Predicting Every Team's 2026 MVP: Region V-2A

The new-look Region V-2A is loaded with programs who last year either exceeded previous win totals or stayed steadily among the Lower State championship hunt.   It's not hard to see why. Each of the league's six members returns a wealth of talent from a year ago, plus who knows how many players that are ready to shed their "underrated" status and claim their spots as future stars.   It should be one of the more entertaining region races in Class 2A, if not the entire state, and here are the players we expect to produce MVP-caliber seasons in 2026 to contribute to the title chase.   ACADEMIC MAGNET RAPTORS   [player_tooltip player_id='1821469' first='Owen' last='George'] QB, 2027   George is the definition of an all-around athlete at Academic Magnet, as the reigning Region VI-2A Athlete of the Year in football doubled up on the All-Regio honors on the baseball diamond. Last season he accumulated more than 2,000 yards of total offense and scored 23 touchdowns to help lead the Raptors to a five-win season and a return trip to the state playoffs. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound rising senior is a true dual threat with the ball in his hands and was the team's leading rusher. It's another tough region road ahead for the Raptors, but George is the kind of player we think can help them make that breakthrough during the second half of the regular season.    BATTERY CREEK DOLPHINS   [player_tooltip player_id='1823730' first='Michael' last='Cohen'] DL/LB, 2027   There's a lot to like about the tenacity he shows at 6 feet tall and 244 pounds. He's got a big wingspan at 77 inches, and once you add in his strong hands it's no surprise he's powered his way to multiple All-Region and Defensive Player of the Year selections. Last season he racked up 70 tackles with 12 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks, and he did that despite missing some time. Battery Creek is looking to make a little bit of noise in region play for the first time in a long time, and we think Cohen is the kind of force that can help make that happen.    LAKE MARION GATORS   [player_tooltip player_id='2106780' first='Daylen' last='Ferguson'] RB/WR, 2029   Could an MVP prediction be a lot of pressure on a rising sophomore? Maybe, but Ferguson proved last season as a freshman that he's more than ready for any added responsibilities handed his way. He earned All-Region honors after going for 710 yards and seven touchdowns on 108 carries, and as the season progressed he started getting more and more touches in a variety of ways as Lake Marion looked to take advantage of his explosiveness however possible. We like for that to continue, especially with some veteran linemen in front of him, to help a Gators team that's certainly trending in the right direction.    PHILIP SIMMONS IRON HORSES   [player_tooltip player_id='1816415' first='Diavante' last='Irving'] DB, 2027   This is a pick that could have gone in a variety of directions, as the Iron Horses bring back plenty of firepower for a program that's won 10 games in three consecutive seasons. Why is Irving the pick? He stood out above the rest during spring practice, earning the Iron Horses' top defensive player honors. That leads us to believe he's more than ready to build off an All-Region junior season that included 97 tackles, three sacks, a defensive touchdown four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. Dialing up one of those big plays at a big time could be what pushes Philip Simmons over the hump and into a state semifinal.    TIMBERLAND WOLVES   [player_tooltip player_id='1820994' first='Carter' last='Hawkins'] WR/DB, 2027   Hawkins' rapid rise from last year into the spring has continued, with the rising senior announcing his commitment to Wake Forest on June 8. He made more than 50 tackles with four interceptions from his safety spot last season and showed plenty of playmaking ability at receiver, then had a big spring season that included a new school record (and tri-county championship) in the triple jump and posted a top vertical leap at the Carolinas Coaches Combine. Hawkins didn't cool off once the football season ended in November, so we certainly don't expect him to do so any time soon.    WOODLAND WOLVERINES   [player_tooltip player_id='1819769' first='Samuel' last='Gadson'] LB, 2027 (pictured)   Gadson is an imposing presence in the middle of the Woodland defense, checking in at 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds. He had a big season last year, making 80 tackles with nine quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles to help the Wolverines back into the state playoffs. He's a high-IQ player with good agility to go with that size, which could be a big problem for opposing offenses. The defense will be a focal point this season as Woodland looks to improve on a five-win campaign, and we like Gadson to be the man in the middle who makes it happen.

The new-look Region V-2A is loaded with programs who last year either exceeded previous win totals or stayed steadily among the Lower State championship hunt.