2026 Rankings: Players To Keep An Eye On This Off-Season

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">This is an important off-season for many players in this class, and here are a few to keep an eye on…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2454887' first='Drew' last='Susce']&nbsp;</strong>(5'10/CG/'26/Homewood HS)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: drewsusce.5</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @HOMEWOOD_HOOPS</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ranking: #17</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Drew can easily be considered the microwave of this class. He has an offensive game that can warm up quickly, and when he gets hot, he is tough to deal with. He can create his own shot, stretch the floor with elite shooting, and create offense off the bounce for himself and his teammates. He is a crafty player off the bounce that defenders struggle to stay in front of.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1958759' first='Drew' last='Mears']&nbsp;</strong>(5'10/CG/'26/Briarwood HS)<strong>&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: Drew_mears1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @DrewMears2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ranking: #18</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Drew is listed as a combo guard but can be looked upon as a PG who can score the rock. He is highly cerebral and does a good job of balancing scoring and facilitating. He is a dynamic playmaker built to break down defenders, control pace, and take over games when it matters most.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2313914' first='Emory' last='Bear']&nbsp;</strong>(6'2/CG/'26/Vestavia HS)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: emorybear</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @EmoryBear01</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ranking: #27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">With [player_tooltip player_id='1398778' first='Adam' last='Barksdale'] graduating this year, the Vestavia Hills program is in the hands of Emory, who is quite capable of leading the charge. He is a dynamic, versatile scoring threat and can score from all levels. Emory fully understands the Rebels' system and will be able to be the catalyst to increase the level of play of his teammates. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2314038' first='Rollie' last='Pinto']</strong> (6'0/PG/'26/Piedmont HS)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: rolliepinto1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @rolliepinto1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ranking: #29</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Rollie is a lead guard who can be counted on to run the offense and find the open man. He has really good court vision, executes in the pick and roll, has good change of speed, and can penetrate the defense and make plays inside a collapsing defense. He's got nice handles and does a good job of using his hesitation dribble to beat his man and score in the lane or drop it off to the open man. He is also one of this class's most efficient three-point shooters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2313930' first='Marcellous' last='Hall']</strong> (6'2/CG/'26/Ramsay HS)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: marcelloushall1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @marcellous_hall</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ranking: #33</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Marcellous continues to be one of this class's best three-point shooters. It has become his calling card, and he does a good job stretching the floor. With Ramsay searching for a new head coach, it is going to be interesting to see how Marcellous's role evolves during his senior year. One thing is for sure, now that he is known as a specialist from deep, he will need to make sure this off-season is one where he improves on being able to put the rock on the floor and score off the bounce when he is run off the arc.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2314052' first='Brady' last='Wadsworth']&nbsp;</strong>(6'5/PF|C/'26/Enterprise)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: bradywadsworth</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ranking: #47</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Brady is a physical interior presence who has continued to improve over the years. He enjoys banging on the glass and being a force on the defensive end of the floor. He is highly active and makes opponents bigs work on both ends of the floor. He makes hustle plays and often gives his team second-chance opportunities by winning 50/50 balls and securing offensive rebounds. He has a high motor and brings toughness to the floor.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2314054' first='Jonathan' last='Burnett']&nbsp;</strong>(6'8/PF|C/'26/Hueytown HS)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: LongLivePruitt</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @jonathanburn55</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ranking: #94</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Jonathan is a lengthy inside presence with size, and his impact is most evident on the glass and on the defensive end of the floor. He is really active on the glass and does a good job creating second-chance points with putbacks on offense while limiting opposing teams' offensive chances by securing the rebound and holding them to one shot attempt when on defense. He is good at anchoring the paint as he protects the rim, forces tough shots, and alters and swats shots in the paint and at the rim. If he can improve on the offensive end of the floor, look for his stock to rise as we keep an eye on him during the spring and summer AAU season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->