Zone Reads: Primed To Blow Up In The CSRA

Photo: Submitted Photo

Ian Guerin May 13, 2022 @ 11:50 AM

From Midland Valley to Barnwell, Saluda to Ridge Spring-Monetta, the CSRA is loaded with mostly small-school talent that can’t be ignored. The western portion of the state is the smallest of South Carolina’s six zones. But it’s not without potential stars in the making. The following list comprised of players who are already included in our latest Class of 2023 rankings but whom we simultaneously believe are close to pulling one of those major strings that will launch every part of their football landscape - from the immediate numbers to what that production will mean for their respective teams to what it could do in terms of recruiting. Don’t sleep on these CSRA standouts. [player_tooltip player_id="91139" first="Kanaan" last="Ligons"], OL, Ridge Spring-Monetta<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Can a player already in our top 20 really “blow up”? We think so, and here’s why. Ligons is one of those guys you’re certain is out of high school eligibility. He’s been starting on both sides of the line for so long. Yet, here the rest of the CSRA is, still trying to stop him. He’s got monster-sized hands and an 80-inch wing span, something that undoubtedly allows him to muscle up in the trenches. He’s already got three FCS offers and eight more Division-I programs have been on campus to see what he can do. [player_tooltip player_id="262552" first="Tyler" last="J Smith"]/[player_tooltip player_id="124455" first="Clay" last="Pender"], Barnwell We love seeing pics of these two visiting colleges together, at it only furthers the potential the two of them bring to Barnwell. In Smith, the War Horses have a tailback who ran for 2,151 yards and 28 touchdowns while averaging 7.5 yards per carry. In Pender, Barnwell’s top receiver kept pressure off Smith. He’s also a high-quality defensive back and potential college return threat. [player_tooltip player_id="262690" first="TJ" last="McElmurray Jr"], QB, Midland Valley As more weapons emerge around him, McElmurray could end up becoming one of the better quarterbacks in the state next fall. He’s big (6-foot-2, 175 pounds) and can sling it around from sideline to sideline. With tailbacks [player_tooltip player_id="231445" first="Joenathan" last="Peeples"] and [player_tooltip player_id="91348" first="Traevon" last="Dunbar"] now carrying more of the weight in the backfield, it’ll further allow McElmurray to emerge. [player_tooltip player_id="91161" first="Maleik" last="Williams"], ATH, Silver Bluff The aforementioned Dunbar departing for Midland Valley puts the ball into Wiliams’ hands even more. And while the running back loss will be felt, let’s not forget that a year ago Williams’ quarterback play was top-notch. It threw for just shy of 1,800 yards and 16 touchdowns (against just four picks) and rushed for another 782 yards while averaging 9.7 yards per carry. Williams is a playmaker, plain and simple. [player_tooltip player_id="262674" first="Tyleke" last="Mathis"]/[player_tooltip player_id="262551" first="Zion" last="Wright"], Saluda Among the tallest receivers in South Carolina, Wright’s 6-foot-5, 175-pound frame has him picking up interest, and he’s much more than an end zone, jump ball threat. His outside mate, Mathis, was a big reason why. Between the two of them, they combined for 1,069 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. They’re skills feed off each other, and it’s a tough ask for defenders to cover both. [player_tooltip player_id="336142" first="Colson" last="Brown"], QB, North Augusta Frankly, last season was a bit of a mess at North Augusta, where the coach left during the regular season and the offense never really found much consistency while playing two QBs. Now, with Brown entering spring practices and fall camp as the presumed starter, new coach Matt Quinn has a focal point backfield between the signal caller and returning tailback DJ Curry.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> [player_tooltip player_id="91145" first="A’Chean" last="Durant"], RB, McCormick Durant isn’t big - he’s only 5-foot-8 and just a shy under 170 pounds. But he’s fast, durable and about as experienced as any rising senior tailback in the entire state. Last fall, he rushed for 1,470 yards on 135 carries. That’s 10.9 yards per carry, if you don’t have your calculator handy. The 17 touchdowns he pumped in last fall were roughly two-thirds of the team’s as a whole. Yes, he’ll be a marked man this fall, but the teams on the Chiefs’ schedule will be hard-pressed to stop him throughout the year.