2026 Rankings: Catawba River Region Players Primed For Huge 2024
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There were five players from the Catawba River Region in this cycle of the 2026 rankings who caught our eye as we went back through in our evaluations – whether it be through in-person or HUDL film. And we believe…
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Continue ReadingThere were five players from the Catawba River Region in this cycle of the 2026 rankings who caught our eye as we went back through in our evaluations – whether it be through in-person or HUDL film.
And we believe they could be primed for a huge 2024 season as they head into their junior year.
Terry Radford Terry Radford 6'2" | 260 lbs | DL Chester | 2026 State SC | DL | Chester
The best way we can describe Radford is that he is a disruptor. From his defensive tackle spot, he has quick hands and can move quickly to affect the play when the ball is snapped. He may not always get to the quarterback to make the sack, but you’ll know he’s coming. The pressure he brought forced a safety last year against Lancaster. He takes good angles to the ball and is effective at plugging up run lanes as well.
Darriyarn Baxley Darriyarn Baxley 5'10" | 165 lbs | LB Chester | 2026 State SC | LB | Chester
Baxley’s anticipation of plays and closing speed on the ball is fun to watch. He takes great angles to the ball. He times his jump on the ball to be one step ahead of the opposing blocker so he can defeat the block and get in and make great, form tackles. There was one excellent hustle play where the quarterback was about to take it himself for a score, but he recovered quickly to save a score.
Anthony Baxter Anthony Baxter 6'4" | 325 lbs | OL South Pointe | 2026 State SC | OL | South Pointe
At 6’4 and 335 pounds, Baxter has a lot of attributes that make him one of the best lineman in our area going into the 2024 season. He can pull block well in the run game and he has the quickness to not only do that, but to try and go block without getting too far up field. He will lay opposing defensive players on their back with his physicality and he uses his hands well in pass blocking. All of that is why colleges are starting to take note of the rising junior, as he has offers from South Carolina, App State, ECU, Cincinnati and Duke, just to name a few.
Darrell Harrison Darrell Harrison 6'2" | 180 lbs | ATH York | 2026 State SC | ATH | York (pictured above)
The thing that stood out when watching Harrison’s film from 2023 is how well he rushes the passer from his EDGE linebacker position. He comes off the edge hard that is tough for opposing linemen to deal with due to his get off at the snap of the ball. He can chase down plays from behind, sometimes from the quarterback’s blindside. We really liked his hustle and ability to make tackles out in space when he knows he won’t be able to make a play and get to the quarterback.
RJ Brown RJ Brown 5'10" | 165 lbs | QB Lancaster | 2026 State SC | QB | Lancaster
A difference maker. Versatile, all with quickness to boot. Those are just some of the qualities that come to mind when you turn on the film for Brown. His athleticism is something special to watch once he gets out into the open field. He can outrun people and make plays in the special teams game as well. He returned a punt for a touchdown last year against Indian Land. He caught our eye back in January at the Prep Redzone Carolinas Stock Up Showcase. It will be interesting to watch his development as we make our way into 2024.