2024 Rankings Update: Midlands & CSRA New Additions

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Of the 76 new additions to the Prep RedZone Class of 2024 rankings, the Midlands was responsible for the biggest surge.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In total, 29 more players from the Columbia metro area and the CSRA will finish their prep careers on our list. It ranges from a multi-faceted specialist, hard-hitting linebackers, dynamic tailbacks and some receivers who helped put up some big numbers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Many of them found themselves getting all-star nods, spots on all-state teams and plenty of region hardware.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And now, they are ranked, too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142880' first='Chase' last='Cline'] K, Chapin - Touchstone Energy Bowl selection was eight-of-12 on field goals and 31-of-34 on PATs while also handling punting duties and kickoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='637192' first='Noah' last='Kelson'] RB, AC Flora (pictured) - Made a solid impact for the Falcons before going down with a season-ending injury. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142845' first='Brandon' last='Cowell'] LB, Crestwood - Team's leading tackler finished the season with 74.5 total stops and 10 tackles for loss.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142834' first='Shemar' last='Glover'] OL, Lower Richland - Agile guard helped form one of the bigger sides of a line in the entire Midlands.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142809' first='Peyton' last='Betts'] DB, Dutch Fork - Talented safety ended his senior season with five interceptions and eight pass break-ups.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1079020' first='Evan' last='Artemus'] RB, Keenan - Averaged just shy of nine yards per carry en route to 1,038 and 14 touchdowns.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142804' first='KJ' last='Golden'] WR, Fairfield Central - Led Fairfield Central in receptions (39), receiving yards (724) and touchdowns (nine).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142785' first='Lincoln' last='Ilunga'] DL, White Knoll - Ilunga's 20 tackles for loss and 10 sacks were instrumental in White Knoll's 14 wins last fall.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='947684' first='Will' last='McQueen'] LB, Hammond - Senior had an eye-popping 40 tackles for loss and 20 sacks for the Skyhawks in 2023.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142771' first='Kenmane' last='Brunson'] ATH, Saluda - Was named the Region II-2A offensive player of the year after rushing for 850 yards and nine touchdowns.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142759' first='Caleb' last='Alexander'] TE, Irmo - Out of his 29 receptions, Alexander turned 11 of them into touchdowns for the high-powered Yellow Jackets.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1146267' first='Jauron' last='Bennett'] DB, Sumter - Combo defensive back picked off two passes as a senior after snagging three as a junior.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142746' first='Dakota' last='Jordan'] DL, Dutch Fork - Versatile lineman able to make up for sheer lack of size and still play in the middle.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142731' first='Caleb' last='Strese'] DL, Gilbert - Put up nine tackles for loss, five sacks and two fumble recoveries on top of 59 total tackles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142730' first='Malkiytsedeq' last='Clay'] DL, Irmo - Irmo's second leading tackler had 55 tackles and nine tackles for loss to go along with three sacks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142713' first='Deon' last='Winsley'] LB, Dutch Fork - No way to deny Winsley's 106.5 total tackles, his eight tackles for loss or the impact he had in the playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1146256' first='Xavier' last='Montgomery'] DL, Irmo - Edge rusher helped Irmo to some lopsided scores by consistently being in the backfield.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142708' first='Ryan' last='McFarland'] OL, Lexington - Helped the Wildcats average better than 25 points per game despite heavy losses from the 2022 roster.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142696' first='James' last='Willingham'] RB, Richland Northeast - Ran for 1,450 yards after putting up just 150 during his junior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142669' first='Aidan' last='Heriot'] WR, Camden - Had a monster season that included 34 receptions and 400 yards in the playoffs alone.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1085401' first='Telvin' last='Smith'] WR, Irmo - Team's second-leading receiver had more than 750 yards and eight touchdowns.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142613' first='Marquel' last='Lewis'] LB, Irmo - True middle linebacker piled up 56.5 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, two picks and a fumble recovery.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142590' first='Ashton' last='Mozone'] OL, Midland Valley - Massive right tackle helped pave the way for maybe the best Midland Valley offense ever.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142585' first='Charles' last='Jeffcoat'] DL, Dreher - Finished his career with a bang with three tackles for loss in the Touchstone Energy Bowl.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142505' first='KD' last='Outten'] LB, Lugoff-Elgin - Put up 20 tackles for loss, nine sacks and four forced fumbles, in addition to more than 100 total tackles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142538' first='Caleb' last='Pearson'] ATH, CA Johnson - From 1,700 rushing yards to 450 passing yards to 150 receiving yards to 49 total tackles, Pearson did it all for CA Johnson. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142518' first='Demenico' last='Banks'] LB, White Knoll - Banks ended the season with more than 80 total tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142508' first='Isaiah' last='McClary'] DB, Irmo - South Carolina commitment was a defensive MVP of the Touchstone Energy Bowl.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1142485' first='Jamie' last='Downing'] LB, Bamberg-Ehrhardt - His tackles (144), tackles for loss (35) and interception (seven) tallies were all off the charts.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->