Midlands And CSRA Best: Top 10 Players

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.   The Midlands and CSRA area are flooded with top notch football talent year in and year out and this season is no different.   You can find players already committed to Power 4 schools and several have a chance to add to that list before it's over. It's not easy to pick the 10 best, but we start our three-part series looking at the ten we think will be near or at the top by season's end.   We've studied each player and feel like we have a solid grasp on things. Over the course of this week, we will roll out this three-part series so you will know all the top names to know for the 2025 season.   Let's get started with the top 10 list presented in alphabetical order based on the last name.   [player_tooltip player_id='1014892' first='Jordan' last='Boston'] DB, Hammond   We have Boston (pictured) on this list because he's a lockdown corner on the best defense in SCISA football. He has great length at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds and quick twitch hips that allow him to change directions quickly and smoothly. He's sure-handed and covers bigger receivers as well as smaller, shifty guys that line up in the slot. He already has offers from Air Force, Wofford, Gardner-Webb and Coastal Carolina among others and his stock should skyrocket even more with a strong senior season.   [player_tooltip player_id='473010' first='Michael' last='Boulware'] LB, Gray Collegiate   Boulware brings plenty to the table with his sleek 6-foot-2, 215-pound frame. He has the family heritage (dad [player_tooltip player_id='473010' first='Michael' last='Boulware'] played five years in the NFL and uncle Peter Boulware played nine seasons in the NFL) to go along with the intangibles to make an immediate impact. This will be his fourth year starting on the high school level and his production has increased each year. He's coming off a junior season in which he recorded over 150 tackles and was the heart of a defense that had its season cut short due to sanctions by the SCHSL.   [player_tooltip player_id='755914' first='Jaiden' last='Bryant'] DE, Irmo   Bryant is one of two juniors on this list and all you need to do is turn on the film to see why. The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder makes his presence known right away with a quick first step. Bryant has an offer from South Carolina among others. He plays with a high motor and is relentless in pursuit because teams like to run away from him. He led the Yellow Jackets with 92 tackles, 26 tackles for loss and 18.5 sacks. Those numbers will be hard to duplicate but Bryant has the skill and effort to make that happen.   [player_tooltip player_id='1165081' first='Kendall' last='Byrd'] WR, AC Flora   Byrd is going to be part of a happy pass attack, and he is likely to be the top option among four wide receivers that can flat go get the football. All Davis did a season ago was catch 83 passes for 1,104 yards and 10 touchdowns to go along with being a threat anytime the Falcons opponents had to kick the ball. It's going to be hard to replicate those numbers with four viable options this season, but if anyone can do it, it will be Byrd. He has offers from East Tennessee State and Liberty among others.   [player_tooltip player_id='1165092' first='Tylin' last='Drakeford'] ATH, Camden   Drakeford is going to be the plug and play player for the Bulldogs. He's going to play every snap on offense and Coach Brian Rimpf will get the 5-foot-10, 175-pounder the ball in several ways. He's going to be the main pass-catching threat and that means downfield passes as well as bubble screens and handoffs in certain situations. He's going to be a mainstay on special teams and see more than his fair share of defensive snaps. By the end of the season, Drakeford might not leave the field often. He currently has offers from Alabama A&M, Troy, Jacksonville State   [player_tooltip player_id='1251916' first='Malcolm' last='Gaston'] OL, North Augusta   Gaston is a mountain of a man at 6-foot-4, 340 pounds and headlines an offense that returns eight starters from a season ago. One of the biggest changes is that Gaston will likely handle the center duties after being a tackle for most of his career. That type of versatility is why schools like North Carolina, East Carolina and Georgia Southern have offered. He's nimble for a guy that size and can pull to lead a sweep if needed. But his biggest asset is his strength and the way he's able to manhandle defenders.   [player_tooltip player_id='1172363' first='Khristian' last='Jackson'] WR, Ridge View   Jackson came into his own last season with a team-best 49 receptions for 737 yards and 10 touchdowns. With Jordon Gidron (current South Carolina freshman) battling injuries most of the season, Jackson turned into the go-to target and didn't disappoint. He's the second junior on our list and ranked in our Top 10 for the 2027 Class. We expect his numbers to increase and scratch the 1,000-yard receiving mark this fall. He's reached 22 miles per hour and displays precise route-running and above average hands to be an elite receiver.   [player_tooltip player_id='1151291' first='Brody' last='Lorenzo'] OL, Dutch Fork   Some might ask why we included Lorenzo on this list since he's just a sophomore. But when you start as a 14-year-old freshman for Dutch Fork and legendary coach Tom Knotts, there has to be something special. Lorenzo is a chiseled 6-foot-3, 300-pounder already and he has one mindset and that's to maul whoever lines up in front of him. We watched him dominate seniors last season and with another year of training and development under his belt, we expect him to become one of the highest rated offensive linemen to ever come out of this state.   [player_tooltip player_id='1592529' first='Julian' last='Walker'] DE, Dutch Fork   We've already attended a Dutch Fork practice, and your eyes automatically are attracted to the 6-foot-6, 230-pound Walker when you walk on the field. He was described as a man-child by a fellow local coach that saw a photo from that practice session. When Walker is engaged and his motor is running at its highest level, it might be fair to say he's unstoppable. Walker finished with 50 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in a season that he was just learning how good he can be. Walker committed to Michigan this summer.   [player_tooltip player_id='1662325' first='Dontrell' last='Wilson'] DL, Camden   Wilson slimmed down to 310 pounds on his 6-foot frame and that helped his motor during his junior season. Camden has a long history of turning out highly recruited defensive lineman and if Wilson were two or three inches taller, the Power 4 schools would be all over him. But the production is there, and we expect Wilson to improve on his numbers from last season – 64 total tackles, 20 tackles for loss, eight sacks, eight quarterback hurries, two blocked kicks and a pass break-up. He plays with a mean streak and that helps him win more battles than he loses.

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.