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HIGH FIVE: The hottest H-Town football underclassmen and their early recruiting journeys
VYPE's Jackson DiPasquale breaks down in no particular order the top five 2028 and 2029 high school prospects in Houston who are seeing their recruitment take off.
Also see VYPE's Fab 50 for 2028.
2028 RB Ian Thomas, Tomball High School
Bradley Collier
Tomball's Ian Thomas looks the part of a premier Division I running back. The son of former Rodney Thomas standout, the 6-foot, 195-pound sophomore is coming off a breakout season for the Cougars, rushing 203 times for 1,528 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Thomas’ dominant sophomore campaign vaulted him to the top of the national rankings, as 247Sports recently named him the No. 1 running back in the country for the Class of 2028.
Recruiting attention has surged ever since. Thomas has already collected offers from programs including Texas A&M Athletics, Texas Longhorns Athletics, Florida Gators Athletics, Florida State Seminoles Athletics, Arkansas Razorbacks Athletics and Stanford Athletics, among others.
2028 WR Jaylen Addai, Shadow Creek High School
Jaylen Addai comes from football royalty. The son of Super Bowl champion Joseph Addai, the Shadow Creek standout has quickly emerged as one of the nation’s elite young playmakers.
At 6-foot-1, Addai possesses the ideal blend of length, speed and explosiveness. Paired with polished route-running ability and dependable hands, he has become a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.
Following a strong sophomore campaign in which he hauled in 37 receptions for 779 yards and 14 touchdowns, Addai was recently ranked as the No. 1 overall player in Texas and the No. 2 wide receiver nationally in the Class of 2028.
His recruitment has exploded this offseason with scholarship offers pouring in from powerhouse programs including Michigan Wolverines Athletics, Florida Gators Athletics, Ohio State Buckeyes Athletics, USC Trojans Athletics, Notre Dame Athletics, Oregon Ducks Athletics, Alabama Athletics, LSU Athletics and Texas Longhorns Athletics, among others.
2029 Edge Ezarian Fields, North Shore High School
Jackson DiPasquale
The North Shore Mustangs have produced its fair share of elite defensive linemen over the years, sending stars like K'Lavon Chaisson and Dorance Armstrong Jr. to the next level and eventually the NFL. So who’s next in line?
Keep an eye on rising sophomore Ezarian Fields.
The 6-foot-5, 215-pound edge prospect has already created major buzz around the Eastside, with the Mustang coaching staff believing he could be the next nationally recruited defender to emerge from the powerhouse program.
Despite only entering his sophomore season, Fields already owns offers from programs including Miami Hurricanes Athletics, TCU Athletics, Colorado Buffaloes Athletics, Kentucky Wildcats Athletics, USC Trojans Athletics and SMU Athletics, with more expected to roll in after the summer camp circuit.
Fields possesses the traits college coaches covet early in the recruiting process — length, burst off the edge and natural pass-rushing ability. As North Shore continues to add strength and muscle to his frame this offseason, expect Fields to become one of the fastest-rising defensive prospects in the state during the 2026 campaign.
2028 DL RJ Wyms, College Park High School
Jackson DiPasquale
College Park's RJ Wyms is a name recruiting fans across the country are quickly beginning to recognize.
After entering last season largely unranked, Wyms skyrocketed up the recruiting boards and is now regarded as the No. 4 overall player in Texas and the No. 6 defensive lineman nationally in the Class of 2028. The rise comes after a dominant freshman campaign in which he totaled 49 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, six sacks and a forced fumble.
The son of Super Bowl champion Ellis Wyms, RJ already possesses the physical tools and instincts that translate to the next level. At 6-foot-2 and 260 pounds, he is a powerful force on the interior, excelling at the point of attack while consistently shedding blockers and disrupting plays in the backfield.
His recruitment has exploded this offseason with offers already arriving from programs such as LSU Athletics, Mississippi State Athletics, Tennessee Athletics, Michigan Wolverines Athletics, Georgia Tech Athletics and California Golden Bears Athletics, among others.
2028 Edge David Dotson, Atascocita High School
Jackson DiPasquale
Atascocita Eagles has become a breeding ground for elite football talent over the years, producing names like Sam Cosmi, Kenyon Green, Kam Dewberry, Braylon Conley, Tory Blaylock and Cardae Mack, among others.
The next big-time prospect emerging from “The A” is David Dotson.
Dotson is already regarded as the No. 9 overall player in Texas and the No. 7 defensive lineman nationally in the Class of 2028. At 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, he possesses the size, frame and athleticism college programs covet in a high-level defensive line prospect.
His recruitment has taken off this offseason with offers from programs including Michigan Wolverines Athletics, UCLA Athletics, Oregon Ducks Athletics, Texas Tech Athletics, Houston Cougars Athletics, Florida Gators Athletics, Florida State Seminoles Athletics and Vanderbilt Athletics, among others.
Dotson is poised to be one of the breakout defensive players to watch next fall, especially under new defensive-minded Eagles head coach Kyle Coats. Expect his stock to continue rising as he heads into what could be a huge junior campaign.