New Faces, New Looks At Upstate Football Showcase

The great thing about spring football is that sometimes you don't know what you're going to get. There are new coaches. There are new players. Seniors are gone, and guys are stepping into those spots. Somebody, somewhere, has a new chance to shine.   That was evident at the Upstate Football Showcase at Spartanburg, as a ton of new players in new circumstances got to show off for college scouts in a storm-shortened four sessions of work.   Here's a look at some players - some familiar faces, some brand new - who will find themselves in a new situation or in new surroundings this fall.   One of the biggest names on the list is Dorman QB [player_tooltip player_id='340230' first='Meek' last='Slydell'] (pictured). He threw for more than 1,000 yards at Asheville last season, and expectations are high as he moves into the area. Slydell has a big arm, and he looked good making throws all over the field at the showcase. He's got some dynamic receivers, a big-time back in [player_tooltip player_id='1664350' first='Nick' last='Means'], and a TE who looks like he's ready to be a genuine threat in Kamdyn Miller. On the other side of the ball for the Cavaliers, it's hard to say that [player_tooltip player_id='1592369' first='Jordan' last='Darby'] was underrated, but it's true. He's athletic and disruptive, and he'll stand out on Dorman's defense, which is loaded with playmakers at LB and DB.   It's tough to narrow down who looks good for Gaffney early, other than to say "the guy in the black helmet", because it's everybody. One of the difference makers, though, is LB [player_tooltip player_id='1041795' first='Chanson' last='Mickles']. He's a transfer from Chapman along with RB [player_tooltip player_id='1732619' first='Justin' last='Dawkins'], and both look like they'll fit right in with the black and gold. Mickles, especially, looks like a great complement to the defensive side of the ball, where the Indians were already stacked. Mickles is a quick, explosive guy who's a big hitter.   Woodruff comes in with a bunch of expectations, and it's easy to see why with guys like Dre Jenkins and [player_tooltip player_id='1592034' first='Kori' last='Moates'] at WR. Both are guys with the ability to stretch the field, and they'll be adjusting to a new QB, as the Wolverines lost a two-year starter at the position. It will be interesting to see how quickly a relationship grows between Woodruff's new skill guys. [player_tooltip player_id='1592621' first='Jordan' last='Hood'] is a standout at LB for the Wolverines, while Josh Ruiz looks impressive at kicker.   How important is this season for JL Mann? The Patriots are coming off two of the best seasons in school history, but there's a new head coach and a bunch of new faces trying to keep that momentum going. Head coach Bryce Smiley was one of the architects of Gaffney's defense, so it's no surprise that Mann looks good on that side of the ball. Linebackers [player_tooltip player_id='1809307' first='Shaun' last='Carvalho'] and Hunter Rogers look to be leaders on defense. They're active, high-motor guys who fly around the field and make plays, and there's no question Smiley will expect a lot from them.   Chapman didn't get a great look this spring, with a number of guys still participating in spring sports. Still, coach Harry Cabiness likes what he sees from the guys who participated. Darrien Burgess made some good plays in coverage at CB, while Christian Brian is more than willing to step up and stop the run, and plays well beyond his years in the secondary. Both are young guys who look primed to step into immediate and meaningful minutes for the Panthers. Jasiah Copeland, meanwhile, looks like he'll fill the RB role with the departure of Dawkins. He's a hard-nosed runner who churns out tough yards, and who's capable of getting away.   Spartanburg was missing several top receivers for the showcase, but that didn't slow down QB [player_tooltip player_id='1592374' first='Trey' last='Burke']. Burke was forced into action because of an injury early last season, and grew by leaps and bounds throughout the year. It's clear that growth has continued. Burke makes good reads, throws a pretty ball, and seems to have a command of not only the Vikings' offense, but of what's going on around him at any time. His cool head will help Spartanburg in a tough region.   Broome and Union County saw their time cut short by lightning in the area, but several players still stood out. For Union County, Qa Brannon and Dreshawn Mills both looked good on offense, with Brannon delivering some good passes and Mills breaking off a couple of long gains at RB. [player_tooltip player_id='1592645' first='Jaylon' last='Davis'] backed up his reputation at DL. He's big, strong, and pursues the ball all over the field.   Broome is still missing some spring sports participants, but Asher Littlejohn and [player_tooltip player_id='1639803' first='Tre' last='Suber'] showed why they're both expected to lead the Centurions on both sides of the ball. The Centurions are replacing a number of big contributors on defense, where Levi Bishop and Chimar Hayes look like they'll both step in on the DL for Broome.

The great thing about spring football is that sometimes you don't know what you're going to get. There are new coaches. There are new players. Seniors are gone, and guys are stepping into those spots. Somebody, somewhere, has a new chance to shine.