2024 Rankings: CSRA Players Make Their Mark

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the 2024 rankings cycle complete, the CSRA Zone made a big impact.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The final numbers included 20 players from the zone inside the first 175 players ranked, including a slew of top-50 players. Here's a look at the guys from the CSRA who are ranked in the to175.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Midland Valley has five players in the top 175 of the rankings, starting at the very top. [player_tooltip player_id='91348' first='Traevon' last='Dunbar'] is the No. 1-ranked player in the class, and an evaluation of his senior season shows exactly why. With a scary balance of speed and power, Dunbar had a season for the ages in South Carolina, rushing for 3,051 yards and 42 touchdowns, and an 11.2 yards per carry average. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's no surprise that he's joined by a pair of big, physical offensive linemen in [player_tooltip player_id='267450' first='Braydn' last='Kesselring'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1142590' first='Ashton' last='Mozone']. Kesselring is one of the most physical OL in the state, with 60 pancake blocks to his credit, while Mozone is massive at 6-4 and 345 pounds, with 16 pancake blocks of his own. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Mustangs have another pair of skill guys in the top 175 as well, with do-everything athlete [player_tooltip player_id='267472' first='Antrone' last='Butler'] and lock-down defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='141041' first='Jadyn' last='Simpkins'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Silver Bluff packed the rankings as well, with four Bulldogs featured in the top 175, including two of the top seven. Silver Bluff's outstanding defense picked up those two spots, with [player_tooltip player_id='91351' first='Jayden' last='Fuller'] ranked fifth and [player_tooltip player_id='139299' first='Jordan' last='Boyd'] taking the seventh spot. They were the lynchpins, along with DL [player_tooltip player_id='451249' first='Jaydon' last='Eason'], of a defense that allowed fewer than 14 points per game and lived in the opponents' backfield for most of the season, with all three as disruptive forces. Offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='139306' first='Christian' last='Echols'], who was a leader up front for an offense that averaged almost 30 points per game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Strom Thurmond's three highest-ranked players include No. 3-ranked [player_tooltip player_id='208338' first='Braylon' last='Staley'], a Tennessee signee who accounted for 1,166 yards and 14 touchdowns on the year. His counterpart, [player_tooltip player_id='771039' first='Demarius' last='Tolen'], accounted for 776 yards and seven scores, giving the Rebels one of the best 2A one-two punches at receiver in the state. On the other side of the ball, [player_tooltip player_id='589012' first='Jamaris' last='Stevens'] notched 72 tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks, an interception, and two blocked punts.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blackville-Hilda put two players in the Top 175, with speedy WR/RB/KR [player_tooltip player_id='315319' first='Tamari' last='Daniels'], who accounted for more than 1,100 all-purpose yards and 12 total touchdowns, and LB [player_tooltip player_id='997177' first='KJ' last='Sabb'], who had more than 150 tackles and contributed on offense as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Six CSRA-area schools had single players ranked in the Top 175. McCormick's [player_tooltip player_id='340387' first='Camden' last='Durant'] is a 6-3, 210-pound LB who's a prototype at the position. Bamberg Ehrhardt LB [player_tooltip player_id='1142485' first='Jamie' last='Downing'] plays well beyond his size, and is a big reason the Red Raiders played for a Lower State title. South Aiken's [player_tooltip player_id='340388' first='Terrence' last='Smith'] was again one of the most dynamic QBs in the state, with 2,000 total yards and 21 total touchdowns. North August kicker [player_tooltip player_id='346194' first='Jack' last='Stevens'] boomed 49 of his 60 kickoffs for touchbacks, made 36 of 38 extra points, and converted seven of 13 field goals. [player_tooltip player_id='208348' first='Tykeem' last='Martin'] averaged more than 100 receiving yards per game for Ridge Spring - Monetta, and Wagener-Salley DL [player_tooltip player_id='997142' first='Brandon' last='Pontoon'] is a big, strong lineman who's great in pursuit and tough against the run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->