Underrated Juniors: 20 To Watch In The Midlands

It's hard to believe we're at the beginning of March and we will have combines, spring practices and then summer camps and the start of football practice is less than six months away.   With all that being said, we want to look at a group of 2027 players that could make huge leaps in our rankings by the time their senior seasons are complete. Some of these players are coming off injury while others burst on the scene with authority and should continue that trend.   Here are 20 players from across the Midlands that can see their stock rise by the end of the 2026 season.   [player_tooltip player_id='2083700' first='Jaylin' last='Simmons'] RB, AC Flora   The Falcons are retooling in more ways than one, but new coach Willie Offord is going to be able to lean on Simmons in a big way. The junior went from a minimal contributor at the beginning of the season to a bona fide workhorse towards the end. He's proven he's durable and will be able to carry the football 20 times a game. AC Flora is replacing a record setting quarterback so Simmons very easily could surpass the 1,237 yards he accounted for last season.    [player_tooltip player_id='1781924' first='Jessiah' last='Thompson'] DL/OL, Airport   Thompson is a versatile defender from his nose guard position and thanks to his stocky build at 5-foot-9, 300 pounds, can easily clog running lanes with the best of them. He's also nimble enough to rush the passer. He doubles as an offensive lineman and he's a mauler at the point of attack. Once he locks in, it's difficult for a defender to get away.   [player_tooltip player_id='1426578' first='James' last='Veasey'] QB, Blythewood   Veasey (pictured) probably thought he was a season away from being the full-time starter but after [player_tooltip player_id='1418100' first='Johnny' last='Collins'] decided to give up football to focus on baseball, the job was all Veasey's. He was able to work most of the summer with the other skill players and that helped and he blossomed once the season began. Veasey threw for over 1,800 yards and rushed for another 600-plus as he accounted for 26 total touchdowns. He's entrenched as the starter now so we could see him flirt with over 3,000 yards of total offense this coming season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1816473' first='Evan' last='Simmons'] LB, Brookland-Cayce   Simmons could be on the verge of an explosive senior season. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder uses a quick burst and good instincts to track ball-carriers with ease. He moves well laterally and can make plays all over the field. He's a big hitter that totaled 136 tackles and 10 tackles for loss while adding three sacks and two fumble recoveries and one caused fumble.    [player_tooltip player_id='1720755' first='Jaden' last='Manning'] ATH, Camden   A lot of playmakers played in the shadows of [player_tooltip player_id='1165092' first='Tylin' last='Drakeford'] last season but now that he's gone to the college ranks, quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1354590' first='Greyson' last='Rimpf'] will be looking to spread the ball around a little more. Manning made a big splash on defense with 79 tackles, an interception and a blocked field goal. But we could see him contribute more on offense this coming season. He accounted for 212 yards in total offense but could be used way more this coming season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1811070' first='Parker' last='Collins'] LB, Chapin   The Eagles went 0-10 last season and that led to Cory Helms being named the new head coach this offseason. He has a solid building block in Collins, who was the leading tackler last season with 77 tackles and seven tackles for loss. He plays in the middle but can make plays at the line of scrimmage as well as on the perimeter. That's going to allow Helms to use that versatility to move around on defense to where he can make even more plays.   [player_tooltip player_id='1664603' first='Ahmadre' last='Ricks'] LB, Crestwood   Ricks sort of burst onto the scene and became the Knights leading tackler along the way. He accounted for 88 tackles and 10 tackles for loss while adding a sack and three interceptions. Ricks is super athletic at 5-foot-9, 190 pounds and he could account for over 100 tackles in his senior season. His biggest attribute is reading the play and making the right first step.   [player_tooltip player_id='1818909' first='Aiden' last='Holmes'] OL, Dreher   We saw Holmes for the first time in the preseason last year and quickly fell in love with what we were seeing. He was an athletic 6-foot-2, 285 lineman that played with a nasty streak and didn't back down from anyone. He has a large wingspan and can dominate a defender once he gets his hands on them. He plays from the snap to the whistle and that usually bodes well for a lineman.     [player_tooltip player_id='481377' first='A'maurie' last='Harley'] DB/WR, Dutch Fork   Harley was a two-way player for the state champion Silver Foxes, but we expect him to focus on the secondary for his senior season. He has great footwork, turns and runs with receivers with ease and can match up with taller receivers. Someone must take over for [player_tooltip player_id='1734522' first='Mario' last='Anderson'] as the leader and some players might have more playing time under their belt, but coach Tom Knotts likes to lean on his seniors.     [player_tooltip player_id='1809066' first='Chandler' last='Guthrie'] WR, Gilbert   Guthrie is listed at 6-foot-1, but he plays much bigger than that. He attacks the ball at its highest point and uses his body much like a basketball player going for a rebound. He shields defenders well and doesn't mind playing physically. He can become a vocal point of the Indians offense and become a go-to receiver to whoever takes over at quarterback.   [player_tooltip player_id='1824178' first='Trey' last='Johnson'] OL, Gray Collegiate   The War Eagles advanced to the Class 4A state semifinals and one of the reasons was the play of the offensive line. Johnson lined up at right guard next to [player_tooltip player_id='1422610' first='Jack' last='Armstrong'] at right tackle and those two provided a formidable 1-2 punch. Johnson is 6-foot-4, 280 pounds and he's garnering more and more attention from the college recruiters.    [player_tooltip player_id='1664646' first='Deion' last='Hollis'] WR, Keenan   Hollis is a danger once he gets the ball into his hands. The Raiders are probably going to find multiple ways to get the ball to Hollis and that could come in the form of the passing game or jet sweeps. Hollis battled the injury bug for a lot of his junior season and even played a lot at the quarterback position when he was healthy. The plan is to use him at receiver and let him impact that game in that way.   [player_tooltip player_id='1664627' first='Keytrelle' last='Griffin'] OL, Lakewood   At 6-foot-3, 335 pounds, Griffin can mix it up in the trenches or get out and pull to block linebackers or even defensive backs. He lets his power take over at times and just totally dominates a defender at the snap. Griffin is equally good in the run game as he is in pass protection. He's getting the attention of college recruiters, and we think his potential is on an upward trajectory.      [player_tooltip player_id='1823904' first='Maurice' last='Horry'] DL, Lower Richland   Horry was a powerhouse in the middle of the Lower Richland defense. He finished with 52 tackles and 16.5 tackles for loss. He used great leverage to find his way into the backfield on several occasions, and he usually was extremely disruptive when he got back there. He's powerful and can slip past offensive linemen in a bullrush or he can use his deceptive speed to get around them.   [player_tooltip player_id='1820131' first='Jackson' last='Glenn'] DL, Orangeburg-Wilkinson   Jackson looks like a college player at 6-foot-3, 295 pounds. He is producing like one as well – 47 tackles and 13 tackles for loss in 10 games last season. He added a sack and caused a fumble as well. He moves around on the line and at times finds himself where he has a mismatch against an offensive player. He is a heady player that uses his instincts and power to make plays close to the line of scrimmage.   [player_tooltip player_id='1820308' first='Alan' last='Moore'] QB, Pelion   The Panthers won five games for the first time in several seasons and a lot of that had to do with the play of Moore at quarterback. He threw for 1,860 yards and 20 touchdowns while completing 55 percent of his passes. Moore threw a nice deep ball but also is precise on shorter routes that allows his receivers to move in space. Moore gained a lot of confidence last season, and he will give the new Pelion coach someone to build around.   [player_tooltip player_id='1811119' first='James' last='Ross'] OL, Ridge View   Ross plays on the left side of the line and can become a dominant force for an offense that should be dynamic in 2026. The Blazers were decimated by injuries late in the season, but a lot of those skill guys are back and ready to go. They will need the play of Ross up front to pave the way. He has the size at 6-foot-3, 295 pounds and has the mobility to provide protection in space. He could turn into one of the more dominant offensive linemen in the state by the time things are all said and done.   [player_tooltip player_id='1664563' first='Nayshaun' last='Brown'] LB, Sumter   Brown is going to be one of the key returners on the defensive side of the ball. Brown contributed 53 tackles, seven tackles for loss, a sack and an interception and could make those numbers closer to 80-90 tackles this season considering he played in just six games a season ago. Brown moves well, has great size and runs well to make plays sideline-to-sideline. A healthy season could make him one of the better linebackers in the state.   [player_tooltip player_id='1822255' first='Ajdrin' last='Mobley'] DL, Westwood   Mobley snuck into the rankings this past cycle, but the upside is there to make a large jump before his career is over. He's slightly undersized at 6-foot-1, 225 pounds but that didn't stop him from being extremely productive for the Redhawks as a junior. He's quick, surprisingly strong and can get free in several different ways. He could add some weight and not lose any of his effectiveness and that will garner attention from the college scouts.   [player_tooltip player_id='1732517' first='Jhais' last='Mckiever'] QB, White Knoll   Mckeiver was a first-year starter last year and excelled on the varsity level. He's going to have a new coach in Victor Floyd and Floyd has proven to be a great quarterback mentor. McKiever has tremendous athletic upside, and he became better as a passer as the season went along. He proved to be a leader and seemed like a seasoned veteran from the start. The Timberwolves will be in somewhat of a rebuild mode, but Mckeiver is a solid place to start for that.

It's hard to believe we're at the beginning of March and we will have combines, spring practices and then summer camps and the start of football practice is less than six months away.