2022 Rankings: Breaking Down The Upstate (Part 6)

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="31310" first="Tyler" last="Smith"] School: Gaffney Position: Running back Analysis: Smith went for a team-best 472 rushing yards last season while averaging 6.5 yards per carry. If he can keep that clip going next year, he could easily be a 1,000-yard back. [player_tooltip player_id="89301" first="Judah" last="McJimpsey"] School: Spartanburg Position: Linebacker Analysis: The 6-foot-2, 200 pounder has the type of physical tools that jump off his film, but what we really love about this middle linebacker is his ability to fight off blocks and get to the ball. [player_tooltip player_id="91169" first="Chanc" last="Gamble"] School: Southside Position: Wide receiver Analysis: Week by week, Gamble was the player to watch for Southside in 2020. It was then that he averaged a touchdown and better than 110 yards per game for the Tigers. [player_tooltip player_id="89302" first="Jahiem" last="Lawson"] School: Daniel Position: Defensive line Analysis: The 6-foot-3, 235-pound end is gaining significant traction at the Power 5 level thanks to his size and production. He’s constantly in the backfield and a huge playmaker. [player_tooltip player_id="91171" first="Joshua" last="Sapp"] School: Greenville Position: Tight end Analysis: At 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, Sapp already has the body measurements to play at the next level. But he’s not just an additional blocker. He put up 213 yards receiving in 2020. [player_tooltip player_id="59489" first="Amir" last="Dendy"] School: Pendleton Position: Running back Analysis: Dendy’s straight-away speed led to a whole bunch of his rushing yards and touchdowns in 2020, but his cutting ability before and after the line of scrimmage set him apart. [player_tooltip player_id="91173" first="Peter" last="Zamora"] School: Westside Position: Quarterback Analysis: Zamora has a big arm, a sky-high GPA and uses both of those traits effectively. He threw for 10 touchdowns in the Covid-shortened 2020 campaign while not making many mistakes.