South Carolina’s Most Talented: No. 10 Westside

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Skill, skill, skill.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That's what's got Westside <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/02/who-are-the-most-talented-teams-in-south-carolina/">ranked inside the Top 10</a> from a talent perspective in the current Prep Redzone rankings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With seven players ranked in the classes of 2023 through 2026, every one of those Rams plays a skill position. The expectations for the group were set as far back as last season, when then-coach Scott Earley, who's coached multiple Division I signees, called the group "skill-wise, probably among the best I've ever had". How did those guys stack up? Well, they advanced to the third round of the 4A playoffs before falling to Northwestern.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Earley has moved on to direct the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association, and former South Florence, Woodruff, Byrnes, and Clover head coach Brian Lane brings his high-octane offense to Anderson to take advantage of all that talent. Here's a look at the guys who made it go for Westside, and who the Rams will be counting on for the future.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='336117' first='Hunter' last='Puckett'] RB, 2023</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Puckett is an old-school bruiser of a back. He's capable of running away from you, but he'd much rather run over you. Earley tried to convince him to play a little defense, but Puckett's heart was on the offensive side. "All he wants to do is run the football," Earley said. Puckett did that well for the Rams, rushing for more than 1,100 yards and 15 TDs. When he did play defense on a limited basis? How about 19 tackles, with three for loss in limited action. One thing about Puckett is different from the rest of this list, too: he's the only guy who is lost to graduation. The Rams' other six ranked players will all be back.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='139296' first='Jimmar' last='Boston'] WR, 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first question Rams opponents are going to have to answer is how they'll play Boston. Want to jam him? He's big enough, physical enough, and fast enough to run right by you. Gonna give him a little cushion? Yeah, that's a terrible idea. He's a matchup nightmare. Last year, he caught 34 balls for 699 yards and seven TDs in just 10 games. He chipped in a little on defense with 14 total tackles and an interception, returned a kick 92 yards for a score, and even kicked off four times for the Rams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11967911/631f49e2578dbd01bc4a726e' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63e41f7488224"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='139310' first='Dee' last='Robertson']</strong> <strong>RB, 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Robertson (pictured) will likely be a guy who's vying to replace Puckett in the backfield. He had more than 500 combined offensive yards last season, including 225 on just 37 carries, averaging more than six yards per carry and scoring seven TDs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='139314' first='Josh' last='Williams'] WR, 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Williams was the Rams' leader in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns, notching a stat line of 42/883/10. He played both in the slot and outside, and is suited to a combination of both. He showed the ability to go over the middle to make tough catches, or to run past defenders on the outside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='346189' first='Cutter' last='Woods'] QB, 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Rams' top-ranked player in our latest rankings update, Woods is a guy with all the tools. He threw for more than 3,000 yards and 28 TDS, and proved along the way that there's not a throw he can't make. He added 232 yards and four more scores on the ground, and is mobile enough to keep defenses honest. Woods has a big arm, good pocket presence, and has shown the ability to lead, even at a young age.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16145904/638900a8f55f880860121603' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63e41f748824e"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='346193' first='Zeke' last='Marshall'] DB, 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Marshall had a standout sophomore campaign for the Rams, with 61 total tackles, a tackle for loss, and three interceptions. He played all over the field for Westside, but looks like a natural at safety. He's a solid tackler who doesn't shy away from contact, and he also looks good in coverage.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='346197' first='Jameson' last='Wilson'] ATH, 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wilson did a little of everything for Westside in 2022. He threw a pass, recorded a carry, and returned both kicks and punts. He also notched 11 catches for 311 yards and two scores, and contributed defensively with 61 stops, three tackles for loss, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->