More Underrated Underclassmen to Watch in the CSRA

We knew 20 wouldn't be enough, right?   This CSRA area is just too loaded with talent, too saturated with 2028 and 2029 future stars, to leave the list the way we did - so here comes part two.   It's the <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/02/underrated-underclassmen-20-to-watch-in-csra/">same idea as part one</a>. We're looking at rising sophomores and juniors who either have already gotten a taste of what it takes to be a contributor on the varsity level or those who have patiently waited for their opportunity to snag the spotlight.   It's going to be their time sooner rather than later, and we're going to go ahead and give you that "We knew them when" opportunity,   Let's dive in.   [player_tooltip player_id='1817745' first='Saveon' last='Bamberg'] OL/DL, Bamberg-Ehrhardt   Where better to start than one of the anchors of the only 15-0 team in the South Carolina High School League in 2025? Bamberg-Ehrhardt already has a reputation that speaks for itself, and this past year somehow exceeded that by a wide margin. The Red Raiders overwhelmed their opponents in a variety of ways, but we all know where football games are ultimately won - up front. And here's a youngster who earned his spot on the lines among all those upperclassmen. Need we say more?   Amarion Bell ATH, Wagener-Salley   Region III-A has been one of those "If you know, you know" regions for a long time, as longtime local rivals have done battle across multiple sports for years and years, and every few seasons a fresh challenger jumps into the fray. That's what Amarion Bell did as a freshman, earning All-Region honors on the football field while also manning the middle for the War Eagles on the basketball court. How will he be used on the football team moving forward? However he's needed. He's that kind of talent.   [player_tooltip player_id='1816168' first='Zyon' last='Chamberlain'] LB/OL, McCormick   It almost feels wrong even tagging a position for this one, because [player_tooltip player_id='1816168' first='Zyon' last='Chamberlain'] can and will fit in wherever it's going to help the Chiefs win. At guard on the offensive line? Sure. At middle linebacker? Of course. Up front on the defensive line? Why not? As a defender on the soccer field? Yeah, he's locking that down. In the classroom? Yep, he's got those credentials, too. Chamblerian had some great senior leadership to learn from, and he's got all of the tools to eventually grow into that role at McCormick.    Ahmari Felder DL/TE, Edisto   Edisto is making the move down from Class 2A to A in the new round of SCHSL realignment, which on paper sounds like a favor but will still be a tall task considering the Cougars' placement in the very difficult Region VI-A. A rugged path like that is going to require some rugged leaders, and Felder looks to be very much ready to step into that role on the defensive line. Football games are won in the trenches, after all, and he can make an impact from the tackle and end positions - and don't lose sight of him when he pops up on offense at tight end.   Tyrese Hamond QB/DB, Allendale-Fairfax   It's time for some positive momentum at Allendale-Fairfax, which hasn't won more than five games in a season in more than a decade. So how about some fresh blood? Enter Tyrese Hamond, who may as well have been Mr. Everything as a middle schooler, so who better to turn to as the Tigers get set to navigate the new Region VII-A? He's a proven scholar, and he's already gotten some varsity experience on the football field and in track and field. There's no better time than now for him to take charge.   [player_tooltip player_id='1856561' first='Trevor' last='Kinard'] QB/DB, Blackville-Hilda (pictured)   Kinard took over the starting quarterback role at Blackville-Hilda as a sophomore last season, and he wasted little time showing he was capable of filling the void left behind when longtime starter Samari Williams graduated and headed to Newberry College. Kinard helped the Fighting Hawks bounce back from an 0-4 start to reel off six wins and finish second in Region III-A before his season was cut short due to injury. He should be ready to pick up right where he left off, and he'll have no shortage of weapons in year one under new head coach Dwayne Garrick.   [player_tooltip player_id='1825142' first='Aaden' last='McCormick'] OL/DL, Bamberg-Ehrhardt   To double down on what Bamberg-Ehrhardt did last year, here's a reminder that literally no one else did what the Red Raiders did. Undefeated, practically unchallenged, unquestioned as the best in Class A and a team we will talk about decades from now as one of the best of all time. Their skill guys put up comic book numbers, and they'll be the first to tell you that none of it happens without the big boys up front. To earn a spot on the interior of both lines for that team should tell you all you need to know about [player_tooltip player_id='1825142' first='Aaden' last='McCormick'] In two years, he'll be the senior passing the torch to the next Bamberg bruisers.   Jaiden Patterson WR/DB Barnwell   Jaiden Patterson may be the kind of guy this entire idea was based around. Upside, upside, upside, and he may have more of it than anyone roaming the halls at Barnwell. The Warhorses were a ridiculously young bunch after a 2024 2A Lower State title, so a lot of freshmen and eight-graders had to acclimate quickly to the varsity level. Patterson has great hands and a knack for defending the pass, and he played hard when thrown into the fire as a freshman. He has the opportunity to become an elite defensive back, and he's put in the work in the weight room to head in that direction.   [player_tooltip player_id='1824968' first='Ceddion' last='Springs'] WR/DB, Saluda   Sometimes we overthink this game. One of my favorite things is my weekly Tuesday night chats with South Aiken coach Chris Hamilton over the last 11 years when we talk about every player and every situation and everything else, only for it all to boil down to how football is all about blocking and tackling. It's simple, and sometimes we just need to listen to what coaches tell us when the game's on the line. When Saluda was at Strom Thurmond this past fall, with a chance to score the game-winner against the eventual state champs, the Tigers threw to Springs in the end zone on the final play. That tells us all we need to know,   Ericson Vasquez K, Saluda   Special teams are named what they are for a reason, and that gets magnified more and more as we delve into the smaller classifications. A quality kicker at the Class A or 2A level carries so much value considering the smaller student bodies and roster sizes, not to mention how at that level the most dangerous athletes are pretty much always out there returning kicks - boot one into the end zone, and they can't hurt you. Extra points take away unnecessarily stressful two-point conversions, and quality punts take a ton of stress off the defense. Having an All-Region pick like Vasquez to kick the ball can produce an extra win or two in the regular season, to say nothing of the playoffs.   [player_tooltip player_id='1823586' first='Travis' last='Walker'] OL, Silver Bluff   One of the keys to Silver Bluff having a good season in 2025 - beyond that whole decades of winning tradition and top-flight athletes thing - was having a veteran group on the offensive line. Senior after senior after senior after senior after senior (yes, there were five of them up front) helped pave the way for [player_tooltip player_id='1654810' first='Drelyn' last='Brown'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1820957' first='Dorian' last='Jones'] to do big things in the run game, and those bigs gave plenty of time for [player_tooltip player_id='1557629' first='Trellis' last='Riley'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1822054' first='Jordan' last='Williams'] to find their receivers. Who's next to step in? Why not a 6-foot-2, 245-pound rising junior? The Bluff has some other youngsters waiting in the wings, but Walker very well could be their next leader.   [player_tooltip player_id='1825108' first='Bridgedon' last='Youmans'] DB/WR, Barnwell   One of the things I used to do at the Aiken Standard when I did Game Balls was emphasize the dominant position for our two-way players. The running back/linebacker combo was a given, as was the wide receiver/defensive back duo. And it was often because of their exploits on offense. [player_tooltip player_id='1825108' first='Bridgedon' last='Youmans'] on the other hand, got thrown into the fire and more than likely figured out quickly he may not be catching a ton of passes - so he caught ones thrown by opposing quarterbacks. He worked his way into Barnwell's stat spreadsheet week after week, and that shouldn't slow down any time soon.   Kaiden Washington RB/LB, Wagener-Salley   Wagener-Salley is charting a lot of new ground, with an upcoming coaching change, new facilities and a fairly new region. That can be a lot to take in for a young team, in which case it's time for some young stars to step into leadership roles. That's a spot where Washington could thrive after an All-Region season in a running back/linebacker role, and during the basketball season he showed off his speed and hands by racking up steals and fast-break buckets. This region has always been defined by its best all-around athletes, and Washington may be ready to put his name on that list.

We knew 20 wouldn't be enough, right?