Zone Reads: CSRA Taking 2024 Rankings By Storm

Potential New Subscribers: Take advantage of our 40% off special by using the coupon code Guerin40 at checkout. With rankings releases all month long and showcase updates galore, get in the game for all of 2023 at this discounted rate.   With three players in the top seven overall, five in the top 25 and 10 in the top 75, it's obvious just how much work players from the CSRA have done to climb in the Class of 2024 rankings.   Need more evidence? Three of the top four linebackers in the state, the top tailback and a receiver who is blowing the doors off the recruiting cycle are all parked in the smallest of PRZ's six zones in South Carolina.   It's time to start remembering these names.   THE PROTECTORS   Silver Bluff's [player_tooltip player_id='139306' first='Christian' last='Echols'] (No. 60 overall, No. 8 OL) has the length at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds (and growing) that will have college recruiters thinking they can bulk him up in a hurry. While mostly playing left tackles and exhibiting the range to go along with the position, Echols could easily convert to guard if asked. His bend is above average for his height and he can stay low when necessary.   [player_tooltip player_id='267450' first='Braydn' last='Kesselring'] Midland Valley (No. 48 overall, No. 6 OL) is finding new ways to impress us month by month. Now at 6-foot-3 and 280 pounds, the left tackle has extended his skill set to include blocking even better on the run. With Midland Valley's offense expanding around its hordes of athletes, Kesselring's influence is clear.   Keep an eye on his downfield activity.    THE BLAZERS   In a post last week, <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/01/2024-rankings-update-offensive-stockrisers/">we pointed out the insane MPH figures</a> attained by Aiken's [player_tooltip player_id='208338' first='Braylon' last='Staley'] (No. 16 overall, No. 2 WR) and Midland Valley's [player_tooltip player_id='267472' first='Antrone' last='Butler'] (No. 74 overall, No. 7 ATH) at the Joanne Langfitt Junior Showcase.   Staley, who recently added Alabama to his offer list, wasn't necessarily a surprise there. And Butler has done well in this type of setting before.    But what we didn't mention in that specific post was the top three GPS-tracked speeds in the entire event all belonged to players from the CSRA. In addition to Staley's 20.49 and Butler's 20.17, Midland Valley tailback [player_tooltip player_id='91348' first='Traevon' last='Dunbar'] (No. 7 overall, No. 1 RB) also registered a 20.33. Dunbar's inclusion there is another exclamation point on what has been a fantastic comeback story.   After the completion of his sophomore year (at Silver Bluff prior to his transfer), Dunbar suffered a major injury that prevented him from competing in much of anything for 10 months. He returned to the gridiron on October 7 against Airport with a 58-yard, one-touchdown performance. The next week, he was flashing his old brilliance again, as he went off for 171 yards and two scores. In five games, he finished with 587 yards and six touchdowns. It was more than enough to keep him atop the running back rankings.   And if that wasn't enough, the CSRA has yet another speedster who took the area's breath away a bit last season.   South Aiken's [player_tooltip player_id='340388' first='Terrence' last='Smith'] (No. 22 overall, No. 3 QB) has a 4.39 laser-timed 40 on the books from a camp prior to his junior season and at least three combine times at or below 4.45 under his belt. But we don't need to have those at our disposal to see how fast he is. His film - oh, and his 2,083 rushing yards from the 2022 season - takes care of that all on its own.   See for yourself.    THE PAD CRUSHERS   We haven't even gotten to the most impressive positional collection of talent yet.   At linebacker, the CSRA is proving its biggest hitters can stand alone atop the other five zones. And it's not just Aiken's [player_tooltip player_id='91351' first='Jayden' last='Fuller'] (No. 4 overall/No. 1 LB), who moved up two spots in our latest rankings update. Yes, the 6-foot, 215-pounder is developing into a potential college linebacker or even safety in a hurry. But he's not the only reason defensive recruiters are paying solid attention to this next of the woods.   Strom Thurmond's [player_tooltip player_id='589012' first='Jamaris' last='Stevens'] (No. 51 overall, No. 9 LB) has a strong junior season in which he tallied 65 tackles and a pair of picks to go along with some offensive production. If you're looking at the measurables, Stevens has them at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds.   A few spots ahead of Stevens is McCormick's [player_tooltip player_id='340387' first='Cameron' last='Durant'] (No. 34 overall, No. 4 LB), is the next in a successful Durants to come through the school; his first cousin, Mataeo, rushed for 2,500 yards at Duke, while another, [player_tooltip player_id='91145' first='A'Chean' last='Durant'], just wrapped up his prep career with a selection to the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl. Like Stevens, [player_tooltip player_id='340387' first='Cameron' last='Durant'] has the size - he's 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds.   Next up is Silver Bluff's [player_tooltip player_id='139299' first='Jordan' last='Boyd'] (No. 6 overall/No. 2 LB), arguably the best edge rusher in the state in 2022. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, Boyd (pictured) took over games throughout last fall, piling up 25 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. Because of it, he's already got four offers from SEC and ACC schools, and that figure should consistently rise between now and his signing day.   Here's 9 minutes of him abusing opposing linemen and quarterbacks.

Potential New Subscribers: Take advantage of our 40% off special by using the coupon code Guerin40 at checkout. With rankings releases all month long and showcase updates galore, get in the game for all of 2023 at this discounted rate.