2024 Rankings: CSRA Players Make Their Mark
In this article:
With the 2024 rankings cycle complete, the CSRA Zone made a big impact. 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…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWith the 2024 rankings cycle complete, the CSRA Zone made a big impact.
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.
Midland Valley has five players in the top 175 of the rankings, starting at the very top. Traevon Dunbar Traevon Dunbar 5'10" | 205 lbs | RB Midland Valley | 2024 State SC 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.
It’s no surprise that he’s joined by a pair of big, physical offensive linemen in Braydn Kesselring Braydn Kesselring 6'3" | 280 lbs | OL Midland Valley | 2024 State SC and Ashton Mozone Ashton Mozone 6'4" | 345 lbs | OL Midland Valley | 2024 State SC . 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.
The Mustangs have another pair of skill guys in the top 175 as well, with do-everything athlete Antrone Butler Antrone Butler 5'10" | 170 lbs | ATH Midland Valley | 2024 State SC and lock-down defensive back Jadyn Simpkins Jadyn Simpkins 5'10" | 160 lbs | DB Midland Valley | 2024 State SC .
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 Jayden Fuller Jayden Fuller 5'11" | 225 lbs | LB Silver Bluff | 2024 State SC ranked fifth and Jordan Boyd Jordan Boyd 6'3" | 215 lbs | DL Silver Bluff | 2024 State SC taking the seventh spot. They were the lynchpins, along with DL Jaydon Eason Jaydon Eason 6'0" | 275 lbs | DL Silver Bluff | 2024 State SC , 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 Christian Echols Christian Echols 6'4" | 250 lbs | OL Silver Bluff | 2024 State SC , who was a leader up front for an offense that averaged almost 30 points per game.
Strom Thurmond’s three highest-ranked players include No. 3-ranked Braylon Staley Braylon Staley 6'1" | 185 lbs | WR Strom Thurmond | 2024 State SC , a Tennessee signee who accounted for 1,166 yards and 14 touchdowns on the year. His counterpart, Demarius Tolen Demarius Tolen 6'4" | 195 lbs | WR Strom Thurmond | 2024 State SC , 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, Jamaris Stevens Jamaris Stevens 6'2" | 220 lbs | LB Strom Thurmond | 2024 State SC notched 72 tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks, an interception, and two blocked punts.
Blackville-Hilda put two players in the Top 175, with speedy WR/RB/KR Tamari Daniels Tamari Daniels 5'8" | 145 lbs | WR Blackville-Hilda | 2024 State SC , who accounted for more than 1,100 all-purpose yards and 12 total touchdowns, and LB KJ Sabb KJ Sabb 5'10" | 170 lbs | LB Blackville-Hilda | 2024 State SC , who had more than 150 tackles and contributed on offense as well.
Six CSRA-area schools had single players ranked in the Top 175. McCormick’s Camden Durant Camden Durant 6'3" | 215 lbs | LB McCormick | 2024 State SC is a 6-3, 210-pound LB who’s a prototype at the position. Bamberg Ehrhardt LB Jamie Downing Jamie Downing 5'10" | 205 lbs | LB Bamberg-Ehrhardt | 2024 State SC plays well beyond his size, and is a big reason the Red Raiders played for a Lower State title. South Aiken’s Terrence Smith Terrence Smith 6'0" | 175 lbs | QB South Aiken | 2024 State SC was again one of the most dynamic QBs in the state, with 2,000 total yards and 21 total touchdowns. North August kicker Jack Stevens Jack Stevens 5'11" | 145 lbs | K North Augusta | 2024 State SC boomed 49 of his 60 kickoffs for touchbacks, made 36 of 38 extra points, and converted seven of 13 field goals. Tykeem Martin Tykeem Martin 5'8" | 140 lbs | WR Ridge Spring-Monetta | 2024 State SC averaged more than 100 receiving yards per game for Ridge Spring – Monetta, and Wagener-Salley DL Brandon Pontoon Brandon Pontoon 6'2" | 295 lbs | DL Wagener-Salley | 2024 State SC is a big, strong lineman who’s great in pursuit and tough against the run.