2026 Preview: North Augusta Yellow Jackets

For as much offensive firepower as North Augusta has possessed the last few seasons, the Yellow Jackets' defense certainly has the look of a dominating unit heading into 2026.    The team is bringing back eight starters on defense, led by a powerful and dynamic front line, a star linebacker and some proven back-end support. Yet, as the 2026 season approaches, not enough people are probably talking about what this crop can and just might do this fall.   Ask one of the returning stars, and it's a matter of if, not when, this unit will rise.   “This defense can be the best in the state,” two-way lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1811094' first='Josh' last='Simpkins'] said during last week's Prep RedZone Media Days at Gilbert. “We have to pick up where we left off last year and get better on certain aspects of our defense.   “I feel like our defense has a chip on our shoulders; we lost a few guys that were seniors. But we've come back stronger than ever. We work hard, just putting on the grind. We're going to prove a lot of teams wrong.”   It's not even necessarily that anyone is saying the North Augusta defense is trash. We know that isn't the case with Simpkins, [player_tooltip player_id='1536398' first='Simeon' last='Jones'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1811107' first='Javon' last='Ryans'] all back in uniform after the type of junior seasons they had and then what they've carried into the offseason.   No, the Yellow Jacket defense has not been on everyone's radar simply because the other side of the ball has averaged 42 and 38 points per game the last two seasons. There's a better-than-average chance North Augusta doesn't hit those types of thresholds in 2026.   At the same time, an already stout defense is ready to improve upon the highly respectable 16.1 points per game it allowed last fall. Corner Dallas Williams and safety [player_tooltip player_id='1822105' first='Akeam' last='Williams'] are back, too, as are sophomore defensive end [player_tooltip player_id='1839899' first='Dez' last='Davis'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1645430' first='Alkaleb' last='Terrell'] at outside backer. In total, eight starters and some key reserves are back.   No one should be taking them lightly.   “They can be as good as we've had at North Augusta High School and be as good as anyone in the state,” coach Richard Bush said. “A lot of these guys, this will be their third year starting on this defense. They know each other. They know what we expect and what our standard is. They're fast, and they're physical.”   We already knew that from watching these guys live the last two seasons, when many of them started their varsity careers en masse. Then, many of them reminded us during the Carolinas Coaches Combines this spring, when Simpkins and Jones led a freakish charge against some of the best players in the state.    Simpkins said that showing was beneficial to onlookers while adding that it wasn't “real football”.   No, that part is one day shy of two months away, when the Yellow Jackets will head to defending Class 2A state champ Strom Thurmond with a point to prove.   STARS SET TO SHINE   [player_tooltip player_id='1536398' first='Simeon' last='Jones'] DL, 2027 - While capable of playing on the edge in spurts, Jones is downright dominant in the middle. He was credited with 59 tackles, seven tackles for loss, a fumble return for a touchdown and an interception during his junior season. He's got a freaky twitch colleges love and could be committed well in advance of fall camp.   [player_tooltip player_id='1811094' first='Josh' last='Simpkins'] DL/OL, 2027 - Much like Jones, Simpkins' star has only continued to rise in recent months. He's got some incredible length off the edge and gains first-hand knowledge of how to better rush the passer in his dual role as the Yellow Jackets' starting left tackle. He has zero issues at either spot.   [player_tooltip player_id='1811107' first='Javon' last='Ryans'] LB, 2027 (pictured) - The team's vocal leader just so happens to be a middle linebacker who does the same on the field. He finished last fall with 117 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and two interceptions. He's a shoo-in for all-state honors with his sideline-to-sideline ability.    [player_tooltip player_id='1819537' first='Collin' last='Tillman'] QB, 2027 - While splitting the job last year with a player who has since transferred, Tillman threw for 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns against only six picks. He completed 62.5-percent of his passes and added another 204 yards on the ground. Considering he did that while only playing roughly a half of football each week tells us some added rhythm could help him take on the spotlight coming his way.   FILM REVIEW   [player_tooltip player_id='1827171' first='Jayden' last='Hatcher'] RB, 2027 - Had it not been for Mike Doe (more on him in a minute), Hatcher would probably already be viewed as the back that he is. As a junior last fall, Hatcher ran for 800 yards and 16 touchdowns while averaging north of 7 yards per carry. And he did that without being the featured back or getting as much of a chance to accumulate the rhythm that Doe had. Hatcher has great field vision that tells him when to pop and inside read to outside the tackles and when to buck up and simply hit an interior hole. It will serve him well now that he's RB1.     BIGGEST LOSSES   Mike Doe RB - The Shrine Bowl tailback finished off a stellar career last fall by flirting with a 2,000-yard season before signing with Gardner-Webb   Malcolm Gaston OL - Gaston inked with Liberty last December after spending three seasons in a variety of spots on the Yellow Jackets' offense line.    UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL   [player_tooltip player_id='1819541' first='Ky'Dre' last='Wright'] WR, 2028 - The Yellow Jackets' new top receiver will be asked to replace some of the losses from three seniors who each caught at least 35 balls last fall. But let's not act like he also isn't entering his junior season with three significant college offers. He's going to give Tillman an every-down favorite target.   [player_tooltip player_id='1827469' first='DJ' last='Johnson'] DB, 2028 - One of the tallest cornerbacks in the state will bolster an already impressive defensive backfield. He's 6-foot-3 and is one of several players coming back who had at least two interceptions last fall.     Terrell saw plenty of time on defense last year, where he 47 tackles and seven tackles for loss. This year, he's going to start at outside linebacker again, but he's also going to serve as Hatcher's primary backup at tailback, which means we'll hear his name even more than we were already expecting.   Defensively, Terrell has the luxury of staying outside and playing a ton of contain. Offensively, his job will be to keep the chains moving with a running style that takes advantage of open space.   In both jobs, he'll have a sizable impact without being expected to do it all.

For as much offensive firepower as North Augusta has possessed the last few seasons, the Yellow Jackets' defense certainly has the look of a dominating unit heading into 2026.