CCC West Florence: 2027/2028 Offensive And Defensive Standouts

WEST FLORENCE | It was the young guys turn Sunday afternoon at the Carolina Coaches Combine at West Florence, and they didn't disappoint. Guys not only were gauged on their measurables, but they also were able to compete in one-on-one individual drills.   The Class of 2027 and 2028 players showed well on a rather warm muggy afternoon.   Here are some of our takeaways on the guys that garnered our attention.   OFFENSIVE STANDOUTS   [player_tooltip player_id='1467823' first='Jayden' last='Martin'] WR, Crestwood   The 5-foot-10, 158-pound rising sophomore did a little bit of everything for the Knights last season – quarterback, receiver and some defensive back. His future might be at receiver and he showed great skills in the individual drills as well as posting decent combine numbers across the board. He was clocked at 4.7 in the 40 with a 4.47 Pro Shuttle and a 106 broad jump and 32.9 vertical.   [player_tooltip player_id='1271257' first='Nick' last='Gordon'] WR, Cheraw   Gordon is on the smaller side at 5-foot-8 148 pounds, but he showed the ability to go up and get the ball in individual drills. His straight-line speed was one of the better at the Combine at 4.51 and he added a 4.69 in the Pro Shuttle, 108 broad jump and 34.1 vertical. Those skills were evident last season when he was the Braves leading receiver with 39 receptions for 591 yards and six TDs in a run-based offense.     Reo Stevenson WR, North Myrtle Beach   Needless to say, wide receiver was one of the most talented groups on the field Sunday afternoon. Stevenson was another diminutive receiver at 5-foot-7, 144 pounds but that doesn't tell the story of the shake he showed with a 4.31 Pro Shuttle, 4.77 40-yard dash and 110 broad jump. What maybe stood out most is that he bench pressed 185 pounds six times. He got off press coverage a few times and made several catches against tight coverage.     [player_tooltip player_id='1672851' first='Ziggy' last='Offord'] WR, Lakewood   Offord showcased great hands and separation ability in individual drills. The rising sophomore checked in at an impressive 6-foot-1 167 pounds and shined in the Combine portion of the event as well as the passing drills. He ran a 4.62 40-yard dash and a 4.43 Pro Shuttle, and those numbers showed when he was able to pull away from defensive backs with precise route running.   [player_tooltip player_id='1321038' first='Justyn' last='Joint'] RB, Cheraw   Joint capped off a sophomore season with 618 rushing yards and nine touchdowns but he should be the No. 1 back in Cheraw's offense in 2025. He's got a solid frame at nearly 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds. His Pro Shuttle of 4.59 was impressive for a guy his size and the 113 in the broad jump and 10 reps on the bench to show the talent is there to elevate his game to the next level.   [player_tooltip player_id='1700055' first='Uriah' last='Lofton'] H-Back/TE, Westwood   Nobody looked more impressive in individual drills than Lofton. First, look at 5-foot-11, 216.8-pounder in the Combine – 77-inch wingspan, 5.31 40 (more on that later) and 93-inch broad jump. But once things moved to the individual work Lofton couldn't be covered.  He made catches over guys, ran past defenders, and made the passing drills his own individual playground.   [player_tooltip player_id='1515057' first='Aiden' last='Shamus Fitzgerald'] QB, Lugoff-Elgin   Fitzgerald isn't going to jump off the stat sheet with his Combine numbers, but the 6-foot-1 201-pound Class of 2027 QB displayed a strong arm in the individual drills. He was able to throw into small windows and when he had guys open, he didn't miss. His arm strength was near the top at the camp, and he was comfortable throwing balls down the middle or on out patterns.   [player_tooltip player_id='1422610' first='Jack' last='Armstrong'] OL, Gray Collegiate 145   Armstrong does what he does best at the Combine – he overpowered guys at the line of scrimmage and once he was able to establish contact, he used his arms and strength to control the situation. Armstrong isn't the biggest lineman at 5-foot-11 and 243 pounds but he has great technique and footwork to go along with his power. He had 21 reps on the bench and showed great agility with a 4.97 in the Pro Shuttle.   Jamari Taylor OL, Marlboro County   Taylor is another offensive lineman that garnered attention in the one-on-one battles. He used his hands well and played with great leverage in controlling most of the pass rushers. He checked in at 5-foot-11 and 247 pounds but will get bigger and stronger over the next two seasons. His best football is ahead of him.   DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS   Brennan Wilson DB, Marion   There were only about 10 defensive backs on the field Sunday, so they were able to get plenty of reps. Wilson wanted to cover the best guys from the receiver spot and he more than held his own. He blanketed guys in the slot as well as the outside guys. He's only 5-foot-7, 143 pounds but seems to play much bigger. His 74-inch wingspan and 4.53 Pro Shuttle will help as he develops over the next two seasons.     J'Von Kelly DB, Andrew Jackson   Kelly isn't going to overwhelm anyone with his size (5-foot-6, 150 pounds) but he showed he could defend against a talented group of receivers. He got in a few deflections in individual drills and his quickness and ability to change direction quickly is a strong asset. He had a 4.34 Pro Shuttle along with a .48 40-time. Add in his 110 on the broad jump and 110 vertical and he showed great promise.   [player_tooltip player_id='1672936' first='Kaleb' last='Brooks'] DB, South Aiken   Brooks was very impressive in his own right but knowing he's going to play alongside [player_tooltip player_id='1615072' first='Levar' last='Gilchrist'] (Combine best in the vertical and broad jump) the next three years has South Aiken coaches very excited. The 5-foot-11, 151-pound rising sophomore ran a 4.89 40-yard dash and added a 4.53 Pro Shuttle but more impressively is how he played in individual drills. He won more battles than he lost and showed great hips as he ran with receivers well.   [player_tooltip player_id='1581470' first='George' last='Handley'] DL, Carolina Forest   If you want to talk about an absolute warrior, all you had to do at the end of the Combine was look at the shirt Handley was wearing. It was torn to threads because all the offensive linemen could do during individual drills was grab hold and hope to slow him down. It didn't work often as his tenacity got him to the quarterback. He had 20 reps on the bench and showed his 4.35 in the Pro Shuttle was impressive. Those skills were showcased has he powered through and went around offensive linemen in the drills.   [player_tooltip player_id='905534' first='Jaden' last='Ashe'] DL, Marlboro County   Ashe might have been the smallest defensive linemen in the bunch at 6-foot-1 and 206 pounds but he more than held his own in individual drills. He finished with 15 reps on the bench, so his power was never a question, but he proved to be slippery when trying to block in individual drills. He has a chance to add some weight but he should be a great edge rusher.   Tremaine Chandler DL, Conway   Chandler is undersized as a defensive lineman at 5-foot-11, 224 pounds but made up for it with power (16 reps on the bench) and quickness (4.91 on the Pro Shuttle). He used a great swim move a couple of times and knew he couldn't engage at the line of scrimmage with some of the bigger linemen. As long as he kept playing in space, his size was never a factor.     [player_tooltip player_id='1036757' first='Peyton' last='Grant']-Bradshaw DL, Crestwood   Grant-Bradshaw was 6-foot-1 and 313 pounds with an 81.5-inch wingspan and all those attributes helped him in the individual drills. Offensive linemen had trouble keeping the rising junior in front of them and if they did, he used great hand technique to free himself. Grant-Bradshaw has a good motor and is going to be an anchor in the Crestwood defensive line for two more seasons.   [player_tooltip player_id='1672833' first='Trace' last='Hillian'] LB, Hartsville   A player that raised his stock as much as anyone on Sunday was Hillian. The current freshman was 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds but was fluid in everything he did. He ran the 40 in 4.57 and added a 4.37 Pro Shuttle with a 94 in the broad jump and 33.2 on the vertical. He matched up well against running backs as well as tight ends and had tight coverage in most of the individual drills. Don't be surprised if he see's more time at running back than linebacker over the next three seasons.   [player_tooltip player_id='1604041' first='Nathan' last='Peracki'] LB, Mullins   The Mullins standout showed his quickness is going to be a factor as he covered running backs well and changed directions quickly in coverage. He's 5-foot-8 154 pounds but has great measurables with a 4.78 40-yard dash and 4.69 Pro Shuttle to go along with a 31.6 vertical and 103 broad jump.

WEST FLORENCE | It was the young guys turn Sunday afternoon at the Carolina Coaches Combine at West Florence, and they didn't disappoint. Guys not only were gauged on their measurables, but they also were able to compete in one-on-one individual drills.