2027 Rankings Update: Watch List Studs

The 2027 rankings came out this past week, and there was a good amount of movement. Over the next few days, I'll be highlighting some players of note.   Read: <a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/01/icymi-2027-rankings-were-posted-this-week-16/">ICYMI: 2027 Rankings Were Posted This Week</a>   Read: <a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/01/2027-rankings-update-big-risers/">2027 Rankings Update: Big Risers</a>   Read: <a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/01/2027-rankings-update-new-names-on-my-radar/">2027 Rankings Update: New Names On My Radar</a>   To continue, let's look at some watch list guys who probably won't be outside of our rankings for long.    Walker has burst onto the scene as a key cog for a high level prep school team at South Kent. The 6-foot guard can play both on and off the ball because of his ability to shoot off the dribble and off the catch as well as his ability to operate with the rock in pick and roll scenarios. He makes good reads at the nail and has really good pace and patience in terms of when to attack vs. when to facilitate. Walker also seems to have some budding athleticism, which, if he continues to improve on and lean into, could earn him some very high level D3 looks by next year. He's a super skilled and cerebral guard who's additive in every way offensively.     Dehaney is a pure hooper. The Proctor point guard has a great head on his shoulders and understands how to operate an offense and pick his spots when it comes to attacking vs. getting his teammates involved. His superpower is his quick shot release; he consistently lulls defenders to sleep with slow dribbles and head fakes, only to quickly get off a three point or mid range look. And he knocks them down quite often. He also has great passing instincts/vision and loves to show some flash in his passes. The 5-foot-11 guard might not be recruited to scholarship schools because of his lack of size, but he has tons of game.     Middleton has a freakishly intriguing skillset and might have the most potential of anyone on the 2027 watch list. The 6-foot-4 wing gets minutes on an incredibly talented St. George's team, and he plays his role well; he runs the floor for transition dunks and layups, he cuts to the rim to open up space, and he defends his behind off by using his athleticism and length. If he were on a different team, he'd probably be able to showcase more of his on-ball capabilities, but this year is proving he can play a role. When the junior gets the chance to make more plays offensively—whether it be during this prep season, the upcoming season, or next prep school season—watch out for some incredible development.     Johnson has developed into one of my favorite players in the entire region to watch. The 5-foot-10 guard comes off the bench for an incredibly talented Winchendon squad, and it's quite impressive what he's able to do at his height against scholarship guards. He's almost always the quickest player on the court and has the utmost confidence in his ability to handle the ball and get two feet in the paint (I don't blame him). He makes excellent decisions for himself and his teammates, and he's an electric defender on that end of the floor, too. His size will limit his recruitment, but boy is Johnson fun to watch.     Org has taken on a much larger role this season for a Governor's Academy squad that's in rebuild mode. The good news is the increased reps have allowed the 6-foot-6 forward to show what he can do offensively. He's able to shoot the ball from long range a bit, but he's most effective using his quickness and length to breeze past larger defenders on the perimeter. Org also always competes on the defensive end and is one of the better communicators in the region when it comes to getting his teammates engaged and ready to play. He does all the right things and will be a joy for a college coach to take under their wing when the time comes. Some improved coordination and balance would be big for him.     Coren is an incredibly high IQ and cerebral point guard. He isn't ridiculously athletic or quick, but he has excellent change of speed and direction moves and has a knack for using his off hand to get past his defender. Once he does so, he almost always gets to two feet and makes the right decision for himself or a teammate whether it'll show up in the stats or not. He's just a connective player that keeps the offense moving and makes quick, decisive reads. He can also shoot it in the flow if he's open. Coren is a big piece of a really solid Concord Academy team that has turned some heads this year.

The 2027 rankings came out this past week, and there was a good amount of movement. Over the next few days, I'll be highlighting some players of note.