2025 Rankings Update: Emerging Defensive Names

Our latest rankings update for the Class of 2025 includes 118 new faces.   The list runs the gamut: Offseason warriors; a small influx of transfers who are in better situations or moved in-state; reliable backups jumping to focal point status; and, yes, some dudes we've just missed to this point.   It all comes together in another massive rankings pcowerload for Prep RedZone South Carolina.   When it comes to these 20 defensive adds, we're seeing a path a built-in path to success for their senior seasons.   [player_tooltip player_id='732833' first='Louvensky' last='Auguste'] DL/OL, Conway - When Auguste moved to the area from Connecticut prior to his junior year, coach Josh Pierce thought he had a dude on his hands. Now, after Auguste has gone bonkers in the weight room and had a great offseason, Pierce is downright ecstatic about the possibilities from his two-way lineman.    [player_tooltip player_id='1359132' first='Jeremiah' last='Burson'] LB, Sumter - Burson had almost all of the offseason to adjust to his new digs after transferring from Laurence Manning. He had 105 tackles as a junior and helped his old squad to a state championship game. Now, he steps up to join the big boys at Sumter.   [player_tooltip player_id='1360008' first='Avery' last='Butler'] DL, Seneca - The Bobcats ran into a little bit of a buzz saw in the second half of 2023. But in Butler, Seneca has a senior who finished last fall with 46 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 17 quarterback hurries. His teammates will feed off his leadership.   [player_tooltip player_id='1360393' first='Ty'Keylan' last='Campbell'] DB, Blue Ridge - We recognize no one outside the Blue Ridge inner circle is expecting much from this crew this year. We also know guys like Campbell are forming a huge group of upperclassmen who could surprise a few folks over the next 12 weeks.   [player_tooltip player_id='1316823' first='Dru' last='Darby'] LB, Dorman - Darby is a verified 6-foot-1, 200-pound middle linebacker with a huge wingspan that helps him make up for a lack of true “speed”. But look at his film and you're never going to call him slow. Darby could have a big final season at Dorman.    [player_tooltip player_id='1360396' first='Davon' last='Evans'] DB, Whale Branch - Want to feel comfortable about rooting for a little guy? Do so with one who openly admits he's 5-foot-5 and 148 pounds and then went out there and put up 51 tackles, six tackles for loss, three fumble recoveries and a forced fumble as a junior. Evans is certainly pulling his own weight and then some.   [player_tooltip player_id='1362481' first='Kelik' last='Harris'] DL, Gaffney - Harris buried arguably his best highlight of the 2023 season behind a couple of others on his real (below). Because while the 6-foot-3, 265-pound tackle is obviously strong, the burst he shows on clip No. 3 - when he busts up a run with a crazy read off the snap - is what makes him special.    [player_tooltip player_id='1359157' first='Jabarius' last='Johnson'] LB, Blackville-Hilda - As a junior on a team everyone was playing wait-and-see on, Johnson had 102 total tackles and was playing in the shadow of a couple others. This year, he steps out of it and helps the Hawks win even more games.   [player_tooltip player_id='1159887' first='Jakarrion' last='Kenan'] DB, Marlboro County - Kenan is committed to Rutgers and has never played a snap of live varsity action in South Carolina. He's used to winning and his coverage skills should help his new team turn around last year's 3-7 finish.   [player_tooltip player_id='1188517' first='Matthew' last='Kerby'] LB, Aynor - The next Aynor go-to guy is Kerby, who is going to share the starting outside backer spot and starting tailback spot with himself. He averaged five yards a carry for an offense that looks for three. On defense, he can shake things up even more.     [player_tooltip player_id='1360401' first='Amari' last='Lewis'] ATH, Airport - Formerly the team's tailback, Lewis is going to make the move to the defensive backfield and start at safety. We've already seen the athletic ability in person. If even half of it converts to the other side of the ball, he could have a really nice season for the budding Eagles.   [player_tooltip player_id='836316' first='Matthew' last='McAulay'] LB, Lexington - Wildcats coach Dustin Curtis isn't going to call McAualay a linebacker because he does so much more. The senior will play on offense and special teams. When it comes to defense, though, here's a heart-and-soul middle linebacker.    [player_tooltip player_id='1359146' first='Isaiah' last='McCoy'] DL, Greer - McCoy's 49 tackles, five tackles for loss, four sacks and five quarterback hurries as a junior were important. How much room he took up in the middle and how many offensive linemen he engaged was bigger. It did and will continue to allow the rest of the Greer defense to excel.   [player_tooltip player_id='1359220' first='Antwain' last='Mitchell'] DL, Hanahan - Mitchell is a jack-of-all-trades defensive lineman who doesn't require much more of a label. He's a nose guard one play and an end the next. We're starting to think he kind of likes it that way. He'll take on tandems and huge tackles alike.    [player_tooltip player_id='1360035' first='Tanner' last='Short'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1360369' first='Gavin' last='Stam'] LBs, Chapin - Watch out for the Eagles' progress the first five weeks of the season. They're going to get a lot of different opposing offensive looks. What Stam and Short do in that first half of the regular season could dictate the rest of the way. They combined for 190 total tackles and 37 tackles for loss last year. Together, they're a force. Speaking of…   [player_tooltip player_id='1359229' first='Trequan' last='Singleton'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1359251' first='Zeb' last='Taylor'] DL, Gray Collegiate - Taylor and Singleton are going to be on the sidelines as Gray's offense plays against some of the best defensive linemen in the state (and beyond). They have the ability to stand toe-to-toe in production value because of what they can do from their interior-exterior approach.    [player_tooltip player_id='1359137' first='Yasir' last='Smith'] DL, Summerville - Smith is 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds. He's got an 81-inch wingspan. It's still possibly he'll see some time at tight end, where he was primarily stationed before. But the conversion to defensive end, along with his physical gifts, is already starting to show some serious long-term potential for him.   [player_tooltip player_id='1359140' first='Johnathan' last='Tobias'] DB, York - The Cougars have already plugged Tobias back into receiver (where he also played as a sophomore) this preseason. He's got some strong catch-and-run moves to help York. His bigger influence remains on defense, where he's had 167 total tackles over the last two seasons.    [player_tooltip player_id='1359126' first='Tyler' last='Washington-Broomfield'] DB, Lakewood (pictured) - The Gators going 2-8 and missing the playoffs a season ago didn't do the safety any favors, necessarily. But with a step up to Class 4A and a different look from some new opponents there, we think Washington-Broomfield is set to become one of the bigger names in this class.

Our latest rankings update for the Class of 2025 includes 118 new faces.