Counting down the top 10 recruits in the initial 2027 On300 rankings

On3 has expanded its football recruiting rankings for the 2027 class, moving from a top 100 that debuted last August to a full initial 300-player ranking that dropped on Monday morning.

The update includes plenty of names who were already making a case as national recruits, as well as hundreds of others who have jumped onto the scene after their sophomore year of high school football. There’s still a long way to go in the 2027 cycle, with those recruits not able to sign with colleges until December of 2026. But a handful have started to separate themselves from the pack early on.

As part of the latest rankings expansion, On3 is counting down the top 10 players in the new rankings. The list only includes one five-star right now, but that will grow over the course of the cycle to 32, matching the first round of the NFL Draft.

Below are the top 10 sophomores in the expanded On300:

1) EDGE LaDamion Guyton

School: Benedictine Military School (Ga.)
Scout’s Take: “Guyton has the most electric film of any prospect in the 2027 cycle. He is truly the most disruptive player on the defensive side of the ball that can win with both power and finesse. His ability to turn speed to power off the line of scrimmage in order to forklift blockers into the backfield and still manage to bring down ball carriers is rare. He has an advanced understanding of leverage as a rusher that allows him to win 1-on-1 with blockers off the edge more often than most.  Plus, he still has the raw power and shock factor in his hands to displace blockers in the run game and set the edge with ease. Guyton will only continue to get stronger and more explosive as he adds mass to his frame while still maintaining his impressive athletic ability. He’s the top dog in a strong EDGE group early on in the 2027 cycle.” — Cody Bellaire, On3 National Scout

2) OT Mark Matthews

School: Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
Scout’s Take: “Matthews debuts as the #1 offensive tackle and #2 overall prospect in this ranking. I had a chance to see him in person at the Under Armour Miami camp, and it was readily apparent early on that he just moves at a different level than most of his peers. He is just a twitched up explosive athlete. He has a projectable frame at 6’6, 260 pounds. I think he has the capacity to add a lot more weight and strength, but I just came away highly impressed with how he looked and moved in person. He held up really well on 1-on-1s, and then I think when you go back and watch his sophomore film, he started at left tackle for Saint Thomas Aquinas, one of the top high school programs in the country.” — Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings

3) EDGE Zyron Forstall

School: New Orleans (La.) Jesuit
Scout’s Take: “Forstall is a versatile edge defender who can line up with his hand in the dirt, in a two-point stance on the line of scrimmage or as an off-ball Mike backer. His athleticism and violent play style allows for him to be a true Swiss Army knife of a defender. The New Orleans native has the burst and first step quickness to be disruptive as a pass rusher off the edge, but he also possesses the raw power and punch to be a stout run defender as well. Plus, his ability to run sideline to sideline allows him to be a dominant flat defender and space player. Forstall’s skillset allows him to be a versatile chess piece for any defensive coordinator at the next level and beyond.” — Cody Bellaire, On3 National Scout

4) CB John Meredith

School: Euless (Texas) Trinity
Scout’s Take: “Meredith has prototypical size and movement skills for the cornerback position. At 6-foot-2, 175 pounds with quality length, Meredith can run with anyone on the football field. He has borderline elite top-end speed that can attack the football at the catch point with ease. Plus, he’s a willing tackler and has a physical aspect to his game at the line of scrimmage when asked to press or disengage blockers. Meredith is a prospect corner coaches dream of when evaluating the position and has all the physical and athletic traits teams covet at corner.” — Cody Bellaire, On3 National Scout

5) OT Kennedy Brown

School: Houston (Texas) Kingwood
Scout’s Take: “Brown is a big riser in this update. He is a physical, athletic, right tackle prospect for his high school team. We thought he had a really good film as a sophomore, and he looks to have just an ideal kind of build. He has solid weight distribution throughout his frame, looks to have good length and plays with physicality and athleticism that we look for in projecting young offensive tackles.” — Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings

6) EDGE Chris Whitehead

School: Chesterfield (Va.) Lloyd C. Bird
Scout’s Take: “Whitehead is a high motor edge defender who uses his speed and burst off of the edge to make a plethora of plays in the backfield. He possesses a tremendous first step combined with excellent bend to turn the corner in order to apply consistent pressure to quarterbacks. His persistence as a backside run defender paired with his top tier athletic ability allows him to make plays on the football across the field and in the backfield for all four quarters. As he fills out his frame he will continue to get stronger and more disruptive at the point of attack but already shows advanced hand usage to disengage blockers. He’s one of the more gifted defensive ends in this 2027 cycle.” — Cody Bellaire, On3 National Scout

7) ATH Xavier Sabb

School: Glassboro (N.J.)
Scout’s Take: “Xavier Sabb is a true athlete in that we could see him projecting at multiple positions. He could be a safety corner or receiver. The younger brother of Alabama safety Keon Sabb, he’s a multi-sport standout, who also stars as an above-the-rim, high flyer in basketball. We see him line up at receiver and safety for his high school. He is very productive on the offensive side of the ball and came down with 7 interceptions as a sophomore. He is a dominant player at this stage and also a top athlete. In addition to basketball, he posts strong 100m times, in track and field, as well.” — Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings

8) RB Kemon Spell – Penn State commit

School: McKeesport (Pa.) MAHS
Scout’s Take: “Kemon Spell leads what is a very strong running back group early on in the 2027 cycle. He is an elite tackle-breaker at this early stage and has had back-to-back outstanding seasons to start his high school career. He is an explosive, versatile, instinctive runner, who is very difficult to bring down as a young prospect.” — Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings

9) OT Qua Ford

School: Texarkana (Tex.) Texas High
Scout’s Take: “Qua Ford is a road grating offensive tackle who excels as a run blocker at this stage. He has ready-made size and is a physical, explosive run blocker. We thought his game film was strong, and he also holds up well in pass protection. There’s a lot to like about Qua Ford and he has the look of a high-floor prospect at the position given his physical traits and natural strength.” — Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings

10) S Kamarui Dorsey 

School: Hampton (Ga.)
Scout’s Take: “Dorsey has all of the physical and athletic tools for the safety position. The 6-foot-3, nearly 200 pound defensive back has the skillset to play as a center fielder or corner as a secondary defender. His hip fluidity and foot speed combined with his ability at the catch point makes him a menace in coverage. While his size and trigger to work downhill allows him to be a force in the run game as well. Dorsey has one of the highest ceilings of any defensive back in the 2027 cycle and is well on his way to being one of the more sought after players in the country.” — Cody Bellaire, On3 National Scout