2027 Rankings Update: Midlands/CSRA Zone Read

The Midlands is well represented when it comes to the Class of 2027 rankings, and we expect that number to continue to grow as we see more players during their junior seasons.   There are some we know a lot about already. Receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1172363' first='Khristian' last='Jackson'] at Ridge View and defensive end [player_tooltip player_id='755914' first='Jaiden' last='Bryant'] of Irmo have pushed the needle since the beginning of last season and find themselves in the Top 10 of the Class.   In fact, Irmo is all over the Top 25 with defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1172366' first='Tyrone' last='Jennings'] (No. 11) offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='756223' first='Nate' last='Carson'] (No. 12) and receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1422528' first='Maleek' last='Miller'] (No. 24) all being leading players at their positions.   There are others in the Top 25 as well – Ridge View quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='840548' first='Tre' last='Howard'] (likely out for the season due to an injury sustained last week), Dutch Fork defensive end [player_tooltip player_id='409882' first='Jaden' last='Wuerth'] and running back [player_tooltip player_id='1036777' first='Trevon' last='Williamson'] of Gray Collegiate.   But here we want to look at the Class as a whole. We will break down some newcomers to the list, talk about players we think are poised to move up in the next rankings cycle and then talk about a position group that is leading the charge for this Class.   JOINING THE LIST   Here is a glance at some of the newcomers that made the list for the first time.   [player_tooltip player_id='1818909' first='Aiden' last='Holmes'] OL, Dreher   Holmes caught our attention in a preseason scrimmage and he's just now understanding how good he can be. Dreher Corey Jenkins said Holmes is still learning to play the position and using technique and leverage to his advantage. What we liked the most about the 6-foot-1, 270-pounder was his aggressiveness and playing until the whistle. He has a mean streak and if that's harnessed the right way, Holmes is a player we should hear more about.   [player_tooltip player_id='1720918' first='Keon' last='Mckinley'] WR/ATH, Heathwood Hall   We all know Mckinley has the genes to be a standout – his father is former South Carolina star Kenny Mckinley. So far this season, Mckinley has been effective in all three phases of the game – wide receiver, defensive back and kick returner. He's a threat nearly every time he touches the ball and has turned into an elite cover corner in a short period of time. Mckinley already has a 70-yard interception return to his credit this season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1809651' first='Max' last='Clyburn'] TE/DE, Brookland-Cayce   Clyburn made the move over from Camden when his father, Louis Clyburn, took the head coaching job with the Bearcats. The younger Clyburn is a two-way standout and could have a future as an H-Back or tight end on the next level. For now, he's going to play both ways and make an impact at both tight end and defensive end. He's got a great frame at 6-foot-1, 220 pounds but also has the intangibles to keep getting better.   [player_tooltip player_id='1811070' first='Parker' last='Collins'] LB, Chapin   Collins completed his sophomore season with 51 tackles and 13 tackles for loss so we knew he might be one to take his game to the next level. So far this season, he's totaled 17 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss. If he keeps that pace up, he will get near the 100-tackle mark on the season. He's 5-foot-11, 190 pounds and can fill gaps and make plays sideline-to-sideline. He's going to be a key component for an Eagles defense that had to replace a lot from last season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1354590' first='Greyson' last='Rimpf'] QB, Camden   Rimpf has taken control of the Bulldogs offense and it's like he's been running it for a long time. Considering his dad, Brian Rimpf, is the head coach, that might be the reason he's so familiar with the position. In two games this season, Rimpf has thrown for 380 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for three scores on just eight carries so far. He's 6-foot-1, 180 pounds and can make all the throws as well as tuck it and run when the situation calls for it. Rimpf could be the reason Camden is the conversation at the end of the season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1853105' first='Tanner' last='Padgett'] QB, Aiken   Padgett hasn't been asked to do much in the two Green Hornets wins to begin the season but what he has done is bring calmness and stability to the quarterback spot. He's completing nearly 70 percent of his passes and has 157 yards and two passing scores and two rushing touchdowns. He's got a strong arm and isn't afraid to throw across the middle or the difficult out patterns.   [player_tooltip player_id='1811094' first='Josh' last='Simpkins'] DL/OL, North Augusta   North Augusta has long been known for its play in the trenches and Simpkins is next in line to keep that moniker going. He plays both ways and while just 245 pounds, doesn't back down from bigger opponents. He has the frame to add some pounds and not lose any of his effectiveness. He has a quick first step and plays through the whistle each play. He's a little bit of a mauler on the offensive side of things.   [player_tooltip player_id='1811040' first='Leonard' last='Pressley'] ATH, American Leadership   Pressley plays in a run-first Wing T offense but he makes the most of his opportunities. On defense, he's versatile and can play near the line of scrimmage or in the secondary. It's really going to depend on what the other team likes to do to determine where Pressley can help the most. The Patriots have figured Pressley is their best playmaker so they're using him at quarterback and receiver when needed this season. He's 6-foot-2, 175 pounds and uses his body well to shield defenders in the passing game. He scored two rushing TD's and caught the game-winning two-point conversion in the Patriots Week 1 win over Camden Military.    MOVING UP?   This next set of players either entered the rankings this cycle or have stayed steady in the rankings since joining. But we can see where they could easily ride a huge junior season into a boost in the rankings at the end of the season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1426578' first='James' last='Veasey'] QB, Blythewood   We thought it would be at least one more season before we could really see what Veasey (pictured) could do but when [player_tooltip player_id='1418100' first='Johnny' last='Collins'] decided to give up football and focus on baseball, the 5-foot-10, 190-pounder became the starter at quarterback. In two games, he's delivered very well. Veasey is completing over 67 percent of his passes and has thrown for 346 yards and two touchdowns. He's added another 168 yards rushing and four touchdowns to his resume as well. Veasey is going to be a key as the Bengals progress along this season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1823705' first='Jaxon' last='Knotts'] QB, Dutch Fork   Knotts is another player we thought we would see more of in 2026 but when [player_tooltip player_id='1267290' first='Ethan' last='Offing'] decided not to return and focus on baseball, the keys to the offense for the three-time defending state champions were turned over to Knotts. He played mainly in mop up duty last season, and our sample size is only one regular season game this season, but Knotts was steady and should improve over time. He's the son of Tom Knotts, the legendary Dutch Fork head coach, so we expected him to be a sponge and soak in all the information he can over these next two years.   Caleb Renwick DB, River Bluff   The Gators secondary is still relatively young, but they were pressed into action as sophomores and are seasoned this season. Renwick had 43 tackles and two interceptions a season ago and he already has seven tackles and an interception with three passes defended. He pairs with [player_tooltip player_id='1422592' first='Caleb' last='Pinkney'] in giving River Bluff a pair of corners that can put on an island and be aggressive with the other nine defenders. Renwick's cover skills have gotten better and that will be a key to the Gators defense as the season moves into region play.     [player_tooltip player_id='1664643' first='Calvin' last='Wofford'] RB, Crestwood   If you want to talk about making a splash, that's exactly what Wofford has done to start off his junior season. He's scored six rushing touchdowns and accounted for 353 yards for an offense that is averaging 315 rushing yards per game. Wofford can run inside or out and makes the most of his opportunities. He's averaging over nine yards per carry and has over 400 yards of total offense on the season.      [player_tooltip player_id='1603902' first='Angelo' last='Rios'] RB, Westwood   Rios is a little undersized but that hasn't stopped him from producing good numbers. He's just outside the Top 100 players for the 2027 Class now but he could find himself inside triple digits with a solid junior campaign. He's shown a great deal of versatility so far by rushing for 134 yards and catching eight passes for 100 yards. The Redhawks have thrown the ball more than they've run it thus far, but Rios is coming off a season in which he was just shy of 1,000 yards. He could be a huge factor the rest of the way.   [player_tooltip player_id='1811107' first='Javon' last='Ryans'] LB, North Augusta   Ryans is a very active middle linebacker that plays well in pursuit as well as in small spaces.  He's 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds but his quickness and lateral movement resemble someone much smaller. That athleticism helps in a number of ways. He's quick to the ball-carrier and usually arrives with a wallop. He could shoot up the rankings but the end of this season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1827461' first='Jordan' last='Davis'] LB, AC Flora   Davis is playing on a defense that returned several starters but lost two mainstays to transfer. But he's stepped right in to be the leader and that's what we expected out of the 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker. He's averaging eight tackles per game and has two tackles for loss, an interception and caused a fumble in the early going. He's physical and plays as well against the run as he does the pass. We easily could see his production increase as the season progresses, and he flirts with the 100-tackle plateau with a few picks thrown in for good measure.      DEFENSIVE BACK SPOTLIGHT   The defensive backs in this class seem to have a special quality about them. They don't seem to be rattled and most of them have prior seasons experience. We feel like this group could be highly ranked by the time things are all said and done.   [player_tooltip player_id='1824733' first='James' last='Smith'] DB, White Knoll   If Smith can regain the glory of his freshman year, the Timberwolves will have one of the better defensive backs in the area. He missed all of last season due to injury but he's back and should be a huge contributor on a defense that was hit hard by graduation. He's rangy, plays smart and can make plays all over the field. Having Smith back on defense gives the White Knoll coaches some options on how they want to play defensively.   [player_tooltip player_id='1664646' first='Deion' last='Hollis'] DB/WR, Keenan   Hollis is a two-way standout for the Raiders but he's on the field for every defensive snap. He's got smooth, flexible hips that allow him to keep up with any receiver in coverage. He reads the quarterback well and breaks on the ball as well as anyone. He seems to be near the ball on a lot of occasions and already has a fumble recovery and a pass defended this season. He sees spot duty at receiver, but his bigger impact will be on defense this season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1664620' first='Gavin' last='Elliott'] DB, Gilbert   Elliott returns on an experienced and veteran defense for the Indians and plays the deep safety position well. He had 68 tackles last season and plays centerfield very well. He reacts quickly and reads the quarterback's eyes to get into position to make plays. He tries to keep everything in front of him and not give up the big chunk plays.   [player_tooltip player_id='1603854' first='Eric' last='Richardson'] DB/WR, Lugoff-Elgin   It's still undetermined where Richardson might play on the next level but right now, he's making the best of playing on both sides of the ball. He's got eight catches for 72 yards on offense and a rushing touchdown. Defensively, he's been in on eight tackles and played solid in the first two weeks. Richardson can run with anyone and hardly comes off the field for the Demons. That makes his value undeniable for Lugoff-Elgin.   [player_tooltip player_id='1604012' first='Jamar' last='Grissett'] DB, Irmo   If you're looking for a cover corner that breaks well on the ball and can defend the opponent's best receiver, then Grissett is it. He thrives in pressure situations and already has two interceptions on the season to go along with a pass defended and five tackles. He plays aggressively and doesn't mind getting physical with a receiver. He's confident and that's a trait any defensive back needs.

The Midlands is well represented when it comes to the Class of 2027 rankings, and we expect that number to continue to grow as we see more players during their junior seasons.