Rankings Spotlight: Five 2026 standouts to watch

Prospects hit the road again later this week for their final visits before the start of the season. The 2026 class will be a major point of emphasis for coaches during this stretch of visits. With that in mind, take a moment to get to know some of the 2026 prospects that we are particularly high on.

RANKINGS IMPACT: Takeaways from Kansas City road trip

Cooper is a tremendous prospect, regardless of where he lines up. The top-ranked athlete in the 2026 Rivals250 could play running back, linebacker or safety at the next level. Cooper has been dominant all offseason but especially as a receiving threat out of the backfield.

He has the speed to outrun nearly any linebacker he comes across and when he lines up on the defensive side of the ball he shows the patience and general natural feel for coverage in space.

Cooper still has two more years of high school football left and it will be fascinating to see how he develops.

We’ve been bullish on Edwards since the very beginning of the rankings cycle and he continues to prove us right with his play on the field and in offseason events. The 6-foot, 205-pound safety with an 80-inch wingspan has the speed to play center field for the defense or be an enforcer near the line of scrimmage.

Edwards has the tools to move around the secondary and match up with slot receivers, tight ends or running backs as they come out of the backfield. He’s shown the ability to win in jump ball situations and break fast enough on passes thrown in front of him to get his hands on the ball.

Geralds is as solid as they come as an interior defensive lineman but he also has some versatility to his game. Measuring in at 6-foot-2, 280 pounds at the Rivals Five-Star event in Jacksonville with a 79-inch wingspan and 33-inch arms, Geralds plays with the quickness and strength of a much older and more seasoned prospect.

He has the physical abilities and technical acumen to play a variety of positions across the defensive front, depending on the game situation. Even though Geralds isn’t a towering defensive lineman, he is certainly one of the very best in the 2026 class.

It’s hard to do much better than No. 1 quarterback in the Rivals250, right? Lyons is our top-ranked signal caller in the 2026 Rivals250 and for good reason. The prolific Folsom, Calif., quarterback accounted for more than 3,500 passing yards with 38 touchdowns and also ran for more than 900 yards and 23 more touchdowns. Even in Folsom’s wide-open offense, those are crazy numbers for a sophomore.

Lyons is a dynamic combination of passer and runner who can throw the ball with consistent accuracy from inside the pocket or when he is on the run. He has the athleticism to be able to freelance and still find the open receiver down the field.

Lyons also sports a 4.3 shuttle and a 36-inch vertical, exceptional numbers for a soon-to-be junior quarterback.

If you’re looking for a constant mismatch on offense, look no further than Prothro. The tight end out of Georgia is about 6-foot-6 with an 80-inch wingspan and has put up outstanding times this offseason (4.7 40 and 4.4 shuttle). Good luck to the defender who has to cover him because, when he is targeted, he usually hauls in the catch and picks up big chunks of yards, as evidenced by his 25 yards per catch average last season.

Prothro’s ability to beat defenders deep is one thing, but it’s incredibly difficult for them to keep the ball out of his hands when he’s able to run routes like he’s shown. He is quick in and out of his breaks and does an excellent job catching the ball away from his body, giving quarterbacks a huge margin for error when throwing in his direction.