Freshman Friday: 2026 Ep. 3

Welcome back to Freshman Friday, a feature that started last season and that we've picked back up in 2026. We have over 60 players on our <a href="https://prepredzone.com/north-carolina/rankings/2030-north-carolina-high-school-football-rankings/">2030 watchlist</a>, plus several more slated to join during the next update. This feature isn't anything out of the ordinary; we've got good, old-fashioned scouting reports on five freshmen every week. Here's our third Freshman Friday episode of the 2026 season.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Freshman Friday: Five Class of 2030 Players To Watch</h2>   Editor's Note: While I like to organize recurring articles, part of the fun of Freshman Friday is the randomness. I'm not looking at any one position, and I hardly have any method for deciding which players to feature. We have 64 players on our initial watchlist, and that group will only grow throughout the season.   <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/08/freshman-friday-2026-ep-1/">Episode 1</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/08/freshman-friday-2026-ep-2/">Episode 2</a>    Briggs doesn't look like your typical freshman, with a strong lower half and broad shoulders. He's a guy defenses can't bring down easily, especially if they go high. He keeps his legs churning and has that knack for always falling forward that you typically only see from veterans. He's already scored a touchdown early this season and looks like he'll be a factor in the running game at South Garner for the foreseeable future.     Coaches and fans are pretty excited about Patterson, who broke out with 85 yards on just nine carries in Week 2. He's shifty in the open field, hard to square up, and almost impossible to bring down one-on-one. He's one of those "make you miss in a phone booth" runners who's a threat to take any carry to the house. Expect to see some big plays from the freshman this season.     Kings Mountain's freshman class is loaded, but there are none as high-profile as Connelly. The freshman already holds multiple Division I offers, and he's showing why on the field. He doesn't look like a freshman, and he's still growing. His bend around the edge is excellent, and his power profile is just starting to develop.     Hansley-Roland entered the year on our radar thanks to some strong middle school performances, but I wasn't certain he'd contribute early in high school. He's already gotten extended action at the end of the Jack Britt game, showing surprising durability between the tackles and scoring a touchdown. He's a tough runner who should continue to get better.     Dailey has been a pleasant surprise for the 2-0 Ardrey Kell Knights. He's shown himself to be fearless when throwing both over the middle and down the field, and that's led to several long touchdown passes. He's thrown nine in two games, and he's shown excellent touch. He puts the ball in a spot where his receivers can not only avoid immediate contact, but also maximize yardage after the catch. He's helping lead a team that many didn't expect to contend, and his age only compounds the optimism around the program.    Which other freshmen need to be on our radar? Let me know on Twitter (<a href="https://x.com/whelms21">@whelms21</a>). Want to send this to someone who isn't a subscriber? Promo code Helms30 will take 30% off the first billing cycle of any subscription.

Welcome back to Freshman Friday, a feature that started last season and that we've picked back up in 2026. We have over 60 players on our 2030 watchlist, plus several more slated to join during the next update. This feature isn't anything out of the ordinary; we've got good, old-fashioned scouting reports on five freshmen every week. Here's our third Freshman Friday episode of the 2026 season.