Zone Reads: 2025 Rankings Are Upstate-Heavy At The Top
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The 2025 Prep Redzone rankings are heavy on the Upstate, and heavy at the top. Players from the Upstate zone take up a dozen of the Top 50 spots in the rankings, and all of them already have solid campaigns…
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Continue ReadingThe 2025 Prep Redzone rankings are heavy on the Upstate, and heavy at the top.
Players from the Upstate zone take up a dozen of the Top 50 spots in the rankings, and all of them already have solid campaigns under their belts. Here’s a look at those 12 (and a bonus).
Things start at the very top, with Westside QB Cutter Woods Cutter Woods 6'3" | 185 lbs | QB Westside | 2025 State SC , the No. 2-ranked player in the class. Woods is a phenom, with a huge arm and great decision-making. He’s got a handful of offers already, and comes into his junior year off of a sophomore campaign that saw him throw for more than 3,000 yards and 28 TDs. He’s joined in the rankings by teammate Zeke Marshall Zeke Marshall 6'3" | 175 lbs | DB Westside | 2025 State SC , a DB with a nose for the ball who tallied 61 tackles and three interceptions last season.
How good is Spartanburg’s Cam’Rich Smith Cam’Rich Smith 5'10" | 185 lbs | LB Spartanburg | 2025 State SC ? So good that he rocketed from unranked to No. 8. Smith is a hard-hitting, instinctive LB who had 125 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two sacks, three forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries as a sophomore. Unbelievably, he still has plenty of room to grow and improve.
Byrnes teammates Armoni Weaver Armoni Weaver 5'11" | 170 lbs | ATH Westside | 2025 State SC and Chamarryus Bomar Chamarryus Bomar 6'0" | 180 lbs | ATH Westside | 2025 State SC both do a little bit of everything for the Rebels. Between them, they’ve played WR, DB, QB, and returned kicks. They’re two of the most explosive players in the area, and with both slotted at ATH in the rankings, it will be interesting to see if they grow into true positions as juniors or continue to be all-purpose solutions for Byrnes.
With teammates as the trend, Greenville checks in with a couple of DBs. Christian Henderson Christian Henderson 5'8" | 160 lbs | DB Greenville | 2025 State SC ‘s potential is off the charts. He’s ranked No. 22 despite playing very limited snaps last season as the result of an injury based both on that potential and on past performance. He transferred over from Southside Christian, where he helped lead the Sabres to a state title as a freshman. Defensive backfield mate Ramani Bruton Ramani Bruton 6'0" | 170 lbs | DB Greenville | 2025 State SC more than picked up the slack in Henderson’s absence last season, notching 21 tackles, knocking down seven passes, and grabbing six interceptions.
Clinton’s Brett Young Brett Young 5'10" | 175 lbs | LB Clinton | 2025 State SC is a little bit of a throwback. He’s a tough, hard-nosed LB who’s quick to the ball and angry when he gets there. He’s also athletic enough to play C,2B,and OF on the Red Devils’ baseball team.
Rocky Herd Rocky Herd 6'0" | 270 lbs | OL Daniel | 2025 State SC plays OL with a physical streak, and he’s a big part of why Daniel’s continued to be successful as they re-tool and reload on the offensive line. He’s got the potential to grown, and will shine on an OL that already has a great pedigree.
Hillcrest’s Bryce Rainwater Bryce Rainwater 6'4" | 285 lbs | OL Hillcrest | 2025 State SC is another big, physical OL, and one who will be counted on to provide some room to mature for an offense that lost a ton of weapons. With Rainwater’s presence up front, the Rams should be able to control the line and run the ball while the rest of the offense gels.
Weapons won’t be a problem at Easley, where Kalab Sutton Kalab Sutton 6'3" | 175 lbs | QB Hillcrest | 2025 State SC is a HUGE one coming back. He rewrote a ton of the Easley record books last season, including the most TD passes in the 100-year history of Easley football. He threw for 2,030 yards to go with those 24 scores, and rushed for almost 500 more and another eight TDs.
Gaffney LB Andrew Ruppe Andrew Ruppe 6'1" | 220 lbs | LB Gaffney | 2025 State SC rounded out the local contingent in the Top 50, at 50 on the number. Ruppe is just always around the play for the Indians. He had 71 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, a sack, knocked down five passes, and blocked a punt. When he’s paired with fellow junior Clay Cook Clay Cook 6'1" | 190 lbs | LB Gaffney | 2025 State SC , who’s ranked at 59 and led the Indians in tackles, Gaffney’s absolutely stacked at the second level.