Top Linebackers Of The CSRA

Five players below earned all-state recognition last year at linebacker.   Think about that for a second.   The CSRA is by far the smallest of our six zones. It doesn't have any teams in Class 5A or Class 3A. And the SCFCA's all-state list is usually dominated by departing seniors. And the CSRA bucked all those trends.   If we haven't sold the point enough yet, this pocket of South Carolina is loaded with linebackers. What's more, we've got tabs on a few we didn't even list.   These 11, though, were the place to start.   [player_tooltip player_id='617719' first='Donte' last='Bell'] North Augusta   The youngest name on this list, Bell is also among the smallest. During the Palmetto Combine in April, he chimed in at just 5-foot-7 and 150 pounds. But good tackling is good tackling. Bell will have every opportunity to excel this fall after some graduations and transfers took some of the luster off the Yellow Jackets' defense. While keeping in mind that he's learning by fire, we believe his increased experience will be a huge boon for the North Augusta linebacker corps.   Michael Blocker Strom Thurmond   Blocker is small-school football at its best. At all of 5-foot-6, he's also pushing 190 pounds. And this year, he's going to add “Starting running back” to his resume after he went for 650 yards and eight scores a season ago. But his best spot is at linebacker, where last year he earned Class 2A All-State honors after racking up 86 tackles and 16.5 tackles for loss. Blocker has excellent in-game speed and long arms that prevent most anyone from breaking free.   [player_tooltip player_id='1142485' first='Jamie' last='Downing'] Bamberg-Ehrhardt   Yet another all-state selection, Downing is a huge stat pack waiting to happen each and every Friday night. Last year, he had 117 total tackles, 25 tackles for loss and three interceptions. He's 5-foot-8 and 200 pounds and about to be asked to do even more after the graduation of one-year Bamberg-Ehrhardt (and fellow all-state honoree) Omarion Buckman. Go ahead and put Downing into the short list of guys who might lead the state's smallest class in tackles.   [player_tooltip player_id='340387' first='Camden' last='Durant'] McCormick   Two of Durant's older cousins either did or are currently playing college ball. Durant looks like a sure-fire lock to join them this time next year. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound linebacker can bounce back and forth from the middle of the defense to the outside with ease, and in either starting block he's a ferocious tackler. Earlier this summer, we predicted Durant would be the team MVP for McCormick this fall. We're not backing off that statement.   [player_tooltip player_id='91351' first='Jayden' last='Fuller'] Silver Bluff   Fuller is our top-ranked linebacker in the entire state, regardless of school size or zone or any other metric you can come up with. He's that good. Fuller has the strength of someone 100 pounds heavier and the wheels of your outside skill position player. Now, after excelling in Class 4A, he's joining a loaded Class 2A squad that can again say it has realistic state championship aspirations. Soon, he'll be playing for Miami of Ohio. But not before South Carolina gets him for one more season.   [player_tooltip player_id='272716' first='Andon' last='Hawkins'] Midland Valley   Hawkins was held back from most postseason honors in 2022 only because his team had a bunch of other dude coming into their own at the same time and the CSRA isn't exactly lighting up the Class 4A landscape. None of that negates the fact that the 5-foot-7, 200-pound linebacker accumulated 109 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Hawkins has two years left to put up gaudy stats. The postseason awards will follow.   Dominic Morgan Midland Valley   Hawkins wasn't even the leading tackler at Midland Valley last season. For that, you need to look to Morgan, who finished his junior season with 122 stops, as well as five tackles for loss, a sack and a pick. Morgan, a Class 4A All-State honorable mention selection, is a 6-foot, 195-pound linebacker who actually seems to like special teams because it's another opportunity to hit someone. Morgan is 23 tackles away from 200 for his varsity career. He might get there by the end of Week 1.    Trevion Harris Silver Bluff   The Bulldogs' defensive staff has more than enough faith in Harris that he's often the only player in the middle of the unit when the safeties drop back and the other linebackers are jamming the line. That's because even at 5-foot-8 and 170 pounds, he's got what he needs to cover all that ground. Last year, he had 44.5 total tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, two quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery.    [player_tooltip player_id='589012' first='Jamaris' last='Stevens'] Strom Thurmond   If you spend enough time watching positional highlights, you can see which guys look like they're shot out of a cannon. Stevens is not that type of outside linebacker. In fact, at times, it appears as if he wasn't sure the ball was snapped. Then comes decision time, and you see why everyone is so high on him. Stevens is big enough (6-foot-1, 225 pounds) and fast enough (verified 4.79 40) to gauge what's happening before attacking. Need more proof? He's coming off a 60-tackle, 12-tackle-for-loss, two-interception junior season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1254065' first='Lex' last='Thomas'] Barnwell   We're not done with our list of juniors who made this list. That's because Thomas and his 42 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, three sacks and a fumble recovery last year let first-year Warhorses' coach Brian Smith know he had someone who could re-stock a defense that just lost Maurice Odom in the midst of finding a way to not lose all the ground it did under previous offensive stars Clay Pender and Tyler J Smith.    [player_tooltip player_id='1012871' first='Terrell' last='Thomas'] Edisto    Edisto's punter and part-time kicker is a stout 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds. He average 37 yards on his punts and pinned eight inside the 20. Not bad for a linebacker who also ended the season with 52 tackles, five tackles for loss, two interceptions, two quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a sack. Thomas has two years left to impress all over the field, and be warned that at some point this year he's probably going to get a few carries in a game, too.

Five players below earned all-state recognition last year at linebacker.