2025 Rankings Update: Stock Risers

The rankings portion of our site is a constant work in process.   The evaluations don't stop because in our day and age football doesn't, either.    As such, our third rankings update since the last meaningful games were played last December needed to be a reflection of the further inspection of last year, players' roles on teams, their bodies of work throughout the offseason and, yes, even their recruiting outlooks.    Change is inevitable, and that goes for our rankings, too.    NEW TO THE TOP 10   A pair of Power 4 verbal commitments got to the point they did by turning the offseason into reason to believe they're among the very best players in the state. Blackville-Hilda's [player_tooltip player_id='605527' first='Jaquel' last='Holman'] (up 54 spots to No. 8 overall) and Rock Hill receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1012834' first='Malik' last='Clark'] (up 10 spots to No. 9 overall) made headlines by pledging to South Carolina and Florida State, respectively, this summer.   However, for us, their rise up our rankings felt right after they clocked some high-level times in Catapult vests during the Carolinas Coaches Combines. Holman hit 22.62 miles per hour during the event after measuring in at a shade over 6-foot-1 and 193 pounds (he's since made it up to 6-foot-2). The time equated to the Woodland session's fastest 40 (4.45).    Clark followed it up a couple weeks later at the York session by hitting an eye-popping 23.26 miles per hour during a 4.35 40-yard dash.    Both players had NCAA Division-I offers before those combine showings. Each of them, though, pulled ones from the schools they eventually committed to after the fact.    KICKING IT UP A NOTCH   James Island kicker [player_tooltip player_id='605521' first='Gray' last='Dangerfield'] and his huge right leg are going to be even more vital to the Trojans' hopes now that they've bumped up to Class 5A. Last season, he put 82 percent of his kickoffs into the end zone. He also has range north of 50 yards on field goals. Add in that he's a more than serviceable punter about to take on that role and his value increases even more.   The Trojans lost a ton of their offense and bring back most of their big pieces on defense. It makes the field position game even bigger. Dangerfield is a master at making the most of it. That's why we moved him up 17 spot to No. 21 overall.   FROM UNRANKED TO TOP 100    Overall, we had three players jump from the realm of unranked directly into our top 100 overall. Greenville offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1359112' first='Hunter' last='Taylor'] leads that charge, as he appears in our rankings for the first time at No. 57 overall. The big tackle is going to be counted upon to help the Red Raiders navigate Class 5A football amid significant roster turnover.   Lakewood defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='1359126' first='Tyler' last='Washington-Broomfield'] appears to be our biggest find of the last three months. Depending on who you ask, the tall safety we ranked at No. 83 overall projects at three or four different defensive positions at the next level.   Marlboro County's [player_tooltip player_id='1159887' first='Jakarrion' last='Kenan'] is no stranger to football fans in North Carolina. He had north of 20 college offers by mid-May after everything he'd accomplished at Clinton (N.C.) and verbally committed to Rutgers in June. He's automatically one of the best defensive backs in South Carolina, too, and we introduced him at No. 95 overall.    OTHER MOVERS AND SHAKERS   Up and down the top 150 in the Class of 2025, players who were previously ranked have made significant upward climbs.    In many cases, these were players we initially included in our spring update but had more time to evaluate further. Mix those in with players who had fantastic offseasons.   The coming months should be a reflection of all that for these 15.    [player_tooltip player_id='1249778' first='Jordan' last='Joe'] DB, North Central - No. 93 (Up 11 spots)   [player_tooltip player_id='1012698' first='Hendrix' last='Beran'] DL, James Island - No. 96 (up 13 spots)   [player_tooltip player_id='1012606' first='Elgin' last='Sessions'] DB, Dutch Fork (pictured) - No. 22 (Up 14 spots)   [player_tooltip player_id='1012707' first='Lincoln' last='Huskey'] QB, Boiling Springs - No. 103 (Up 14 spots)   [player_tooltip player_id='1013073' first='Jaquavious' last='Dodd'] DL, Eastside - No. 42 (Up 18 spots)   [player_tooltip player_id='1157893' first='Jordan' last='Crim'] DB, Camden - No. 47 (Up 23 spots)    [player_tooltip player_id='1157761' first='Mason' last='Picket-Hicks'] RB, South Pointe - No. 78 (Up 23 spots)   [player_tooltip player_id='1249777' first='Omarion' last='Davis'] ATH, Indian Land - No. 76 (Up 24 spots)   [player_tooltip player_id='1157945' first='Spencer' last='Conn'] LB, Daniel - No. 112 (Up 41 spots)   [player_tooltip player_id='1249788' first='Connor' last='Gooding'] TE, Gilbert - No. 76 (Up 55 spots)   [player_tooltip player_id='1158021' first='Kevin' last='Boone'] WR, Berkeley - No. 98 (Up 56 spots)   [player_tooltip player_id='867240' first='Silas' last='Parish'] LB, Walhalla - No. 150 (Up 71 spots)   [player_tooltip player_id='1249802' first='Damarcus' last='Leach'] DB, Abbeville - No. 55 (Up 78 spots)   [player_tooltip player_id='1254122' first='Jamarcus' last='Smith'] WR, Gaffney - No. 147 (Up 126 spots)   [player_tooltip player_id='1254200' first='Freddie' last='Gillens'] DB, Cardinal Newman - No. 105 (Up 184 spots)

The rankings portion of our site is a constant work in process.