2019 WPIAL Rankings: 25-21

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Check out the first segment of the 2019 WPIAL Rankings, beginning with honorable mentions and numbers 30 through 26.

Melik Gordon has excellent vision and consistently pulls away from his opponents with the football in his hands. He probably fits in at running back at the next level given his skill-set and speed. The 6-foot and 160-pound prospect is part of three-headed monster with 2019 ATH Marcus Barnes and 2018 ATH Robert Kennedy at Jeannette (Pa.) that should provide a dizzying array of looks to opposing coaches.

Pittsburgh (Pa.) North Hills receiver Tyler Brennan had one of the strongest offseasons of any receiver, flashing a strong pair of hands and an ability to consistently haul in the football in traffic. Brennan does a good job of finding space in zone defenses and getting open in seemingly tight spaces, meaning he'll probably fit in as a slot receiver when he gets to the college level.

Gateway's Coutney Jackson, a 5-foot-10, 160-pound prospect, is among the quickest prospects in the WPIAL heading into his junior season and he can create space where there seemingly is none. As a slot receiver or change-of-pace running back, he's a dangerous option on offense that can be difficult for defenses to account. I'd like to see Jackson focus hard on the weight room and add significant mass, because he's too undersized as it stands today.

A consistent theme around this section of the list is immensely talented prospects who are undersized at this stage in their career, but few are more polished than Pittsburgh (Pa.) North Catholic cornerback Rashod Allen. A complete technician at the cornerback position, Allen does everything he can to make up for his lack of size. Allen is utterly fearless and has no problem playing one-on-one on an island or playing in press man coverage. He'll need to work hard to add muscle in the offseason, but he'll get a chance to shine as a leader of his team as a junior.

A similarly undersized prospect, Pittsburgh (Pa.) North Allegheny cornerback Michael "Dino" Tomlin was a teammate of Allen's at North Catholic before transferring to Shady Side Academy this offseason. At North Catholic, he was too athletic and explosive for opponents to deal with. However, he'll face much stiffer competition this fall at Shady Side, he'll face new challenges and opponents to deal with.