CSRA 2027s Pushing to Keep Momentum Rolling

A new football season is here Central Savannah River Area, which brought home a pair of state titles last year and looks ready for an encore.   The smaller classifications belonged to the zone, with Bamberg-Ehrhardt and Strom Thurmond standing atop the mountains of Class A and 2A, respectively, with North Augusta keeping its name in the title picture in 4A.   Several others from within the area are ready to add their names to the conversation, and they're looking to their seniors to bring the loudest voices into the room.   For some, it's a new responsibility. For others, it's a continuation of what they brought to the table last year, or even before that. For all, it's one last chance to win a championship in their high school careers.   From the multi-year starters with major college attention, to rising stars who are building momentum in that department, to others who are new to the rankings and show no signs of slowing down, our 2027 rankings are loaded with seniors ready to produce another banner season for the CSRA.   ZONE'S TOP FIVE   [player_tooltip player_id='1536398' first='Simeon' last='Jones'] DL, North Augusta   Jones had a breakout All-State junior season, then truly stomped on the gas during the spring. Now it's time for the James Madison commit to carry all of that positive momentum into the regular season, and we fully expect him to continue to build on it. He occupies multiple bodies from the middle of the line, which then opens up opportunities for his fellow linemen and the linebackers to make tackles, and he can wreak havoc on the ends, too, if need be.   [player_tooltip player_id='1822457' first='Brian' last='McMillan'] QB/DB, Bamberg-Ehrhardt   McMillan may have been the most productive player in the entire state last year, and he did that as a first-year starting quarterback. The numbers - 5,176 yards of total offense and 70 touchdowns - don't get any less eye-popping the more we see them, and that's before we even get into the 90 tackles and five interceptions he made as a defensive back. The scary thing is to think he's had another offseason to get even better.   [player_tooltip player_id='1214316' first='Ant' last='Williams'] ATH, Bamberg-Ehrhardt   Williams joined his quarterback, and several of their other teammates, on the Class A All-State list after a hugely productive season of his own. The Delaware commit was McMillan's top target, hauling in 53 catches for 1,338 yards and 18 touchdowns, and he added another two scores on punt returns while also adding 7.5 yards per carry for good measure. The Red Raiders return a ton of talent, and there's somehow room for their output to increase.   [player_tooltip player_id='1172344' first='Ray' last='Harris'] DL, South Aiken (pictured)   Harris returned from injury with a vengeance as a junior, racking up 80 tackles (17 for loss) with a pair of sacks while clogging up the middle of the line to earn Class 4A All-State recognition. The 6-foot-2, 280-pounder, a recent Furman commit, also lines up as an imposing blocker in the backfield in the T-Breds' short-yardage jumbo package. And he's more than athletic enough to take a direct snap or two from it, too. Opposing linemen don't have to look for him - he usually finds them first.   [player_tooltip player_id='1422601' first='Wytrayvious' last='Dugar'] DB, Strom Thurmond   Dugar is the returning leader of a Strom Thurmond defense that made big play after big play last year en route to the 2A state title. He was one of the team's top tacklers while also overseeing a secondary that refused to allow receivers to get into the open field. He has some extra responsibility on his shoulders this year as he coaches up a defense with some new faces, and we know he's built for the challenge.   SLEEPERS NO MORE   [player_tooltip player_id='1822459' first='Simeon' last='Bamberg'] OL, Bamberg-Ehrhardt   It's no secret that Bamberg-Ehrhardt is loaded with explosive playmakers at the skill positions, but they'll all readily tell you that last year's season average of 568.1 yards and 51 points per game didn't happen because they were just out there freestyling. A physical, veteran group of linemen helped pave the way for all of that to happen, and the 6-foot-1, 255-pound Bamberg is back up front to help his teammates try to replicate, if not exceed, those gaudy numbers as the Red Raiders gun for another state title.   [player_tooltip player_id='1519361' first='Kaleb' last='Landy'] ATH, Wagener-Salley   Landy is back at Wagener-Salley after a stint at Hunter-Kinard-Tyler, and last year as a Trojan he posted some eye-popping numbers. He was a Class A All-State honoree and Region III-A Defensive Player of the Year, and deservedly so, after racking up 37 tackles for loss with seven forced fumbles. He's a wrecking ball at 5-foot-10 and 245 pounds, and he plays with the same brand of physicality regardless of he's on the defensive line, at linebacker or at running back.   [player_tooltip player_id='1840715' first='Tarrant' last='McKenzie'] WR, Aiken   McKenzie has flown under the radar for long enough while playing in a run-heavy offense. Sometimes, all it takes is a big day in front of the right audience, and a dominant performance this summer at a Clemson camp was a big boost for McKenzie's stock. Aiken will still lean on its deep, talented pool of running backs, but the Hornets should also put the ball in the air a good bit more this year with a couple of proven options on the outside.   [player_tooltip player_id='1823631' first='Jahmeer' last='Myers'] DL/TE, Saluda   Myers is a 6-foot-2, 200-pounder who plays with a mean streak, things his coaching staff is excited to see him put into practice as an edge rusher this season. But it doesn't end there. From his tight end position, he can line up more like a slot receiver to get into the secondary to deliver a devastating block to clear space for a teammate. And we know he's a smart player who can blend power and technique, which he further proved in the spring to set a school record and win a state championship in the javelin throw.   [player_tooltip player_id='2209663' first='Dallas' last='Williams'] DB, North Augusta   So much attention is paid to North Augusta's front seven, which may be one of the very best in the entire state with its ability to stymie the run game while also forcing quarterbacks into some quick, uncomfortable decisions. Said decisions are uncomfortable for a couple of reasons. One is because of the ferocity of the pass rush. The other is because of players like Williams lurking in the secondary. He's already been recognized as one of the best at his position on either side of the Savannah River, and he's ready to expand his coverage area.   RECRUITS ON TAP   [player_tooltip player_id='1820961' first='Vincent' last='Aiken'] LB, Silver Bluff   Silver Bluff graduated a ton of senior starters on both sides of the ball, but no one's going to make the mistake of allowing themselves to believe the Bulldogs don't have a bunch of talented players ready to step up into those roles. And they'll have a senior leader guiding them in Aiken, a 5-foot-10, 200-pounder at middle linebacker who could also play a key role on offense at tight end or helping out at running back. He's a program veteran who's a rare returning starter from a year ago, and now's his time to leave his stamp on the program.   [player_tooltip player_id='1654810' first='Drelyn' last='Brown'] RB, South Aiken   Brown plays with devastating speed, and usually one move is all he needs to find an opening to turn on the jets. He's also got the ball skills to get involved in the passing game, and seeing him with that kind of space is even scarier for a defense. And he's a program-first kind of player who will ask what else he can do to make the team better. He has multiple years of All-State production at Silver Bluff under his belt, and after a transfer he's reunited with former middle school teammates with a chance for even more exposure.   [player_tooltip player_id='1603768' first='Brody' last='Kesselring'] OL, Midland Valley   There aren't many players who can fill Braydn Kesselring's "old" No. 76 jersey at Midland Valley, but 6-foot-4, 320-pound younger brother Brody certainly looks the part. He's put in a ton of work to get ready for his senior season, picking up a pair of offers this summer to add to the excitement, and he has the potential to be an absolute anchor at tackle for the Mustangs this year. He doled out his fair share of punishment last season, and this year should have even more eyeballs on the program as Midland Valley looks to send its seniors out with a bang.   [player_tooltip player_id='1054957' first='Gray' last='Kitchings'] DB/LB, Aiken   Kitchings is the ultimate "anything for the program" kind of player, and Aiken's coaches have been more than eager to take him up on that offer over the last couple of seasons. He's made key plays for the Hornets at running back, made plenty more strictly as a linebacker, and this year he's accepted a hybrid linebacker/safety role. The coaching staff didn't come up with that idea just for fun - Kitchings is being put there because they know he'll get the job done.   [player_tooltip player_id='1811107' first='Javon' last='Ryans'] LB, North Augusta   When talking about North Augusta's program heading into 2026, it doesn't take long to bring up Ryans' name. That's the type of leader that he is, and that speaks volumes about his impact on the field and in the locker room for a Jackets team that's so loaded with talent and experience. That's the command he has on a defensive group that could be as good as any in the state, and any success they have will occur with him right in the middle of it.

A new football season is here Central Savannah River Area, which brought home a pair of state titles last year and looks ready for an encore.