenders miss.

On defense the 2026 is an impressive CB. He will play press man at the line of scrimmage. His quick feet and agility allow him to easily turn and run with defenders. The reactive athleticism is there in spades too as he quickly changes direction with receivers as they run their routes against his man coverage. The impressive ball skills carry over to that side of the ball as well. Kobe had a strong year as a sophomore on varsity, but that may be just the start of what he has to offer.