Community Film Room, Episode 24
In this article:
Our January rankings update pinpointed 508 worthy players across four classes. For a variety of evidence, our team decided that each of those 500-plus were worthy of a coveted spot in our rankings. But we’d be naive to think we’ve…
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Continue ReadingOur January rankings update pinpointed 508 worthy players across four classes. For a variety of evidence, our team decided that each of those 500-plus were worthy of a coveted spot in our rankings.
But we’d be naive to think we’ve evaluated everyone or didn’t miss a few along the way.
PRZ South Carolina is constantly looking at as many of the 10,000 prep football players in the SCHSL and SCISA ranks as possible. Now, a little over a year from its inception, the Community Film Room is back.
Each week, we’ll break down five currently unranked players from across the state to let you see what we’re seeing. The series will lead right into the next rankings update in May and beyond.
In Episode 24, we’ve got an established linebacker, two interior defensive linemen with different skill sets, a corner headed for big things and a receiver who has already made waves in two sports.
Jaydon Eason Jaydon Eason 6'0" | 275 lbs | DL Silver Bluff | 2024 State SC DT, North Augusta
A high-motor defensive tackle who was second on the team in tackles, Eason has the size (6-foot-1, 275) and footwork to get into position. That’s not even the impressive part. While Eason would likely get more college looks if he was an inch or two taller, the types of offenses North Augusta played against did a lot of talking for him. He was instrumental in slowing down one of the best rushing offenses in the state in South Aiken (seven total tackles) and was similarly effective in losses to Dorman and Evans (Ga.).
Yannick Smith WR, Summerville
Smith (pictured) was pretty good last year as a junior. He was a viable target on the outside who had no trouble slipping past defenders. What’s more, he’s got that 6-foot-3 frame and the accompanying wing span to get over the top of just about any cornerback when he’s covered 1-on-1. If all that was true last season, now factor in that Smith is about to have a top-40 player in the class of 2025 ( Jaden Cummings Jaden Cummings 5'11" | 195 lbs | QB Summerville | 2025 State SC ) throwing him the ball. Smith is a two-time all-state basketball star who already has more than 2,000 all-purpose yards on the gridiron. Might eventually lead to a really tough decision on which sport to pursue.
Talan Scott LB, Easley
After a team-high 83 total tackles (51 solo), 14.5 tackles for loss and five sacks in 10 games last fall, Scott is probably already on a relative short list of outside linebackers under consideration for one of the state’s all-star events next fall. And if the numbers aren’t quite good enough, his play is. Scott’s burst is well above average and he can both shoot the gap and break the edge with ease. Scott is almost assuredly going to finish his prep career with north of 200 career tackles and 30 tackles for loss. That’s no accident.
Jair Simmons DT, Greenville
Much like Eason, Simmons is not overly tall at 6-foot-1. However, his 290 pounds are used differently. More often than not, the interior lineman is going head on against opposing offensive linemen and relaying on strength to ensure that he’s not getting driving backward. Simmons ended the 2022 season with 40 solo stops. No, that’s not an insane number. But it also wasn’t necessarily the point. Simmons clogged up so many holes that a bunch of his teammates had an easier job getting to the ball carrier and shutting opponents down in their tracks.
Zay Johnson DB, Clinton
Johnson’s recent offers from Coastal Carolina and Liberty confirm what we were starting to really see last season. At 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, Johnson is a cornerback with loads of future potential that likely won’t be reached until well after he graduates from high school. We believe that because of the combination of his straight-line speed, quick cuts and his skill tracking the ball before and after its thrown. Johnson is one of those corners who can already bait quarterbacks into bad throws. It’s a rare quality so seldom seen from high school juniors.