2027 Rankings: Trench Talented

Speed knows no age.   Neither does football wisdom.   But to show out along the offensive and defensive lines during the opening months of starting high school takes a different quality that the other positions in the game can't possibly teach.   Size.   Now, we'll stop there to tell you that we're not ranking just anyone who played valuable minutes in the trenches last fall. It takes power, blocking or tackling acumen and a lack a fear.   The guys who have made the cut so far in the Prep RedZone Class of 2027 rankings all have it.   All of it. Let's break these two position groups down even further.    DEFENSIVE LINE    [player_tooltip player_id='1036731' first='Dennis' last='Glenn Jr'] Boiling Springs   The Bulldogs only had one freshman play significant minutes last fall. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that one first-year high schooler was Glenn. The 6-foot-1, 275-pound interior lineman finished the season with 28 total tackles and six tackles for loss. Where he did most of his damage was getting after the quarterback, where he put up 14 hurries in eight games.   [player_tooltip player_id='1172344' first='Ray' last='Harris'] South Aiken   Harris showed up in a consistent manner not typical to most high school freshman edge players. He made stops in all 11 games in which he appeared, putting up 30 total tackles and three sacks throughout the year. He also played a role in a couple turnovers.    [player_tooltip player_id='1036772' first='Rahiem' last='Saunders'] Whale Branch   Like Glenn, Saunders was the lone freshman putting in quality time for his team. He averaged better than three tackles for game and was second on the team with three sacks. He's also going to get plenty of time on the offensive line, given his size and mobility.    [player_tooltip player_id='755914' first='Jaiden' last='Bryant'] Irmo   Bryant made an instant splash at Irmo last fall, when he had six tackles, a sack and a pass break-up in the season opener against Chapin. The next week, he had a season-high 10 tackles and three sacks against Lancaster. Bryant isn't going anywhere soon.    [player_tooltip player_id='1172366' first='Tyrone' last='Jennings'] White Knoll   One of the most talked about players coming out of the Carolinas Coaches Combines was Jennings, who showed solid speed, quickness and power against some of the state's best. It chased an effective freshman season in which he helped White Knoll to the Class 5A title game.    [player_tooltip player_id='1172361' first='Matthew' last='Ponkow'] Bishop England   Either Ponkow is going to grow more into the defensive end position he was asked to play most of last year or he's going to morph more into an off-line outside linebacker. Either way, he's going to be effective. He's got an excellent first step that allows him to start generating excellent straight-line speed.   [player_tooltip player_id='1036757' first='Peyton' last='Grant'] Crestwood   Grant has gotten bigger since we initially ranked him back in the fall. He's already got the size to navigate the high school landscape and one college recruiter already told us he believes he's got the frame to develop into a 310-pound college tackle.    [player_tooltip player_id='1271251' first='Jordan' last='Johnson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1271262' first='Alex' last='Tchoryk'] Philip Simmons    While the Iron Horses' offensive line is already known for its size, the defense is going to get rebranded thanks to Johnson and Tchoryk. Johnson last measured in at 6-foot-2 and 290 pounds, while Tchoryk, playing the edge, was 6-foot-4 and 200. That's a great combination and provides some flexibility in how the rest of the defense is lined up around them in the not-so-distant future.   OFFENSIVE LINE    [player_tooltip player_id='1036776' first='Israel' last='Harris'] James Island   Harris was introduced to the varsity level a few games into the 2023 season. Heading into 2024, he's going to be counted on to learn how to dominate one-on-one. The move to Class 5A didn't do the Trojans any favors, but his 315 pounds keeps James Island's run-based offense from last season moving in the right direction.   [player_tooltip player_id='1172352' first='Reed' last='Paolucci'] Blythewood   With all the experience Blythewood has on its lines, Paolucci forcing his way into the lineup was saying something. True, he's 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, so it's not like he's small, either. But what he's bringing to the table is a 77-inch reach and a way to find a leverage advantage.     [player_tooltip player_id='691267' first='CJ' last='Brooks'] Gaffney   The Prep RedZone national crew identified Brooks during his middle school days. And while his adjustment to high school football has been tempered some to get him acclimated to the Indians' schedule, he's done enough in limited action to back up the early hype.    [player_tooltip player_id='1172369' first='Wells' last='Lewis'] Cardinal Newman   A Cardinal Newman offense that put up just shy of 5,000 yards of offense last fall all started with Lewis handling the snapping duties. He makes up a lack of sheer size by being pretty shifty left and right off the snap. There's not a lot of defensive pressure up the middle.    [player_tooltip player_id='1271255' first='Hayden' last='Crockett'] Hilton Head (pictured)   Crockett has always been bigger, and while he's down to 285 now, it's important to remember how much work he put in to knock off some 45-50 pounds. It pushed him to a starting tackle spot for Hilton Head as a freshman and has us wondering what he can do in the next three years.   [player_tooltip player_id='1271261' first='Brayden' last='Everette'] Travelers Rest   Another starter at tackle as a freshman, Everette is still projecting at an interior lineman down the road. For now. But after watching his film, we can't also guess how much that could change with a couple of vertical inches to help him seal off the edge more than he already does.

Speed knows no age.