Freshman of the Year Midyear Report: Offense
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We’re around the halfway point of the year and it’s time to check in on some of the top players in the state. At the end of the year, we’re going to run polls allowing fans to vote on the…
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Continue ReadingWe’re around the halfway point of the year and it’s time to check in on some of the top players in the state. At the end of the year, we’re going to run polls allowing fans to vote on the players they find most deserving at position and perhaps in each class.
For now, we’ll stick to class and tell you a bit about some of the guys we like in each class and give you some information about each of them.
McCullers currently leads the state in rushing among freshmen, with over 600 yards in six games for 4-2 Sanderson. McCullers has plenty of time to grow, but he already has decent size and has the frame to add some weight. If he continues at this pace, he’ll have a 1000-yard, 10-touchdown season as a freshman at the highest classification of North Carolina football.
McDowell-Moore is electric with the ball in his hands, already racking up a number of long touchdown runs. In Tarboro’s offense, he’s not the feature guy (No one is) but he makes the most of his touches, picking up over 500 yards on 41 rushes this season. He plays a bit on defense and special teams as well and he’s a guy we’ll be watching over the next few years.
Gallos plays for powerhouse Providence Day with an incredible amount of talent around him, yet he’s still found a way to crack the running back rotation and put up nearly 10 yards a carry. He has five touchdowns on the year and is on pace for nearly 1000 yards in his first year on varsity.
Shepherd leads all freshmen in the state in passing and it’s not particularly close. He’s led Riverside Martin so far to a 7-0 start. Shepherd already has a strong arm and is fairly accurate as well, completing over 65 percent of his passes. He’s added nearly 200 yards and two touchdowns on the ground as well.
Highlights
Rourk has the most catches and the most yards in the state among freshmen. He also leads all class of 2026 players with five touchdowns. He’s gotten open consistently, especially in recent weeks, racking up 30 catches in his last four games.