Why Xzavier McLeod Should Win Mr. Football 2022

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It didn't take college recruiters long to figure out [player_tooltip player_id='89338' first='Xzavier' last='McLeod'] was going to be a special player. The 6'5”, 320-pound senior burst onto the scene as a freshman. He started eight games for a Camden team that made the semifinals of the state playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He garnered a scholarship offer from South Carolina that very same year. The interest only picked up from there and nearly every Power 5 school followed suit. McLeod has verbally committed to join the Gamecocks next year as a mid-year enrollee this January but has suitors still calling every day.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McLeod has been unfazed by the attention. He wants to complete maybe the one thing that has eluded him in his high school career. Camden has won four straight region titles and advanced to at least the state semifinals the past three years. The Bulldogs have played in the past two Class 3A state finals but fell short to Daniel each time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McLeod has one more chance to change that.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“He's been a big-time recruit since he started playing for us,” Camden coach Brian Rimpf said. “He's done a lot of winning, but we haven't been able to get over that final hurdle. That is a driving force for him this year.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McLeod does not have eye-popping stats this year, but Rimpf said there is a simple reason for that. McLeod enters the second-round playoff game having 48 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, 14 QB pressures and one blocked kick in nine games played.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“Teams run away from him nearly every single play,” Rimpf said. “When we game-plan, we realize teams are not going to run to Xzavier's side. So, we plan for that. He got a reputation of being a dominant player early in his career and that has only continued as he's matured.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"id":"block_6369938d6a3fe","name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13000097/63669469b3c8cd0ab86841ba' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"align":"","mode":"edit","anchor":"acf-block-649a05a28a79a"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rimpf played in the NFL, so he's seen the best of the best. He thinks if McLeod can continue to develop and get into a college weight and nutrition program, he can accomplish what he wants as a football player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“He has the God-given ability to play football,” Rimpf said. “He has a unique combination of size and quickness. And don't forget, he has speed as well. I've seen him chase down quarterbacks. When he puts all that together, he's an exceptional football player that can go as far as he wants.” &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a seven-part series breaking down the finalists for South Carolina's Mr. Football award for this fall. Our scouts have seen these players this season and have in some cases tracked them from prior to their varsity playing days. The 2022 Mr. Football Award will be announced and presented at halftime of the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl on December 10.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2022 Mr. Football Finalists</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><u>[player_tooltip player_id='91136' first='Jarvis' last='Green']</u></strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/jarvis-green/"></a>&nbsp;RB, Dutch Fork</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bryson James</strong>&nbsp;RB, Clinton</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='89339' first='Raheim' last='Jeter']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/raheim-jeter/"></a>&nbsp;QB, Spartanburg</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='89338' first='Xzavier' last='McLeod']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/xzavier-mcleod/"></a>&nbsp;DL, Camden</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='443502' first='Jonah' last='Norris']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/jonah-norris/"></a>&nbsp;RB, Lexington</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='146356' first='LaNorris' last='Sellers']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/lanorris-sellers/"></a>&nbsp;QB, South Florence</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='262552' first='Tyler' last='J Smith']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/tyler-j-smith/"></a>&nbsp;RB, Barnwell</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->