2027 Rankings Update: The Stock Risers

Editor's note: Prep RedZone's Spring Rankings Update window means savings for you. Throughout the entirety of the cycle, you can save 40% off an annual or two-year subscription by using the offer code “Guerin40” at checkout. This will unlock all rankings and subsequent content at the discounted rate. <a href="https://prepredzone.com/subscribe">Get in the game here.</a>   Major change was the name of the game during our Spring Rankings Cycle.   We've had more time to check in on actual production value from the 2025 season. We've pin-pointed players' worth to their individual teams (not simply the stat packs). And we've used the offseason to see which players are ready for even more of the spotlight.    Shake-ups in the overall top 10.   Positional rankings shifts.   Triple-digit upward movement.   It's all there, a product of the Class of 2027 coming into view better than ever before.    Over the last several months, we've gone full-bore dissecting the rising senior class, and it's led to our largest shake-up unlike ever before with this class. Prep RedZone South Carolina used anything and everything we could get our hands on. The end result was some significant reshuffling to our overall rankings. Here, we're going to break down the why for our biggest movers and shakers.   CLIMBERS IN THE TOP 100   Among the players we already had ranked in the top half of our rankings from the last cycle, we've got nine in particular who are done messing around.   These players have run full speed into April with a body of work that tells us not only was their production even more valuable to their respective teams, but that there's a better-than-average chance they've got even more in the tank.   [player_tooltip player_id='1536398' first='Simeon' last='Jones'] DL, North Augusta (up 40 spots to No. 19)   All Jones did at the Carolians Coaches Combines in March was impress every single person who saw the fire he brought to the offseason event. At a touch of 300 pounds, he moved like a college lineman and roughed up more than a few opposing blockers. His time is coming.   [player_tooltip player_id='1078102' first='Darius' last='Carter'] WR, River Bluff (up 36 spots to No. 53)    The burner of a receiver put up 908 yards and 11 touchdowns last fall, so his potential to disrupt a defense were clear. Now add in that his damage was split between two quarterbacks and a new coaching staff and we think his prep peak has yet to happen.   [player_tooltip player_id='1603963' first='Mason' last='Evans'] QB, Crescent (up 73 spots to No. 68)    Evans has been impressing us for the better part of two calendar years. When we dove into his junior season, though, he clearly hit another gear. He threw the ball well (2,200 yards, 26 touchdowns, nine interceptions) and went freak show by adding 1,000 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns.   [player_tooltip player_id='1604012' first='Jamar' last='Grissett'] DB, Irmo (up 51 spots to No. 70)   You can take our work for just how athletic Grissett really is, or you can do what we did and sift through his hoops highlights. If that's not good enough, his two-week playoff span stat line Lugoff-Elgin and White Knoll should do the trick: Four picks, two blocks field goals, 14 tackles.   [player_tooltip player_id='1647592' first='Corey' last='Gleaton'] WR/DB, Gray Collegiate (up 52 spots to no. 74)    The relatively small roster at Gray is about to be tested unlike ever before with the Eagles moving up to Class 5A. Gleaton is a pretty good reason to not discount this team's chances week to week. He tacked on six defensive picks to his 1,200 receiving yards and 12 scores.   [player_tooltip player_id='1811094' first='Josh' last='Simpkins'] DL/OL, North Augusta (up 52 spots to No. 74)    Count us among the folks who often forget Simpkins is charged with manning the edge on both sides of the ball for the Yellow Jackets. He's not likely to see a lot of rest this fall, as his length is problematic for opposing tackles or defensive ends.   [player_tooltip player_id='1820912' first='Luke' last='Thayer'] OL, South Florence (up 92 spots to No. 90)   If Thayer isn't already set to take up the mantle of the state's best center, he's close. His snap efficiency has driving the Bruins' offensive rhythm and South Florence fans are about to see just how valuable he is amid mass transition.   [player_tooltip player_id='1603999' first='Caleb' last='Feaster'] RB/LB, Chester (up 54 spots to No. 95)   The Cyclones scored 55 offensive touchdowns last year. Guess what? Feaster had 18 of them. He reached the end zone at least once in every game. Cool, right? Now consider he averaged only 10 rushes per game.    [player_tooltip player_id='1319663' first='Royce' last='Williamson'] WR/DB, Gray Collegiate (up 79 spots to No. 97)   After a transfer-induced JV year in 2024, Williamson made up for lost time in 2025. He was good as a receiver (42 receptions, 725 yards, eight TDs). He was really good as a safety (49 tackles, eight interceptions).     TRIPLE-DIGIT JUMPERS   When our last rankings cycle ended, we had 399 players in the list (again, there was some mid-cycle changes based upon reclassifications and out-of-state transfers).   That opened the door for this evaluation period to hit the overdrive. That's exactly what we noticed when our reshuffling process was completed and all the metrics were brought to the light.    These 12 players may not at the top of our list, but their rankings bumps shouldn't be taken lightly.    [player_tooltip player_id='1824044' first='Bryson' last='Crawford'] RB, Fox Creek (up 103 spots to No. 211)   We already knew Crawford had run for just shy of 1,400 yards and 21 touchdowns as a junior. What we didn't recognize was just how much he was doing what he did while everyone knew the ball was going to be in his hands. Of the Predators' 411 registered offensive plays in 2025, 49 percent of them ended up with him toting the rock.    [player_tooltip player_id='1266099' first='Broden' last='Mitcheson'] RB, Fort Mill (up 114 spots to No. 204)   Mitcheson slipped into our rankings last cycle as a low 300s level tailback. After some extended looks, yeah, we could have easily had his debut be a bit higher. The one-time quarterback made the move to running back and flourished throughout 2025 and into his final high school offseason, rushing for 1,136 yards and 12 touchdowns.    [player_tooltip player_id='1809928' first='Nathan' last='Huff'] OL, Greer (up 115 spots to No. 149)   Huff has all the tools we'd want to see out of a starting tackle at this level. What also became more clear is that he's probably a bit more established in using them than previously thought. Huff's ability to get into space and them make it count has done wonders for the Greer rushing attack. The lineman knows how to keep his head on a swivel and adjust mid-block.   [player_tooltip player_id='1823372' first='Mack' last='Rambo'] RB/LB, St. Joseph's (up 142 spots to No. 183)   We've left the linebacker tag on Rambo's profile for now, but don't be shocked if St. Joe's doesn't decide to go all in on his running skills during his senior year. After all, this is a player who ran for 978 yards and 16 touchdowns in a whopping seven games last fall. Players who average 140 yards and better than two scores per game tend to get fed. A lot.   [player_tooltip player_id='1827481' first='Jayden' last='Hatcher'] RB, North Augusta (up 158 spots to No. 162)   Hatcher's name would already be much more well known had a certain Shrine Bowler not been on the Yellow Jackets' roster last fall. Now, Hatcher is RB1 for a program known for producing some pretty darn good ones. And he's not taking the task on empty handed. He's going to be a regular in our weekly Game Balls posts this fall.    [player_tooltip player_id='1811119' first='James' last='Ross'] OL, Ridge View (up 159 spots to No. 81)   The calendar didn't do us any favors in getting a verified height and weight on Ross before this update was published. But we know for a fact he's not the 6-foot-1 offensive lineman he was when he was still at Orangeburg-Wilkinson two seasons ago. Ross has blown up since his arrival at Ridge View.    [player_tooltip player_id='1823657' first='Connor' last='Davis'] QB, Woodruff (up 169 spots to No. 152)   Davis was tasked with taking over for a multi-year starter, dealing with the circus often inflicted by playing with so much other talent and did nothing but show he was ready for the call. We were particularly enthralled by how accurate he was throwing the ball (61% completions, 30-to-6 TD-to-INT rate).   [player_tooltip player_id='1818204' first='James' last='Heckard'] K/P Rock Hill (up 192 spots to No. 195)   Go ahead and put Heckard into a short list of guys who should be considered for one of the state's two all-star games this coming December. He has a big leg (47-yard made field goal last season) and he's consistent (17-of-19 on all kicks). What's more, he's not going to be sharing the kicking duties with an older player this time around.    [player_tooltip player_id='2083700' first='Jaylin' last='Simmons'] RB, AC Flora (up 195 spots to No. 127)   For all the talk of what the Falcons have lost via graduations and transfers, there's something to be said for what incoming head coach Willie Offord has coming back. Simmons probably isn't at the top of that list, but he's close. After starting slow, he finished the season with five 100-yard games in Flora's final eight contests while turning into a touchdown machine.   [player_tooltip player_id='2045815' first='Silas' last='Brawner'] QB, Pinewood Prep (up 204 spots to No. 219)   The apples and oranges conversations about SCHSL ball vs. SCISA ball hold all sorts of merit. But Brawner (pictured) showed up against some top-level quarterbacks from the bigger organization at the Carolinas Coaches Combines and showed off his massive frame, strong arm and even better decision making. In case you're wondering, he'd made a heck of a tight end, too.   [player_tooltip player_id='1816751' first='Calvin' last='McCoy'] RB, Greer (up 206 spots to No. 142)   McCoy isn't married to his favorite lineman (see: Huff), but it's clear the tailback knows where his pay dirt usually lies and knows how to make it work for Greer's offensive game plan. On top of that, he's a tailback whose cutting ability is dramatically undervalued. We can tell from all the film and in-person viewing that his field vision is no joke.    [player_tooltip player_id='1816968' first='Eli' last='Pressley'] LB, Summerville (up 279 spots to No. 87)   Sitting just outside the positional Top 10, Pressley very well could finish inside that crop by the time his high school days are done. He's a linebacker who is clearly comfortable with Summerville's defensive plans; he was second on the team with 91 stops while tacking on 14 tackles for loss. Pressley now moves into a de facto defensive frontrunner role for the Wave.    CHANGES INSIDE TOP 10    Last by not least, while the names inside our overall Top 10 remained the same, [player_tooltip player_id='755914' first='Jaiden' last='Bryant'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1036721' first='Tre' last='Segarra'] doubled up to completely shift the order from the Nos. 4-9 spots, courtesy of their individual rises.   Bryant, the Irmo defensive end who previously committed to LSU and first-year coach Lane Kiffin back in January, climbed two spots to No. 4 overall. Bryant is in the midst of his official visits and is still being wooed by some other college football blue bloods. However, his consistency during a busy offseason has been noticeable. While players have come and gone from the Yellow Jackets' roster since the end of last season, Bryant has been handling business in the weight room, not simply the recruiting world.   Meanwhile, Segarra's star also found ways to continue to rise. The four spots he's earned (up to No. 5 overall) are a product of his continued display that the knee injury from his sophomore season has been nothing more than a blip in his career. After rushing for 1,460 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior last fall, he transitioned back to soccer and has been simply dominant this spring. His senior year on the gridiron is quickly shaping up to be a monster.

Editor's note: Prep RedZone's Spring Rankings Update window means savings for you. Throughout the entirety of the cycle, you can save 40% off an annual or two-year subscription by using the offer code “Guerin40” at checkout. This will unlock all rankings and subsequent content at the discounted rate. Get in the game here.