2025 Preseason All-State: Specialists

Brandon Stockdale August 8, 2025 @ 11:00 AM

The specialists don't get enough love on the playing field, but we didn't forget about them in the 2025 Prep RedZone All-State Preseason Team Presented by Johnson & Lambe. When it comes to setting up the defense in a good position to get a stop, these are the guys that are the catalyst to it.    But when the game comes down to the line, there are a few on the list that can give their teams an advantage.    [player_tooltip player_id='1734806' first='Ashton' last='Davis'] | P | Blythewood   Davis has a strong leg and can make an impact for the Bengals on special teams. A lot of his punts are downed at the 1-yard line, and have a strong hangtime which allows the coverage to get downfield and either make the returner think twice about catching it, or they can tackle him before he can get going. We expect he will continue to boom punts deep into the endzone and help set up the defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='1745339' first='Valentin' last='Escudero'] | P | White Knoll   Escudero can absolutely boom punts into the endzone, as he had one of 45 yards and one of 60, yes, sixty yards on his highlight film. He gets a good hold of the ball and can set up his defense well. He has a great ability to hold on field goals, which helps the kicker with knocking through field goals and extra points.   [player_tooltip player_id='816752' first='Will' last='Love'] | K | Spartanburg   Love (pictured above) is one of the best kickers in the state, and can kick it from just about anywhere on the field. Literally. He made a 54-yard field goal, which set a school record and it probably would've been good from 60 yards out. If the game comes down to him, whether it's from the right or left hash, he has a strong leg and pinpoint accuracy and gives the Vikings an advantage. 87.5 percent of his kickoffs went into the endzone for touchbacks, and that can really help the defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='1734607' first='Ethan' last='Mick'] | LS | South Pointe   Mick is a cool customer at the long snapper position, even in the face of heavy pressure from an opposing special teams unit. His snaps are clean, which allows the kicker to cleanly catch the snap and flip the field and help set up the defense well.   [player_tooltip player_id='1422557' first='Henry' last='Phillips'] | K | Mountain View Prep   Phillips has a strong leg, and that is evident on the kickoff team. He had multiple kickoffs of 60+ yards go into the endzone and that's rare at this level. He can also boom field goals, whether it's on the right or left hash as he had one kick of 40 yards that went right down the middle. He's another guy that if the game is on the line, the Stars will have an advantage that most won't around the state.

The specialists don't get enough love on the playing field, but we didn't forget about them in the 2025 Prep RedZone All-State Preseason Team Presented by Johnson & Lambe. When it comes to setting up the defense in a good position to get a stop, these are the guys that are the catalyst to it.