2026 Preview: Daniel Lions

In honor of the five-site Prep RedZone Media Days series this June and July, we're giving everyone a 50% offer code on all subscriptions through July 31. Get access to more than 100 team previews and everything else we have in store for readers as we gear up for the 2026 football season. <a href="https://prepredzone.com/subscribe">Simply head to our subscription page</a> and use the code "przscmediaday2026" at checkout to take advantage of the savings.   There aren't many places were a 10-2 season can be considered disappointing. Daniel is one of those places.   So while the Lions were pleased with yet another region championship in 2025, they weren't thrilled with a second-round playoff exit. And they seemed determined to do something about it.   "It's just about winning the day," senior ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1172351' first='PJ' last='Chancellor'] said. "That's it. It's just winning the day, and stacking days, and turning this into a player-led team."   Fellow senior ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1467841' first='Trey' last='Wimbley'] agreed.   "It's all about doing things that lead to the playoffs, and to us winning a state championship," he said.   Those two will help Daniel put together a good start. The pair are committed to Clemson and they were leaders on both sides of the ball for the Lions. And they're not alone. Daniel returns nine starters on offense including off-the-charts junior QB [player_tooltip player_id='1094520' first='Jace' last='Grass'] along with anchor OL [player_tooltip player_id='1823482' first='Brooks' last='Abernethy'] joining Wimbley. Six are back on the other side of the ball with LB [player_tooltip player_id='1823484' first='Ryan' last='Hendricks'] set to help lead the way on defense along with [player_tooltip player_id='1818895' first='Jack' last='Christmas'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1820857' first='Kevin' last='Jackson'] - and all of the Lions seem to be determined to live up to the lofty expectations and traditions surrounding the program without being handcuffed by them.   "Sometimes tradition's tough, because obviously it comes with expectations and comes with things that people want you to do," Lions coach [player_tooltip player_id='1821779' first='Chris' last='Stone'] said. "And you're trying to establish what you do and figure out what you do well. And so trying to balance those things can be tough at times, but it's also a blessing to have tradition.  There are a lot of schools that don't have tradition. So we don't take that for granted, but we also don't we don't hang our hat on tradition. We hang our hat on the work that we put in."   STARS SET TO SHINE   [player_tooltip player_id='1172351' first='PJ' last='Chancellor'] ATH, 2027 - Chancellor does a little bit of everything for the Lions. Last year, he contributed on offense, but his biggest impact came on defense, where he's a game-changer. Like any top-flight DB, Chancellor's pass defense numbers don't leap off the page at you because a lot of times opposing teams just don't bother. Still, he had an interception, a fumble recovery and five pass deflections to go with 30 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss. Chancellor's an absolute lock-down guy who will lead the Lions on defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='1467841' first='Trey' last='Wimbley'] ATH, 2027 - Wimbley was far and away Daniel's top receiver last season, with more than 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns. He's a go-get-it guy who can run by defenders, but he's also sure-handed and can make people miss in space. Wimbley averaged more than 18 yards per reception last year, and is a big play waiting to happen for Daniel.   [player_tooltip player_id='1823482' first='Brooks' last='Abernethy'] OL, 2027 - The Lions have had a history of turning out stellar OL, and Abernethy certainly looks like the next man up. He plays with the edge that coaches like to see out of an OL. He's got good feat, good reach, and he's incredibly powerful, with 39 knockdown blocks last season. Abernethy will be an anchor for a good OL at Daniel.   [player_tooltip player_id='1823484' first='Ryan' last='Hendricks'] LB, 2027 (pictured) - Hendricks is a guy who will have to fill in one of Daniel's biggest concerns - a loss of production at LB due to graduation. Three players with more than 80 tackles graduated, leaving Hendrix and his 74 stops as the returning leader. He looks more than up to the task, with a fast and physical style of plan and an obvious nose for the football.   FILM REVIEW   [player_tooltip player_id='1094520' first='Jace' last='Grass'] QB, 2028 - Talk about a guy who could be plugged in on any line we're writing here, and you've got Grass. Expectations have been off the charts since before he even took a varsity snap, and he's backed them up. He's got a big arm, great touch, and his pocket presence seems to get better with every snap. Grass threw for nearly 2,800 yards and 31 touchdowns as a sophomore, and the sky's the limit on his potential.    BIGGEST LOSSES   Anthony Scott WR - Scott was the team's second-leading receiver, with nearly 500 yards and seven scores. The Lions will need someone to step up to turn into a solid No. 2 threat and take some of the pressure off Wimbley.   Dex Johnson DE - Johnson was an absolute force for the Lions off the edge, with 82 tackles and 17 tackles for loss to lead the way defensively.   UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL   [player_tooltip player_id='1825381' first='Caesar' last='Oglesby'] OL/DL, 2029 - Oglesby stepped right in as a freshman and was starting at left tackle for the Lions by the end of the year. This year, the plan is to get him involved defensively, where he's penciled in as a starter on the DL.   [player_tooltip player_id='1476834' first='Teigen' last='Pounds'] LB, 2028 - Pounds played well as a sophomore, notching 45 tackles at LB. He'll be counted on even more heavily this season to help replace some of the Lions' defensive losses.    Bibb's not an under-the-radar guy, and he's certainly not a secret. He had 1,000 combined yards for the Lions as a freshman, and he's back for more.   Bibb has excellent speed and balance, but what helps set him apart even more is his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield - he was the Lions' No. 3 receiver a year ago with 373 yards and a pair of TDs.   With Bibb in the backfield and as a safety valve, it makes the Lions hard to defend and gives Grass even more options. And that's a scary proposition.

In honor of the five-site Prep RedZone Media Days series this June and July, we're giving everyone a 50% offer code on all subscriptions through July 31. Get access to more than 100 team previews and everything else we have in store for readers as we gear up for the 2026 football season. Simply head to our subscription page and use the code "przscmediaday2026" at checkout to take advantage of the savings.