26 for ’26: Rankings Update Sneak Peak

The 2025 high school football season will be here before you know it. Impress your family, friends and neighbors with how much you know by gaining access to everything Prep RedZone South Carolina produces by <a href="https://prepredzone.com/subscribe/">becoming a subscriber today</a>. We are currently running a 40% off special on all annual subscriptions to the site. Simply use the offer code Guerin40 at checkout to take advantage.   In the five years of Prep RedZone South Carolina, we've never had a rankings addition as big as the one about to be unveiled for the Class of 2026.   Our staff of seven has spent at least a portion of every day of the offseason evaluating talent. We've looked back at production from last fall, scouted more than 1000 attendees at the Carolinas Coaches Combines, followed all the transfer dominoes and started to project where this fall will take us.   It's led us to finding even more top-notch talent that deserves a spot in our rankings. They will be released in their entirety on August 13, and we'll have plenty of content to follow.   For now, we're prepared to give subscribers a sneak peak. Here are 26 of the '26 additions who will have a number next to their name in a little over a week.   1. [player_tooltip player_id='1667450' first='Amari' last='Verner'] RB, Seneca   After rushing for nearly 1,400 yards and 13 touchdowns, Verner had a really solid performance during the combine at Spartanburg in late April. He'll enter his senior season as the team's starting tailback after sharing much of the workload last fall.    2. [player_tooltip player_id='1675030' first='Tayden' last='Singletary'] OL, West Florence   Singletary was a part-time starter last fall for the Knights, but he's come along nicely with his development. He's going to be on the field a ton as a senior, and he'll be counted on to help a first-year staff. Oh, did we mention he's 6-foot-4 and 330 pounds?   3. [player_tooltip player_id='1734829' first='Franklin' last='Whitley'] DL, Greenville   Whitley has been a known commodity in the basketball world for a couple of years. He's got some insane length at 6-foot-6 and displays hardwood foot work on the football field. The fact that he's got some immediate college interest as a newcomer to football isn't a surprise.   4. [player_tooltip player_id='1734718' first='Mitchell' last='Bobbitt'] K/P, Blue Ridge    Bobbitt put up 280 total yards of offense as a receiver for the Tigers during his junior year. That phase of his game is only an addendum to his real value. He handles kicks, kickoffs and punts for Blue Ridge, and he will again be one of the top point producers for this squad.   5. [player_tooltip player_id='1734647' first='Keaton' last='Bennett'] LB, White Knoll    Starting at the linebacker position at White Knoll means something. Bennett does more than that, though. He's responsible for making playing calls and pre-snap checks, all while shifting around to what is essentially four different positions.    6. [player_tooltip player_id='1719469' first='Jordan' last='Senior'] OL, Ridge View   The 6-foot-2, 315-pound tackle is straight up violent from his spot on the line. He's got plenty of reels of him throwing dudes to the ground. He's not the only Blazer about to move into the rankings, but his physical tools and ability to put them to use made him an obvious choice.   7. [player_tooltip player_id='1738838' first='Jayden' last='Alford'] DB, Latta   Alford is your traditional small-school safety. And by that, we mean the 6-foot-1, 165-pounder occasionally plays linebacker, receiver and quarterback when needed. He operates extremely well in space on the back of the defense and should be among the team's leading tacklers.   8. [player_tooltip player_id='1738840' first='Bricey' last='Gore'] ATH, North Myrtle Beach   Gore was second on the team in tackles a year ago, and while many of those were coming out of the defensive secondary, he's going to be planted at outside linebacker this year (to start). He's also going to fill in at receiver, where the Chiefs lost nearly all of their production.    9. [player_tooltip player_id='1738860' first='Antonio' last='Deas'] LB/DL/RB, Georgetown   Described as a bit of a tweener by the coaching staff, Deas plays a good amount of defensive end despite measuring in at 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds. He's going to step in at linebacker as needed, and he should get some looks there from college scouts.    10. [player_tooltip player_id='1738833' first='Brody' last='Thacker'] LB, Cane Bay    Counting the five stops he made on special teams, Thacker finished his junior season with 73 total tackles. He also had a couple tackles for loss, a sack and a pass break-up last fall. All of those numbers should increase dramatically along with his increased responsibility.    11. [player_tooltip player_id='1734638' first='Tyreik' last='Davenport-Smith'] LB, Keenan    The 6-foot-2, 195-pound outside linebacker and defensive end is a pass-rushing nightmare for opposing lineman. He uses his long reach to knock down passes off the edge, can chase down ball carriers trying to get to the corner and even drops back in coverage.   12. [player_tooltip player_id='1734622' first='Nick' last='Owens'] DB, Wren   Owens has put up 111 total tackles over the course of the last two seasons, including 79 during his junior year. He's not big (5-foot-7, 170 pounds), but he's got 21 mile-per-hour speed and more than enough athletic ability to max out his production value this fall.   13. [player_tooltip player_id='1734598' first='Peyton' last='Schrader'] QB, Eastside   While Schrader struggled at times in 2024, he found new ways to invigorate the Eagles' offense. He boosted his passing yards slightly, but he also ran for an additional 250 yards more than he did as a sophomore and reached the end zone seven times (up six from 2023).   14. [player_tooltip player_id='1295076' first='Josiah' last='Hill'] RB/LB, Gaffney   Hill, previously ranked by our friends at PRZ North Carolina, crossed the state line from Kings Mountain. At Kings Mountain, he rushed for 1,100 yards and 23 touchdowns and caught 15 passes (three touchdowns). He's surrounded by talent and will excel in his new digs.   15. [player_tooltip player_id='1259789' first='Will' last='Wilson'] DB, South Florence    Wilson is gaining some serious steam at the perfect time. He put up 44 tackles and six pass break-ups as a junior, including a couple of big plays during the state championship game against Westside. The corner is part of a very experienced secondary that will shine in 2025.   16. [player_tooltip player_id='1734561' first='Carrington' last='Carter'] QB, Westwood   Already benefitting from a new head coach who wants to throw more, Carter has developed quickly. It's not as if his starting spot was bad, either. He threw for 10 touchdowns and 1,166 yards last fall. As he continues to gain skill throwing on the run, his passing numbers will shine.   17. [player_tooltip player_id='1734528' first='Toian' last='Nabriat'] WR, North Augusta   It's really no surprise that Nabriat is primed for a big senior year. He's the team's top returning receiver in terms of catches, yards and touchdowns. He's proved himself already, and the Yellow Jackets' new WR1 is going to be targeted significantly more.   18. [player_tooltip player_id='312450' first='Braydon' last='Johnson'] ATH, Dutch Fork   While so much of the focus on the perennial powerhouse will come on the other side of the ball, Johnson's role in the offense is taking a big step forward. He can play several positions, and it will be highly influential for a Silver Foxes' squad breaking in a new quarterback.   19. [player_tooltip player_id='816753' first='Rayvon' last='Green'] WR, Myrtle Beach    If the name sounds familiar, it's because Green is actually a re-addition to our rankings. After picking up some playing time as a freshman and sophomore, he briefly moved to Georgia prior to his junior year last fall. Now, he's back, and he's going to be back in the fold.   20. [player_tooltip player_id='1734475' first='Jaden' last='Lofay'] DL, Summerville   Lofay was overlooked last fall, thanks in large part due to the Green Wave's success and sheer number of standouts. However, his 15.5 tackles for loss and 24 quarterback hurries were instrumental in Summerville's run to the Class 5A, Division I state title game.    21. [player_tooltip player_id='901164' first='Davian' last='Hall'] ATH, Catawba Ridge   Another North Carolina transplant, Hall has a good bit of experience at quarterback and will compete for that job with the Copperheads. If that doesn't pan out, he's going to see time at tailback, H-back and receiver. He's simply too athletic to leave on the bench.   22. [player_tooltip player_id='1734414' first='Xavion' last='Greene'] DL, Colleton County   The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Green grew another inch over the last year. More importantly, he trimmed down by more than 20 pounds. It will all allow him to make a much-needed impact in the trenches against some of the passing attacks the Cougars will face.    23. [player_tooltip player_id='1732664' first='Chris' last='Eldridge'] LB/RB, Hannah-Pamplico    Eldridge has had some big games in a Raiders' uniform on both sides of the ball. But after filling in for injured starting tailback Jamarcus Williams last fall, the job is now his. He's a strong candidate to pile up 100-yard games and/or could be the team's top tackler.    24. [player_tooltip player_id='1654260' first='Josh' last='Amara'] LB, Hanahan   The Hawks' leading tackler from 2024 is back and now a verified 5-foot-10 and 200 pounds. That will help him with a heavier work load, as Hanahan is a bit thin at linebacker. His 74 stops from last fall is something he could eclipse in advance of the end of the regular season.    25. [player_tooltip player_id='1295653' first='Ethan' last='Ranew'] WR, Oceanside Collegiate   Ranew was going to be ranked in this cycle after hauling in 28 receptions for 503 yards and six touchdowns as a junior at West Ashley. But in his move to Oceanside, he's going to be part of a program that tends to throw the ball more, which only increases his expected targets.   26. [player_tooltip player_id='1676737' first='Asher' last='Littlejohn'] DB, Broome    Littlejohn (pictured) has the look of someone who is about to go from sleeper recruit to full-blown major college target. Over the course of the last year, he's grown an inch and a half - he's now just north of 6-foot-2 - while becoming one of the fastest players in the entire state.

The 2025 high school football season will be here before you know it. Impress your family, friends and neighbors with how much you know by gaining access to everything Prep RedZone South Carolina produces by becoming a subscriber today. We are currently running a 40% off special on all annual subscriptions to the site. Simply use the offer code Guerin40 at checkout to take advantage.