BRADENTON, Fla. — The Under Armour Future 50 camp played host to 50 of the best prospects in the 2026 class. Players took part in a modified 7-on-7 tournament along with a skills camp featuring position drills and routes on air.
Now that the camp is officially in the books, it’s time to preview some of the rankings debates resulting from these new evaluations.
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DEFENSIVE BACKS ON FIVE-STAR WATCH
Four of the top-ranked defensive backs in the 2026 Rivals250 were on the field the last few days in Bradenton and each of them had major highlight moments.
Jireh Edwards (No. 22 in the Rivals250) and Samari Matthews (No. 24) made outstanding interceptions during the modified 7-on-7 tournament. Edwards is a physical safety who brings elite athletic traits to the back end of the defense. Matthews is a true cover corner with great size and instincts. He has the leaping ability to contest any jump ball and he made quarterbacks pay when they targeted his side of the field.
Elbert Hill (No. 27) was extremely solid throughout the event. He has great straight-line speed and enough size to compete against any receiver lined up across from him. It was impressive to watch him stay in phase with even the fastest receivers.
Blaine Bradford (No. 20) is one of the top-ranked safeties in this class and looked like one throughout the event. His movement skills are elite given his physically mature frame. He may not have had as many impact plays during the modified 7-on-7 tournament but his traits project well to the next level and beyond.
All four of these defensive back prospects rank inside the top 30 of the 2026 Rivals250 and each of them has an argument to move up in the next rankings update.
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POSITION DISCUSSIONS ON THE HORIZON
Events like these are really valuable because we get an updated, in-person evaluation of prospects who aren’t normally seen standing side-by-side.
Kenneth Goodwin, Adam Balogoun-Ali and J’Zavien Currence all line up on the defensive side of the ball but they each look like they’re in for a position change come the next rankings update. Goodwin and balogoun-Ali are currently listed as outside linebackers but their frames and athletic traits lend themselves more to the inside linebacker designation. Similarly, Currence is a fantastic athlete for his size but being classified as a safety seems out of date. Given his 6-foot-4 and nearly 200-pound frame, outside linebacker seems more fitting for Currence’s abilities.
Jordan Thomas was recently moved from cornerback to safety and, after watching him workout in-person again, it seems like he could have success at either position. He is the type of defensive back who could play all over the secondary at the next level but it still feels like the correct NFL projection is as a safety. This will be something we continue to keep a close eye on as the evaluation process continues.
On the offensive side of the ball, one prospect from the event who seems destined for a position change is Jayden Petit. The jumbo receiver from Florida has a big frame that should continue to fill out as he gets older and he’ll find himself lining up more often as a flex tight end than a receiver. The unique skill set he brings to the field as a major receiving threat at tight end should create constant mismatches and give his offense an edge.
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A BIG MOVER AT WIDE RECEIVER
Tristen Keys was at the Rivals Five-Star in Jacksonville last week but didn’t seem to really find his footing against the older competition. He adjusted by the time he arrived in Bradenton for Future 50 and was one of the best receivers in attendance. The 6-foot-2 receiver sports a 6-foot-6 wingspan, which made him one of the most attractive targets for the quarterbacks. On top of that, Keys has elite change of direction quickness, appeared extremely light on his feet, and showed great acceleration and burst once the ball was in his hands.
There were other receivers here in Bradenton who played as well as Keys but none have a ranking that will change as much as his. At No. 229 in the Rivals250 and No. 39 in the wide receiver rankings, Keys will certainly find himself much higher in the next rankings update.
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LEARNING A LOT ABOUT THE 2026 QUARTERBACK CLASS
The majority of the top quarterbacks in the 2026 class were on the field but none of them looked to be at the level of Faizon Brandon. The signal caller from North Carolina has made huge developmental progress physically and technically since our last extensive in-person of him in August. Brandon has added more than 20-pounds of solid muscle mass to his frame and it has helped him tighten up his throwing mechanics. That added strength and refined footwork has allowed Brandon to throw with better timing and accuracy, especially down the field. He’s always been an excellent athlete but now he’s an imposing quarterback with a dynamic and strong arm who can throw accurately from a wide range of arm angles.
Obviously, Brandon will rise up the rankings but there will be other movers up and down the Rivals250. Texas commit Dia Bell and Oklahoma commit Jaden O’Neal performed well and didn’t have too many hiccups. Georgia commit Jared Curtis was in attendance but didn’t throw due to a hand injury.
There will be long discussions about five-star Florida State commit Brady Smigiel, Michigan commit Brady Hart, Notre Dame commit Noah Grubbs and Florida commit Will Griffin. The modified 7-on-7 format with the compressed field didn’t do any of the quarterbacks any favors and the seven-second “sack clock” wasn’t very realistic. However, each of these quarterbacks showed more technical and accuracy issues than the rest.
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A RACE BREWING FOR NO. 1 TIGHT END?
It’s always a treat to see Kendre’ Harrison workout because he brings such a unique skill set to the field. The 6-foot-7, 250-pound dual-sport star is virtually unguardable at the high school level. Harrison has the measurables and abilities to pretty much take over a game whenever he wants.
Odds favor Harrison going wire-to-wire as the top-ranked tight end in the 2026 class but he’s not running away with this race. No. 2 ranked tight end Kaiden Prothro may not be a legitimate Power Four basketball prospect like Harrison but he is just as dynamic a playmaker on the gridiron. Harrison is a tad bigger with a slightly longer wingspan but Prothro is quicker, faster, and more explosive. This position battle is worth keeping an eye on as the evaluation cycle progresses.
Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on Rivals.com, the leader in college football and basketball recruiting coverage. Be the first to know and follow your teams by signing up here.