GSPD 2027s Aiming For Something More

The Grand Strand & Pee Dee are ready to awaken after a couple years of relative dormant football.   Yes, teams like South Florence and Loris have made some waves, and the Bruins even have a title to their credit in recent history. But what has been clear is that many of the programs inside the zone have been in a rebuild.    Why do we mention that first? Because the once-young players those schools turned to are now about to be seniors.    That means they'll get their time to shine when their respective fan bases are counting on them to lead. And it means many of them are also now the focal points in their teams' potential success.    The 2026 season may not ultimately lead to any titles from the GSPD. We won't know that until December. What we do know is that the players themselves are not only eager to return the zone to past glory, they have the capabilities to pull it off.    The 2027 rankings are evidence of that. From the zone's Top Five to a handful coming out of the shadows to a third crop who has earned more recruiting love, the GSPD is counting on its best seniors to change the rhythm.   ZONE'S TOP FIVE    [player_tooltip player_id='1172360' first='Kelvion' last='Manning'] LB, Dillon   Manning is one of the most battle-tested players in the entire zone. He had 43 tackles last fall as a junior in what was sort of a weird year for the Dillon defense, and he had another 49 stops as a sophomore. What hasn't been stated yet is how adaptable he has been to whatever the Wildcats need. This year, they need a standout defensive leader, and there's no question he is that player for Dillon right as the team is preparing for a drop to Class 2A.    [player_tooltip player_id='905534' first='Jaden' last='Ashe'] DL, Marlboro County    The best part of Ashe's game isn't how big he is (and at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, he's got that box check) or how he knows when to contain versus when to go full bore (he's got that on lock, too). No, what stands out most is how when he makes his move, offensive players tend to freeze out of the site of all that size and power coming at them. Think a deer in headlights. It's why Ashe has some FBS interest and can be special for the Bulldogs this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='1820912' first='Luke' last='Thayer'] OL, South Florence    Thayer is in contention as one of the best centers in the Class of 2027, if he's not already considered the best. What we're going to see this year, however, is how he works with some significant changes around him on the offensive line and - maybe just as importantly - a new quarterback behind him. What's not up for debate, though, is how much he's already proved he can handle big stages and the pressure of continuing South's successful four-year run.   [player_tooltip player_id='1422638' first='Cam' last='James'] RB, South Florence    We could go on and on about how James put up 1,466 yards and 16 touchdowns last season while averaging 8.2 yards per carry. Or how he showed his patience by not bolting the program heading into his sophomore year when five different players got more carries. Instead, we looked at something deeper. James is a pretty stout pass catcher out of the backfield. He hauled in 13 receptions last fall. If he gets going there, who knows what his senior year looks like.   [player_tooltip player_id='1823169' first='Derrick' last='Austin'] DB, West Florence    Austin is undoubtedly the biggest traditional secondary member in the zone for a reason. During his junior year, when he started climbing our ranks, he picked off four passes and broke up seven more. The fun part about those numbers are that most of them came when opponents' play calling broke down and they had no choice but to test him. We tend to think cutting a field down for the other 10 defensive players has to matter.   SLEEPERS NO MORE   [player_tooltip player_id='1823553' first='Sakai' last='McLendon'] DL/TE, Conway    As we've said before, McLendon has very much been bringing the heat this offseason for a program that needs a flash of brilliance to get everyone back up of the mat. Is he going to lead the Tigers back to another deep playoff run? Probably not; this team is only starting to hit the reset button. But if we're talking legacies that withstand, McLendon can very much accomplish that simply by being himself - which means wrecking defenses and adding to Conway's offense.   [player_tooltip player_id='1312753' first='Michael' last='Pembleton'] DB/WR, Andrews    When Pembleton arrived at Andrews after a successful junior season in Virginia, we're not exactly sure what the first reaction from the Yellow Jackets' coaching staff was. But it wasn't a negative one. The defensive back and receiver gives coach Scott Durham's team some length in the secondary and an excellent target on offense. It just so happens the team's starting quarterback - [player_tooltip player_id='1827399' first='Avery' last='Durham'] - is coming into his own at the exact same time.   [player_tooltip player_id='2238751' first='Fred' last='Turner'] OL, Hartsville    In a lot of program, Turner's aggression and wingspan would make him a natural at the tackle position. At Hartsville, though, so much of the team's multiple rushing and passing attack is built from the inside of the line, not the bookends. Turner is already seasoned at the guard position and loves the hand-to-hand combat that takes place outside the spotlight. He's downright nasty at times, and rising when the Red Foxes need him to just that.   [player_tooltip player_id='1824521' first='Lovon' last='Stevenson'] DL, Manning    Stevenson doubles up as a tight end for the Monarchs, but where he does most of his damage is as an overhang linebacker/defensive end hybrid. As a junior last fall, he put up 56 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, three sacks and three forced fumbles during the regular season. He's adept at sealing the edge and moving everything back inside, which means he's even more productive than his numbers would suggest.    [player_tooltip player_id='1821579' first='Travis' last='Vattelana'] K/P, Atlantic Collegiate    Vattelana is in a perfect spot to get plenty of attention, even as a specialist. ACA's offense and defense are both improving dramatically in the program's third full season. And Vattelana's ability to punish opponents with his punts is already there. He's also no slouch in the kicking game. He's shored up a lot of his swing in both avenues, and some of the inconsistency we saw during his junior year is now gone.    RECRUITS ON TAP   [player_tooltip player_id='1664545' first='JJ' last='Brown'] WR, Myrtle Beach    Brown is a home run ball waiting to happen. Not only can he out jump just about any defensive back one on one, he's got more than enough speed without even looking that fast. His long stride in space is downright dangerous. It's why he did more with his 31 receptions last fall than his teammates who hauled in as many as 14 more catches. It's also why he led the team in touchdown receptions. Brown, one of the nation's top high jumpers in track, recently committed to Texas Tech. However, football programs are still hot in pursuit.   [player_tooltip player_id='1822691' first='Triston' last='Diggs'] OL/DL, Carvers Bay   The Citadel commitment is about as dependable of a two-way lineman as the Bears have had. As a defensive tackle, Diggs put up 21 tackles last fall. Ten of those tackles were behind the line. He also six sacks, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries, meaning he's got some explosiveness to that size that allows him to get into the backfield. On offense, he's a tried-and-true center capable of handling everything that's asked of him in an efficient manner.   [player_tooltip player_id='1422632' first='Makel' last='Stephens'] RB, Loris    The only reason more people haven't heard about Stephens is because he failed to get to the 1,000-yard plateau as a sophomore or junior. The reason wasn't ability. Not only did Stephens miss a game or two each year (he rushed for 909 as a sophomore and 930 as a junior) he was also sitting idle for plenty of second halves of football while his team put up huge point totals. He averaged north of 8 yards per carry both years and scored 32 total rushing touchdowns.    [player_tooltip player_id='1581470' first='George' last='Handley'] DL, Carolina Forest    Handley has made an impression with folks despite playing so out of position that you'd wonder if his staff mislabeled him and simply didn't want to change course. Handley, at 5-foot-10 and 225 pounds, is often playing the Panthers' version of defensive tackle. You didn't read that wrong. Yet, he holds his own on Fridays and has shown an even better gear this offseason. It's why some DIs have lobbed offers at him as a future linebacker.   [player_tooltip player_id='1623916' first='Brian' last='Wilson II'] DB, Wilson (pictured)   While we're not going to say that you need to be a coach's son to fully understand the game, it's clear that Wilson hasn't been hurt any by following his father's lead. The Tigers cornerback was a two-year starter at Sumter and is about to enter his second year as a starter in Florence. He stays on the field, knows his assignments, gets the job done and gets off the field. Tack on some offensive responsibilities this fall and we're about to see his athleticism even more.

The Grand Strand & Pee Dee are ready to awaken after a couple years of relative dormant football.