2024 5A 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 5A 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/2024/11/2024-5a-playoff-preview/">5A Playoff Preview RIGHT HERE.</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1366322' first='Braden' last='Ward'] - Junior Quarterback - Pryor</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Pryor Tigers could end up being a team to watch out for in the Class 5A playoffs as a dark horse. The Tigers have been solid all season and played in arguably the toughest district in Class 5A and finished second. Leading the way for the Tigers has been junior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1366322' first='Braden' last='Ward'] and he came into this season expecting to lead this Pryor offense to new heights this fall. The Tigers finished off the regular season with a 7-3 record and had a chance at the district championship in the final week of the regular season. If Ward and the Tigers can take care of Bishop Kelley in the first round on Friday, they'll face the winner of Newcastle-Noble and anything could happen. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1082649' first='Brad' last='Hoisington'] - Senior Quarterback - Claremore</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After a season to remember in 2023 where Claremore made a run to the 5A semifinals, we thought this season they might take a step back. Senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1082649' first='Brad' last='Hoisington'] stepped in and made sure that wouldn't happen. After moving over from Oologah, Hoisington became one of the better dual-threat quarterbacks in Class 5A this season. He is just as dangerous in the run game as he is in the pass game and he'll look to lead the Zebras to another deep playoff run this month. It will begin on the road against McAlester. And if they win that game, they'll more than likely be matched up with defending champion Carl Albert. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='353419' first='Caden' last='Davis'] - Senior Running Back/Linebacker - Carl Albert</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When it comes to picking one player from defending champion Carl Albert, it's a tough proposition. But we're going with senior [player_tooltip player_id='353419' first='Caden' last='Davis'] here because he leads a defensive unit that might be the very best in the state and he even helps out the Titans on offense and in special teams. But what gets him on this breakdown is the defense. Davis earned All State 1st Team honors as a sophomore and then again as a junior. This season, as crazy as it seems, he's elevated his game again. Not only is he one of the best linebackers in the state, he has this defense playing at all time heights. They've shut out seven of their opponents and given up just 26 points all season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='805093' first='Deetrick' last='Beavers'] - Senior Athlete - Shawnee</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Shawnee has a couple players that definitely fall under the "underrated" umbrella but we're putting the spotlight on [player_tooltip player_id='805093' first='Deetrick' last='Beavers'] for this breakdown. Beavers has been outstanding for Shawnee in the run game and it seems like every week he's rattling off 150-200 yards on the ground. Coming into this season, we knew Beavers as more of the traditional athlete where he could play a variety of positions. He's still doing just that but he has become very valuable to the Shawnee rushing attack. He's become an all purpose machine on the offensive side of the ball and Shawnee will need that this week. They open up their playoff journey on the road against Del City. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='858875' first='Jordan' last='Clark'] - Junior Running Back - McAlester</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McAlester has definitely had to deal with some potential off-the-field distractions but they've taken care of business on the field. A big reason behind that has been the breakout season from junior [player_tooltip player_id='858875' first='Jordan' last='Clark'] at the running back position. You saw flashes last year that Clark could be the next playmaker to come through the McAlester program at the running back position. But this season, he has doubled his production from a year ago and become a consistent playmaker in the Buffalo offense. McAlester's path to Edmond is a brutal one as they host Claremore in the first round and could have Carl Albert in the next round. But Clark is definitely a name to know moving forward. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='473952' first='Joseph' last='Graves'] - Sophomore Defensive Lineman - Booker T Washington</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's very possible that Booker T Washington sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='473952' first='Joseph' last='Graves'] is the most dominant defensive lineman in the Class 5A playoffs. Graves is so incredibly disruptive on the line of scrimmage and is a match-up nightmare for opponents. Looking at Graves on film and when we've seen him in person, if you go at him in a one on one situation, it usually ends up with two results. He beats you and gets into the backfield or you get called for holding. The Hornets have not one but two standout sophomores on the defensive line. But Graves is an absolute monster that can take over a game. He's a big reason the Hornets went from 2-8 last season to 8-2 this year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1045555' first='Joshua' last='Rushing'] - Junior Wide Receiver - Lawton MacArthur</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lawton MacArthur dropped two of their last three games but don't count them out on being a team that could make a run in the playoffs. The Highlanders are not lacking talent because they have multiple prospects committed to D1 programs. Junior wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1045555' first='Joshua' last='Rushing'] could be the best prospect on the team but more than that, he's an absolute weapon in this Lawton MacArthur offense. He's a wide receiver that can do so many things very well and has shown this season that he can do much more than run a go route and get by a defender. Now, he looks to take that playmaking ability with the Highlanders on the road in the first round against Guthrie. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='587262' first='Ricklan' last='B Holmes II'] - Junior Running Back/Linebacker - Del City</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Del City junior [player_tooltip player_id='587262' first='Ricklan' last='B Holmes II'] is on our short list for most improved player in Oklahoma this season. Last fall, we knew about Holmes and how he had a high ceiling but he was also on a team that had some legitimate star power in the senior class. This season, Holmes feels like that star and it looks like he's taken another step on the defensive side of the ball and he's even a playmaker on offense at the running back position. But what makes Holmes so special is his ability to be an extension of the coaching staff on the field on defense. It seems like he's always in the right place at the right time and has this Del City team looking like a serious state title contender. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1018641' first='Scott' last='Rigby'] - Junior Running Back - Collinsville</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Collinsville is not your typical four seed heading into the playoffs because this is a team that could go on a run this month. Junior running back [player_tooltip player_id='1018641' first='Scott' last='Rigby'] has been one of the more consistent running backs in Class 5A this season when he's on the field. But Rigby got banged up in September and had to sit out a game or two. When he's on the field, Rigby makes this Collinsville team a real threat in Class 5A. Rigby is another running back that seems like every time he steps on the field, he goes for 150 yards and three touchdowns. It's about as close to a guarantee as you'll find in 5A football. If he's healthy, look out for Rigby and the Cardinals this month. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='449184' first='TJ' last='Bradford'] - Junior Running Back - Newcastle</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We mentioned it in our Class 5A preview but Newcastle has made quite the splash in their first season in Class 5A. After starting 1-3, the Racers rallied to capture the district championship and they have a ton of momentum going into the playoffs. It seems like Class 5A is loaded with standout junior running backs and [player_tooltip player_id='449184' first='TJ' last='Bradford'] is another example of that. He burst onto the scene as a freshman and continued to roll last season. Now, Bradford has been banged up at various points this season but it looks like he's as close to 100 percent as you can be for November and should give the Racers a big boost on the offensive side of the ball. He's a game changer in this offense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->