DBs, LBs Filling Up 2027 Rankings

Want to see where the best collection of freshmen talent in the state is?   After our second rankings cycle for this class, it's not relocated to a specific part of South Carolina as it is a pair of defensive positional groups.   The 2027s charged with playing valuable minutes at linebacker or defensive back comprised 14 of the 43 players in our Class of 2027 rankings.   That doesn't even include a handful more who are playing hybrid defensive end roles that could be classified as outside linebackers.   Numbers matter. Production, too.   But how did these 14 effectively carve out their niche at such a young age?    Let us tell you.   INSIDE LINEBACKER   [player_tooltip player_id='1172362' first='Angel' last='Gomez'] at Wade Hampton might be the most likely long-term middle linebacker of the bunch, and that means his tackles numbers could and should continue to rise throughout his career. If that happens, it takes even more pressure off all those returning players around him to do the same.   OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS   [player_tooltip player_id='1172360' first='Kelvion' last='Manning'] simply had too much potential to wait around on the junior varsity in a stacked Dillon program. He then came on nicely in the second half of the season, finishing with 19 total tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble. He's one of those players who could end up playing defensive line or safety down the line.    Even though Gaffney is losing some of its top talent from last fall, plenty will return, and that means [player_tooltip player_id='1036755' first='Kendaris' last='Bailey'] will have plenty of cushion to develop as a sophomore without asking him to do it all. That role could mean big things for a player who had 28 total tackles as a freshman against one of the more difficult schedules across the state.    We only list Baptist Hill's [player_tooltip player_id='1036773' first='Lamar' last='Singleton'] as an athlete because we're still not completely sold on the fact that he won't become the team's starting tailback next year, too. Still, he's a linebacker through and through. His 80-stop season put him among the state's freshmen leaders in tackles per game.    Over at Kingstree, [player_tooltip player_id='1036769' first='Maleek' last='Dukes'] put himself on the map when he dominated Green Sea Floyds to the tune of four sacks, six tackles for loss and eight tackles. He then added another seven tackles for loss in the next five games and proved the next few years might be a little more interesting on that side of the ball with him crashing the edge.    Trinity Collegiate's [player_tooltip player_id='1036752' first='Owen' last='Bex'] (pictured) brings a lot of range to the position, enough so that teammate [player_tooltip player_id='272703' first='James' last='Herbert'] might be making the move up to defensive end. Bex used his freshman year to put up 56 tackles 14 tackles for loss, three sacks, three fumble recoveries and a handful of batted down passes. At 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, he might be a dominant SCISA linebacker by the time it's all said and done.    TBD LINEBACKERS   Yes, we're making up a category that our rankings system doesn't even recognize. But we have two who are nearly impossible to project because their skill sets are so varied.   Cheraw's [player_tooltip player_id='1172365' first='Crawford' last='Poole'] is an inside-outside hybrid has no issue whatsoever bouncing from the edge to off-guard play after play. His 11 TFL and three sacks were of high value to the Braves last fall. His 49 tackles were a sign of him being able to fill a more every-down role.    And down in Hilton Head, [player_tooltip player_id='1172368' first='Andrew' last='Massey'] is so good in pursuit that he may just force the Seahawks coaching staff's hand at some point depending on what happens in a program known for it's big-time recruits. Massey ended 2023 averaging 4.9 tackles per game (39 total stops) while at times looking more like a lock-down edge tackler.      CORNERS   Daniel's [player_tooltip player_id='1172351' first='PJ' last='Chancellor'] has all the makings of yet another multi-faceted athlete, as the Lions have already urged him onto the varsity squad in all three phases of the game. That includes some quality snaps at corner in six games during the regular season. His 14 tackles and an interception likely means more of that moving forward.    And as far as corners go, nobody was as effective this early as [player_tooltip player_id='779428' first='Tajeh' last='Watson-Martin'] at Belton-Honea Path. Of his six interceptions last fall, three came against quarterbacks who are considered among the state's very best. He tacked on 57 tackles and 10 pass break-ups. Given what the Bears are capable of next year on offense, he's going to have plenty of chances to boost his numbers.    SAFETIES   White Knoll had one of the state's best defenses all season. So when it inserted [player_tooltip player_id='1172353' first='James' last='Smith'] into the lineup at safety, it wasn't as if he was asked to produce a ton. He certainly did his part, though. The freshman played his first real varsity action on September 29 and recorded 25 tackles, four interceptions, four pass deflections and three tackles for loss in nine games, five of which came in the playoffs against solid competition.     In an effort to get him on the field as much as possible, Baptist Hill used another young player - receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1172343' first='Klyn' last='Gordon'] - on defense for nearly all of the season. Gordon responded by accumulating 64 total tackles and four interceptions. He'll almost certainly be charged with taking on an even bigger role in the offense, but he also proved he could handle the workload of playing both ways.    A little south in Varnville, Hampton County's [player_tooltip player_id='1036756' first='Jordan' last='Bovain'] was a similarly schemed player. While his primary role is on offense, he got a decent chunk of time at free safety in 2023. During those nine games, he put up 18 tackles on the backside of a defense that made a run to the Class 2A Lower State finals.    Summerville's [player_tooltip player_id='378969' first='Jaiden' last='Kelly-Murray'] wasn't just quick to earn playing time. He also established himself as one of the best defenders not only on the Summerville roster but in Region VII-5A and the entire state. By the time his freshman season was done, he'd put up 110 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, four interceptions, 10 pass break-ups and a fumble recovery.

Want to see where the best collection of freshmen talent in the state is?