Top 6 Edge Rushers in Johnston/Harnett County

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We've been working our way through the different position groups in the RDU area as part of our deep dives series. We've already covered over 150 offensive prospects in 11 counties, and we expect to cover just as many on the defense. Here, we're looking at a fun group of Johnston/Harnett County edge rushers. Who made the top six?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Best Edge Rushers in Johnston/Harnett County</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Editor's Note: The ranked edge rushers are listed in order from first to sixth. Rankings reflect a combination of 2025 production and predicted 2026 impact.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Other Johnston/Harnett County Deep Dives:<br></em><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/03/johnston-harnett-county-qb-deep-dive/">QBs</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/03/deep-dive-top-7-rbs-in-johnston-harnett-county/">RBs</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/03/top-5-wrs-in-johnston-harnett-county/">WRs</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/03/deep-dive-top-10-tes-in-rdu/">RDU TEs</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/03/top-8-ol-in-wake-county/">OL</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/03/deep-dive-top-6-idls-in-johnston-harnett-county/">IDLs</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["444280"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69bacca6483d8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Hamm took some time to get his feet wet after transferring to Clayton from Wilson Prep, but he was crucial down the stretch, with six tackles for loss and two sacks in the playoffs. His get-off is excellent and he's a guy who can beat offensive tackles in one-on-one situations.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2153197"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69bacca648490"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Arnold had a breakout season last year for Overhills, with 11 sacks after having just one in a handful of games as a sophomore. That makes him the most productive returner in Johnston County, and with that comes added pressure. He's gained weight and grown into a true edge guy, and that should help him next year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1698691"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69bb01847b28f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I struggled with where to put Bullock. I knew he'd easily make a deep dive, but I went back and forth about whether to rank him as an edge rusher or outside linebacker. In truth, he's a bona fide hybrid, and he'll rush the passer and drop back in coverage with similar success. He had five sacks and three picks last season. He's a playmaker in every sense of the word, and he'll be crucial to West Johnson's success in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2153276"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69bb01847b3a6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Blackwell is Clayton's leading returning pass rusher with eight sacks and 18 tackles for loss last season. He's a high-effort pass rusher who picked up several of his sacks on chasedowns or after being stopped initially by offensive linemen. That same intensity allows him to make tackles down the field, as well. That effort is huge for a defense that will need to replace some key pieces in 2026.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2153309"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69bb01847b426"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Johnson had a fantastic season for South Johnson last year, racking up 22 tackles for loss and four sacks. He's a wiry edge rusher with plenty of get-off who holds up surprisingly well in the running game. Expect him to add a bit more weight this offseason as the Trojans try to build on an 8-4 2025 record.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2153181"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69bacca648449"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Locklear is one of the few returning contributors on a senior-laden Cleveland defense. This season, he'll be called upon as the primary pass-rusher for the Rams, and although he's not the biggest guy, he can both push the pocket and win with speed and bend around the edge.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>This is the time of year when we have the most time to dive into film, re-evaluate prospects, and revisit past opinions about players across the state. Send your film on Twitter/X (<a href="https://x.com/whelms21">@whelms21</a>), so I can evaluate you. We'll continue Deep Dives over the next month before jumping into our spring rankings update.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->