2027s On Deck to Join the Offer Club

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Week after week, you need to move a little further down the Prep RedZone Class of 2027 rankings to find a player without an offer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A huge cycle for this class is here.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Over the coming weeks, more offers will follow, and many of them will be the elusive No. 1 for a large number of South Carolina juniors. We think the following seven players are high enough up on some recruiting boards that their wait should be about over.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We don't control those offers, but we've been doing this long enough to read some of the tea leaves in the recruiting market.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1603727' first='Alex' last='Johnson']</strong> DL, Catawba Ridge</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6-foot-3, 210-pound defensive end has the look of an eventual P4 recruit, and by the looks of his camp circuit in recent weeks, we were a bit surprised that No. 1 hadn't come yet. That won't last. Johnson (pictured) is an elite edge rusher who had 13 tackles for loss and 10 sacks last fall for a Catawba Ridge squad that was still very much in the developmental phase. As a junior, with a much more complete squad around him, his impact numbers - and his name recognition - will only continue to move up the ranks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1172360' first='Kelvion' last='Manning']</strong> LB/DB, Dillon&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Manning has been a wild card for a Wildcat defense that does very well filtering everything back to the middle. As a hybrid outside backer and safety, Manning is a big reason why the strategy works, even when his immediate production value isn't noticed. He's a sure-fire tackler who only uses that as a complement to his own game, which is often sealing that edge. He also sets himself apart by reacting quickly, which is why he finished 2024 with 49 tackles, five tackles for loss and a fumble recovery returned for a score.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1271262' first='Alex' last='Tchoryk']</strong> DL, Philip Simmons</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While the Brothers Tonor are going to be expected to bring the boom from start to finish in 2025, Tchoryk gives the Iron Horses the type of length off the edge to help further push this defense to new heights. Along with being a verified 6-foot-2 1/8 and 188 pounds, he's got a 78-inch wing span. That means any pass near the tackles is at risk to get knocked down. The only knock on Tchoryk is that he's probably still a bit light, but that's an easy fix in most college coaches' eyes. And don't lose track that someone might also like him at his secondary position, tight end.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1172364' first='Mah'ky' last='Green']</strong> RB, Cross</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In a class full of top-flight tailbacks with monster offers, Green has fallen back some because he lacks the size of some of the others ahead of him. But what can't be denied is his 22-mile-per-hour speed. At 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds, Green is only touch of size and his shot as the Trojans' starting tailback away from getting more opportunities. He had 10 runs of 20 yards or more last year, including an 84-yarder and a 61-yarder. Someone is going to want him as a ball carrier and likely gives him the chance to return some kicks until he's ready for more offensive responsibilities.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1640504' first='Luke' last='Russell'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1172361' first='Matthew' last='Ponkow']</strong> LBs, Bishop England</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Not too many teams have a built-in replacement for the graduation of a guy who had 144 tackles a season ago, but the Bishops are one of those squads. Russell and Ponkow can both roam as needed depending on the opposing offensive scheme. And with 2026 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1592573' first='Hunter' last='Alex']</strong> back for another year, the level of play in the middle of the defense is on lock. Will Russell or Ponkow lead Bishop England in tackles? Maybe not. Will both of them flirt with triple digit stops and 20-plus tackles for loss? Absolutely.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='463113' first='Gideon' last='Merhib']</strong> QB, Riverside</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Between college camps and 7-on-7 events, Merhib has already had a busy June that's nowhere near done. And as he continues to grow, what's stuck around is his quick trigger and his accuracy. For a player who threw for just shy of 2,000 yards as a sophomore, the sky's the limit for his junior-year potential. What we really like about his game is the fact that despite playing 5A football, he completed north of 59 percent of his passes and owned a 28-to-eight touchdown-to-interception rate. The stretches where he remains hot, like how he started 2024, and his college prospects only continue to improve.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->