Meet the New Guys: Class of 2029 Nos. 21-25

We just dropped our <a href="https://prepredzone.com/north-carolina/rankings/2029-north-carolina-high-school-football-rankings/">initial 2029 rankings</a>, and since this is a new class, only a few of these players have scouting reports. I'm slowly changing that.   I've already gone behind the scenes of the creation of this class, with stats, big-picture takeaways, and some class superlatives. This series is different. We're going straight through, from No. 45 to No. 1, to break down every ranked player in the class of 2029. Let's meet the new guys. Starting with the back of the rankings, let's scout the 2029 class.   Other 2029 scouting reports:   <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/11/meet-the-new-guys-class-of-2029-nos-41-45/">No. 41-45</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/11/meet-the-new-guys-class-of-2029-nos-36-40/">No. 36-40</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/11/meet-the-new-guys-class-of-2029-nos-31-35/">No. 31-35</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/11/meet-the-new-guys-class-of-2029-nos-26-30/">No. 26-30</a>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Meet the Class of 2029</h2>    Baker has a bright future as a physical cover corner. He's succeeded on both sides of the ball this year, as a gadget guy offensively and a promising corner defensively. His ball skills are impressive, and with a bit more weight, he'll really be able to be left on an island with bigger receivers. His technical ability is obvious on film, and the speed and fluidity in his lower body suggest he's only going to get better.     Hunt's a guy we've seen in a camp setting, and we like what we've seen from the freshman. He's added a decent amount of weight in the last year and a half, and when he gets his chance on varsity, he'll be physically ready. He's a smart blocker and has a future at tackle for one of the top teams in the state.     While Lineberger has had the standard freshman struggles against one of the state's toughest schedules, he has excellent upside and ranks in the top 25 of our initial rankings. He has the arm strength to attack the sidelines and throws well on the run. He's a tough player, and he'll be even better once he spends a bit more time in a high school weight program.     Drayton might be the biggest freshman running back I've ever evaluated, and it's possible his size dictates a move to full-time edge rusher, but he's a natural runner who runs with surprising pad level for a taller back. Drayton is a load to bring down and gets downhill in a hurry. Unsurprisingly, he hasn't gotten a ton of early varsity run on a loaded Myers Park squad, but his athleticism and upside land him inside the top 25.     Brooks has excellent burst and vision at the running back position, and his highlights show he frequently makes second-level defenders miss in the open field. He has excellent speed to the edge, but he also excels between the tackles. He's played on both sides of the ball, but there's no doubt his future is at running back after a great freshman season.    We'll have plenty of pieces on our 2029 class rankings over the next week, in addition to playoff coverage and Player of the Year voting. Want to make sure you're on our radar? Our next <a href="https://events.prepredzone.com/e/2124/register/stock-up-showcase-carolinas">Prep Redzone Carolinas Showcase</a> is Dec. 7. Promo Code HelmsWinterPRZ will get you $10 off registration.

We just dropped our initial 2029 rankings, and since this is a new class, only a few of these players have scouting reports. I'm slowly changing that.