Introducing the initial 2026 On300

On3 has released its initial On300 football prospect rankings for the 2026 cycle. The On300 builds upon the initial Top 100 Watchlist, which was released last August.

We’ve spent the past month combing through hundreds of rising juniors in formulating these early rankings. With that said, this release is an extremely fluid, long-term projection.

We’re about two years out from the final rankings for the 2026 cycle. The most important football has yet to be played. Prospects are at different stages in their physical development at this early juncture. Ages of top prospects in the 2025 cycle range from 15 to 17 years old. Naturally, many prospects will look quite different physically over the course of the next year. The off-season prior to the junior year is generally when we see the biggest jump among prospects, especially those who were not early developers.

A disproportionate number of prospects with early offers are older for the class and/or attend powerhouse high schools, leading to early identification. Neither has a significant impact on long-term projection. With that said, the pool of prospects in the 2026 cycle will expand greatly over the next two years. Well over 1,000 FBS prospects in the cycle have yet to emerge. It’s likely there are future top 100 prospects who have yet to see varsity action or even started playing football altogether.

Initial 2026 On300

This ranking is a long-term projection based on the relatively limited amount of information and sample size we have available. Varsity contribution is a key driver, with the understanding that some may get opportunities later than others. In addition to on-field impact, we’re assessing the upside of these young prospects, both from a physical and skill perspective. There’s also considerable fluidity among the position groups, which are the building blocks of our overall rankings.

Certain positions take shape a little earlier than spots that require more development. Most quarterbacks in the On300 have just one year of varsity experience as a starter. Many future linebackers may be playing another position. There are a number of wide receivers who could grow into tight ends. That’s all to say that positional rankings and dispersion will smooth out considerably over the course of the next two years.

With that said, let’s take a look at some storylines surrounding this initial 2026 On300.

Three initial 5-stars

The top three prospects in the 2025 On300 debut as five-stars for On3.

Defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart debuts as the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2026 On300. No prospect in the cycle has shown a better combination of physical ability and on-field play to this point. Stewart has massive frame at 6-foot-5.5 and over 260 pounds with 34-plus inch arms and 10.75-inch hands. He’s a twitchy athlete at that size with an elite skill level for this early juncture. Stewart’s combination of first-step quickness, play strength and advanced technical ability is as good as you’ll see from a rising junior prospect. He was utterly dominant as a sophomore at New Orleans (La.) St. Augustine, racking up 33 tackles for loss, 20 sacks and six forced fumbles. The gaudy stats are validated by eye-popping film. He has the rare ability to line up and rush the passer from anywhere on the defensive front and projects as a moveable piece at each of the next levels of competition. Stewart pairs his physical ability and skill with a noticeably high effort level. The Louisiana native was the clear choice as the top prospect in the cycle at this early stage.

Ohio State wide receiver commit Chris Henry Jr. checks in at No. 2 overall in the 2026 On300. At close to 6-foot-5, 185 pounds, the NFL legacy has rare movement skills at his size. Henry has shown outstanding change of direction, effortlessly dropping his weight to break off defenders mid-route. He shows the ability to attack every area of the field and win in every phase. Henry is lethal out comebacks and outbreaking routes and has the speed separate vertically. He also good ball skills and plus length, making for a mismatch in contested catch situations. Henry projects as a true outside wide receiver with a well-rounded, projectable skill set at this early stage in the process. He transferred from Cincinnati (Ohio) Withrow to Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei prior to his junior season.

Offensive tackle Immanuel Iheanacho rounds out the initial 2026 five-stars for On3, debuting at No. 3 overall. We came away from this initial ranking process feeling that the North Bethesda (Md.) Georgetown Preparatory had the best sophomore film among the top offensive tackles. Listed 6-foot-7, 320 pounds, Iheanacho blends excellent, ready-made size with advanced flexibility, power and functional movement skills. He plays with outstanding pad level, using his bend and understanding of leverage to get underneath the pads of defenders. Iheanacho fires off the ball and moves defenders at will once engaged. He’s a light footed mover, both as a run blocker and in pass protection, drawing on his basketball background. The movement skills look to be translatable as a pass protector, as he plays with balance and control. We also see Iheanacho flash his athleticism as a disruptive defensive lineman.

Strong group of big men

In a departure from most cycles, the big men account for many of the highest rated prospects at this early juncture.

Lamar Brown (No. 4) stars as an offensive tackle and defensive lineman for Baton Rouge (La.) University Lab and ranks as an interior offensive lineman. At 6-foot-3.5, 255 pounds, Brown has plus length, advanced movement skills and explosive pop in his hands. There are some eye-popping moments on his sophomore film, as Brown has the ability to detonate defenders on initial contact.

Jackson Cantwell (No. 6) is another behemoth offensive tackle with advanced physical ability early on. At a very well-built, 6-foot-7.5, 305 pounds, Cantwell plays with a strong anchor and base for a taller prospect. He moves well when working to the second level. The son of two Olympian throwers, Cantwell doubles as one of the best track and field athletes in the 2026 cycle, sporting an astounding 64-3 shot put throw as a freshman. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that a young prospect with that kind of throwing background carries over outstanding functional strength to the football field. While Cantwell is readymade from a physical standpoint, he’s also one of the younger top prospects of the cycle, not turning 16 years-old until late may.

Zion Elee (No. 7) showed the most twitch among the top pass rushers. At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds with elite arm length, Elee flies off the ball and looks to be a big-time speed mismatch for opposing offensive tackles. He’s also a hellacious pursuit defender, running down plays from sideline to sideline. The Joppatowne (Md.) High standout tallied 13 sacks and 24 tackles for loss as a sophomore.

Fort Worth (Texas) North Crowley offensive tackle John Turntine III (No. 8) looks like the most technically advanced of the top offensive linemen. The 6-foot-3.5, 305-pounder is a fluid mover who is violent at the point of attack. He plays with a stout base and great technique for a young prospect. Turntine has an excellent understanding of hand placement and angles early on. In addition to his strong junior film, Turntine was a top performer for On3 at Under Armour Next’s Dallas Camp a few weeks back.

Originally ranked as a linebacker, Anthony Jones (No. 9) checks in as the No. 2 EDGE prospect in the initial 2026 On300. The Mobile (Ala.) St. Paul’s star was outstanding off the edge as a sophomore, racking up over 100 tackles and 10 sacks. Jones is a strong, athletic defender who shows the ability to run sideline to sideline and finish plays at a high rate. He also sports a very strong track profile, winning a state title in the shot put as a freshman
over 100 tackles and 10 sacks

If we’re picking a first off the bus prospect in the 2026 cycle early on, tight end Kendre Harrison (No. 11) might get the nod. The 6-foot-7, 235-pounder is a do-it-all star athlete at Reidsville (N.C.) High. Harrison is a big-time mismatch in the passing game, using his elite size to box out and out-leap defenders in jump ball situations. He’s also a good runner after the catch. Harrison also stars on defense. He dominated the competition as a sophomore, catching 62 passes for 910 yards and 16 touchdowns, while tallying 76 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and 9 sacks on defense. Harrison, who also doubles as a top 100 prospect in basketball, went viral after shattering a backboard during a high school game in February.

Top skill talent in the initial 2026 On300

In addition to Chris Henry Jr., there are several more top skill players of note in the initial 2026 On300.

No prospect appears to have faster play speed than La Mesa (Calif.) Mount Miguel athlete Brandon Arrington (No. 5). The two-way standout posted a 10.58 second mark in the 100 meters as a freshman and plays that fast on film. Arrington could project as a deep threat at wide receiver or as a cornerback long-term.

Blaine Bradford (No. 10) checks in as the top safety in the 2026 On300. Though he missed a chunk of his sophomore season at Baton Rouge (La.) Catholic, Bradford is a clear top talent at the position given his instincts, physicality, closing speed and range in coverage. He’s had the look of an advanced safety prospect dating back to his freshman season and the glimpses we saw from him as a sophomore only furthered that belief.

Faizon Brandon (No. 12) and Dia Bell (No. 14) are the top two quarterback prospects in the initial 2026 On300. Both showed some very encouraging signs in their first year as varsity starters.

Brandon, who stars for Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley, is a 6-foot-3.5, 190 pounder who accounted for over 3,500 yards and 45 touchdowns as a sophomore. He shows a live arm on film and in the camp setting and is one of the more gifted athletes among the top 2026 quarterbacks. Brandon is also younger for the class, turning 16 years-old in June.

Bell is a natural passer with translatable skills for the position. He’s strong mechanically and shows functional movement skills and refined footwork for this stage. The 6-foot-3, 190-pounder was efficient as a sophomore, averaging 10.2 yards per attempt while playing good competition at Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage. He’s the son of former NBA player Raja Bell and doubles as a talented high school basketball player.

The Big Four states continue to produce top talent

Four states —Texas, Florida, Georgia and California — typically produce the most NFL Draft picks. That is also the case in the 2026 On300. Georgia and Florida lead the way with 15 players apiece in the top 100 with Texas (14) and California (10) not too far behind.

Louisiana and North Carolina are two more states with strong 2026 cycles at the top at this early stage. Both states each have five prospects apiece inside the top 50.

Checking the commits

Twelve prospects within the On300 are currently committed:

WR Chris Henry Jr. (No. 2) – Ohio State
DL Tony Cumberland (No. 19) – Oregon
RB Jonathan Hatton (No. 31) – Oklahoma
LB Jordan Campbell (No. 57) – Miami
RB Messiah Mickens (No. 90) – Penn State
ATH Efrem White (No. 96) – Florida State
RB Raycine Guillory (No. 100) – Texas
CB Brandon Lockhart (No. 141) – USC
QB Landon Duckworth (No. 144) – South Carolina
S Darryl Bell (No. 202) – Florida State
OT Andrew Trout (No. 204) – Minnesota
WR Malachi Toney (No. 278) – Miami