Community Film Room, Episode 57
In this article:
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…
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Continue ReadingOur 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.
But we’d be naive to think we’ve evaluated everyone or didn’t miss a few along the way.
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.
Now, the Community Film Room is back.
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.
In Episode 57, we looked at five currently under-the-radar guys who probably won’t classify as that much longer.
Anthony Williams Anthony Williams SC
Anthony Williams Anthony Williams SC
Red Raiders fans did the double take you’re about to sometime last fall, when Bamberg-Ehrhardt started seeing production from two players of the same name. One was a senior and was all over the place, while this Williams was eased into playing time, mostly on special teams.
We can already see that he’s going to factor into the game plan in 2024. As you can see in his reel, Williams is a threat in the open field, and his gets every bit out of his 5-foot-8, 150-pound frame.
He was clocked at 21.43 miles per hour at the Woodland underclassmen portion of the Carolinas Coaches Combines and may ultimately become another of Corey Crosby’s three-way players, spending time at receiver, corner and in the return game.
Much like Williams, Allen got our attention by running a blistering 22.55 miles per hour at Woodland. Because while he’s got time to grow some over the next two seasons at Sumter, wheels don’t lie.
It’s why he put up nearly 30 tackles, recoded a a key pick in the narrow win over Oceanside Collegiate during the regular season (and another in the playoff win over Ashley Ridge) and helped the Gamecocks to the third round of the Class 5A postseason.
Even at 5-foot-8, he’s asked to line up against some much taller receivers and typically held his own. It all goes back to his speed. Allen isn’t going to get burned deep, and his ability to contain against Sumter’s schedule will again be a plus for the Gamecocks against a wide variety of opposing offensive schemes in its new region assignment.
Matthew Payes Matthew Payes 6'2" | 205 lbs | LB Wando | 2026 SC
Matthew Payes Matthew Payes 6'2" | 205 lbs | LB Wando | 2026 SC
College coaches who are evaluating frames on underclassmen linebackers like what they see when it comes to Wando’s outside linebacker. He’s already 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds and looks like he could build significantly for the college level.
And since Wando has nowhere to go but up under new coach Isaiah Perrin (the Warriors lost nine games last year, all but double digits), Payes is going to be a boon toward turning things around.
The rising junior has an excellent wing span (79 inches) and above average speed (20.92 miles per hour) and decent strength (13 reps on the bench). He’s also already got a year of varsity ball under his belt.
Malachi Dickerson Malachi Dickerson 6'0" | 165 lbs | DB CaneBay HighSchool | 2025 SC
Malachi Dickerson Malachi Dickerson 6'0" | 165 lbs | DB CaneBay HighSchool | 2025 SC
We’re excited to see what Dickerson can do as a senior after a strong junior year in which he piled up 50 tackles and three interceptions in 11 games. The Cobras’ schedule will have them facing a few teams who love to air it out plenty, and Dickerson’s film says he’s capable of so much more.
He’s got significant closing speed when the ball is in flight, and he’s also shown he has no issue crashing the line against the run.
Dickerson understands the angles necessarily to overcome any lack of pure speed. It’s why he comes across so much faster than his verified 40 or MPH times might suggest.
Carter McCollum
Carter McCollum
There was little question as to the direction of the Blue Flame’s offense in James Reynolds’ first season as head coach. McCollum averaged 26 carries per game en route to 1,396 yards and 10 touchdowns.
As his highlights show, he’s got serious up-the-gut speed and the strength to break tackles in the front seven. That stems from a noticable weight routine that placed him in last month’s state strength meet.
The progress has been even more impressive after a devastating knee injury suffered heading into his sophomore year. He clearly rebounded from it, putting up multiple 200-yard games as a junior and becoming the focal point of the Pickens offense.