CCC Spartanburg: Ten 2026 Players To Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There was talent all over the field at the senior session of the Carolinas Coaches Combine at Spartanburg on Sunday. Here's a look at 10 guys who will jump out at you this season - some you know already, and some you'll be hearing more about very soon.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Amari Verner</strong> RB, Seneca</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Verner's physical style of play is well beyond his size, and he turned in some good numbers in the combine portion, with a sub-4.7 40, a 108-inch broad jump, and eight reps on the bench at 185, which is almost 30 pounds north of his body weight. Verner's game is evident on the field, and on Sunday he showed flashes of that explosiveness in drills as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1639783' first='Altavis' last='Evans'] RB, Ware Shoals</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Evans is another kind of slight, kind of shifty back who looks like a nice player. Then you discover that he's headed into his second year of football. Given that, Evans' upside is tremendous, as he will look for an increase on his near-1,100 yard total offense and 46 tackle campaign from last season. Evans served notice on Sunday that he's a senior to watch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Thomas Chandler</strong> TE/H, Greenwood</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Chandler showed a ton of skill on Sunday, particularly in individual drills. He's got good hands, he's quick and physical when he's pulling, and he puts himself in a great position when he's a lead-blocker. He runs good routes, and he's a matchup problem particularly against smaller defensive backs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1579733' first='Walker' last='Kelley'] TE, T.L Hanna</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another standout TE, Kelley has the size at a little over 6-foot-4 and 226 pounds. He runs a 4.8 40. He knocked out 14 reps at 185 and had a 110-inch broad jump. So, a little recap: he's big, strong, fast, and explosive, with good hands and great technique. When you hear "this guy plays TE in a wing/option-based offense" you get a certain picture in your mind. That picture should look like [player_tooltip player_id='1579733' first='Walker' last='Kelley'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1639712' first='Triston' last='Lewis'] QB, Greenwood</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lewis made his mark on the senior session by winning the Leadership award, but he did a lot more than that. He throws a great ball with a quick release and good accuracy, and he delivered all over the field to a bunch of different guys. He also showed good numbers in the combine: his size and speed were expected, but his 23 reps on the bench put him in LB territory, and his broad jump and vertical show just how athletic he can be.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1757028' first='Dallas' last='Williams']</strong> OL, Greer</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Williams is another in a line of talented Greer OL. He was tough to deal with in individual drills, with quick feet and the ability to anticipate what the DL he was matched up against was trying to do. His measurables were good, but Williams is a player who's always going to look better on the field than on paper. Whatever that intangible "it" is for an OL, Williams has got it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='797155' first='Justice' last='Hopkins'] DL, Byrnes</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hopkins continues to impress, and Sunday's morning session was no exception. He looked nearly unblockable at times, showcasing several pass rush moves but often just using his speed and power to overwhelm blockers with a straight bull-rush. Byrnes has a bunch of guys on defense who are seeing their stock improve in the offseason, and Hopkins is high on that list.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1734457' first='Brendon' last='Carson']</strong> DL, Spartanburg</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Carson (pictured) had a great day on his home field, taking home Top DL honors. He's a 300-pounder who can truly anchor a defensive line, with good speed and plenty of power. He consistently won one-on-one matchups in individual drills, and posted good combine numbers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1515761' first='Jalin' last='Collins'] DB, Strom Thurmond</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Collins announced his presence by winning the Defensive Skill award for the morning session. He ran a good 40 and an even better Pro Shuttle, but he really showed his skills in individual drills. He's got the twitchiness you're looking for in a DB, and he was excellent in coverage, with a nearly 6-foot and 160-pound frame and long arms allowing him to be physical, with plenty of speed to make up ground.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1592632' first='Da'Shan' last='Scriven'] DB, Crestwood</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Scriven made plays all over the field in the competition segment, breaking up a couple of passes and shutting down more chances. He made great adjustments to the ball in the air, and had one chance at an interception that ended up a PBU.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->