Community Film Room, Episode 45

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Our Winter rankings update pinpointed even more players from the 2025, 2026 and 2027 classes who have stood out in their respective positions. For a variety of reasons, our team decided that each of those new additions were worthy of a coveted spot in our rankings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But we'd be naive to think we've evaluated everyone or didn't miss a few along the way.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>PRZ South Carolina is constantly looking at as many of the 10,000-plus prep football players in the SCHSL and SCISA ranks as possible.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now, the Community Film Room is back.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In each edition, we'll break down five unranked players from across the state to let you see what we're seeing. The series will lead right into the the start of the spring rankings cycle, the ever-growing importance of the summer schedule and then the 2024 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the next edition, we're looking at a budding tailback from the Midlands, an Upstate linebacker who put up ridiculous numbers the last two seasons, a quarterback already committed to a major baseball powerhouse, a state champion corner with a nose for the ball and a young linebacker already making the most of his time.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1149057"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1189133,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"While Bobian (pictured above from the PRZ Carolinas Stock Up Showcase) was by no means the star of the Ridge View offense in 2023 (he ended the season with 20 carries for 104 yards), we want to highlight him because his role is very much about to expand. Alongside quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='840548' first='Tre' last='Howard'] and tailback u003cbu003eAidan Keeffeu003c/bu003e, Bobian is expected to form one-third of a talented backfield.u003cspan class=u0022Apple-converted-spaceu0022u003e u003c/spanu003ernrnBobian is 5-foot-8, and he's got a low center of gravity that allows him to run between the tackles. The Blazers run a ton of four-receiver sets, meaning opportunities for opponents to jam the box are few and far between, something else that plays into the rising sophomore's favor moving forward.u003cspan class=u0022Apple-converted-spaceu0022u003e u003c/spanu003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65d640f0ac6d6"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19575199/654bbccb02b1f412b8c84c09' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65d640f0ac78f"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1249737' first='Wyatt' last='Ward']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"220","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"JL Mann","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"For all the hype of JL Mann's offense last fall, a monster was being developed in the middle of the Patriots' defense. Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1249737' first='Wyatt' last='Ward'] finished the season with 155 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and three picks. He's big and strong and combines it all with a nifty understanding of pursuit angles.rnrnIf that wasn't enough to pique your interest, thanks to his size, he's able to make a lot of stops even when he's not getting his pads low enough and appears to not have leverage. Now factor in that he's got pretty good straight-ahead speed (zoom up to the 1:02 mark), and Ward has all the right tools to play this game for a long time.u003cspan class=u0022Apple-converted-spaceu0022u003e u003c/spanu003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65d640f0ac849"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17737525/6563f501bd6a5f11fcad2923' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65d640f0ac871"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1253889' first='Kaden' last='Barnett']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"129","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2409","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Nation Ford","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Statistically, this clip of Barnett we're about to share came from arguably his worst game of the 2023 season. He threw three of his nine picks on the year in this game against Rock Hill and was held to 167 passing yards. But, we saw something pretty good come out of all that.u003cspan class=u0022Apple-converted-spaceu0022u003e u003c/spanu003eu003cbru003eFor starters, look at some of the sideline throws he was able to make even after things weren't going so hot. And while the receivers weren't able to break many tackles against the Rock Hill defense and extend plays, Barnett was still whipping it around taking what he could. He was learning in real time.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eCase in point, in his very next game, the North Carolina baseball commitment threw for 240 yards, five touchdowns and no picks.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65d640f0ac911"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19575199/654bbccb02b1f412b8c84c09' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65d640f0ac936"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["986041"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"It's darn near impossible to fake a six-interception season. And it's even tougher to ignore the picks when two of them come in the state championship game (and one of them was returned 51 yards for a touchdown). Davis is a spark plug at corner and since he plays for a Daniel team that is often mauling opponents, he's flown somewhat under the radar to this point.rnrnAnd while we could point out his support near the line of scrimmage of running and quick passes or his no-fear attitude to taking down bigger opposing players or his 44 tackles, we keep finding ourselves looking at his eight career interceptions. He's putting himself in position to rack those up, and we don't think it changes any time soon.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65d640f0ac98c"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16231583/656d212da677250bdcda0747' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65d640f0ac9ab"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":1189131,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1267216' first='Kevin' last='Rivers']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"190","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Berkeley","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Surprise, surprise, another underclassman at Berkeley who got valuable playing time and made it count. Rivers, just a sophomore last season, finished second on the team in total tackles (65) and tackles for loss (seven) while also breaking up a couple passes and forcing a fumble.u003cspan class=u0022Apple-converted-spaceu0022u003e u003c/spanu003eu003cbru003eWhile classmate [player_tooltip player_id='1165076' first='Marcus' last='Henderson'] is responsible for a bulk of the team's stops while playing more of a true middle linebacker spot, Rivers is able to freelance a bit more, roaming outside more and even dropping into coverage. At times, you'll even see him coming off the edge in blitzing spots.u003cspan class=u0022Apple-converted-spaceu0022u003e u003c/spanu003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65d640f0aca41"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15142831/655a2fafb534910ad44c7b29' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65d640f0aca65"} /-->