Two drafts out · published July 2026
The 2028 way-too-early board.
Two Augusts from now, most of this list will be wrong. We publish it anyway, because the way-too-early board is where every draft argument starts — and nobody else shows you the uncertainty. No analyst has ranked this class. No one has run a 40. Most of these players have not taken a college snap. What honestly exists is the high school recruiting composite, the strength of the program each player signed with, and — for a handful — a freshman season. So that is the whole board: those signals, in the open, with the range each rank swings across defensible weightings printed next to it.
This is not the Draftanomics model. Our model needs consensus boards, measurements, and college production to say anything worth trusting — for 2028 it has none of the three, and we checked: its output on this class is noise. Ranking by noise and calling it a model would be fake precision. The composite is the honest signal, so the composite gets the byline.
What drives every rank
- Recruiting composite — the 247-style national recruiting rating, printed on a 0-100 scale in the table; it sets the order. Present for all 1,866 players.
- Program talent — the school's roster-talent index (2025 season). It breaks composite ties and drives the rank range.
- Early production — freshman-season per-play impact, when a played season is on file. Currently on file for 243 of 1,866.
What's missing — and why the ranges are wide
- Analyst consensus: zero boards cover this class yet.
- Measurements: nobody has run a 40 for scouts yet — the composite is carrying that weight.
- Film that matters: the class is the high school class of 2025 — true sophomores this fall. Their draft-relevant seasons have not been played.
- Declarations: anyone in the 2027 pool belongs to the 2027 conversation and is excluded here; if they stay in school, they join this board next spring.
Read the rank range first. It is the span of ranks a player takes when program strength is allowed 10–40% of the weight instead of only breaking ties. A tight range means every reasonable weighting agrees on him; a wide one means the argument is real.
| # | Player | Rank range | Recruit grade | Program | Yr-1 impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryce Underwood★★★★★ | #undefined | 100.0 | Loaded | early flashes | |
| Keelon Russell★★★★★ | #undefined | 100.0 | Powerhouse | already producing | |
| Elijah Griffin★★★★★ | #undefined | 99.9 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Ryan Williams★★★★★ | #undefined | 99.8 | Powerhouse | already producing | |
| Dakorien Moore★★★★★ | #undefined | 99.8 | Loaded | already producing | |
| Michael Fasusi★★★★★ | #undefined | 99.8 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| David Sanders Jr.★★★★★ | #undefined | 99.7 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Tavien St. Clair★★★★★ | #undefined | 99.7 | Powerhouse | quiet debut | |
| Devin Sanchez★★★★★ | #undefined | 99.7 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Isaiah Gibson★★★★★ | #undefined | 99.6 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| DJ Pickett★★★★★ | #undefined | 99.4 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Justus Terry★★★★★ | #undefined | 99.4 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Na'eem Offord★★★★★ | #undefined | 99.4 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Dijon Lee Jr.★★★★★ | #undefined | 99.3 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Harlem Berry★★★★★ | #undefined | 99.2 | Loaded | early flashes | |
| Andrew Babalola★★★★★ | #undefined | 99.1 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Michael Carroll★★★★★ | #undefined | 99.1 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Kaliq Lockett★★★★★ | #undefined | 99.1 | Powerhouse | already producing | |
| Jerome Myles★★★★★ | #undefined | 98.8 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Talyn Taylor★★★★★ | #undefined | 98.8 | Powerhouse | already producing | |
| Lance Jackson★★★★★ | #undefined | 98.8 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Amare Adams★★★★★ | #undefined | 98.7 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Quincy Porter★★★★★ | #undefined | 98.7 | Loaded | already producing | |
| Zayden Walker★★★★★ | #undefined | 98.7 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Husan Longstreet★★★★★ | #undefined | 98.7 | Loaded | already producing | |
| Will Black★★★★★ | #undefined | 98.7 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Kade Phillips★★★★★ | #undefined | 98.6 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Deuce Knight★★★★★ | #undefined | 98.6 | Solid | already producing | |
| Elyiss Williams★★★★★ | #undefined | 98.5 | Powerhouse | already producing | |
| Vernell Brown III★★★★★ | #undefined | 98.5 | Loaded | already producing | |
| Trey McNutt★★★★★ | #undefined | 98.4 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Caleb Cunningham★★★★★ | #undefined | 98.4 | Solid | already producing | |
| Isaiah Campbell★★★★ | #undefined | 98.3 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Jahkeem Stewart★★★★ | #undefined | 98.3 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Dallas Wilson★★★★ | #undefined | 98.3 | Loaded | already producing | |
| Iose Epenesa★★★★ | #undefined | 98.2 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Linkon Cure★★★★ | #undefined | 98.2 | Solid | quiet debut | |
| Lamont Rogers★★★★ | #undefined | 98.2 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Ty Haywood★★★★ | #undefined | 98.1 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Brandon Finney★★★★ | #undefined | 98.0 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Solomon Thomas★★★★ | #undefined | 98.0 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Riley Pettijohn★★★★ | #undefined | 97.9 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Nathaniel Marshall★★★★ | #undefined | 97.9 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Jaime Ffrench★★★★ | #undefined | 97.9 | Loaded | already producing | |
| Jackson Lloyd★★★★ | #undefined | 97.8 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Javion Hilson★★★★ | #undefined | 97.8 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Jared Smith★★★★ | #undefined | 97.8 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Malik Autry★★★★ | #undefined | 97.8 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Tae Harris★★★★ | #undefined | 97.7 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Julian Lewis★★★★ | #undefined | 97.6 | Solid | quiet debut | |
| Chuck McDonald★★★★ | #undefined | 97.5 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Juan Gaston★★★★ | #undefined | 97.4 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Akylin Dear★★★★ | #undefined | 97.3 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Drake Stubbs★★★★ | #undefined | 97.2 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Faheem Delane★★★★ | #undefined | 97.2 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Andrew Olesh★★★★ | #undefined | 97.0 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Malachi Goodman★★★★ | #undefined | 97.0 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Michael Terry III★★★★ | #undefined | 97.0 | Powerhouse | quiet debut | |
| Ben Hanks III★★★★ | #undefined | 97.0 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Justin Hill★★★★ | #undefined | 96.9 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| DaSaahn Brame★★★★ | #undefined | 96.8 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Ivan Taylor★★★★ | #undefined | 96.8 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Dorian Brew★★★★ | #undefined | 96.7 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Anquon Fegans★★★★ | #undefined | 96.7 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Graceson Littleton★★★★ | #undefined | 96.7 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Madden Faraimo★★★★ | #undefined | 96.6 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele★★★★ | #undefined | 96.6 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Elijah Barnes★★★★ | #undefined | 96.6 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Gideon Davidson★★★★ | #undefined | 96.6 | Loaded | quiet debut | |
| Christopher Burgess Jr.★★★★ | #undefined | 96.5 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Carius Curne★★★★ | #undefined | 96.5 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Josh Petty★★★★ | #undefined | 96.4 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Bryce Davis★★★★ | #undefined | 96.4 | Building | hasn’t played yet | |
| Carter Lowe★★★★ | #undefined | 96.3 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Hayden Lowe★★★★ | #undefined | 96.3 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Ousmane Kromah★★★★ | #undefined | 96.2 | Solid | early flashes | |
| Mariyon Dye★★★★ | #undefined | 96.0 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Adonyss Currie★★★★ | #undefined | 96.0 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Lagonza Hayward★★★★ | #undefined | 96.0 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Dramodd Odoms★★★★ | #undefined | 95.9 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Zion Grady★★★★ | #undefined | 95.8 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| J'Vari Flowers★★★★ | #undefined | 95.7 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Eric Winters★★★★ | #undefined | 95.7 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Kevin Wynn★★★★ | #undefined | 95.7 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Travis Smith Jr.★★★★ | #undefined | 95.5 | Loaded | quiet debut | |
| Bryce Baker★★★★ | #undefined | 95.5 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Douglas Utu★★★★ | #undefined | 95.5 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Shamari Earls★★★★ | #undefined | 95.4 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Nick Townsend★★★★ | #undefined | 95.4 | Powerhouse | quiet debut | |
| CJ Wiley★★★★ | #undefined | 95.3 | Powerhouse | quiet debut | |
| Dallas Golden★★★★ | #undefined | 95.3 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Matt Zollers★★★★ | #undefined | 95.3 | Solid | quiet debut | |
| Darren Ikinnagbon★★★★ | #undefined | 95.2 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Donovan Olugbode★★★★ | #undefined | 95.2 | Solid | already producing | |
| Kainoa Winston★★★★ | #undefined | 95.1 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Anthony Rogers★★★★ | #undefined | 95.0 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| DJ Sanders★★★★ | #undefined | 95.0 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Zaydrius Rainey-Sale★★★★ | #undefined | 95.0 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Chad Woodfork★★★★ | #undefined | 95.0 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Matai Tagoa'i★★★★ | #undefined | 95.0 | Building | hasn’t played yet |
How the order is set: recruiting composite, descending. Where composites tie — and below the five-star line they tie constantly — the program-talent index, then freshman production, breaks the tie. The rank range is not a confidence interval; it is the span of ranks a player takes when program strength is allowed 10-40% of the weight instead of only breaking ties. A tight range means every reasonable weighting agrees; a wide one means the argument is real.
Who is in the pool: the 1,866 players who are first draft-eligible in 2028 — the high school class of 2025. Anyone already in the 2027 candidate pool is excluded, because a 2028 board headlined by this cycle's stars would be a 2027 board wearing a costume.
Once the fall season is in the books, freshman production joins the board automatically; when the first 2028 analyst boards appear (late next summer), this page retires in favor of a real 2028 class hub — the way /year/2027 covers the live cycle today. Until then: arguments, honestly labeled. See methodology for what the model does once real signals exist.