5A Playoffs: Players To Watch
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The 2021 regular season has come to an end and it’s time to get cranked up for the playoffs! Prep Redzone Oklahoma will be your home for the 2021 postseason as we’ll have wall to wall coverage. From playoff previews, to the most in-depth state championship coverage you’ll find anywhere, we’ll have you covered. Stay tuned to Prep Redzone Oklahoma every day for more preview content throughout the week. In this post, we take a look at the players who will be making an impact on the 5A playoffs. To check out our 5A Playoff Preview, Click Here!
GAME CHANGERS
Buddy Bizzell
Buddy
Bizzell
6'1" | RB
Carl Albert | 2022
State
OK
– Running Back – Carl Albert
We kick things off with a player that has had a massive impact on 5A football for the last three seasons. Carl Albert’s
Buddy Bizzell
Buddy
Bizzell
6'1" | RB
Carl Albert | 2022
State
OK
first became a big name as a sophomore and that’s only continued over the last two seasons. While Carl Albert is the massive favorite like they’ve been in the last two seasons, Bizzell gives the Titans a legitimate threat that more importantly is experienced at this time of the year. He knows what it takes to get the Titans back to Edmond playing for it all.
Chase Faber
Chase
Faber
6'2" | LB
McAlester | 2022
State
OK
– Linebacker – McAlester
When your unit is called the “Black Death Defense”, you’re probably doing a few things right. And we knew that McAlester senior linebacker
Chase Faber
Chase
Faber
6'2" | LB
McAlester | 2022
State
OK
would be one of the best linebackers in 5A football but we didn’t expect this kind of dominance from Faber and company. McAlester has a few playmakers on both sides of the ball but when it comes to defense, Faber is where everything starts and he’s made himself one of the best linebackers in the state, regardless of class.
Colin Fisher
Colin
Fisher
6'3" | 200 lbs | QB
Noble | 2023
State
OK
– Quarterback – Noble
The left-handed quarterback apparently is also one of the best baseball prospects in the state’s 2023 class so he’s committed to Arkansas for baseball. However, after looking at him in person earlier this year and seeing what he’s done within this Noble offense, it’s hard not to consider Fisher among the state’s best at the quarterback position within the 2023 class. Fisher expertly leads a Noble offense that has yet to really be contained and they hope to continue that over the next month.
Gage Hamm
Gage
Hamm
6'4" | QB
Coweta | 2022
State
OK
– Quarterback – Coweta
Coweta had high expectations coming into this season simply because they returned a quarterback in
Gage Hamm
Gage
Hamm
6'4" | QB
Coweta | 2022
State
OK
who was a third-year starter at the position. It also certainly helped that Hamm has gotten better and better every time he’s stepped on the field. From torching defenses with the pass or tucking the ball and running, Hamm is a true dual-threat quarterback weapon. It helps that he has some weapons around him but Hamm is the real deal at that position.
Isaiah Gray
Isaiah
Gray
6'0" | RB
Lawton MacArthur | 2022
State
OK
– Running Back – Lawton MacArthur
Lawton MacArthur was a field goal away from coming into the playoffs with an undefeated record. The Highlanders have been dominant all season and it’s been largely in part because of breakout star
Isaiah Gray
Isaiah
Gray
6'0" | RB
Lawton MacArthur | 2022
State
OK
. We started seeing what Gray was doing early on in the season and he certainly got our attention when he kept producing like that, week after week. It didn’t matter who the Highlanders were playing, Gray was going to get the ball and he was going to make something happen with it.
Malik McMurtrey
Malik
McMurtrey
5'10" | 180 lbs | RB
Tahlequah | 2022
State
OK
– Running Back – Tahlequah
Tahlequah comes into the playoffs as an underdog as they go on the road to take on Coweta in the first round. In the battle of the Tigers, Tahlequah will be looking to pull off the upset on the road and they’ll lean on senior running back
Malik McMurtrey
Malik
McMurtrey
5'10" | 180 lbs | RB
Tahlequah | 2022
State
OK
to make that happen. McMurtrey has had a very consistent season in 5A football where there are plenty of running backs all over the class. Despite that, McMurtrey has still found a way to stand out in the crowd. Tahlequah will rely on McMurtrey once again on Friday night.
Oscar Hammond
Oscar
Hammond
6'3" | WR
Collinsville | 2022
State
OK
– Wide Receiver – Collinsville
Collinsville came into this season with high expectations because of their “Big Three” of
Andrew Carney
Andrew
Carney
6'2" | LB
Collinsville | 2022
State
OK
,
Brayden Gilkey
Brayden
Gilkey
6'0" | 215 lbs | RB
Collinsville | 2022
State
OK
and
Oscar Hammond
Oscar
Hammond
6'3" | WR
Collinsville | 2022
State
OK
. When it comes to players who can completely change the game, that spot goes to the senior wide receiver in Hammond. The Collinsville wideout had a breakout season last year and yet was still flying under the radar around the state coming into this season. However, he’s gotten more respect this year and rightfully so as he can change a game in the blink of an eye.
STAT SHEET STUFFERS
Brayden Gilkey
Brayden
Gilkey
6'0" | 215 lbs | RB
Collinsville | 2022
State
OK
– Running Back/Linebacker – Collinsville
We’re leading off this category with Collinsville’s
Brayden Gilkey
Brayden
Gilkey
6'0" | 215 lbs | RB
Collinsville | 2022
State
OK
because it’s sorted by alphabetical but Gilkey might be the best example of this in 5A. He’s one of the most productive linebackers in 5A football and also doubles as a running back for the Cardinals on the offensive side of the ball. He has well over 20 touchdowns on the ground and has put up monster numbers on offense. Gilkey and this Collinsville offense is clicking on all cylinders right now and that’s a scary proposition for the rest of 5A football.
Brunk Gray
Brunk
Gray
6'1" | QB
Pryor | 2023
State
OK
– Quarterback – Pryor
Over the last five years or so, it seems like Pryor always finds a way to get a solid quarterback who can absolutely light up opposing defenses. Last year, it was Ben Ward, this year, it’s junior quarterback
Brunk Gray
Brunk
Gray
6'1" | QB
Pryor | 2023
State
OK
. The junior quarterback class is outstanding in Oklahoma and Gray is one of the more underrated guys of the bunch. However, he might not be underrated for long as he’s one of the best in 5A football this year when it comes to throwing the ball and Pryor could be another dark horse candidate in the playoffs.
Cal Swanson
Cal
Swanson
6'2" | 175 lbs | QB
Ardmore | 2023
State
OK
– Quarterback – Ardmore
We first saw Ardmore junior quarterback
Cal Swanson
Cal
Swanson
6'2" | 175 lbs | QB
Ardmore | 2023
State
OK
last winter and it was apparent to us after watching him throw for an afternoon that he had what it took to be one of the better quarterbacks in a loaded 2023 class. Fast forward to right now and Swanson has been one of the more efficient quarterbacks in Oklahoma and has put up some big numbers throwing the ball. He also has the Tigers as a true contender in Class 5A and ready to make a deep run to a possible gold ball.
Isaiah Hammons Jr.
Isaiah
Hammons Jr.
5'9" | 175 lbs | RB
Guthrie | 2023
State
OK
– Running Back – Guthrie
When we think of Guthrie football this year, it’s hard not to just put their entire defensive unit on this breakdown. In fact, they have a few players on that side of the ball that probably should be on here, but we’re going with running back
Isaiah Hammons Jr.
Isaiah
Hammons Jr.
5'9" | 175 lbs | RB
Guthrie | 2023
State
OK
. Because as dominant as this Guthrie defense is, they still need some firepower on the offensive side of the ball and that has been Hammons. The Guthrie running back is enjoying a breakout season and hopes to lead the Blue Jays back to title contention.
Jaylon Orange
Jaylon
Orange
5'10" | RB
Shawnee | 2022
State
OK
– Running Back – Shawnee
This season never really got off to the way that Shawnee wanted as they began the year 0-3 and played in a brutal district with top four teams McAlester and Coweta. However, the Wolves still found a way into the playoffs and you have to look at running back
Jaylon Orange
Jaylon
Orange
5'10" | RB
Shawnee | 2022
State
OK
and the Shawnee running game as a big reason why. Orange experienced a breakout season last year as a junior and has continued that this season. They’ll be an underdog in the playoffs as they take on undefeated Collinsville, but they’ll rely on Orange once again.
Mike Taffe
Mike
Taffe
6'0" | 190 lbs | RB
Bishop McGuinness | 2023
State
OK
– Running Back – Bishop McGuinness
Last year,
Mike Taffe
Mike
Taffe
6'0" | 190 lbs | RB
Bishop McGuinness | 2023
State
OK
was somewhat overshadowed by McGuinness quarterback Luke Tarman, who was in the middle of the more memorable seasons by a QB in the last few seasons. This year, it was pretty clear that with Tarman graduating, Taffe would have more of a role in the offense. Not only has Taffe had more of a role, he’s been the McGuinness offense for the most part and has dominated this season. McGuinness replaced one Player Of The Year candidate with another one.
Montez Edwards
Montez
Edwards
6'0" | ATH
Lawton MacArthur | 2022
State
OK
– Wide Receiver/Defensive Back – Lawton MacArthur
We already wrote about
Isaiah Gray
Isaiah
Gray
6'0" | RB
Lawton MacArthur | 2022
State
OK
and how he might be one of the breakout stars of this season. One of the standouts from Lawton MacArthur that we actually knew about coming into this season was senior standout
Montez Edwards
Montez
Edwards
6'0" | ATH
Lawton MacArthur | 2022
State
OK
. The senior athlete is one of the more underrated players in the state’s 2022 class and he brings a tremendous amount of versatility to the football field. On offense, he’s the home run threat at wide receiver when the defense gets sucked in to try to slow down Gray and Edwards has made plenty of defenses pay.
X-FACTORS
Andrew Carney
Andrew
Carney
6'2" | LB
Collinsville | 2022
State
OK
– Quarterback – Collinsville
The first X-Factor has to be Collinsville quarterback
Andrew Carney
Andrew
Carney
6'2" | LB
Collinsville | 2022
State
OK
as he’s been one of the bigger mysteries this fall. He missed several games in the middle of the season with an injury but he’s back in the lineup and the Cardinals are playing better than ever. If we start seeing the Carney that we saw last season, the Cardinals are going to be a tough out throughout the playoffs. Carney can beat an opposing defense with his arm and also tuck it and run and give the Cardinals another rushing threat.
Erik McCarty
Erik
McCarty
6'2" | 175 lbs | DB
McAlester | 2023
State
OK
– Running Back – McAlester
If we were ranking the players in the playoffs it would be hard not to have McAlester running back
Erik McCarty
Erik
McCarty
6'2" | 175 lbs | DB
McAlester | 2023
State
OK
at the top of the list. After his breakout season as a sophomore, McCarty has had less of a workload this fall but still finds the end zone multiple times every single game. He’s without a doubt the best player on the best team in Class 5A and will certainly have an impact on how this playoff run goes. McCarty and the Buffaloes are hungry to back up all the hype and bring home that elusive gold ball.
Mason Ford
Mason
Ford
5'11" | DB
Coweta | 2023
State
OK
– Athlete – Coweta
One of the ultimate X-Factors in the 5A playoffs in our opinion is Coweta junior standout
Mason Ford
Mason
Ford
5'11" | DB
Coweta | 2023
State
OK
. We’ve written plenty of things about Ford over the last year, really since he had a breakout season as a freshman. Even as a freshman, it was apparent that he was one of the best players on his team and that’s only continued over the last two seasons. Ford has become more and more confident and is a home run threat at wide receiver and in the return game. He’s also a shut down corner on defense.