Who’s Got Next? 15 Unranked Players We’re Watching Closely

We're the first to admit that our Spring rankings window didn't catch everyone.    Yes, we are going to miss out some players who should be in our list. But we're also willing to address the fact that some time we just need more, well, time. Evaluations aren't easy, and getting a complete picture of a player often requires another look.   Seven-month old film doesn't always cut it.   These 15 players are among those already on our radar. We're looking forward to seeing them at summer events, possibly speaking to them at the inaugural Prep RedZone Media Days series, watching them put on pads in August and then getting into their senior or junior seasons later that month.   Here's our next list.    RISING SENIORS   [player_tooltip player_id='929482' first='Kaden' last='Gore'] WR, North Myrtle Beach   Gore hauled in 41 passes as a junior, using them to amass 601 yards and nine touchdowns - both of which were tops for the Chiefs. He and quarterback Landon Cloninger have a great rapport, and their move to Class 5A could elevate both of their status.   [player_tooltip player_id='1359180' first='Hunter' last='Drawdy'] OL, Berkeley    Drawdy is surrounded by a boatload of younger players who grabbed the spotlight last fall. Yet, he's got about the same amount of experience after moving over from the defense. The Stags' center is vital to the offense's success and we're looking closely at the start of his “sophomore” campaign.   [player_tooltip player_id='1198530' first='Jaxon' last='King'] LB, Fort Dorchester    King really got our attention when he pushed up 22 reps on the bench during the Carolinas Coaches Combines. And considering his new coach's emphasis on the weight room, we think the results are starting to speak for themselves. We're ready to see him in pads.    [player_tooltip player_id='1359200' first='Carter' last='McCollum'] RB, Pickens   Some folks thought were were nuts by not including McCollum in late April. However, sometimes cuts need to be made because we can't rank everyone. If McCollum comes out of the gate like he finished last season, he'll have a number next to his name, guaranteed.    [player_tooltip player_id='875795' first='Hampton' last='O'Donald'] DL, West Ashley   Had the PRZ Combine Series happened two weeks earlier, O'Donald would already be ranked among the rest of the 2025. We'd only seen him in snippets prior. So when he earned positional MVP honors, we started getting him ready for August. We don't need to see much more.    Nydarion Blackwell QB, Marlboro County    Blackwell is one of those guys who escaped us over most of the last year. We've yet to see official numbers on him, and we haven't seen him live. However, what we've learned over the last few weeks tells us he's got a good chance to become one of our next quarterbacks in the system soon.    [player_tooltip player_id='1359112' first='Hunter' last='Taylor'] OL Greenville   Some of the big names at Greenville the last 12 months caught a lot of folks off guard. We're among them. Taylor has had a terrific last few months and picked up at least eight college offers (that we know of). Being 6-foot-5 and 285 pounds will have that effect.   [player_tooltip player_id='1359132' first='Jeremiah' last='Burson'] LB, Sumter   A transfer from Laurence Manning, Burson was part of the squad that played for the SCISA Class 4A crown last fall after putting up triple digit stops and a bunch of high-impact numbers behind the line. He then made the brief leap back over to SCHSL Class 5A Sumter. We had no choice but to his the pause after the transfer.   [player_tooltip player_id='1360106' first='Zay' last='Mathis'] DB, Hammond   We needed all of about 30 seconds of scouting the 6-foot, 155-pound corner to realize we missed the boat. Mathis is a top-level defensive back who is already assured of a chance to play at the next level, no questions asked. He's star is rising in a big, big way.    [player_tooltip player_id='1360071' first='Bobby' last='Patterson'] DB, West Florence   We wanted to give Patterson some room to breathe after he had 27 total tackles last fall. He's also 5-foot-8 and 171 pounds. But here's what perked up our ears: He ran a below-average 4.84 40 during the Carolinas Coaches Combine but still managed to get up to 21.7 miles per hour, presumably in the final yards of the sprint.    [player_tooltip player_id='994939' first='CJ' last='Earl'] WR, Newberry   Early was another transfer hold in a lot of ways after he made the leap from Class 5A runner-up White Knoll to Newberry. The 5-foot-11, 160-pound receiver has a skill set we've seen in person more than once and he could be an electric addition to this Bulldogs' offense.    Louvensky Auguste DL, Conway   The Tigers are very raw in many portions of this game. They've had some staff turnover top to bottom and are about to be in a region in which they'll be scrapping for everything they get. Auguste is the guy who the staff believes gets them back to the playoffs. We are ready for an in-person evaluation.    RISING JUNIORS   Aeden McCarthy QB, Bluffton   After he showed up the Coaches Combines and was verified at 6-foot-3 and 193 pounds, we can't wait to see his motion in pads. In his offense, something special might be brewing.    [player_tooltip player_id='568697' first='Stone' last='Furrey'] ATH, Gaffney   On the Gaffney defense, the linebackers tend to take center stage. But Furrey is coming on strong in advance of his junior year. He can prove it to us in a hurry.    [player_tooltip player_id='1394980' first='Chris' last='Coleman'] OL, Northwestern   Interior linemen who bend well and turn defenders even better don't grow on trees in the high school game. Coleman is 6-foot-1 and 255 pounds. Think he's on the cusp of earning a spot?

We're the first to admit that our Spring rankings window didn't catch everyone.