Some Information on My Rankings Process and Other Thoughts

Brady Peterson January 18, 2026 @ 01:18 PM

Soon, I will start updating rankings, and I'll have the inaugural rankings for the class of 2029, along with updates for all other classes, including the final edition of the 2026 rankings. Before I start those in a few weeks, I'd like to review what they entail and what they mean, as I typically write one of these articles per year as an informative piece.   To start, let's make clear what the rankings are not.   It does not describe that Player A is better than Player B at the high school level. Every thought I put into the class rankings revolves around what level each player could excel at in college, whether that be at D1, D2, D3, NAIA, or any other level.   Numerous aspects make a player appealing as a prospect from my perspective, like size, athletic tools, physicality, skill set, and more.   I am also wrong about players at times, and some players who I think can make excellent D1 players may never find a role, and their fit may be elsewhere, or vice versa. Two instances of the latter in the class of 2025 finding homes at levels higher than I expected are Makenzie Luehring, who will likely be an All-Freshman Team selection in the Horizon League, and Lola Bond, who earned herself a scholarship at Western Kentucky after joining as a walk-on last summer.   I also implore players who may not have roles on their varsity team early in their career to stick with it, because, again, a player like Makenzie Luhering started her high school career playing JV basketball and is now a D1 basketball player. Run your own race.   However, back to the rankings information.   Over the next three-plus years for the 2029 class, things will change with time, and nothing is set in stone. Do not get discouraged with where you may be early on, as I see more of each of you, my opinions will change as I learn more about what you do as a player.   In terms of the actual way I rank players, I place each player in tiers depending on where I feel each player is on a scale with ten slots, going from the players who can play at any program in the country, down to players who I feel could excel at the Division 3 or NAIA level.   I will then rank players within those tiers and send out a draft to people whom I trust and know have seen players I may not have seen much to give me feedback on where I could be off on players.   After the draft process and feedback are done, I then post the final draft of rankings, which is what you would see on the site.   It can be a lengthy process, and I am the person with the final say on where players are in their respective classes, but know I ask for, and am given, feedback by other people who also see, coach, and work with players from all around the state, and I appreciate their willingness to give me feedback and put players names on my radar who may not have been sooner.

Soon, I will start updating rankings, and I'll have the inaugural rankings for the class of 2029, along with updates for all other classes, including the final edition of the 2026 rankings. Before I start those in a few weeks, I'd like to review what they entail and what they mean, as I typically write one of these articles per year as an informative piece.