Unsung Heroes: Greater Charlotte + Power 6 Conferences

We are doing some work on the Class of 2026, and my colleague Will Helms is focusing on some unsigned talents and our rankings update, both of which you can check out on our homepage! I started to sit down and think about how to highlight the 2026 class, and I got the idea to highlight some players who do the dirty work but don't get a ton of recognition. In this first edition, I have a quarterback, a player who fought through injury to contribute at multiple positions, and, of course, offensive linemen. These players are essential to every team, and I want to give them some shine in the spotlight that's well deserved. This edition will focus on players in the Greater Charlotte and Power 6 conferences in Charlotte. One player per team will be highlighted. And sometimes that choice was difficult for obvious reasons. Let's get started.   Greater Charlotte Conference   Kynis Tinnin - Hough - Kynnis was a part of a very talented backfield that split a lot of carries throughout the regular season. Kynis would be part of some 2-back set looks, mainly as an H-Back/move-type player who was instrumental in their offensive attack. Kynis played his role well, and I thought he made the most of his carries, but he definitely flies under the radar as a contributor to the Huskies state championship.   [player_tooltip player_id='1751633' first='Lavarus' last='Hines'] - West Meck - Lavarus filled multiple roles this past season for the Hawks, as an Edge Rusher and a punter. With his length and athletic ability, I think he could be a fit at the right college football program. Lavarus has a good burst off the edge, and I think his best football may be ahead of him.   Cornell Parker - Garinger - Cornell was a team captain and the leading tackler for a Garinger program that was more competitive in games this season because their defense was a lot better overall. At 5'10 and 180 pounds, he played a number of defensive positions and showed some good speed and range, most notably at the linebacker position.   Cooper Helman - Myers Park - On a team that had a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, Cooper was a leader for an offensive line that I thought was among the best in the Charlotte area. Cooper is a strong run blocker and used his size well as leverage against bigger interior defensive linemen.   Malachi Goudlelock - Hopewell - The Titans QB was a player who made some critical plays in close games to help Hopewell find their way back to the playoffs under first-year Head Coach Brandon Sneed. Malachi showed some arm strength, throwing the ball downfield, and a little bit of dual-threat ability to keep plays alive to make things happen offensively.   [player_tooltip player_id='1600773' first='Quinn' last='Rucker'] - South Meck - Quinn came into the season as a tight end ranked for us at Prep Redzone NC, but he played a variety of positions for the Sabres in his senior year, including running back, showing some impressive versatility in his senior year. Coming off some injuries, Quinn ended up being a valuable contributor for a South Meck program that hosted a playoff game for the first time in a few years.   Power 6 Conference   Akeem Rose - West Charlotte - Akeem was an essential piece of the Lions winning a state title last season on the offensive line, and he did a good job once again this season, more notably in pass protection. Akeem did a good job with his footwork and provided some push in the running game for a very good offense overall.   Matthew Harris - Mallard Creek - An All-Conference player, Matthew sometimes got overshadowed by teammates with bigger names, but he was a playmaker at both the defensive line and linebacker levels of the Mavericks ' defense. He's got a good chance to play on the next level because he's fast and physical at the point of attack.   Gabriel McLaurin - North Meck - It might be a little unusual to have a starting running back as an unsung hero, but Gabriel was the main threat on a Vikings team that struggled to throw the football all season. Without him, it would have been a tougher year for North, but I think he's got some real talent that most people didn't get to see. Gabriel was also named All-Conference.   [player_tooltip player_id='1909789' first='Amari' last='Sifford'] - Butler - I got a couple of strong endorsements for Amari as a very good defensive back for the Bulldogs, and I think this is a really good time to highlight him. At 6'1 and 180 pounds, he's got the size college coaches look for in a DB. He has a few offers from colleges as a result of that, but Amari plays physical with excellent technique at the corner spot. I think he can be a contributor on the next level sooner rather than later.   Seyion Bryant - Chambers - I saw Seyion live earlier this season, and I thought he was impacting plays much more than his numbers reflect. He consistently got penetration in the backfield and found a way to be around the football consistently. With his size and athleticism, I think he can be a sneaky steal for a school in the right situation. 6'2 and 230 pounds with a 3.0 GPA should open some doors.   Travis Hill - Independence - I really respect Travis first of all. He's probably a starting running back at 95% of the schools in North Carolina, but playing behind a very talented teammate, Travis stayed and made an impact in several games to lead the Patriots to some important victories. I think he's a college-level running back and has a strong speed/power combination to his game that's fun to watch on film. I'm excited to see where he ends up on the next level.

We are doing some work on the Class of 2026, and my colleague Will Helms is focusing on some unsigned talents and our rankings update, both of which you can check out on our homepage! I started to sit down and think about how to highlight the 2026 class, and I got the idea to highlight some players who do the dirty work but don't get a ton of recognition. In this first edition, I have a quarterback, a player who fought through injury to contribute at multiple positions, and, of course, offensive linemen. These players are essential to every team, and I want to give them some shine in the spotlight that's well deserved. This edition will focus on players in the Greater Charlotte and Power 6 conferences in Charlotte. One player per team will be highlighted. And sometimes that choice was difficult for obvious reasons. Let's get started.