Who Will Win Mr. Football 2023?

Ian Guerin December 3, 2023 @ 09:17 PM

Dobson's going to appear at midfield on Saturday in uniform. And it's entirely possible that by that point the tailback (who was selected for the game as a receiver but will see significant time in the backfield) has already had an impact on this game. We believe that's entirely possible because he's been that type of player this fall. In 13 games, Dobson was dominant, rushing for 2,574 yards and 40 touchdowns rushing, chipping in another seven receptions or 110 yards and two more scores. His final game - a 197-yard, three-touchdown performance against Oceanside Collegiate - pushed him to 4,017 career yards and 56 touchdowns on the ground. He's instantly a member of the Hampton County (formerly Wade Hampton) athletics Mount Rushmore.

Avery McFadden Avery McFadden 5'10" | 175 lbs | WR Hillcrest | 2024 State SC WR, Hillcrest

McFadden's time at HIllcrest re-wrote so many records that even more are likely to be discovered after further research. Among the ones we already know about: 16 receiving touchdowns this season, 219 career receptions, 3,311 career receiving yards, 36 career receiving touchdowns, 54 total touchdowns. Not convinced he's pretty good yet? How about this: McFadden proved this fall that he wasn't simply a wideout. He also returned kickoffs and punts. He played defensive back, where he picked off two passes and forced a fumble and recorded a few tackles. He also developed into a quality change-of-pace ball carrier, using 33 carries to put up 237 yards and nine touchdowns on ground. In short, his graduation means that coach Bennett Swygert will be charged with replacing more than just one player next fall.

Turbo Richard Turbo Richard 5'10" | 205 lbs | RB Northwestern | 2024 State SC RB, Northwestern

Richard's given name is Hanovii, but there's little debate as to how fitting his nickname is. The Boston College-bound tailback wrapped up his Northwestern career with 4,350 rushing yards, 53 rushing touchdowns and another 657 yards and five touchdowns receiving. This year alone, he piled up 1,251 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground, meaning he's one of only a handful of current running backs in the state with three straight 1,000-yard seasons. Richard being include on this dais has felt like a foregone conclusion for some time, 2,000-yard campaign during the Trojans' 2022 season. Still, he fought off defensive coordinators who game-planned against him throughout the year, averaging 117 total yards per game in lieu of opponents attempting to take him out of his rhythm.

Josiah Thompson Josiah Thompson 6'7" | 290 lbs | OL Dillon | 2024 State SC OL, Dillon

The Camden buzz saw that ran all the way to the Class 3A state championship game ended Dillon's season in the second round of the playoffs. And by all accounts, that was new territory for Thompson. Thompson led the Wildcats at least that far in each of his final three seasons after seeing some on-again, off-against playing time as a freshman. After that point, though, Thompson showed why he is a star. The 6-foot-7, 290-pound left tackle did not allow a sack in three seasons as a start and propelled the Wildcats to three straight Region VII-3A titles. Like most of this crew, he will play in next week's Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. From there, he'll head to the University of South Carolina, where he is expected to compete for playing time next season as a true freshman.

Watson Young Watson Young 6'2" | 260 lbs | OL Daniel | 2024 State SC OL, Daniel

Since October, Young has been a magnet of success. His Lions program finished off an undefeated season with Saturday's Class 3A state championship win over Camden - something that boosted Daniel's record to 51-1 since he became a starter beginning his freshman season - and then he swapped his commitment from Appalachian State to hometown Clemson. That last part wasn't so much of a surprise, as his dad, Kyle, not only played for the Tigers but has been a long-time member of the Tigers' athletics administration. Still, it was a fitting end for a player that had so much to do with Daniel's three state championships in the last four years.