Linebackers Swamping 2026 Rankings

A week ago, Prep RedZone South Carolina's 2026 rankings included 39 linebackers.   After Tuesday's update, the list jumped to 73.   It may be the most defining act for junior class following the 2024 football season - one in which previously unknown defenders stepped into their element in a big, big way. The position had this type of increase thanks to injury-related elevations, other making significant physical development, scheme changes and the downright grit needed to play linebacker at a high level.   Talent is abound. Let's break it all down. But first, here's a look at every linebacker now appearing in the Class of 2026 rankings.    BREAKING DOWN THE TOP 5   [player_tooltip player_id='1165076' first='Marcus' last='Henderson'] Berkeley   Henderson came into 2024 with a load of expectations, and he delivered. The Stags' junior finished the season with 122 total tackles, a figure bolstered by seven games where he had at least 10 stops. He was able to chip in some of the types of plays that changed the trajectory of a few contests, too. But hitting that 120 plateau for the second straight year was crucial.   [player_tooltip player_id='1165099' first='Darriyarn' last='Baxley'] Chester   Baxley in one work? Electric. On top of the 250ish tackles he's carrying into his senior year, he's also got 40 tackles for loss, four sacks, 12 quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a couple of interceptions. He's got plenty of help around him, and his ability to make some of those big-impact plays elevates him up the charts.    [player_tooltip player_id='816736' first='Terry' last='Gordon'] South Florence   Like the others in this section, Gordon isn't a creature of habit when it comes to his looks. We watched him line up everywhere within the triangle formed by the edges to the middle of the defense in 2024. He finished with 84 tackles and a team-high 13 tackles for loss while also forcing three fumbles in just 12 contests.    [player_tooltip player_id='1267200' first='Tamarion' last='Watkins'] Northwestern   The 6-foot-3, 195-pound hybrid is often lining up as a safety, so we get some of the confusion there. But make no mistake that his linebacker mentality is there whether he's in the middle or the back of the defense. Watkins appears to be a no-brainer Power 4 prospect who just earned himself a state championship ring.    [player_tooltip player_id='473010' first='Michael' last='Boulware'] Gray Collegiate   Boulware hung on to the top spot in our linebacker rankings despite having his season cut short of a would-be postseason. From one play to the next, Boulware can go from traditional middle linebacker to edge rusher. He can blitz up the middle or fall back into coverage. If he's on the field, he's going full throttle, and Boulware is a legitimate threat to bust up any opposing play.     10 LINEBACKERS POISED TO SHINE   [player_tooltip player_id='454066' first='Malquan' last='Pimentel'] Fort Dorchester   There's a reason we didn't drop Pimentel (pictured) much in the rankings after he put up a mere 22 tackles in 10 games last fall. And that's because he was being a team player and sacrificing defensive playing time in order to line up a bunch at receiver due to need there. Next season, he's going to be an every down linebacker again. It will make Fort Dorchester's defense that much better, and his numbers should reflect the type of defensive standout we already know him to be.   [player_tooltip player_id='876560' first='Tymaries' last='Thompson-DuRant'] Sumter   Thompson-DuRant was often overshadowed by [player_tooltip player_id='1359132' first='Jeremiah' last='Burson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='595702' first='Anthony' last='Addison'] on this defense in 2024. He's more than ready to step into the light as one of the leaders in 2025. He enters his senior with 146 career tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and three forced fumbles. He can move around a ton to different starting spots, and that makes him even more dangerous.    [player_tooltip player_id='1592462' first='Willie' last='Kennedy'] South Florence   As a sophomore, Kennedy appeared in just four varsity games and finished with five tackles. As a junior, his production couldn't have looked much different. Kennedy had 110 total tackles in 13 games. The combination of him and teammate [player_tooltip player_id='816736' first='Terry' last='Gordon'] both having one more season of eligibility together should help South Florence stay in the Class 4A conversation for the fourth straight year.   [player_tooltip player_id='1592625' first='Dequan' last='Evans'] South Pointe   South Pointe's defense is looking to be bringing back a stout unit as a whole, and it's in large part to everyone knowing their role and playing it to near perfection. Evans' job is make stops, something he did 95 times as a junior. He had a huge part in shutting down Greer in the second round (10 solo tackles).    [player_tooltip player_id='1592362' first='Josue' last='Esiki'] White Knoll   Those paying attention to White Knoll's 2023 remember Lincoln Illunga doing a ton of damage. Well, Esiki, Illunga's younger brother, made the leap from the JV ranks in 2023 to finish second on the team with 114 tackles. He added 6.5 tackles for loss, picked off two passes and blocked a punt. More importantly, he missed just seven tackles all year (yes, White Knoll keeps that stat, too).   [player_tooltip player_id='1592547' first='Brody' last='Tonon'] Philip Simmons    Tonon is a blue-collar football player that any coach would love. He grinds out a lot of short-yardage offensive situations as a full back (224 yards, four touchdowns). But what he did on defense as a junior was special. In a year in which the Iron Horses were replacing a lot of talent, Tonon had 126 tackles. In the second-round playoff win over Kingstree alone, he had 25 stops. Seriously.    [player_tooltip player_id='1592567' first='Bradley' last='Lucas'] & [player_tooltip player_id='1592587' first='CJ' last='Williams'] Greenville    The Red Raiders had a bit of an adjustment back to the state's largest class. And eight of the team's nine losses came by multiple scores. Consider that acclimation period over, and Greenville has come out of it with Lucas and Williams raring to go. They combined for 221 total tackles and 13 tackles for loss. Clearly, the two are feeding off each other, and we can't wait to see the next steps they take together as seniors.    [player_tooltip player_id='1372151' first='Jakyri' last='Anderson'] Belton-Honea Path   The loss of [player_tooltip player_id='1249760' first='Tye' last='Kelly'] to the college ranks won't be an easy pill for the Bears to stomach. That is, unless Anderson takes over the linebacking throne like we believe he will. Anderson was third on the team in tackles (66) and sacks (four), fourth in tackles for loss (nine) and picked off a pair of passes, one of which he took back to the house in the third round of the playoffs.     FIVE DARK HORSE PLAYERS TO WATCH   [player_tooltip player_id='1592573' first='Hunter' last='Alex'] Bishop England   With [player_tooltip player_id='1253903' first='Fletcher' last='Ethington-Carl'] wrapping up his career, in steps Alex. And he's not coming empty handed. During his understudy year, the 5-foot-10, 170-pound defensive hybrid averaged just shy of 10 tackles per game and had 12 tackles for loss. He's about to get a bunch more chances to freelance his way into plays.    [player_tooltip player_id='1241751' first='Matthew' last='Payes'] Wando   The Warriors defense is turning over, and not just a little. Seven of the top 10 defenders from this fall are out of eligibility. Payes (86 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries) instantly becomes the guy of the bunch returning. The 6-foot-1, 200 pounder is more than capable of taking on the task, and his numbers should rise dramatically.   [player_tooltip player_id='1592621' first='Jordan' last='Hood'] Woodruff   Folks are probably paying a bit more to [player_tooltip player_id='1592408' first='Shaun' last='Graybill'] - Hood's positionmate who was also ranked for the first time this week. But we see the two of them rising together as seniors and making a pretty good defense that much better. Hood finished 2024 with 96 stops and 12 tackles for loss. He also forced a fumble and recovered a couple more.    [player_tooltip player_id='1592561' first='Preston' last='Rhodes'] Lugoff-Elgin   It feels longer, but Leon Boulware has only bee the head coach at Lugoff-Elgin for 10-plus months, and his staff was put in place even sooner. In Rhodes, the new staff found a ready-made linebacker who would go on to lead the Demons with 116 tackles. Another few months together should prove beneficial for both player and staff alike.   [player_tooltip player_id='1592570' first='Kobe' last='Preston'] Easley   Few, if any, people probably thought Preston was going to have a 115-tackle season after he finished his sophomore campaign with 39 stops. Still, he burst out of the gate and finished with double-digit tackles in four of the Green Wave's first five games. Now, Easley has an offseason to build around him, and it will be doing so with seven other juniors who played big-time minutes in 2024. That all adds up nicely for Preston.

A week ago, Prep RedZone South Carolina's 2026 rankings included 39 linebackers.