Realignment Reality: The New Class 3A
In this article:
When the talk was over and the dust started to settle, the South Carolina High School League’s realignment for the 2024-2026 window immediately pointed to massive change. A three-times multiplier went into effect statewide. Maybe no class turned into a…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWhen the talk was over and the dust started to settle, the South Carolina High School League’s realignment for the 2024-2026 window immediately pointed to massive change.
A three-times multiplier went into effect statewide.
Maybe no class turned into a bigger landing spot for the former small-school programs than Class 3A. Greenville-area privates Christ Church – which just won the Class A crown – Southside Christian and St. Joseph’s, as well as defending Class 2A state champ Oceanside Collegiate are all here now. In this multi-part series, we’re focusing on the state’s collection of football playing schools in any classification.
Class 3A, though, has no shortage of dudes capable to shaping it into a dynamic cluster of programs. Who will be left standing at the end of the 2024 playoffs?
These 33 players will probably have something to say about it.
DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS
Jared Acosta Jared Acosta 5'9" | 190 lbs | LB Newberry | 2025 State SC LB, Newberry – The rising senior will be chasing his third consecutive all-state designation while playing in a region ripe for the taking. His numbers could be huge.
Sawyer Arnold Sawyer Arnold 6'3" | 185 lbs | DL Oceanside Collegiate | 2026 State SC DL, Oceanside Collegiate – Arnold needed only 11 games last fall as a sophomore to reach 17 sacks, 11 tackles for loss and 81 total tackles.
Titus Bowman Titus Bowman 6'1" | 260 lbs | DL Keenan | 2025 State SC DL, Keenan – All Bowman did last fall was pile up 27 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and nine quarterback hurries. Yeah, we think he’ll do OK as a senior.
Keryien Brown Keryien Brown 5'11" | 210 lbs | LB Dillon | 2026 State SC LB, Dillon – Brown is a prototypical linebacker who is about to be asked to do even more after recording 104 total stops as a sophomore. He’s up to the task.
Trent Garner Trent Garner 6'2" | 185 lbs | DL Pendleton | 2026 State SC DL, Pendleton – The lean defensive end used his quick burst off the line to queue up 83 total tackles and 20.5 tackles for loss in just 10 games during his sophomore season.
Aj Grate Aj Grate 6'0" | 180 lbs | ATH Waccamaw | 2026 State SC ATH, Waccamaw – An injury kept him off the field for nearly half of last year. But we’ve seen in limited games that Grate can be a difference maker, especially at linebacker.
John Henderson John Henderson 6'2" | 185 lbs | LB Pendleton | 2025 State SC LB, Pendleton – Henderson pitches in some on offense, too, but his 92 total tackles and 12.5 tackles for loss will be big for a Pendleton team hitting reset on its offense some.
Javon Johnson Javon Johnson 6'0" | 235 lbs | DL Loris | 2025 State SC DL, Loris – In 29 games over the course of his first three seasons, Johnson has 241 career tackles and 44 tackles for loss. He’s as active as its gets despite an atypical stature for the position.
Max Moorman Max Moorman 6'3" | 200 lbs | LB Oceanside Collegiate | 2025 State SC LB, Oceanside Collegiate – Moorman might ultimately shift more toward middle of the Oceanside defense after putting up 97 total stops, 12 sacks and eight pass break-ups last season.
Silas Parish Silas Parish 5'9" | 180 lbs | DB Walhalla | 2025 State SC LB, Walhalla – Just about every play seemingly funnels toward Parish, and his 162 tackles last year proved he’s going to be good on them more often than not.
Zamaurious Robertson Zamaurious Robertson 6'1" | 175 lbs | DB Dillon | 2026 State SC DB/WR, Dillon – Robertson likely gets a chance to lead the Wildcats in receiving again, and his four picks from his cornerback spot were pretty big, too.
Avery Todd Avery Todd 6'0" | 190 lbs | LB Loris | 2025 State SC LB, Loris – Todd was one stop shy of 100 in his junior season and needs probably only a game or two to reach 200 for his career.
Tajeh Watson-Martin Tajeh Watson-Martin 5'10" | 160 lbs | DB Belton-Honea Path | 2027 State SC DB, Belton-Honea Path – Our top-ranked corner in the Class of 2027 is everything any team would want in a lock-down defensive back.
OFFENSIVE STANDOUTS
Garris Chambers Garris Chambers 5'11" | 260 lbs | OL Silver Bluff | 2025 State SC OL, Silver Bluff – One of the state’s top centers from last fall is an absolute cornerstone of a team going through a lot of changes this offseason.
Jamarion Fling Jamarion Fling 5'8" | 160 lbs | RB Dillon | 2025 State SC RB, Dillon – For a brief few moments, Fling didn’t look like he was going to be the guy for Dillon’s offense last fall. Then he ran for 1,584 yards and 34 touchdowns in 10 games.
Hiszari Gantt Hiszari Gantt 5'10" | 150 lbs | WR Silver Bluff | 2026 State SC WR, Silver Bluff – Gantt has been getting mentioned for so long it’s hard to believe he’s got another two years of high school ball left.
Aiden Gibson Aiden Gibson 6'2" | 190 lbs | RB Woodruff | 2027 State SC RB, Woodruff – Among a tightly wound cluster of young tailbacks, Gibson will only continue to impress the further he gets away from his freshman season.
Andre Grate Andre Grate 5'11" | 185 lbs | ATH Waccamaw | 2026 State SC ATH, Waccamaw – The more offensive-minded of the Grate twins, Andre does a little of everything from the quarterback position and can alter the trajectory of a game.
Marquise Henderson Marquise Henderson 5'10" | 170 lbs | RB Belton-Honea Path | 2025 State SC RB, Belton-Honea Path – Whether its his 2,336 rushing yards or 39 total touchdowns, the Clemson verbal commitment will have all eyes on him in 2024.
Jude Hall Jude Hall 6'4" | 170 lbs | WR Christ Church | 2026 State SC WR, Christ Church – We think Hall is on the brink of a breakout season as more opponents have the tools to focus on his position mate this fall.
Tucker Hendrix Tucker Hendrix 6'1" | 170 lbs | QB Christ Church | 2025 State SC QB, Christ Church (pictured) – Hendrix’s 2,800 passing yards and 43 touchdowns were obviously impressive, and made even more so by the fact he threw only nine picks in 204 pass attempts.
Julius Hippenstiel Julius Hippenstiel 6'1" | 180 lbs | QB Hanahan | 2026 State SC QB, Hanahan – Hidden by Hanahan’s insane rushing production last fall was Hippenstiel quietly emerging as a highly productive passer ready for much, much more.
Jamel Howse Jamel Howse 6'4" | 210 lbs | WR Newberry | 2026 State SC WR, Newberry – Howse is a physical standout who not-so-surprisingly hauled in more than half of the team’s receiving touchdowns and nearly half of Newberry’s receiving yards as a sophomore.
Brayden Johnson Brayden Johnson 5'10" | 175 lbs | RB St. Joseph's | 2025 State SC RB, St. Joseph’s – Johnson turned it on down the stretch and finished with more than 1,400 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns. His style will translate well to Class 3A ball.
Aiden Manavian Aiden Manavian 5'11" | 175 lbs | QB Oceanside Collegiate | 2027 State SC QB, Oceanside Collegiate – The list of freshmen quarterbacks who have delivered in the playoffs like Manavian did last fall is pretty darn short.
Jaylen McGill Jaylen McGill 5'10" | 195 lbs | RB Broome | 2026 State SC RB, Broome – At even a flicker of consistent improvement the next two years, McGill might flirt with 7,000 career rushing yards before his high school career is done.
Carlos Miller Carlos Miller 6'2" | 275 lbs | OL Dillon | 2025 State SC OL, Dillon – The Wildcats just lost both tackles, who also happened to be among the best at their position in the state. Enter Miller, who likely moves from the inside.
TJ Morris TJ Morris 5'10" | 160 lbs | QB Woodruff | 2025 State SC QB, Woodruff – Morris proved last fall that he could handle slinging it around a good bit. He threw for 2,571 yards and completed 65 percent of his passes.
Josiah Oxendine Josiah Oxendine 6'0" | 185 lbs | QB Dillon | 2026 State SC QB, Dillon – The staff has been taking it slow with Oxendine while giving him nearly all the reps the last two seasons. We think the biggest chunk of the learning curve is now over.
Justin Purvis Justin Purvis 5'8" | 175 lbs | ATH Marlboro County | 2025 State SC ATH, Marlboro County – Purvis has topped 1,000 all-purpose yards in each of the last two seasons. Whomever Marlboro County hires would be wise to make Purvis the focal point of this team.
Jackson Repp Jackson Repp 5'8" | 160 lbs | WR Christ Church | 2025 State SC WR, Christ Church – Repp enters his senior season as a marked man. Guess what? The same was true prior to his junior year – when he went for 1,510 yards and a ridiculous 27 touchdowns.
Noah Thomas Noah Thomas 5'11" | 150 lbs | QB Belton-Honea Path | 2026 State SC QB, Belton-Honea Path – Thomas completes a high percentage of his passes and makes a stout offense all the more dangerous with a three-to-one touchdown-interception rate.
Abijah Webb Abijah Webb 5'11" | 200 lbs | ATH Pendleton | 2025 State SC ATH, Pendleton – While he’s good in the defensive secondary, too, his 1,146 receiving yards last season pushed him past 2,000 for his career.