Upstate's Best: 15 Top Storylines For 2025

There are some guys who just seem to be a perfect fit for the situations they find themselves in.   How about a true TE who can stretch the field for an elite RB? Maybe a WR/CB duo who hone their skills in practice, or a pair of senior LBs who will provide a model for their younger teammates, or two DL who thrive on the other's success?   There's a ton of those scenarios in the Upstate. Here's a look at 15 players from the 2026 class who look to be in ideal situations for their stock to skyrocket.   [player_tooltip player_id='402507' first='Somad' last='Eaddy'] DB and [player_tooltip player_id='1025814' first='Jaiden' last='Taylor'] WR, Riverside   The Warriors have got a couple of burners on both sides of the ball, and it might take both of them to fill the shoes of one special player. Mikkel Skinner was THE focus for Riverside last season, but now Eaddy, Taylor, and some others will step up to take center stage. Eaddy is a fast, physical, shut-down corner, accounting for 32 tackles, a tackle for loss, and two interceptions as a junior. Those numbers don't tell you that he's a "don't bother" kind of guy, a player that most offensive schemes will shy away from. Taylor is frequently the smallest player on the field, and almost always the fastest. He's got phenomenal top-end speed, and he uses it to provide a tremendous downfield threat for QB [player_tooltip player_id='463113' first='Gideon' last='Merhib']. What makes these two interesting is that they're only going to make the other better day in and day out. Plus, Eaddy played plenty of offense last season, and the prospect of the two on the field at the same time is a scary one for opponents.   [player_tooltip player_id='1579733' first='Walker' last='Kelley'] LB/TE, TL Hanna   Kelley (pictured) is a really intriguing player for the simple fact that you can plug him in a few different places and he just keeps having success. At LB, he had 24 tackles with two for loss last season, but those numbers don't tell you a lot about what he brings to the table. He's quick, he's stout against the run, he covers in space, and he's a big hitter. A lot of those same traits are evident on the other side of the ball as well. Kelley opened some eyes on the camp circuit, particularly at the Carolina Coaches Combine, with his speed and his blocking ability, as well as by making a few great catches. He can do a lot for the Yellow Jackets on both sides of the ball.   [player_tooltip player_id='1395078' first='Kam' last='Taylor'] TE, Woodruff   Woodruff's got some huge expectations after a very good 2024 season, and their offensive weapons are a big part of that. There's a standout RB in [player_tooltip player_id='1036753' first='Aiden' last='Gibson']. There's a game-breaking WR in [player_tooltip player_id='1592034' first='Kori' last='Moates']. And in the middle there's Taylor, a field-stretching TE who's a legitimate downfield weapon for Woodruff. He's perfectly happy blocking, but he's called upon to do much more for the Wolverines, and he's exceptional at what he does. He collected the third-most receiving yards for Woodruff last year, led the team with eight receiving touchdowns, and averaged more than 15 yards per catch. He's a monster at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, and he's an extremely tough matchup for most DBs and a lot of LBs. Woodruff is breaking in a new QB this season, and Taylor is poised to be a safety valve - and a whole lot more.   [player_tooltip player_id='1161156' first='Javen' last='Cook'] RB, Clinton   There's absolutely no mystery to the fact that Clinton's going to need to run the ball to be successful. The defending 2A champions totaled more than 4,700 yards on the ground last season, and the bulk of that was courtesy of Cook. He's got just what you'd expect from a Clinton back in their pistol system - he's fast, elusive, and great in the Red Devils' misdirection game. But more importantly, Cook is more than capable of providing plenty of flash. When you're looking at Clinton's offense, it's tough to see who's got the ball, and Cook's commitment to the fake stands out almost as much as what he does when he's got the carry. Clinton's offense is simple and straightforward but intricate at the same time, and Cook just seems to GET it. He's running alongside some strong returning talent, and behind a dominant OL, and it's scary to say that he could be even better.   [player_tooltip player_id='1394986' first='Zyon' last='Ratchford'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1041795' first='Chanson' last='Mickles'], Gaffney   When Gaffney's really good, the Indians are loaded at linebacker. Well, Gaffney's really good. And these guys are a lot of the reason why. Mickles is a returning transfer from Chapman, where he helped lead the Panthers defense with a tough, hard-nosed approach to the position. He had 65 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks, and he's versatile enough to play either linebacker or safety. His return to Gaffney helps fill a need at LB, where Ratchford was already set to shine. He brings back 68 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, four sacks, and an absolutely nasty physical edge. With talented young players like [player_tooltip player_id='873100' first='Zion' last='Dawkins'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1036755' first='Kendaris' last='Bailey'], Ratchford and Mickles will look to add experienced leadership to the mix.   [player_tooltip player_id='1592395' first='TJ' last='Collins'] LB, Boiling Springs   Collins put up decent numbers for the Bulldogs last season, but perhaps the most important thing he did was to play well and learn alongside a big group of seniors. The Bulldogs lost a ton of talent on the defensive side of the ball, and particularly at linebacker. That makes it Collins' turn to shine. He's a physical player with a nose for the football, and he's gotten progressively better. He'll play behind a talented defensive line that features [player_tooltip player_id='1036731' first='Dennis' last='Glenn Jr'], and in front of a secondary where shutdown corner [player_tooltip player_id='473009' first='Jeremiah' last='Favorite'] roams. That gives Collins a little freedom, and it'll be interesting to see how he responds. We're betting he's going to play well.   [player_tooltip player_id='1592321' first='Jameson' last='Dearybury'] QB and [player_tooltip player_id='1592026' first='Tyqwon' last='Booker'] RB, Broome   Dearybury and Booker are the Centurions' main offensive weapons, and they both spent their junior seasons growing into those roles. Dearybury was a complete change at QB last season from the run-first system that preceded him, and he did well, throwing for more than 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns. He's got a good arm and fantastic pocket presence, and he's growing into the job with every rep. Booker joins him in the backfield, and rushed for more than 1,300 of Broome's 1,600 yards on the ground last season. He's got a rare combination of run-you-over power and speed, and he adds balance and vision to the mix. It's rare that first contact finishes a play for Booker, and he'd just as soon dish out some punishment if he can.   [player_tooltip player_id='1592305' first='Ty' last='Foster'] QB and [player_tooltip player_id='1592581' first='AJ' last='Lindsey'] ATH, Landrum   Foster and Lindsey will be adjusting to their third head coach in four years as Mike Reid takes over the helm for the Cardinals. It's a good thing, then, that they return with a ton of experience and a fantastic comfort level with each other. Foster will be Landrum's longest-tenured QB in quite a while, entering his third year as a starter. He's got a great grasp of what the Cardinals want to do offensively, and he's coming off a year where he accounted for nearly 2,700 yards of offense, and he's got one of his biggest targets back in Lindsey. He also led the Cardinals with 105 tackles and 13 tackles for loss, along with four takeaways. They'll each do a ton for the Cardinals, and they'll provide the steady senior leadership that will be needed.   [player_tooltip player_id='1405166' first='Aiden' last='Jones'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1405194' first='Paden' last='Armstrong'] DL, Greer   There's a strong possibility that short of QB/WR combos, there aren't two players in the class who are more complementary of each other than these two. They're twin wrecking balls on a very good Greer defensive line, combining for 98 tackles, 38 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, and 34 hurries last season. Quick, strong, and athletic, it's a nightmare to have to block one of them, much less both of them. And what's going to make them especially dangerous this season is this: the Yellow Jackets return seven more starters on the defensive side of the ball including these two. That includes top-flight talent at LB and DB, along with two more starters on the DL. There will be no plays off for OL tasked with facing Jones and Armstrong.   [player_tooltip player_id='1592369' first='Jordan' last='Darby'] LB, Dorman   In Wade Cooper's defense, Dorman linebackers are called upon to do a lot. Well, [player_tooltip player_id='1592369' first='Jordan' last='Darby'] does a lot. And with the graduation of a couple of stellar LBs around him, Darby will be asked to do even more this season. He's capable of doing that. Darby's active and flies to the ball, but it's what he's going to be surrounded with that will help him take his game to the next level. [player_tooltip player_id='1639739' first='Christian' last='Waring'] leads a strong defensive line, while [player_tooltip player_id='402497' first='Kentavion' last='Anderson'] is on a very short list of the best defenders in the state and is the marquee name in a stacked secondary. All of that will allow Darby to run around and make plays - something that he's very, very good at.

There are some guys who just seem to be a perfect fit for the situations they find themselves in.