Week 1 of the 2026 season was one for the books with several stars, breakout performances, and last-minute barnburners across the state. I spent the day checking out incoming film posted on X and decided to do some film review of the players who caught my eye right out of the gate.
Here is my next batch of Week 1 standouts with six prospects who showed a ton of potential on opening week:
Kyle Jaggers | 2027 | DB/ATH | Sidney | 6’2″ 190 lbs | (@KyleJaggers10)
Sidney’s Kyle Jaggers opened the season by showing he’s not just one of the top DBs in the ’27 class, but one of the most versatile athletes as well. Kyle ended the night with five tackles, a TFL, 75 rushing yards, and a touchdown. Jaggers stars at safety for the Red Raiders, where he gives you all the benefits of his coverage ability while also giving you a physical player who can stack the box. He is very efficient at reading his keys, allowing him to flip his hips to drop into coverage or plant and drive downhill when he sees the run. Jaggers’ fluidity and quick change of direction allow him to pick up receivers crossing his path and then stay on their hip pocket through the route. He showed his physicality at the catch point with a PBU that prevented a possible touchdown. Jaggers can also play the safety position like a linebacker, as he does an excellent job stepping up to fit the run with great gap play and taking smart angles to the ball. Great form and power when making a tackle. Watch out for Kyle to make a bigger impact on offense this season after displaying explosive burst as he hits his gaps and the speed to separate from defenses once he clears the second level or bounces runs to the outside. Great prospect to scoop up out of the panhandle!
Payten Andresen | 2028 | DL | Columbus | 6’4″ 230 lbs | (@PaytenAndr83323)
Columbus big man Payten Andresen has been rising on my big board after a strong offseason and continued to do so with a big performance against rival Fremont. Payten ended the night with double-digit tackles and a TFL while making a bigger impact than the stat sheet would show. Andresen’s ability to defend the run as a defensive end stood out on tape, as he showed strength in his anchor and upper body to stack and shed blockers. This allowed him to effectively hold the edge, which shut down outside lanes and forced RBs to reroute. He tracks the ball-carrier very well when engaged with blockers, while also having the mobility and tireless motor to track down ball carriers from the play’s backside or several yards downfield. At 6’4″ and 230 pounds, he has next-level measurables with room to continue maxing out his frame. Keep an eye on Payten as coaches start focusing on the 2028 class.
Luke Shoemaker | 2027 | RB/LB | Central Valley | 6’0″ 180 lbs | (@lukeshoemaker27)
Senior Lucas Shoemaker played a huge part in #1 Central Valley’s dominant 68-8 win over Osceola. Lucas set the tone on the ground as he ran for 130 yards and four touchdowns on only nine carries while also notching seven tackles on defense. Shoemaker excels as a north-south runner who can wear away at defenses with his bruising downhill running between the tackles. At 6’0″ and 180 pounds, Lucas can be a handful to take down when he gets going, and even then he always keeps his legs pumping through contact. He isn’t the type of back to dance around too much, but he does flash the ability to make quick cuts in tight quarters to readjust and hit creases in the defense. As a linebacker, he did a great job fitting the run with a quick trigger downhill as he fills his gaps. Shoemaker’s frame lets him really bring down the hammer at the point of contact with some big hits. Get after this 8-man stud ASAP!
Quentin Billesbach | 2028 | LB | Fort Calhoun | 6’1″ 210 lbs | (@QuinnBillesbach)
Fort Calhoun’s Quentin Billesbach looks well on his way to repeating his 110+ tackle season last year after a highly productive opening performance. Quentin ended Friday’s game against Arlington with 15 tackles, 23 receiving yards, and a receiving touchdown. Quentin stands out just from the roster sheet with next-level size at 6’1″ and 210 pounds with a strong, well-built frame. He brings the traditional “thumper inside linebacker” mindset to the field as a player who can attack downhill with conviction and wreak havoc on opposing offenses. Billesbach reads the offense well and is quick to read his keys, triggering downhill with an explosive first step. He shows great gap integrity as he effectively fills his lanes and can blow up RBs he meets in the hole. Smart angles to the ball with the closing speed to get to the ball carrier before they can make a decent gain. Strong and physical at the point of attack.
Zayne Scully | 2027 | QB | Lincoln Northeast | 6’0″ 170 lbs | (@zaynescully)
In his first start at QB for the Rockets, senior Zayne Scully not only delivered a great dual-threat performance but also brought home the last-minute win in a thriller. Zayne finished the night going 10/20 for 182 passing yards, 104 rushing yards, two passing touchdowns, and a 115 QBR. Zayne has reported some great testing numbers, so the athleticism has always been there; now he’s just putting it all together with his passing ability. Scully’s processing ability was impressive to watch as he showed he could move off his first read and work through his progressions to find the open receiver. Once he found his target, Zayne showed no hesitation to let it rip and squeeze the ball into tight windows while still possessing the timing and ball placement to catch his receiver in stride. Nice job layering the ball over defenders when attacking the middle of the field. As a runner, Scully’s toughness really stood out as he showed the willingness to dip the pads to run through a defender when needed. He also has some decent twitch and change of direction to help him evade defenders in the backfield and in the open field. Great test of Zayne’s “moxie” when he closed out a 96-yard drive with the last-second game-winning touchdown. Rising QB prospect ready to turn some heads!
Grant Scribner | 2030 | RB | Millard South | 5’10” 190 lbs | (@grantscribner22)
Despite a small sample size, Millard South freshman Grant Scribner gave us several glimpses at his massive upside. Grant carried the ball seven times for 29 yards and a touchdown against a tough Millard North defense. For only being a freshman, Grant showed no signs of the lights being too bright as he powered through tackle attempts and exploded through lanes with great burst. He runs with a low center of gravity and good pad level, making it hard to bring him down on first contact or with an arm tackle. Very bright future for the Patriots’ frosh prospect!
