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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devin Sanchez★★★★★ | #undefined | 99.7 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| DJ Pickett★★★★★ | #undefined | 99.4 | Loaded | 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 | |
| Kade Phillips★★★★★ | #undefined | 98.6 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Trey McNutt★★★★★ | #undefined | 98.4 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Brandon Finney★★★★ | #undefined | 98.0 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Tae Harris★★★★ | #undefined | 97.7 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Chuck McDonald★★★★ | #undefined | 97.5 | 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 | |
| Ben Hanks III★★★★ | #undefined | 97.0 | 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 | |
| Adonyss Currie★★★★ | #undefined | 96.0 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Lagonza Hayward★★★★ | #undefined | 96.0 | Loaded | 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 | |
| Shamari Earls★★★★ | #undefined | 95.4 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Kainoa Winston★★★★ | #undefined | 95.1 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| RJ Sermons★★★★ | #undefined | 94.8 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Jamar Beal-Goines★★★★ | #undefined | 94.8 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Daryus Dixson★★★★ | #undefined | 94.7 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Blake Woodby★★★★ | #undefined | 94.5 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Elijah Dotson★★★★ | #undefined | 94.2 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Bryce Fitzgerald★★★★ | #undefined | 93.9 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Trystan Haynes★★★★ | #undefined | 93.8 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| JaDon Blair★★★★ | #undefined | 93.5 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Maison Dunn★★★★ | #undefined | 93.0 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Rylon Dillard-Allen★★★★ | #undefined | 93.0 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Mark Zackery IV★★★★ | #undefined | 92.8 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Jaboree Antoine★★★★ | #undefined | 92.8 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Donovan Starr★★★★ | #undefined | 92.5 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Aidan Anding★★★★ | #undefined | 92.2 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Rashad Johnson Jr.★★★★ | #undefined | 91.9 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Jayden Sanders★★★★ | #undefined | 91.8 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Jontae Gilbert★★★★ | #undefined | 91.8 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Trestin Castro★★★★ | #undefined | 91.7 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Zelus Hicks★★★★ | #undefined | 91.6 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Chris Ewald Jr.★★★★ | #undefined | 91.5 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Demetres Samuel Jr.★★★★ | #undefined | 91.5 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Jahmir Joseph★★★★ | #undefined | 91.4 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Cobey Sellers★★★★ | #undefined | 91.3 | Building | hasn’t played yet | |
| Omarion Robinson★★★★ | #undefined | 91.3 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Byron Baldwin Jr.★★★★ | #undefined | 91.2 | Building | hasn’t played yet | |
| Martels Carter Jr.★★★★ | #undefined | 91.2 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Cortez Thomas★★★★ | #undefined | 91.1 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Jaylan Morgan★★★★ | #undefined | 91.0 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Ladarian Clardy★★★★ | #undefined | 90.8 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Deyjhon Pettaway★★★★ | #undefined | 90.7 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Andrew Purcell★★★★ | #undefined | 90.5 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Jacob Bradford★★★★ | #undefined | 90.5 | Building | hasn’t played yet | |
| Tariq Hayer★★★★ | #undefined | 90.5 | Building | hasn’t played yet | |
| Micah Strickland★★★★ | #undefined | 90.4 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Messiah Delhomme★★★★ | #undefined | 90.3 | Building | hasn’t played yet | |
| Kendarius Reddick★★★★ | #undefined | 90.3 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Carson Lawrence★★★★ | #undefined | 90.1 | Building | hasn’t played yet | |
| CJ Bass III★★★★ | #undefined | 90.1 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Dawayne Galloway Jr.★★★★ | #undefined | 90.1 | Building | hasn’t played yet | |
| Zae Thomas★★★★ | #undefined | 90.0 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Kendall Daniels Jr.★★★★ | #undefined | 90.0 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Jhase Thomas★★★★ | #undefined | 90.0 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Onis Konanbanny★★★★ | #undefined | 89.9 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Rasean Dinkins★★★★ | #undefined | 89.9 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Noah King★★★★ | #undefined | 89.8 | — | hasn’t played yet | |
| Devin Williams★★★★ | #undefined | 89.8 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Kyle Johnson★★★★ | #undefined | 89.8 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Dominick Kelly★★★★ | #undefined | 89.8 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Deshawn Stewart★★★★ | #undefined | 89.7 | Powerhouse | hasn’t played yet | |
| Marcus Wimberly★★★★ | #undefined | 89.7 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Courtland Guillory★★★★ | #undefined | 89.6 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Keon Young★★★★ | #undefined | 89.5 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Tre Poteat★★★★ | #undefined | 89.5 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Tony Williams★★★★ | #undefined | 89.5 | Building | hasn’t played yet | |
| Amari Wallace★★★★ | #undefined | 89.5 | — | hasn’t played yet | |
| Alex Graham★★★★ | #undefined | 89.4 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Mason Alexander★★★★ | #undefined | 89.3 | Building | hasn’t played yet | |
| Shamar Arnoux★★★★ | #undefined | 89.3 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Jae'on Young★★★★ | #undefined | 89.3 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Bryson Webber★★★★ | #undefined | 89.3 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Jadyn Hudson★★★★ | #undefined | 89.3 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Jahmari DeLoatch★★★★ | #undefined | 89.0 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Jakarrion Kenan★★★ | #undefined | 89.0 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Cree Thomas★★★ | #undefined | 88.9 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Michael Clayton★★★ | #undefined | 88.9 | Building | hasn’t played yet | |
| Timothy Merritt★★★ | #undefined | 88.8 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Steve Miller★★★ | #undefined | 88.8 | Building | hasn’t played yet | |
| Ethan Long★★★ | #undefined | 88.8 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Cody Haddad★★★ | #undefined | 88.7 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| TJ Branch★★★ | #undefined | 88.7 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Rukeem Stroud★★★ | #undefined | 88.7 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Sheldon Robinson★★★ | #undefined | 88.2 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| LaRue Zamorano III★★★ | #undefined | 88.2 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Xxavier Thomas★★★ | #undefined | 88.1 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Jotavion Pierce★★★ | #undefined | 88.1 | Building | hasn’t played yet | |
| Jahmare Washington★★★ | #undefined | 88.1 | Solid | hasn’t played yet | |
| Brandon Logan★★★ | #undefined | 88.1 | Loaded | hasn’t played yet | |
| Jason Stokes Jr.★★★ | #undefined | 88.0 | Solid | 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.