Team Preview: West Charlotte Lions

The West Charlotte Lions play in what most people would say is one of the strongest conferences, if not the strongest conference in Charlotte. That conference helps prepare them for the state playoffs, as they play in a 3A/4A combo conference, but are listed as a 3A team due to school population. The Lions made the 3rd round of the playoffs last season, losing a tough road game to Kings Mountain 22-19.   Head Coach Sam Greiner has stated that this year's Lions team is the best team that he has coached since his 2017 State Championship team at Harding, which had former #1 player in the nation Quavaris Crouch. Let's take a look at some of the Lion's talented players this season.     OFFENSE   QB Ki'anthony "KD" Smith   Smith had an impressive season - namely because as a Freshman, he took over at the quarterback spot and helped lead this team to the playoffs. It's pretty incredible if you stop to think about it, but on top of that, he has received interest from Division 1 schools and received offers from Middle Tennessee State and Kentucky. At 5'9 and 170 pounds, he is a very good athlete and it remains to be seen where he exactly ends up playing in college, but as it stands he is an important piece of this team as a Class of 2026 prospect.   OL [player_tooltip player_id='915417' first='Phinnell' last='Marshall']   At 6'5 and 300 pounds, Marshall has become a coveted 2024 OL prospect as he has received offers from Campbell and Gardner-Webb recently. Marshall is an important piece of an offensive line that is typically a run-first type of offense, so his sheer power and good technique are a major factor in the Lions' successes on the offensive side of the ball. Marshall projects as more of an interior offensive lineman at the next level at either the guard or center position.   RB Scottie Cooper   A Class of 2024 prospect, expect Cooper to be one of the main offensive threats for the Lions this season at the running back position. Cooper stands at 5'7 and 170 pounds and has some excellent speed once he gets into the open field. He has excellent vision on his runs and has a "one cut and go" running style. Enjoyed watching his film.   DEFENSE   EDGE [player_tooltip player_id='656989' first='Jaden' last='Smith']   If you are reading this, you are probably familiar with Jaden, who recently committed to Michigan. Jaden is a kid that is explosive coming off of the edge - he has the traits to be a dominant pass-rush threat, but he can also be a real problem in the run game, especially if you are running away from his side of the defense. His lightning-quick first step is the thing you love about him, along with his extreme physicality at the point of attack. His 6'3 frame will allow a collegiate program to add weight to his frame, but for this year he will be a major part of a talented Lions defense.   LB Julian Carmichael   At 6'0 and 210 pounds, expect Julian to patrol the middle of the Lions' defense from the middle linebacker position this season. As a Class of 2024 prospect, Julian has picked up offers from Miami (Ohio), Marshall, Charlotte, and James Madison. He has probably some of the best cover skills from the linebacker position I've seen in a 2024 LB in the state of North Carolina - last season he had several game-changing interceptions over the middle of the field for big plays. He fits well against the run and has good speed in the open field along with the ability to tackle well in open spaces.   DB Dequinder Williams II   I have seen this young man up close at camps and showcases and had him rated as a top performer. He is a talented corner who excels in man coverage as a 2024 prospect. At 6'0 and 175 pounds, Dequinder has offers from Army, James Madison, Coastal Carolina, Elon, NC Central, Bryant, Jackson State, Ohio, Appalachian State, Liberty, Eastern Michigan, Old Dominion, Marshall, Miami (Ohio), Charlotte, Boston College, and Temple. He can play wide receiver as well, which explains his excellent ball skills at the point of attack as a cornerback. Good speed and the right demeanor to play on an island.   DL [player_tooltip player_id='828613' first='Elijah' last='Littlejohn']   Long, athletic kids who have good physical frames are always something college programs are after. That is the case for Elijah here, who picked up an offer from Michigan back in the spring. You may wonder, what's special about Elijah? Well, very good size at 6'2-6'3 and 200 pounds as a Class of 2026 prospect is one thing. Secondly, he plays basketball which says he's a real athlete at that size. He doesn't have a lot of film, but this is a good future bet for Michigan because he is a really explosive athlete. I'll be watching him for sure this upcoming season.   DB Peewee Jones   A Class of 2025 prospect who stands at 6'0 and 185 pounds, he did not play football last season, but he has generated a lot of recruiting interest and offers based on the performances he has shown coming back to football this season. Looking at some video of him, he is very impressive in man coverage and is able to stay with receivers down the field with good speed, and flashes an ability to high point the football well versus a wide receiver in a 1 on 1 situation. He currently holds offers from Charlotte, Temple, Boston College, and Middle Tennessee State.

The West Charlotte Lions play in what most people would say is one of the strongest conferences, if not the strongest conference in Charlotte. That conference helps prepare them for the state playoffs, as they play in a 3A/4A combo conference, but are listed as a 3A team due to school population. The Lions made the 3rd round of the playoffs last season, losing a tough road game to Kings Mountain 22-19.