2023 Fab 50: The Repeat Honorees

If a player makes the Prep Red Zone Fab 50, you know he had a special season.   To do it two years in a row is something even more impressive.   This time around, our staff's selections included just four players who also made the cut in 2022. Now, we will say that the list of possibilities was small, as only nine juniors were named to the team last year.   Still, what these four players accomplished in 2023 was nothing less than a brilliant closing act on their high school careers.    [player_tooltip player_id='302853' first='Bryce' last='Rothwell'] SR, Lucy Beckham   In an age where spread offenses have transformed the tight end position maybe more than any other spot on the field, Rothwell is a throwback who is more than comfortable starting off tackle with his hand on the ground. Already a ferocious run blocker, Rothwell used his offseason to expand his pass-catching abilities - something he put on display by hauling in 21 receptions for 296 yards, three touchdowns and three two-point conversions in 10 games this season. Now, add in an average of seven pancake blocks per game for a team that was running the ball more than 60 percent of the time, and his spot on this squad was locked in for another year.    [player_tooltip player_id='91354' first='Coleman' last='Franzone'] SR, James Island   For a good chunk of the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas last week, Franzone's first-half, 33-yard field goal equated to the lone points on the board. By the time the game was over and South Carolina had won 24-0, his imprint was all over the stat sheet. He finished with six points (the field goal and three extra points) and had six punts, including a pair of 40-plus yarders and one in the third quarter where he pinned the Tar Heels inside their own 15. Did we mention he put four of his five kickoffs inside the five? It was an exclamation point type of game for a player who established himself as the most dangerous specialist in the state. We chose Franzone for his punting acumen; as a senior, he averaged just shy of 48 yards per boot and was undoubtedly a big part of the Trojans' undefeated regular season.    [player_tooltip player_id='139299' first='Jordan' last='Boyd'] SR, Silver Bluff   The Region III-2A Defensive Player of the Year needs little introduction, regardless of which pocket of the state you call home. For the better part of three years, Boyd has been a nightmare for opposing offensive linemen, quarterbacks and play callers - all of which knew where he was on every single snap. Doing something about it was an altogether much bigger ask. Boyd (pictured) wrapped up his career by piling up 76 total tackles, 33 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, two forced fumbles, an interception and a defensive touchdown. Considering he was sparring with two players more often than not, the fact that his production never wavered was a credit to his continued development and plenty of reason for the Georgia Tech commitment to get so much attention from recruiters.    [player_tooltip player_id='139295' first='Josiah' last='Thompson'] SR, Dillon   What do you call a 6-foot-7, 290-pound left tackle who didn't allow a sack in three seasons at the position, blocked for at least one 1,000-yard rusher each year and is weeks away from enrolling at the University of South Carolina to begin his college career? Mr. Football is now an appropriate nickname. Named the state's top individual player earlier this month, Thompson is everything head coach Kelvin Roller could have asked for in a player. The larger-than-life tackle never stopped trying to improve his craft, finding new ways to increase his strength while making adjustments to his foot work. His 25-minute highlight reel from the season still feels light. It also simultaneously proves what opponents learned the hard way: Thompson never simply relied on his size to the do the work for him.

If a player makes the Prep Red Zone Fab 50, you know he had a special season.