Upstate Chock Full of 2027 Rankings Sway

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As the players in the 2027 Class are preparing to start their senior year across the state, it's time to take another look at the rankings. In the Upstate, some themes are becoming clear.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>First, at the top of the class, the players who have been ranked at a high level from the very beginning are most of the guys we're seeing there toward the end. Potential and production matter, and these guys showed a bunch of both early and have continued to live up to that billing across their three years of action. From explosive playmakers to strong guys in the trenches, more than a handful of guys have positioned themselves to be special not just this year, but in the years to come.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Then there are the guys who are being ranked for the first time before their senior season begins. That group typically includes guys in certain situations, and this year is no exception. It's where you'll find good players who have waited their turn behind upperclassmen and who burst onto the scene as juniors and in the off-season before their senior year. It's also where you'll typically see a lot of OL and DL, players who have used their careers to get bigger and stronger and who now have a chance to draw some serious attention as they become senior at their positions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And, with the ever-changing process of how recruiting is conducted, there's a group of players who seem to check every box but who have yet to commit to a college destination. Several of them are in a great position headed into their final year to make an even bigger impact with those watching, and some of them have a chance to kick the door down.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's a look at some of the members of the 2027 Class in the Upstate who jump off the page at us.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>ZONE'S TOP FIVE</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='779428' first='Tajeh' last='Watson-Martin'] ATH, Westside - Watson-Martin is a lock-down defender, a top-tier receiver, and an instant spark plug on special teams. And now he's adding all those weapons to a Westside team that's already loaded. He's looked like his usual self in the offseason, which is to say he's doing things that draw jaw-dropping reactions every time he's on the field. His trajectory has remained the same since he broke into the rankings: straight to the top.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1036721' first='Tre' last='Segarra'] RB, Byrnes - Segarra's not just a battering ram of a running back. He's not a pure speed guy, either. He can do either one with equal ability, and sometimes on the same play. He's got incredible vision, he runs well after contact, he bounces outside when he needs to, and he can absolutely run away from people. Segarra and a ton of returners on offense with a new coordinator have expectations sky high in Duncan. The Rebels are committed to getting the ball to their playmakers. That likely means Segarra's going to touch it a lot.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1172345' first='Trenton' last='Lynch'] RB, Spartanburg - Lynch might be one of the best kept high profile secrets in the state. We know that sentence doesn't make a lot of sense, so hear us out. Lynch isn't flashy in any way at all. He just continues to produce at a high level season after season. Want proof? Just look at the Spartanburg record book. If Lynch rushes for 1,000 yards this season (which is right around his career production, if not a little below), he'll be the Vikings' all-time rushing leader. That alone puts him on an elite level, and that's before you even consider his additional presence in Spartanburg's passing game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='691267' first='CJ' last='Brooks'] OL, Gaffney - In a view more typically extended to skill guys, it's Brooks' turn. He's the latest in a long line of fantastic OL prospects at Gaffney (you'll have that with a former SoCon Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner at head coach), and he's had a steady rise up the chart through his high school career. Brooks is massive and physical and quick for his size, and he's drawn a lot of attention from defenses. Some of that has been because the guys on the other side of the line from Brooks have been so good, teams have concentrated their efforts against Brooks instead. That in turn has made him much better, and now he might be the guy defenses try to attack away from.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1467841' first='Trey' last='Wimbley'] WR, Daniel - Wimbley (pictured above) is a problem for defenses. He's far and away Daniel's top downfield threat, and he showed it last season with 1,072 yards and 14 touchdowns. A lot of those numbers came in blowouts, but we don't mean that the way you think we mean it. The Lions often built a huge early advantage, meaning Wimbley didn't always get a ton of looks late in games - or even after halftime in some cases. He's quick, he's got great hands, and he's got a top-level QB throwing him the ball. Wimbley is as dangerous offensively as anybody in the state, and he's more than earned his ranking.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>SLEEPERS NO MORE</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1820573' first='Ty' last='DuBose'] LB, Belton-Honea Path - DuBose hasn't really been a forgotten man, he's just been on an absolutely loaded BHP defense. He's also quietly been one of the steadiest players on that side of the ball, even if he hasn't gotten a ton of attention. He had a fantastic offseason, showing off his athleticism with a couple of individual awards at the Spartanburg session of the Carolinas Coaches Combine, and his production on the field speaks for itself.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1791455' first='Brock' last='Cole'] RB, TL Hanna - If you're going to play RB in Hanna's wing-based offense, you've got to have a couple of things. You need to be good with the ball in your hands, committed to blocking and carrying out fakes when it's not - and unselfish enough to not care which happens on a given down. Cole checks all those boxes and more. He was the Yellow Jackets second-leading rusher last season, he had four games of more than 100 yards on the ground, and this season he sure looks like the focal point for what Hanna is going to try to do.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1672759' first='Ejayy' last='George'] OL, Boiling Springs - George's jump into the rankings is a product of getting bigger, stronger, and better. He's massive at 320 pounds, and he makes life super difficult for opposing defenses by pairing that size with great strength and really good movement. He's got a 400-pound bench press, a 600-pound squat, and he's versatile enough to play center and both guard positions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1823482' first='Brooks' last='Abernethy'] OL, Daniel - Like George, Abernethy is a guy who's kind of grown and matured into his ranking. Daniel is known for producing top-level offensive linemen. We could tell you that he's agile, strong, disciplined, and physical - or we could just tell you that he's committed to play at West Point and trust that you know enough about Army football to know all that already. It's no coincidence that he received the Leadership Award at the Carolinas Coaches Combine. That leadership shows right in the middle of the Lions' offensive line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1858192' first='Kemareon' last='Davis'] DL, Spartanburg - Davis is massive at 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds, and he was a force in the middle for the Vikings at nose last season. He'll be plugged right into the middle of the defense again, and that's where he's able to do what he does best. He's great at clogging up running lanes, and might be even better at shedding interior blocks to get into the backfield. He'll play a key role in letting the Vikings' LBs run around and make plays behind him.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>RECRUITS ON TAP</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='429920' first='Sam' last='Holliday'] QB, Fountain Inn - Holiday is one of the most interesting recruits on this list, and there's a clear reason why: he's familiar with putting an upstart program on his back. Holliday has been the Fury's QB the whole way. All the firsts in program history trace right back to him. Talk about his natural talents all you want - big arm, hard-nosed running style, ability to see the field and make the right read - they're all present. But Holliday's at least as gifted as a leader as he is an athlete.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1426796' first='Marques' last='Skinner'] TE/DE, Riverside - Skinner has all the physical tools, including a big body and great hands. He was an extremely physical OL, right up until he was moved out to help the offense in a different role. That might include some time on the defensive side of the ball. However, Skinner's main impact is going to be at TE, where he still shows that physical blocking prowess, and now has the ability to use his athleticism in space as well. Most importantly, he doesn't LOOK like a converted OL. He runs good routes and catches the ball with his hands, and he's learning every day.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1603963' first='Mason' last='Evans'] QB, Crescent - Speaking of guys who are learning every day, there's Evans. He's turned into one of the best dual-threat QBs in the state, and that's largely because he's coachable and brings the same attitude to playing QB as he did playing LB. He's still learning the finer points of the position, but he's a gunslinger who can make every throw while at the same time hurting teams with his legs. Evans looks tailor-made for a program relying on an RPO system, and he's going to be a steal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1790589' first='Muntu' last='Brown'] RB, Wren - Brown kind of came out of nowhere ahead of his 1,600-yard, 20-touchdown junior season. Now everybody knows about him, but it doesn't seem like that's going to matter a whole lot. Brown gained yards last season even when defenses keyed to stop him, and he showed off a physical edge and plenty of speed while doing it. He's also a workhorse, as his 229 carries and 7.4 yard average can attest. It will be interesting to watch Brown's progression and the interest in him as his numbers continue to hold up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1821177' first='Julian' last='Renrick'] LB, Greenville - Renrick is a fun guy to watch. He flies all over the place and seems to make plays everywhere, and the stats bear that out. Last year he notched 58 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, nine sacks, and 15 hurries. Renrick also picked off a pass, knocked down two more, and recovered a fumble. He's athletic and physical, and he's had a good off-season at camps and combines. Renrick looks like a guy who's going to have a bunch of offers to choose from, and he's in a great situation on the field, as a stout defensive line in front of him will only help him find a way to make even more plays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->