2024 3A Players To Watch (Playoff Edition)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Get 25% Off Your Subscription By Entering Knight25 In The Coupon Code Area. Enjoy!</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2024 regular season has come to an end and now the road to UCO really heats up as the playoffs begin. Prep Redzone Oklahoma will be your home for the absolute best playoff coverage in the state. Every single day, we'll have new content up on the site to get you ready for what's ahead. We continue our playoff preview coverage with an in-depth look at Class 3A and the players to watch. In this breakdown, we spotlight ten players that will have significant impacts on the playoffs over the next four weeks. You can check out our <strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2024/11/2024-3a-playoff-preview/">3A Playoff Preview RIGHT HERE.</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1083187' first='Barrett' last='Mullen'] - Junior Quarterback - Cascia Hall</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cascia Hall junior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1083187' first='Barrett' last='Mullen'] enjoyed a breakout season in 2023 as a sophomore and he's elevated his game even more this season. Mullen is one of the top passers in the state, regardless of class and he's helped guide Cascia Hall to another district championship and they are in a position to go on a run that we haven't seen from this program in a few years. And the thing that puts Mullen into this category is not only his skillset but the guys around him. Cascia Hall has a really solid group of skill guys so it makes Mullen's job a little easier. They'll open up the postseason against Checotah on Friday night. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='434307' first='Barrett' last='Travis'] - Senior Running Back - Heritage Hall</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We've written this a few times but just in case you're new here, all Heritage Hall running back [player_tooltip player_id='434307' first='Barrett' last='Travis'] needed was an opportunity. You could see flashes over the last two seasons that he had the talent to be the marquee option in the backfield. In 2022, he was behind a senior for the starting running back spot. In 2023, he shared the backfield with the best player in the state. This season, Travis has been that marquee guy and he has more than answered the call. Travis has emerged as one of the top running backs in Class 3A and has Heritage Hall right back in a position to contend for the state championship. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1056544' first='Braiton' last='Applegate'] - Senior Running Back/Linebacker - Perkins-Tryon</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We have Perkins-Tryon senior [player_tooltip player_id='1056544' first='Braiton' last='Applegate'] listed on this breakdown as a running back and a linebacker but if we're being honest, he's on this breakdown for what he does on the defensive side of the ball. His defensive numbers are off the charts this season. He's also been productive on offense but based on the numbers, he's one of the best defenders in Class 3A this season. He leads the team in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks and he leads the Demons by a wide margin. Perkins-Tryon will host a Pauls Valley team that has a strong rushing attack. If Applegate dominates again, look for them to make a run. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='353410' first='Caden' last='Knighten'] - Senior Running Back - Pauls Valley</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pauls Valley senior and Baylor commit [player_tooltip player_id='353410' first='Caden' last='Knighten'] is arguably the best running back in Oklahoma. We've thought that since his sophomore season and while he had to sit out last year with a leg injury, he's more than made up for the lost time this fall. As soon as he was healthy, he returned to his spot as one of the top guys at his position and he has Pauls Valley back into the playoffs and looking like a team to look out for. Knighten is a player that can break a game open at any point and the Panthers will need him to be that playmaker because the playoff path is a tough one. They open up at Perkins-Tryon on Friday. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='917724' first='Darien' last='Dansby'] - Senior Running Back - Bristow</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bristow has made a run back to the playoffs and they could definitely fit the "dark horse" category and be a team that goes on a run. Senior running back [player_tooltip player_id='917724' first='Darien' last='Dansby'] has been a name to watch from this Bristow program for a few years now and he's done an excellent job this season. He's been one of the top running backs in Class 3A and as you see on this breakdown, this is a class that's absolutely loaded at that position. Dansby has not only produced at a high level this season but it's felt like he's saved some of his best performances for the biggest games. Bristow will need that again this week at Plainview. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='353415' first='Elijah' last='Thomas'] - Senior Wide Receiver/Defensive Back - Checotah</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Checotah senior and Oklahoma commit [player_tooltip player_id='353415' first='Elijah' last='Thomas'] has a great argument for being the best overall prospect in the state's 2025 class and he definitely enters the playoffs as the top overall prospect in Class 3A. Thomas is an absolute monster to deal with and that's in all three phases of the game. Opponents have to worry about Thomas on offense, defense and special teams. Thomas has scored 18 receiving touchdowns and he's also added eight touchdowns on the ground. The Oklahoma commit is completely dynamic on the offensive side of the ball. Thomas and Checotah will look to stun Cascia Hall on Friday night. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='353413' first='Justus' last='Gilliam'] - Senior Offensive/Defensive Lineman - Sulphur</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sulphur offensive and defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='353413' first='Justus' last='Gilliam'] is the perfect example of an Oklahoma prospect that if he had a few more inches, he'd be one of the most recruited guys at his position. Based on his skills and talent alone, he's one of the best guys on the line of scrimmage in Oklahoma. We don't care what his height is, we've seen him in person and on film absolutely wreck shop on the line of scrimmage and he's a guy that's going to make a college program better. But for this breakdown, we're talking playoffs and he leads a very veteran Sulphur lineup into the postseason, looking to make a run. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='867298' first='Mason' last='Torres'] - Senior Linebacker - Lincoln Christian</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defending champion Lincoln Christian is the team to beat heading into the playoffs and they are also the toughest team to pick just one player to watch in the postseason. Maybe that's what makes them the team to beat because they are the ultimate team this season. But we're giving the nod to senior linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='867298' first='Mason' last='Torres'] because there are few players who got off to a hotter start than Torres this season. The senior is leading the Bulldogs in tackles this fall and leads a defense that is one of the best overall units in the state, regardless of class. He also leads the team in interceptions and you don't see that very often from a linebacker. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='479389' first='Matrail' last='Lopez'] - Senior Wide Receiver/Defensive Back - Idabel</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Idabel senior and Oklahoma State commit [player_tooltip player_id='479389' first='Matrail' last='Lopez'] is in a similar position to Thomas at Checotah. When Lopez is on the field, he's arguably the best player on that field, no matter who the opponent is. Offensively, Lopez has been outstanding as a wide receiver but don't forget about what he can do in the run game. Defensively, Lopez is a ball hawk in the secondary and is routinely in the right place at the right time and he's a threat in special teams. Idabel opens the playoffs at home against Claremore Sequoyah and we like their path to make a run because they'll have one of the best players in the 3A playoffs with the OSU commit. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='288687' first='Shepherd' last='Sisemore'] - Senior Wide Receiver/Defensive Back - Plainview</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Plainview senior standout [player_tooltip player_id='288687' first='Shepherd' last='Sisemore'] has been one of our favorite "under the radar" athletes in Class 3A for a while now. Sisemore has been a dude to watch since his sophomore season and he's continued to elevate his game every single season. Sisemore has stood out on both sides of the ball but it looks like his future will end up being on the defensive side of the ball in the secondary. Earlier this season, Sisemore made an interception in the end zone that sealed a massive win over Pauls Valley in overtime. He's proven to be a guy that can make the big play at the most important time in the game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->