Trio of 2026 Athletes from Pennsylvania To Know Early

Pennsylvania is a very diverse state with Philly on the east, Pittsburgh on the west, State College smack dab in the middle and a bunch of farm land covering much of the rest of the state. However, the Keystone State also has one of the richest pedigrees when it comes to producing football talent. Whether it be a city kid or a big ol' farm boy, the talent in the state can not be understated.  Here's a look at three 2026 athletes (8th grade) that are lighting it up already. [caption id="attachment_217761" align="alignleft" width="150"]<img class="wp-image-217761 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/10/EliasCoke-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> Photo: Facebook[/caption] <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="212414" first="Elias" last="Coke"] | Quarterback | Harrisburg</strong> Coke is the type of athlete that the quarterback position is transitioning into for this day and age. At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds he's a long, athletic kid with a cannon for an arm, wide receiver length and running back speed--cut from a similar mold as Baltimore Raven's quarterback, Lamar Jackson. I'm a huge fan of his versatility as well, as he can take traditional snap or shotgun snaps--which isn't always the case at this stage of development. What's also impressive is that despite only being in 8th grade he plays up for high school's freshman team and you wouldn't even bat an eye. Look for him to standout on the basketball court as well. The future is bright in the state's capital. <strong><img class="alignleft wp-image-356632 size-thumbnail" src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/85-Marquez-Wimberly.jpg?w=150&amp;h=150&amp;crop=1" alt="" width="150" height="150" />[player_tooltip player_id="209185" first="Marquez" last="Wimberly"] | Running Back | Allentown</strong> Through just six games, playing up against 9th graders, Wimberly has unofficially gained 1,101 yards and scored 16 touchdowns on the ground; add in his nine receptions, 167 yards receiving and another touchdown plus his four kick returns for 215 and yet another score...and you have yourself a Prep Redzone Next prospect on the Watch List. His video game numbers are one thing, but when you couple that with a 4.52 laser forty yard dash time and an 11.41 100M time, I'm at a loss for words. This kid is the dictionary definition of speed and explosiveness. Watching his mid-season film, all he needs is the tiniest sliver of day light and Wimberly can take it to the house. The term "home run threat" is thrown around a lot to describe an athlete's ability, but I honestly would not be afraid to call a run play up the gut from my own one yard line if Wimberly was my running back. Expect early offers for the 5-foot-9, 160 pounder. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="212415" first="Greg" last="Thomas"] II | Defensive Line/Offensive Line | Springfield</strong> In the shadows of Philadelphia, there is a 6-foot-4, 270 pound two-way lineman that is bullying his way through middle school football at E.T. Richardson Middle School. He's extremely raw when it comes to football technique and right now is largely successful because he has a distinct size advantage on everybody else on the field. With that said, he has the speed and quickness of a future division one prospect already--and that's what's going to separate him from the other "big body's" out there. Ultimately I see him as a defensive tackle on the next level if he learns to use his hands and adds in some pass rush moves. However, on some of his film there is a bit of nastiness to him as an offensive lineman as he finishes blocks.