Player Rankings Historical Best: No. 5 (tie) Greenville

Jed Blackwell June 22, 2024 @ 06:00 PM

This is the third in a series of articles detailing the six schools at the top of the South Carolina rankings process. <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2024/06/the-process-six-schools-emerge-at-the-top-of-our-ranking-system/">You can read an overview of those schools here.</a>   There was a bit of a shift in power in the 4A classification in the Upstate over the past several years. Greenville High made a return to prominence, particular under the leadership of Greg Porter. The Red Raiders seemed to always be in the discussion of the top teams in the area, and were usually in the mix at the end.   Here's a look at some of the guys who made a huge impact, both for the Red Raiders and in our rankings, and who helped propel Greenville into our all-time Top Five for ranked players.   Strength Up Front   The Red Raiders have placed a ton of players in the rankings from up front on both sides of the ball. Collin Sadler (who has seen five starts at Clemson) was ranked No. 4 in 2022, while Blake Franks (who is entering his freshman season at South Carolina was No. 25 in the 2024 class. Throw in OL Justin Jackson (33rd in 2022), TE Joshua Sapp (No. 34 in 2022), and DL standouts Jayden Wilson-Abrams and Bruce Knauber (16th and 56th, respectively, in 2024), and it's easy to see why the Red Raiders have been dominant on the lines.   Strong QB Play   At one point, five QBs who were or are currently in the rankings suited up for Greenville High. Three transferred, as Riley Staton finished up at Gaffney, [player_tooltip player_id='421471' first='Jordan' last='Sink'] will be a senior at Woodmont, and [player_tooltip player_id='349806' first='Bryson' last='Drummond'] will play his senior season at Mountain View Prep. Those guys don't even count toward Greenville's total, but they give you a picture of how deep the talent pool is there. The two who do count were spectacular. Andre Goodman was ranked No. 20 in 2021, and that was on the back of an 1,100-yard season in 2019 in which he also played receiver. Goodman was injured in the last game of 2019 and didn't take the field in the Covid-shortened 2020 season. Prometheus Franklin II (No. 38 in 2022) split time with Goodman in 2019, started in 2020, and led the Red Raiders in 2021. He threw for more than 5,500 yards and 56 TDs for Greenville, including nearly 3,500 and 36 in 2021. He's now playing at South Carolina State.   Big-Play Guys   Greenville has also turned out some of the most versatile guys in our rankings, along with some of the most talented. Goodman played a bunch of positions well. Khalique Holland (No. 29 in 2022) was ranked as a running back, but did much more for the Red Raiders. Tyler Brown (No. 18 in 2023) was a highly-regarded WR who's now shining at Clemson. And in the 2024 Class, a pair of players ranked at ATH helped lead the way for Greenville. Carmello Canty found his niche as a lockdown DB, while Mazeo Bennett (ranked No. 8) was nearly impossible to classify and put the Red Raiders on his back on more than one occasion.   Looking Forward   The Red Raiders have three players currently ranked, all in the 2025 Class. [player_tooltip player_id='1254140' first='Kylar' last='Zimmerman'] (No. 280) led Greenville in rushing last year with eight yards per carry, and looks to take on an even bigger role this season. [player_tooltip player_id='809748' first='Jair' last='Simmons'] (No. 122) is the latest standout in the Red Raiders' defensive line tradition, accounting for 39 tackles last season. And [player_tooltip player_id='390438' first='Ramani' last='Bruton'] is the highest-ranked current player for Greenville at No. 22. He's got 11 interceptions in the last two season, and is able to effectively take away half the field for the Red Raiders.

This is the third in a series of articles detailing the six schools at the top of the South Carolina rankings process. You can read an overview of those schools here.