The Top 5 of the 2028 Ranking did not change, but 6-10 did!

As the title says, the top five of the 2028 Ranking did not change from the last update. Easton McCollough remains at #1, with Payton Caudle, Kenady Barrett, Kylie Johnson, and Gia Campbell all behind her. The remaining five players in the top 10 of this class changed a bit, and though there were no dramatic shakeups, these players in positions 6-10 are still worth talking about.    [player_tooltip player_id='1090896' first='Jensen' last='Thrasher'] stays at #6 in the 2028 Rankings after the latest update. Thrasher has already received multiple D1 offers, but after a solid summer, she could be looking at more collegiate attention.   With the [program_tooltip program_id='715977' first='AAO' last='Flight'] this summer, Thrasher has proven that she is not afraid to go right into the teeth of the defense and finish through contact. She has solid size at 5'9", but her strength and willingness to finish whichever way she needs to make her a scary offensive player.   Besides contested finishes, Thrasher is great at finishing in the lane, being able to knock down floaters with a hand in her face. She can also step back and hit jumpers from the mid-range and three-point range. Thrasher knows how to get herself open off the ball, and her teammates always seem to know where she is on the court.   [player_tooltip player_id='1090896' first='Jensen' last='Thrasher'] helped Bentonville to a deep postseason last season, and she will be looking to do that again with another strong Lady Tiger squad.     [player_tooltip player_id='1197507' first='Kassidi' last='Smith'] may not have been the highest riser in the 2028 ranking, but she took perhaps the most notable leaps of any player in this class. Smith had previously worked hard to make her way into the top 10, and now she is charging towards the top 5.   It is no wonder that Smith moved up from #10 to #7 in this class. Forrest City had an excellent 2024-25 season, thanks to Smith's incredible play in the post. There is not a player in Arkansas who can outrebound [player_tooltip player_id='1197507' first='Kassidi' last='Smith'], as she has already logged a 30-rebound game this past season.   Smith is an amazing athlete. With her vertical leap, she can outjump the opposition and be the first to grab the ball off the rim. This also means she can block high-arcing shots that would be difficult for other bigs to contest. The forward is also very physical, moving the opposition around when she is boxing out, putting herself in a great position for the ball to fall right into her hands.   [player_tooltip player_id='1197507' first='Kassidi' last='Smith'] is already the best rebounder in the state of Arkansas, even after just one season of varsity basketball. UAPB is already on the hype train, offering Smith after her incredible freshman season. Now, as we head into 2025-26, she is ready to prove that she is even better as a sophomore.     In my opinion, Mountain View is the top team in 3A and the team with the best odds to win the championship. Even though 3A state runner-up Dover returns with a solid roster and reigning champs Lamar have some of their pieces from last season, I think this team in the 3A-2 will win it all, and it all starts with [player_tooltip player_id='1055220' first='Evvi' last='Cooper'].   Cooper impressed right away last season, exploding for 30 points and 5 steals against a good Jasper team in November. Cooper has since carried her great play from the 2024-25 season into her play with Team ISO, having played well in the EYBL Champions League, posting 7 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals against the Alabama Southern Starz. She also had 10 points, 3 assists, and 3 steals against Texas Crush.   The guard is an excellent two-way weapon. On the offensive end, she can create her shot on the outside or slice and dice her way inside and finish in the paint. On defense, she takes advantage of sloppy passes and handles, coming up with the steal and pushing the ball in transition.   [player_tooltip player_id='1055220' first='Evvi' last='Cooper'] is expected to be even better this coming season, so the rest of the 3A-2 better be ready.     Bryant is looking scary in the 6A Central. Not only do they bring in Gia Campbell, a top-5 player in the 2028 class who is transferring from Bauxite, but they bring back [player_tooltip player_id='1090371' first='Jaisha' last='Williams'], who was a big-time player for the Lady Hornets in 2024-25.   Williams was an all-state player a year ago, cementing herself as a bona fide double-double threat. She can outrebound everyone thanks to her length and athleticism, being able to stretch and leap over the opposition to grab a board. Those physical abilities come in handy on the defensive end, as she can block shots at a high level.   Williams is not like most bigs in the state: she has shown that she can handle the ball and make plays for others. Bryant needed more playmaking last season, so they called upon their freshman big to show off her handles and her court vision.   [player_tooltip player_id='1090371' first='Jaisha' last='Williams'] is a versatile player for the Lady Hornets. She is an obvious dominant player in the paint, but she has already shown that she has some perimeter abilities. If she can add a consistent jumpshot to her already-impressive list of skills, colleges will not be able to get enough of her.     Again, Mountain View is a favorite to win the 3A title, and my personal pick. [player_tooltip player_id='1091183' first='Erin' last='Akins'] is one of several players on this team who will be responsible for the Lady Yellowjackets making it all the way.   Over the last month or so, Ouachita Baptist, Arkansas Tech, Drury, and Maryville have offered Akins after a strong freshman campaign and a solid summer with Team ISO. Akins proved that she was a great 3-point shooting threat, hitting the perimeter shot at around a 50% clip.   Akins torched defenses throughout the season, dropping 26 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals against Valley Springs in early February and putting up 29 points and 8 rebounds against the eventual 4A state champs, De Queen, in January.   [player_tooltip player_id='1091183' first='Erin' last='Akins'] is an offensive machine who can get going at a moment's notice. At times, there is no stopping Akins' lights-out shooting, and that will be important for her team if they want to win a ring next season.    The tail end of the top 10 of the 2028 class is full of great talent. These players have already shown their abilities on the court, and they are expected to be even better this coming season.

As the title says, the top five of the 2028 Ranking did not change from the last update. Easton McCollough remains at #1, with Payton Caudle, Kenady Barrett, Kylie Johnson, and Gia Campbell all behind her. The remaining five players in the top 10 of this class changed a bit, and though there were no dramatic shakeups, these players in positions 6-10 are still worth talking about.