2026 Rankings Update: Stockrisers

We kick off our coverage of the Class of 2026 winter rankings update with a look at those players who spent the last four months convincing us that we hadn't done them justice.   In our defense, some of the following Stockrisers were coming off injury-shortened sophomore years or simply hadn't put it all together on the field quite yet.   That's no longer the case.    Because the more we watched this class of players from around South Carolina, the more we were convinced they've got the goods.   NEW TO THE TOP 10   The trenches were of vital importance for both Clinton and Camden all season, and no player on either roster was bigger t to the overall team theme than Red Devils offense tackle [player_tooltip player_id='1165753' first='Tre' last='Aiken'] (up seven spots to No. 5) or Camden defensive tackle [player_tooltip player_id='1267206' first='Dontrell' last='Wilson'] (up 13 spots to No. 9).   <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2024/12/2024-prz-fab-50-offense/">Aiken was a punishing run blocker</a> who spent 2024 manhandling opposing defensive linemen. Clinton ran for 4,703 yards - an average of 335 per game en route to the Class 2A title. If that wasn't enough, Aiken's role in protecting quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1012830' first='Tushawan' last='Richardson'] (1,201 yards, 15 touchdowns) was evident in the rare occurrences when this offense needed to throw the ball.   On the flip side, Wilson became the next big thing on a Bulldogs' defensive line that has produced top-flight player after top-flight player. He finished his junior year with 20 tackles for loss and, like Aiken, earned a spot on our <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2024/12/2024-prz-fab-50-defense-and-special-teams/">prestigious Fab 50 squad</a> following the season.     TRIPLE-DIGIT JUMPERS   Among the 200-plus players we already had ranked during our last cycle, four in particular made the biggest jumps of all.    <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='402485' first='Cameron' last='James']</td><td>TE/LS</td><td>Clover</td><td>Up 104 spots</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1267334' first='Kameron' last='Vance']</td><td>WR</td><td>Northwestern</td><td>Up 117 spots</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1395046' first='KD' last='Hainsworth']</td><td>WR</td><td>Mountain View Prep</td><td>Up 120 spots</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='402497' first='Kentavion' last='Anderson']</td><td>DB</td><td>Dorman</td><td>Up 131 spots</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>   James caught more passes (45) than any other player on the Clover roster this fall. He used those receptions to put up 457 yards and three touchdowns. He's a reliable pass catcher who can start anywhere from off tackle to the far side of the field. The fact that he's also one of the state's top long snappers doesn't hurt his cause.   Vance (pictured) quadrupled his production from his sophomore campaign, going off for 72 catches, 1,126 yards and 16 touchdowns. He will be getting fitted for a state championship run after his 11-catch, 164-yard, two-score performance against Irmo in the Class 5A, Division II title victory.    Hainsworth's rise was also done on the outside, where he caught 40 passes for 947 yards and 16 touchdowns. All of those figures led the upstart Mountain View program by a considerable margin. And since everyone knew he was the Stars' primary receiving threat and he did what he did anyway, his production value can't be undersold heading into Year 2.   Anderson's offer sheet continues to get a little bit longer every few weeks as colleges continue to see how dynamic the safety can be on a long-term level. He reads passes like a receiver, hits like a linebacker and comes off the edge with the pursuit capabilities of end. That flexibility will all come into play next fall.     OTHER MOVERS AND SHAKERS   We'd be remiss not to mention the 12 other players who made significant upward movement from the beginning of the season to the end. Each of these players improved their ranking, all by double digits.   [player_tooltip player_id='1025776' first='Raleigh' last='Salters'] LB, Dutch Fork; Up 16 spots - From the day after the state championship, Salters immediately became the new face of the Dutch Fork defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='1165144' first='Tony' last='O'Banner'] ATH, Thomas Heyward; Up 29 spots - Another year, another freakish stat line on both sides of the ball from the do-it-all junior.   [player_tooltip player_id='1220232' first='Christopher' last='Glover'] LB, Calhoun County; Up 32 spots - Despite some program struggles, Glover put up a 100-tackle season and made it look easy.   [player_tooltip player_id='1267311' first='Julian' last='Senn'] LB, Newberry; Up 33 spots - Senn's 93 tackles and 18 tackles for loss were accompanied by three blocked kicks/punts and two PBUs.   [player_tooltip player_id='1267229' first='Antonio' last='Brown'] LB, Myrtle Beach; Up 44 spots - Paired the defensive acumen we already knew he possessed with a bunch of wildcat touchdown production, too.   [player_tooltip player_id='1043170' first='Wynn' last='Meetze'] DB, Gilbert; Up 45 spots - For the second season in a row, the multi-functional safety finished with more than 100 total stops.    [player_tooltip player_id='1213961' first='Anthony' last='Atkins'] DB, Christ Church; Up 49 spots - As far as lockdown corners go, well, there's a reason few teams throw in his direction.    [player_tooltip player_id='1267285' first='JT' last='Williams'] LB, Summerville; Up 56 spots - Williams owned or tied for the team lead in forced fumbles, pass break-ups and defensive scores. Oh, and he had 96 total tackles.    [player_tooltip player_id='1395031' first='Caden' last='Muskus'] OL, Chapin; Up 56 spots - We're not sure what the Eagles' offense looks like without Muskus. Chapin won't have to worry about that component for another year.   [player_tooltip player_id='1267317' first='Daniel' last='Capehart'] LB, Dillon; Up 74 spots - Capehart is about to add some offensive duties to a role that already produced 92 tackles and some high-impact defensive plays.   [player_tooltip player_id='1267286' first='Amadre' last='Wooden'] RB, Batesburg-Leesville; Up 84 spots - The multi-sport standout put his best foot forward this fall, rushing for 2,138 yards and 26 touchdowns.    [player_tooltip player_id='1267290' first='Ethan' last='Offing'] QB, Dutch Fork; Up 86 spots - The fully healthy Offing erupted for 2,974 yards and 24 touchdowns passing and another 451 and eight on the ground.

We kick off our coverage of the Class of 2026 winter rankings update with a look at those players who spent the last four months convincing us that we hadn't done them justice.