2022 Rankings: Breaking Down The Upstate (Part 4)

With a little under one-third of our Class of 2022 rankings players coming from the Upstate, it is by far the most represented zone in all of South Carolina. This tightly packed crop of talent is vast. Needless to say, we’re going to need a few entries to get to them all. Over the course of a week, we will break down every single one of the players from this ultra-rich zone, one we expect top-flight production from next fall. [player_tooltip player_id="91180" first="Jeremiah" last="Lomax"] School: Abbeville Position: Defensive back Analysis: Lomax is a huge reason the Abbeville defense has been ridiculously good the last two seasons, as he adds a defensive end quality to the safety/corner spot he normally inhabits. [player_tooltip player_id="89309" first="Dakota" last="Quinonez"] School: Byrnes Position: Offensive line Analysis: The 6-foot-1, 280-pound lineman is already adept at both guard and tackle, something that’s even more impressive given the type of competition Byrnes faces each season. [player_tooltip player_id="59493" first="Nick" last="Morgan"] School: Wren Position: Defensive back Analysis: Morgan has the film and gaudy stats to get him some college looks, and in any other year he’s probably already sitting on a pile of offers from mid-range schools. Those will still certainly come. [player_tooltip player_id="91186" first="Michael" last="Kennedy"] School: Southside Christian Position: Defensive line Analysis: At 6-foot-2 and 280 pounds, the interior lineman is built for the position. He also produces, as he piled up more than 50 tackles to go along with 14 tackles for loss last year. [player_tooltip player_id="89317" first="Jy" last="Martin"] School: Byrnes Position: Defensive back Analysis: Martin’s lateral and straight-line speed causes its share of problems, especially given that he can play free safety or corner without any drop in production.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> [player_tooltip player_id="59499" first="John" last="Deal"] School: Emerald Position: Offensive line Analysis: Very few high school centers have the type of first step and pivot ability that Deal already has. He’s quick on his feet despite already tipping the scales at 260 pounds.