In-State Transfers Making Waves This Summer

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Families move. Situations change.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Of course, it would be naive to think football alone isn't playing a role in transfers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No matter the circumstances, a decent number of players across South Carolina will have a different home this fall than they did last time around. And some of of those players are primed to make a significant impact very soon. While this list is by no means conclusive (not even close, really), these are many of the confirmed high-profile transfers and what their new teams' fans can expect to see in the months ahead.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='809742' first='Amare' last='Adams'] DL, South Florence (Lake City)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If you like numbers, we have a few you'd probably like to know about with Adams. How about 67 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss or four sacks from last season? Or the fact that he's 6-foot-6 and 280 pounds? Or that he's the No. 1 player in our Class of 2025 rankings? Put them all together, and the defending Class 4A state champions are plugging in one of the very best players in the junior class into a defense that was already bringing back a ton of talent.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='315098' first='Mickenzie' last='Atterberry'] ATH, Silver Bluff (Aiken)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The picture above tells a big story with the punch Silver Bluff will have in 2023. Atterberry, left, was joined for this submitted photo by [player_tooltip player_id='231445' first='Joenathan' last='Peeples'] (who transferred from Midland Valley), [player_tooltip player_id='91351' first='Jayden' last='Fuller'] (who, like Atterberry, transferred from Aiken) and [player_tooltip player_id='139299' first='Jordan' last='Boyd'], the returning Bulldog defensive end verbally committed to Georgia Tech. In Atterberry, Silver Bluff will have an option at quarterback fairly similar to what outgoing starter Maleik Williams provided: As much of a threat to break a long run as he is to hit an open receiver deep.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='473010' first='Michael' last='Boulware'] LB, Gray Collegiate (Spring Valley)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Boulware is going to be a star at Gray. Much like he was with the Vikings. In his new digs, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound linebacker is not only going to be phasing down a hair on the competition level. He's also going to be joining a pretty stout group of returning players. The Eagles are bringing back somewhere in the neighborhood of 80 percent of their production on that side of the ball, meaning Boulware isn't going to be asked to do more than necessary or rush into his sophomore season with too much pressure.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='451249' first='Jaydon' last='Eason'] DL, Silver Bluff (North Augusta)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Eason was second on his squad in tackles (66 total) and led the way in tackles for loss (eight) and sacks (four). It was a big reason North Augusta won another region title last fall. However, a coaching change and an obvious group effort to link up at Silver Bluff puts Eason in the middle of a line that already includes Boyd and hybrid [player_tooltip player_id='272710' first='Malik' last='Mozone']. Oh, and another big defensive addition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='91351' first='Jayden' last='Fuller'] LB, Silver Bluff (Aiken)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Silver Bluff fans who have come to know and love the excitement [player_tooltip player_id='139299' first='Jordan' last='Boyd'] brings when he's on are about to see it times two. Fuller is a 5-foot-11, 225-pound beast who can crash the line from an edge position, track tailbacks from the middle or drop back into coverage against just about anyone. He's as strong as they come for a guy his size and if he was two inches taller his 20 or so current NCAA Division-I offers might have already doubled. He's that good.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='272722' first='Zion' last='Gilbert'] RB, South Florence (Carolina Forest)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One week, we're writing about how Gilbert is the favorite to be Carolina Forest's MVP after seeing him at spring practice with the Panthers. The next, we're heading that he's moving to the Florence area and joining the defending state champs. Gilbert started the 2022 season relatively slow, but after he assumed the top spot in the backfield in the fifth game of the year, Gilbert blossomed. He put together a stretch of seven consecutive games in which he rushed for at least 100 yards, reached the end zone, or both.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='272709' first='Malachi' last='Jefferson'] DL, James Island (Indian Land)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jefferson landing at James Island now means the Trojans have two of the top 35 players in the Class of 2025 (along with [player_tooltip player_id='486418' first='Dalton' last='Woodall']) on the line. That's not even including 2024 linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='340395' first='Chris' last='Glover'] or 2025 defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1012698' first='Hendrix' last='Beran'], whom we're keeping a close eye on over the next few months. Jefferson is a surefire tackler no matter where he is at the point of contact, and he makes this defense not just better, but potentially elite.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='272717' first='Tre' last='Leonard'] RB, West Florence (Trinity Collegiate)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While most Knights fans are already a bit more acclimated to their new starting tailback (Leonard transferred after the third quarter of the 2022-2023 school year) 7-on-7s and even live drills don't tell the entire story. While getting a little more than one-third of Trinity Collegiate's carries last fall, Leonard chalked up 1,123 yards (7.49 ypc) and nine touchdowns. In West's offense, he'll have an even better offensive line paving the road for him.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='231445' first='Joenathan' last='Peeples'] RB, Silver Bluff (Midland Valley)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Peeples got his opportunities at the Mustangs' starting tailback over the past two seasons, and while he had heavy competition for carries, he more than exceeded expectations. Over the course of the last two years, Peeples tallied 1,547 yards and 16 touchdowns. He proved that he wasn't just a short-yardage back, either, netting seven 100-yard games in that span. He's only 5-foot-9, but he's a legitimate 200-plus pounds and capable of carrying the load.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->