Under-the-Radar: 2024s You May Not Know

At Prep Redzone, we love covering unknown prospects, the guys that may not be getting the accolades they deserve but are talented nonetheless. A lot of the unheralded players in the 2024 class will make themselves known this season as juniors due to increased playing time, but some are already making a huge impact on their team. Here are five guys that started as sophomores, but may not have the name recognition of some of the other players in the state. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="345340" first="Cole" last="Searight"], 6’ 185, DB- Marvin Ridge</strong> Searight is one of the top 2-way players in the area, excelling both as a safety and slot receiver. His best upside is as a hard-hitting safety with a high football IQ. He consistently flashes the ability to quickly read and diagnose plays and does a great job of reacting quickly and delivering big hits. He wraps up well and is a big play waiting to happen. Offensively, we love his ability after the catch. He’s a guy to know this season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="297898" first="Kristopher" last="Watson"], 6’1 205, LB- Southern Durham</strong> Watson put up great numbers on a talented Southern Durham squad as a sophomore, racking up over 100 total tackles. He wasn’t just padding his stats, as he picked up 26 tackles for loss and forced six fumbles. He’s a few pounds away from really turning heads with his size and we love the way he’s able to read the run and attack. Expect big things from Watson this season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="265789" first="Jason" last="Mcneilly"], 6’2 230, Edge- Shelby</strong> McNeilly is one of my favorite edge rushers in the state. He’s a relentless pass rusher whose motor is always running at 100 percent. he gets off the line quickly and can beat opposing tackles with speed or power. Shelby has some star power on its defense and McNeilly can sometimes get overshadowed but he’s a guy that we think is fantastic and could have a huge junior season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="369976" first="Tyler" last="Mason"], 6’ 180, RB- Mount Airy</strong> Mason slipped under even our radar until recently, when he put up a string of dominant performances at some ACC schools this summer. His most impressive performance was at Virginia Tech, where he ran a laser-timed 4.52-second 40 on grass. He has great burst and gets to the hole in a hurry and once he reaches top speed, he’s hard to catch. On film, he displays great vision and flashes the ability to break tackles. Above all, we love Mason’s size and speed combination, but he really has an opportunity to put out some impressive film this fall. If he does, expect him to go Power Five. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="190662" first="Beady" last="Waddell"], 5’11 210, LB- West Mecklenburg</strong> Waddell is the real deal. This offseason, he put on some weight and he’s fearless in the middle of the field, putting himself squarely in the picture nearly every play. He racked up over 100 tackles as a sophomore, including 17 tackles for loss and contributed on offense as a short yardage back. Waddell is a smart player and reads plays well, reacting quickly and getting to the ball carrier in a hurry. He’ll need to maintain that quickness after putting on some more muscle, but if he does, he’s a prospect to watch this fall.