2027 Rankings: Catawba River Region Zone Read

The Catawba River Region has no shortage of talent throughout the updated Class of 2027 Prep Redzone rankings.   Defense headlines the group with South Pointe's [player_tooltip player_id='1591712' first='Seth' last='Tillman'] and Catawba Ridge's [player_tooltip player_id='1422524' first='Josh' last='Dobson'] rounding out the Top 10. [player_tooltip player_id='1271263' first='KJ' last='Burg'] for the Stallions, [player_tooltip player_id='1603727' first='Alex' last='Johnson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1283361' first='Jaylon' last='Richardson'] for the Copperheads round out the Top 50. But we can't forget about the offense as South Pointe's [player_tooltip player_id='1603697' first='Zymier' last='Gordon-Miles'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1036779' first='Kaiden' last='Watkins'] are also in the Top 50 as well and will have an impact throughout the year.   And there are still several players who could make their way inside the Top 50 by the time the winter cycle rolls around with the additions that we've made. Here's our breakdown of what is a strong group:   JOINING THE LIST   Here are six names that we added that you'll want to keep your eye on in the Catawba River Region as we make our way through the season, with their wealth of experience:   [player_tooltip player_id='1809631' first='Connor' last='Clawson'] WR, Rock Hill   Clawson is a possession receiver who excels in keeping the offense on schedule with running routes to the sideline. But when he is in the slot, he is a threat to score, especially inside the 10-yard line as he can get to the top of his route and go up and make catches to get the ball into the endzone. We were also impressed with his ability to block on the outside and be physical against defensive backs.   [player_tooltip player_id='1809198' first='Jasiah' last='Lewis'] DL, South Pointe   The Rock Hill transfer should be a welcomed boost to an already talented Stallions' defensive line. Lewis has great size for the position and has an excellent jump off the line of scrimmage. He can chase down the quarterback and has a motor that is always running. He won't stop until the whistle blows. He can also plug up run lanes well and limit the gain, and sometimes get there before the play can get going.   [player_tooltip player_id='1633483' first='DJ' last='Goodwin'] OL/DL, Catawba Ridge   Goodwin is one of the more physical linemen that we have in the Catawba River Region. He is violent with his hands in being able to move the opposing linemen around and create run lanes for his running back. He has a good first step off the line of scrimmage and can help his quarterback identify where pressure is coming from in pre-snap.   [player_tooltip player_id='1604056' first='Kahlil' last='Williamson'] DB, Northwestern   Williamson was an impact player in the secondary for the Trojans' defense in 2024, and we expect that to continue in 2025. He can play out in pass coverage well and anticipate routes and make plays on the ball. He hustles on the play and knows how to track and find the ball. He can stay in the hip pocket of receivers and make life difficult for an opposing quarterback.   [player_tooltip player_id='1635381' first='Kaleb' last='Wright'] LB, Rock Hill   Wright can affect the quarterback and make him throw it earlier than he wants to. That's what happened in Week 0 against River Bluff and it resulted in a pick six for the Bearcats. He can also play well out in coverage and come up and make tackles in space as he can quickly diagnose the route. He has good instincts in being able to read the run and limit the gain on the play.   [player_tooltip player_id='1821286' first='Tyler' last='Robinson'] DB, Catawba Ridge   Robinson (pictured above) made the move from Nation Ford to Catawba Ridge during the offseason, and he has made his presence felt. He has the ability to stay stride-for-stride with receivers and stay in their hip pocket. He doesn't allow them to create separation and he has great football IQ in being able to anticipate and recognize routes. He can also come up in run support and make tackles in space.    MOVING UP?   This was a tough list to try and narrow down, but here are six names who made a huge impact as sophomores, and we believe they'll have a chance to make a huge jump when we do this again in the offseason:   [player_tooltip player_id='1404968' first='Jackson' last='Hill'] LB, Clover   Hill made his way into our rankings in the August cycle, and had an outstanding year as a sophomore last year, tallying 15 tackles for loss and if that is any indication, he could be on his way to eclipse that number in 2025. He's tough to block on the inside and is another guy who has a motor that is always running. He's tall and can bring pressure on the quarterback. He takes great pursuit angles to the ball and can stuff the run as well.   [player_tooltip player_id='1824427' first='Grady' last='Stone'] RB, Clover   Stone split time with his older brother, Landon in 2024 and he ran for nearly 1,000 yards last year as a sophomore. And watching him run, he's got a unique combo of speed and power that is fun to watch when he gets going in the open field. He has good vision and once he finds a lane, it could be a house call.   [player_tooltip player_id='1088328' first='Nigel' last='Lightner'] DB, Rock Hill   Leon Boulware was very complimentary of Lightner, <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/07/five-unsung-heroes-to-watch-in-catawba-river-region/">in a conversation we had with the new Bearcats' coach</a> over the summer. He is aggressive at the point of attack and can read the quarterback's eyes well, especially in zone coverage. There were several times where he got into his assignment well and then broke on the ball and made the interception, exactly like he's coached to do. He will be a leader for the Bearcats in 2025.   [player_tooltip player_id='1676087' first='Kamron' last='Wilson'] WR, Rock Hill   Wilson is a home run hitter for the Bearcats and can stretch the field vertically. He runs great routes from being flexed out to the outside and knows how to find the green grass. He has great speed once he gets out in the open field and has the ability to make guys miss. He's already made his presence felt in his performance against River Bluff in the opener, and we expect that to continue as we get deeper into the year.   [player_tooltip player_id='1603999' first='Caleb' last='Feaster'] RB, Chester   With Chester making a move to a more Wing-T style offense, we think that Feaster could excel in this type of offense. He has a good mix of power and speed at the running back position and he knows how to get the tough yards when needed, while also turning on the afterburners once he gets into the open field. He's not afraid of contact as he can break through initial tackles all while securing the ball.   [player_tooltip player_id='513067' first='Malik' last='Ratliff'] WR, South Pointe   Ratliff is an impressive speedster on the outside for the Stallions. He plays primarily on the outside and can go up and make catches on the jump ball. He's also impactful in special teams as he took a few back for touchdowns last year. He has good size for the position and great speed to go along with it. He's tough to guard one-on-one and will be someone that defensive coordinators have to plan for.    LINEMEN SPOTLIGHT   Solidifying Things Up Front    Here are three guys that are starting as sophomores, with two holding down the quarterback's blind slide and the other getting after the quarterback. Both will have a huge impact on their teams in 2025.   [player_tooltip player_id='1810416' first='Jeremiah' last='Salley'] OL, Lancaster   Salley uses his hands well to not allow the defensive linemen to get out and get penetration into the backfield. He has great size for the position and good knee bend as well. We expect him to have an outstanding season up front for the Bruins.   [player_tooltip player_id='1623487' first='Brandon' last='Streater'] OL, Central   Streater is probably a little smaller than Salley in size comparison, but he has great physicality at the point of attack in being violent with his hands.    [player_tooltip player_id='1603965' first='Luke' last='Reed'] DL, Chester   Reed can attack the line of scrimmage with his size and strength, like we saw last year in a game against Union County. He takes good angles to the ball and can move offensive linemen well off the ball to get to the quarterback quickly.   A New Addition: [player_tooltip player_id='1604450' first='Joshua' last='Norris'] OL, South Pointe – Norris transferred down from nearby South Point in North Carolina, where he also starred on the basketball court. We'll be interested to see how he fits into the rotation down the line.

The Catawba River Region has no shortage of talent throughout the updated Class of 2027 Prep Redzone rankings.