2027 Rankings Update: Athletes Filling Multiple Needs

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The beginning of a new high school football season is getting closer with every passing day. Spring practice, showcases, camps and more are well underway and that means it's time to remind everyone of the multi-positional roles held by a number of players in the 2027 class. These guys all excel at different positions and more often than not, play more snaps than anyone else on the field.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>They're athletic and can flip the game on its head in an instant. Let's take a look at the 22 ranked athletes in the 2027 class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/position-ranking-table {"name":"acf/position-ranking-table","data":{"class":"2027","_class":"field_65cfb7374abb9","position":"2411","_position":"field_65cfbfcb19ad6","national_rankings":"0","_national_rankings":"field_660c1d73c0e49","state":"2451","_state":"field_65cfb88a603fe"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-681cc4d31aeeb"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>BREAKING DOWN THE TOP 5</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='378969' first='Jaiden' last='Kelly-Murray']</strong> Summerville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Not only is Kelly-Murray the top ranked athlete, but he's the top ranked player in the entire 2027 class. There's been plenty enough already said about him, and there's not much else to add. Kelly will be entering his third year as a starter on both sides of the ball, and he will once again be an important piece in the Green Wave's quest for their first state championship since 2007.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1036748' first='Sequel' last='Patterson']</strong> Indian Land</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Patterson had an incredible season in 2024 and much like Kelly-Murray, he will be an important piece for Indian Land's success in 2025. He will hope to improve his 441 rushing yards as well as his 758 receiving yards. Another offseason of preparation should help him remain a key piece for Indian Land in what will be one of the toughest regions in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1422524' first='Josh' last='Dobson']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1283361' first='Jaylon' last='Richardson']</strong> Catawba Ridge</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's never a bad thing when you have two players inside the Top 5 athlete rankings and Top 30 overall rankings. Dobson will be more of the playmaker on the offensive side of the ball this season as Richardson transitions to an almost full-time defensive role. Richrdson will see a bit of time on offense due to his speed and his ability to make plays in the kick/punt return game could transition to receiver/running back.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1172351' first='PJ' last='Chancellor']</strong> Daniel</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Chancellor is the No. 4 athlete in the class, sandwiched between the two Catawba Ridge standouts. He was much more effective and present on the defensive side of the ball in 2024 with 41 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss. With four of the top eight receivers from 2024 having graduated, Chancellor is almost guaranteed to increase on his two catches and 62 yards of offensive production.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17645806/67520b6ebb756d52ef4652d9' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-681b9a591b72b"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Seven Athletes We're Ready to See Further Develop</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1172343' first='Kyilann' last='Gordon']</strong> Baptist Hill</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gordon had an excellent 2024 season with 584 rushing yards on 64 attempts and five touchdowns. He also added 14 catches for 204 yards and a touchdown in the receiving game. On the defensive side of things, he is just one of two returners that collected an interception last season. Because of the amount of roster turnover for Baptist Hill, it can be expected that Gordon will have an increased role both offensively and defensively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1422535' first='Jayvin' last='Risher']</strong> Hampton County</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Risher is a part of a running back duo with [player_tooltip player_id='1165165' first='Jaylen' last='Singletary'] that rushed for 1,876 yards and 22 touchdowns last season. Risher had the slightest impact in the receiving game, with four catches for 32 yards. He was fifth on the team in tackles (40) second in tackles for loss (12) and second in sacks (3.5). He leads all returners in the latter two categories, meaning he may have more of an impact on defense than offense for Hampton County this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Charles [player_tooltip player_id='1664216' first='Anthony' last='Williams']</strong> Bamberg-Ehrhardt</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Williams had a solid year as a part of a team that went 8-3 but unfortunately fell to Lake View 42-32 in the third round of the playoffs. He collected 26 catches for 722 yards and five touchdowns along with 31 tackles and two interceptions on the defensive side of the ball. The receiver room at Bamberg-Ehrhardt is relatively young, so expect Williams to potentially increase his production on offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1271257' first='Nick' last='Gordon']</strong> Cheraw</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As a sophomore in 2024, Gordon was the leading receiver by far for Cheraw. He hauled in 39 catches for 591 yards and scored six times. He also led the defense with five interceptions and two fumble recoveries. As the best returning player on defense, it is extremely likely that his stats decrease, but only because teams will know to stay away from his side of the field.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1036779' first='Kaiden' last='Watkins']</strong> South Pointe</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Watkins spent his 2024 season with Rock Hill but will now be with South Pointe in 2025. His receiving stats may seem low (430, five touchdowns) but he was a second or third option behind <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1012834' first='Malik' last='Clark']</strong> (South Carolina commit) so the lower numbers are no surprise. He will still be a second option, this season behind <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='930586' first='Dailan' last='Duncan']</strong>, but Watkins should be able to get around the 550-600 receiving yards mark.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1664203' first='Travonne' last='Johnson']</strong> TL Hanna</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Johnson does not have the most eye-popping stats, which is exactly why he's under the lists of players we can't wait to see develop further in 2025. Defensively, he finished the year with 17 tackles, one tackle for loss and three pass break ups. Offensively, he collected 226 rushing yards and two touchdowns as well as three receptions for 117 yards and two touchdowns. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1515057' first='Aiden' last='Fitzgerald']</strong> Lugoff Elgin</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fitzgerald is 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds. His large frame helped him throw for 1,324 yards and 19 touchdowns last season. He made a minimal impact in the ground game with just one carry for 15 yards, but that could be something that he's worked on during the offseason. It'll be intriguing to see exactly how Fitzgerald is used in 2025 under new leadership.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19095973/67361f196855ec8683e2bd54' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-681b9a591b794"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players Who Could Rise Quickly</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1603757' first='Amare' last='Brown']</strong> Myrtle Beach</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brown had an excellent year in the receiving game in 2024, finishing with 53 catches for 436 yards and two touchdowns. His impact in the return game cannot be underestimated either (seven kickoff returns, 167 yards). An increase of production in the rushing attack (16 carries, 47 yards, one touchdown) could see Brown fly up the rankings prior to next season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1603990' first='Angelo' last='Cromer']</strong> Clinton</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cromer was at the back of the line in the running back room behind a pair of juniors and seniors that combined to rush for 3,456 yards and 41 touchdowns. He will move up the depth chart with two of those players gone and should be able to increase his offensive production. Defensively, he made 25 tackles and should see that increase as well with five of Clinton's top 10 leading tacklers having graduated.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='644030' first='Xavier' last='Geter']</strong> Midland Valley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Geter combined for 1,269 yards and 12 touchdowns between his passing (866 passing yards, seven touchdowns) and his rushing (403 rushing yards, five touchdowns). With Midland Valley's leading rusher from a season ago gone, Geter will have the opportunity to increase his production on the ground as well as in the air.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1422623' first='DQ' last='Green']</strong> Lamar</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Green contributed minimally on offense with just 16 carries for 47 yards, but he made his presence well known on defense. He was second on the team with 116 tackles and tied for first with four sacks. He also collected a fumble recovery as well as an interception. While it will be hard to improve those defensive numbers, an increase in offensive production could help him climb up the rankings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1036756' first='Jordan' last='Bovain']</strong> Bamberg-Ehrhardt</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bovain made the move from Hampton County to Bamberg for this season, and he hopes that injuries will not derail his 2025 season like they did in 2024. He played in just eight games and rushed for 104 yards and one touchdown. Despite appearing in just eight games, he was the leading receiver with 247 and two touchdowns. a fully healthy season should see him pop off in a big way at his new school.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1604020' first='Jaiden' last='Holloway']</strong> Ridge Spring-Monetta</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Holloway totaled over 1,000 yards both passing (1,010 yards, five touchdowns) and rushing (1,153 yards, 12 touchdowns) but did struggle in one early. His nine interceptions nearly doubled his passing touchdowns total. That is certainly an area of his game that he will have to clean up. He collected 33 tackles and two interceptions on defense, meaning that if he can cut down on the interceptions, he has a chance to make a lot of noise in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='896094' first='Lavoris' last='Lucas']</strong> Indian Land</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When you're stuck behind [player_tooltip player_id='1036748' first='Sequel' last='Patterson'] on the depth chart, it can be a bit challenging to put up big-time stats. Lucas still had a solod year, finishing with 137 rushing yards, 428 receiving yards and four total touchdowns. Defensively, Lucas had just one tackle and one pass deflection. An increase in defensive production would be a sign of good things to come for himself and his team in 2025. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1664638' first='Isaiah' last='Revell']</strong> Catawba Ridge</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Revell made most of his noise on defense with 34 tackles, one sack, one interception and two passes defended. He added 18 yards on one kickoff return and had one catch for five yards. He is one of six returners that had a catch last season, so his production should be increased on a Catawba Ridge team that loves to throw the ball all over the field.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='410912' first='Preston' last='Bivens']</strong> Daniel</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bivens totaled 260 total yards and three touchdowns on the offensive side of the ball, as well as finishing the season with 12 tackles. He was not able to get on the field much on a stacked team that reached the semifinals in the playoffs but should see more playing time in 2025 after three of the top five receivers for Daniel last season have graduated.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19519794/6739d61c2c21fb2e41676ef9' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-681b9a591b7d8"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->