The recruiting race for the Class of 2026 is already heating up — not just on the field, but in the increasingly complex ecosystem of modern college football, where NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals are reshaping how programs and players navigate early recruitment. For elite underclassmen, talent alone is no longer the only factor drawing attention; marketability, social media presence, and brand potential are now playing pivotal roles in how offers are extended and decisions are made. The top recruits in the 2026 cycle are not only physically advanced and highly skilled — they're entering high school with endorsement potential and media savviness.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest rated Class of 2026 football recruits from Washington, D.C. using data from 247Sports. Players are ranked by the 247Sports Composite ranking. Here's the players from Washington, D.C. set to dominate Saturdays (and potentially Sundays) for years to come.
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1 / 13#13. Drew Williams (ATH)
- National rank: #2,401 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #193
- College: Marshall
- Offers: Marshall, Albany, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Charlotte
- High school: St. John's College (Washington, DC)
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2 / 13#12. Tauqeer Davis (RB)
- National rank: #2,017 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #129
- College: UMass
- Offers: UMass, Akron, Buffalo, Delaware State, Kent State
- High school: Archbishop Carroll (Washington, DC)
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3 / 13#11. Breyon Williams (RB)
- National rank: #2,008 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #128
- College: not committed
- Offers: Albany, Boston College, Buffalo, Charlotte, Delaware State
- High school: St. John's College (Washington, DC)
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4 / 13#10. Jhalil Anderson (WR)
- National rank: #1,849 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #267
- College: not committed
- Offers: Albany, Ball State, Coastal Carolina, Delaware, Delaware State
- High school: Coolidge (Washington, DC)
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5 / 13David Lee // Shutterstock
6 / 13#6 (tie). Chris Palmer (S)
- National rank: #1,447 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #128
- College: not committed
- Offers: Alabama, Albany, Arkansas, Boston College, Charlotte
- High school: Archbishop Carroll (Washington, DC)
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7 / 13#6 (tie). Jordan Harrison (IOL)
- National rank: #1,447 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #115
- College: USF
- Offers: USF, Akron, Boston College, Charlotte, East Carolina
- High school: St. John's College (Washington, DC)
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8 / 13#6 (tie). Daryll Hill (WR)
- National rank: #1,447 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #210
- College: not committed
- Offers: Boston College, Liberty, Maryland, Pennsylvania
- High school: Maret School (Washington, DC)
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9 / 13#5. Zahir Cobb (S)
- National rank: #815 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #71
- College: Maryland
- Offers: Maryland, Boston College, East Carolina, Indiana, Minnesota
- High school: St. Albans School (Washington, DC)
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10 / 13WoodysPhotos // Shutterstock
11 / 13#3. Adrian Hamilton (IOL)
- National rank: #613 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #51
- College: Virginia Tech
- Offers: Virginia Tech, Michigan, Virginia, Michigan State, Akron
- High school: St. John's College (Washington, DC)
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12 / 13#2. Tyson Harley (Edge)
- National rank: #267 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #23
- College: Penn State
- Offers: Penn State, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Michigan State, Rutgers
- High school: Gonzaga (Washington, DC)
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13 / 13#1. Carter Meadows (Edge)
- National rank: #13 (5 stars)
- Position rank: #4
- College: Michigan
- Offers: Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, South Carolina, Auburn
- High school: Gonzaga (Washington, DC)
