WV Preseason Spotlight: Hedgesville (Part Two)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's officially game week of the 2023 football season! We will spotlight some of West Virginia's prospects to watch for this season. Today we will focus on Hedgesville HS. Here are some prospects you need to keep an eye on from Hedgesville HS for the 2023 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["865704"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":959452,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"2025 Hedgesville QB/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='865704' first='Dalton' last='Harper'] was pressed into duty early on last season as a sophomore due to an injury to the Eagles' senior quarterback and Harper put together a solid first year at the helm. He's been battling it out with very promising 2027 QB [player_tooltip player_id='861657' first='Chaz' last='Milburn'] this summer for that QB1 spot but Harper has the athleticism to help his team in other ways if he doesn't win the job. He's a dual-threat QB that was very effective at running read options last season and you can have some packages with him at QB with a running role. Harper can sling the ball around too and is a very capable passer which I got to see firsthand at the GCOH Performance Exposure Camp back in June. Harper was one of my standouts at that camp along with the previously mentioned Milburn and the Eagles will have a great one-two punch at that position this season.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/16381405/Dalton-Harperu0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e | u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/DaltonH3333u0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["908150"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='908150' first='Levi' last='Faircloth'] is a 2025 offensive lineman that we are very high on so much so that we have him ranked as the #1 OL in the 2025 class. The 6'4 275 rising junior is already garnering D1 interest and with his older brother Eli being 6'7, Levi has the genes to get even bigger in time. You know he's big but how athletic is he? Well, at 6'4 275 Hedgesville plays him at linebacker on defense. I'm not sure I've ever seen a kid that big play a traditional linebacker role but Faircloth has the athleticism to do it effectively. With that combination of size and athleticism with still two more seasons of high school football left it's no wonder why D1 schools are already getting in on him. It will be hard to supplant Faircloth as the #1 ranked offensive lineman in the 2025 class and it will take someone really special to do so.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/14802040/Levi-Fairclothu0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e | u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/yepitslevi52u0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["907231"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_player_featured_image":959453,"_player_evaluations_2_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Hedgesville 2025 wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='907231' first='Demonte' last='Martin'] has seen his stock skyrocket this summer and has picked up two FBS G5 offers from UNLV and Charlotte with many more being interested in him. Martin has great size at 6'3 190 and is a physical specimen from getting to see him at camp this summer. After putting up moderate stats last season as a sophomore, Martin is poised to have a huge breakout junior season in 2023. He's a big target on the outside that can go up and snag tough contested catches and makes 50/50 balls more like 80/20. The only question right now for him is his top-flight speed which he'll need to continue improving for P5 schools to start offering. However, with still two more years of high school to develop he has plenty of time to shave a couple tenths off his 40 time and reach a new gear. Other aspects of his game that I like are his route running and physicality. From watching his latest scrimmage highlights, Martin has added strength and muscle since last season and can be a dominating blocker on the outside. He also sees time at safety on defense and can lay a big hit. We have Martin ranked as the #3 overall player in the 2025 class and the #2 ranked WR.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/17670366/Demonte-Martinu0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e | u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/Demonte1Mu0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["861657"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_player_featured_image":959455,"_player_evaluations_3_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"An early 2027 name that is making waves around the state is Hedgesville QB [player_tooltip player_id='861657' first='Chaz' last='Milburn']. Milburn is already putting himself in the conversation as one of the top 2027 prospects in the state and looks to have a breakout freshman season for the Eagles this year. He appears to be in line to be QB1 for the varsity squad as a freshman and has been impressive all summer long. I was able to see him back in June at the GCOH Camp and he had the best day out of all the quarterbacks in attendance which saw some really talented other QBs. The 6'1 160 gunslinger is a very advanced passer for his age and can really make some impressive throws that a lot of older QBs can't make. I think he commands the offense well for a freshman and we'll get a good grasp of that this fall during real games. Milburn hasn't played a snap of high school ball yet on Friday nights but is a name you need to know for the next four years.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/17734914/Chaz-Milburnu0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e | u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/chaz_milburn1u0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["487105"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"2025 receiver [player_tooltip player_id='487105' first='Gavin' last='Young'] will be making a big jump from Class AA Berkeley Springs to Class AAA Hedgesville this season after having a big sophomore season in 2022 at the mid school level. The 5'11 145 rising junior is a burner that was a big play machine at the Class AA level last season. Young is really good after the catch making defenders miss and getting upfield for extra yards. He can take it the distance on any routine catch. Young has the speed to run by defenders regularly at the AA level but it will be interesting to see how he fairs at the big school level where he'll have to go up against some serious talent. I'm confident he'll transition well and although he might not be the #1 target right away for Hedgesville, that might open up more opportunities for him if opposing teams are keying on [player_tooltip player_id='907231' first='Demonte' last='Martin']. I like Young's twitch and route running ability which will serve him well in the jump up to AAA. If he continues to do the things he did at the Class AA level at the Class AAA level he could be in line for a nice bump in the rankings where he already ranks 63rd overall and the #10 receiver.rnrnu003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/16110030/Gavin-Youngu0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e | u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/GavinYoungWR11u0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64e3aabf85389"} /-->