Potential Breakout Players From the Carolinas Combines

One of the goals of the Carolinas Combine Series is to get as much talent at each location as possible.   The all-star game coaches want to see them, and the individual staffs are looking for an offseason measuring stick. As such, it's no surprise that a large number of players over the course of the last two years have used this series to push their own name a little higher on various lists.   This year's series will feature four sites, broken up between rising seniors and current underclassmen.   We've highlighted one 2025 and one 2026 from each site we think can keep their trajectories moving upward.    WOODLAND - March 16   [player_tooltip player_id='1157753' first='Kemuel' last='Little'] LB/DL, Blythewood (2025)   The Blythewood defensive line is pretty talented, and Little setting up shop just behind them or alongside them makes the Bengals' front seven that much better. He floats between the dual roles easily, showing off the strength he possesses while lining up against offensive tackles and on the next play dropping back into a more traditional middle linebacker spot. He's definitely one of the linebackers to watch during the 2025 session at Woodland.     [player_tooltip player_id='473016' first='Aj' last='Grate'] LB, Waccamaw (2026)   We've had Grate ranked in our system for a considerable amount of time. However, injuries during the 2023 season slowed him down some and prevented him from putting up the type of numbers he was capable of. Still, when he was on the field, he was able to make plays on both sides of the ball. He has the athletic gifts to be special, and he's got two more seasons to build off what we expect to be a solid combine performance.     WEST FLORENCE - March 24   Chris Livingston RB, Carolina Forest (2025)   How's this for a seizing-the-most type player? Livingston was a backup for almost all of 2023, when [player_tooltip player_id='267465' first='Kalil' last='Johnson'] was putting up huge numbers and ended the season with 1,601 yards and 19 touchdowns. But the game Johnson missed? Livingston had 217 yards. Carolina Forest almost never goes all in one one tailback. The Panthers run the ball so much that it's pretty tough to do against its schedule. But we've seen those flashes from Livingston that tell us he can take advantage of an opportunity when presented.     [player_tooltip player_id='1822289' first='Davaughn' last='Locust'] OL, Lamar (2026)   At an even 6-feet tall, Locust often stands out because of his 335 pounds. But don't like his “Meatball” nickname fool you. As we discovered by watching him against Lake View, he has more than enough mobility to pull from his spot at right guard and take on outside linebackers with ease. Locust, a former starting nose guard, made the switch to offense and played more than 100 snaps in multiple games last fall.     YORK - April 13   [player_tooltip player_id='851128' first='Nathan' last='Gilley'] OL, Chapin (2025)   At 6-foot-1 and 250 pounds, Gilley isn't as big as some of the tackles who are going to show up to York. But he also move better than most of them, too. It's why he's been able to succeed at the position at a Class 5A school and we've seen him enough to know that he tends to excel in one-on-one situations. This will be yet another opportunity for the rising senior to show how strong he actually is, too.     Jacorreun Howze WR, Lewisville (2026)   If you're looking for an underclassman receiver to track in York, we offer up Howze. The 5-foot-9, 155-pound slot is an excellent route runner and flashes plenty of strength up field when needed. The combine will include a lot of sideline throws, something that plays into Howze's game. He's got excellent awareness of where he is on the field and how to best make it count.     SPARTANBURG - April 14   [player_tooltip player_id='1012707' first='Lincoln' last='Huskey'] QB, Boiling Springs (2025)   The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Huskey (pictured) is a tough-as-nails quarterback who routinely steps into throws knowing he's going to get drilled and also has shown some nifty footwork when he has to break the pocket. What's more, he's a lefty with solid arm strength. So any throws he hits squarely during the combine are sure to draw a little more attention. A consistent showing at Spartanburg could pay dividends for him.    [player_tooltip player_id='1592026' first='Tyqwon' last='Booker'] LB, Broome (2026)   While Booker led the Centurions in tackles during his sophomore year, his development really came on late, when he started to anticipate where plays were going and discover how to better sniff them out. He's 6-foot-2 and 160 pounds, and while he could stand to add some weight long term, he's certainly got the ability to maneuver at the combine and show why his ceiling is so high.

One of the goals of the Carolinas Combine Series is to get as much talent at each location as possible.