Wow Factor: Athletes And Specialists That Check All Boxes

There are approximately 10,000 high school football players in the state of South Carolina and it's a very daunting task to try to narrow that list down into a Preseason All-State Team that is capped at 75 players.   But that's exactly what we did. There was debate and disagreement, but we feel like this is about as comprehensive a list you will find anywhere.   In this post, we're going to check-in on the seven players that we've termed Athletes and the five Specialists who made the team.   You know what we mean when we talk about Athletes who play multiple key roles and can't be classified into one particular position. And then we have the Specialists that can change the momentum of the game.   Here we're going to look at what these 12 players do well and why they made our Preseason All-State Team.   ATHLETES   [player_tooltip player_id='1172351' first='PJ' last='Chancellor'] Daniel, 2027   Chancellor is the son of former Clemson defensive back Chris Chancellor, and he plays his high school football in the shadows of the Tigers Death Valley. It seemed like a natural fit that the younger Chancellor committed to Clemson. Chancellor will line up on both offense and defense for the Lions but he's a gamechanger on the defensive side of the ball. He doesn't have gaudy numbers because opposing teams elect not to throw in his direction. Add in what he's going to do offensively and in the return game and that's why he was an easy selection.   [player_tooltip player_id='1603740' first='Thaddeus' last='Czarnecki'] Hilton Head, 2027   We will be honest here. We had to begin looking for reasons not to include Czarnecki in our weekly Game Balls section last year. The numbers were staggering for a team that finished 11-2. All the 5-foot-9, 185 pound running back and linebacker did last season was put up 1,110 rushing yards, 81 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three sacks, three fumble recoveries and an interception while accounting for 24 total touchdowns. Czarnecki rarely comes off the field and plays two high profile positions.   [player_tooltip player_id='1271257' first='Nick' last='Gordon'] Cheraw, 2027 (pictured)   Gordon has been making a name for himself the past three seasons and there is no indication he's slowing down for his final year with the Braves. There's a solid chance you will see Gordon catch passes, defend passes, make tackles and return kicks this fall. He might even take a handoff or two coming out of the backfield. He's a match-up nightmare for opposing teams and his four nearly 700 receiving yards, four interceptions and game-breaking ability in the return game is what earned the 5-foot-10, 160-pound receiver/defensive back a spot on the team.   [player_tooltip player_id='1603697' first='Zymier' last='Gordon-Miles'] Rock Hill, 2027   It's going to be interesting to see how the Bearcats feature the North Carolina A&T commit. Gordon-Miles transferred from South Pointe in the offseason and brings a wide array of talent to Rock Hill. He was a mainstay on the Stallions defense a season ago with 75 tackles, three tackles for loss and two interceptions for a team that won the Class 4A state championship. He added nearly 300 yards rushing and five total touchdowns and had teams kicking away from him on special teams. He could end up being a Swiss Army Knife for the Bearcats and do a little bit of everything and he's listed as a starter on both offense and defense, at least for now this preseason.   [player_tooltip player_id='1467850' first='Elijah' last='Harper'] CA Johnson, 2028   The Hornets have a lot of momentum coming into 2026 with 20 starters returning for a team that reached the third round of the Class A playoffs last year. At the top of that list of returners is Harper. He splashed on the scene as a sophomore last year and flashed with 43 receptions for 653 yards, 76 tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and two caused fumbles. And let's not discount that Harper did in the return game where he was a threat as well. It's hard to believe but Harper might be in line for an increased role after dominating at times last season.   [player_tooltip player_id='378969' first='Jaiden' last='Kelly-Murray'] Oceanside Collegiate, 2027   We've been talking about Kelly-Murray for three seasons and there's a definite reason he's our top-ranked player for the 2027 Class. He's excelled on offense, defense and special teams and has in fact taken over games in all three roles. But the 2026 season is going to look different for the Colorado commit. He's transferred from Summerville to Oceanside Collegiate, but we expect that will not change much for him. The Landsharks can plug Kelly-Murray into any role and he's going to shine. He can be a receiver that breaks a game open or a safety that changes the tone of the game with a turnover or a big hit.   [player_tooltip player_id='779428' first='Tajeh' last='Watson-Martin'] Westside, 2027   The Virginia commit is another player on this team that transferred this offseason – Watson-Martin from Belton-Honea Path to a deep and talented Rams squad. But we know that Watson-Martin's skill set travels. Last season, he caught 58 passes for 1,101 yards and 11 touchdowns and added two rushing scores on offense. But that is not even scratching the surface on the impact he made. Watson-Martin also returned two punts and a kickoff to the house, and added 27 tackles, two tackles for loss, four interceptions (two returned for TD's), two forced fumbles and a sack. We will like that will fit in well with a Westside team that has hopes of returning to the state championship conversation.   SPECIALISTS   [player_tooltip player_id='1819652' first='John' last='Diliegro'] Bishop England (LS) 2027   Diliegro is a unique case where he turns from snapping to the Bishops quarterback to handling all the snapping for punts, extra points and field goals. In most cases, Diliegro wants to go under the radar and not have anyone know his name because if they're talking about him, that typically means he did something wrong. But he's on this All-State team because his snaps are accurate, timely and never cause an issue in special teams. He's 5-foot-11, 210 pounds and can even get down to cover kicks.   [player_tooltip player_id='1467817' first='Liam' last='Flynn'] River Bluff (K), 2028   The Gators feel like if they can reach the opponents 30-yard line, they can come away from points and that's strictly due to Flynn. He handled all the kicking duties a season ago and was 29-of-32 on extra points, 8-of-10 on field goals and had 44 touchbacks on 59 kickoffs. His longest field goal last season came from 39 yards, but the coaching staff will feel comfortable trying anything less than 50 yards this season. His leg has gotten stronger and the accuracy is still there. Flynn can change the complexion of a game with just a few well-placed kicks.   [player_tooltip player_id='1720507' first='Philip' last='Georgopoulos'] JL Mann (P/K), 2027   What if I told you there was a kicker in the state that kicks off and kicks field goals right-footed but punts left-footed? Well, that's exactly what Georgopoulos does.  And he does it well. He connected on all five of his field goal attempts (with a long of 45 yards) and had 16 of his 19 kickoffs result in a touchback. His best effort on punting ended with a 59 yarder and he continuously pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line. He's going to be a weapon for the Patriots and it's going to come in every aspect of the kicking game.     [player_tooltip player_id='1819172' first='Isaac' last='Lorentz'] James Island (K/P), 2028   The Trojans have been loaded with talent, but college coaches almost always notice Lorentz when watching in person or analyzing film. And there's a big reason why – Lorentz has a booming left leg that is a weapon in several different ways. For example, let's take his kickoffs. Teams might as well expect to spot the ball at the 20-yard line and must drive 80 yards for a score because nearly every one of his kicks reach the end zone or sail through it. He averaged just over 40 yards per punt, made all 41 extra points and connected on 5-of-8 field goals that included a game-winner and a 50-yarder.   [player_tooltip player_id='1422557' first='Henry' last='Phillips'] Mountain View Prep (K), 2027   Phillips fits into the mold of every other kicker on this list. He can change the game with a kick, and he routinely flips the field, making opponents drive 70-90 yards to score. Phillips went 32-of-37 on extra points and connected on his only field goal attempt while knocking roughly seventy percent of his kickoffs out of the end zone. He should be the full-time punter this season as well and that will only expand his changes to make a difference in special teams.

There are approximately 10,000 high school football players in the state of South Carolina and it's a very daunting task to try to narrow that list down into a Preseason All-State Team that is capped at 75 players.