2029 Rankings: Meet the Class Nos. 15-21

Potential might be off the charts.   The production value will increase.    And the needs of each team will get all of these players more and more involved.   But as we run through a proper introduction to each of the selections for the inaugural unveiling of the Prep RedZone Class of 2029 rankings, it's also important to highlight the present. That's exactly what we're doing.    Each of the 27 athletes named to the list have shown potential, sure, but also an ability to work their way onto the fields across the state now. Let's continue the breakdowns with those holding down spot Nos. 15-21 in our initial 2029 rankings.   [player_tooltip player_id='1881803' first='Ta'Mir' last='Thrower'] ATH, York   Within weeks of joining the varsity squad this summer, the staff was already debating whether Thrower would be more vital as a corner or a slot receiver. Ultimately, they elected to try him out at both. Thrower has already played snaps on both sides, and he's contributing by using his offensive ability to move the sticks while preventing opponents from doing the same. There isn't a lot of him yet, but another growth spurt will allow him to impact games even more. By that point, he'll have plenty of experience.    York coach Dean Boyd: “Ta'Mir is a pure athlete with speed. He is very intelligent and has a high football IQ for a young man of his age. He has the innate ability to make people miss on offense and is a great tackler on defense. As he grows and develops I see an opportunity for him to be great due to his work ethic and his willingness to be coachable.”    [player_tooltip player_id='1840730' first='Michael' last='Francis'] RB, Aiken    Francis was one of the latest editions to our 2029 evaluation list, but he has already proved he belongs in the rankings. While swapping between a traditional backfield set and the wing, Francis averaged north of 5.5 yards per carry through his first four varsity contests and is putting his stamp all over the Hornets' rebuilt offense. He's keeping himself on the field by breaking some occasional longer runs, but also by not putting the ball on the ground. That's something he hadn't done through those first four games, and not because the defense wasn't trying. The longer that keeps up, the more likely his eight carries a game will start turning into 12, 14 or more.   Aiken coach Steve Hibbits: “Michael is one of the most complete freshman running backs I've seen in 30 years of coaching. He can cut on a dime, has tremendous breakaway speed and is highly intelligent on and off the field.”    [player_tooltip player_id='1825491' first='Malachi' last='Debnam'] WR, Easley    With a senior receiver who appears like an all-star worthy pick, Easley didn't need Debnam to blow the doors off the competition from the get go. Still, his early contribution to the Green Wave offense has been noticeable. He caught at least four passes in each of his first three games, and he even reached the end zone in his second night out. Debnam has a massive catch radius, courtesy of his height and wing span, and it will only expand over time as his route-running and speed improves with some natural bulk.     Easley coach Sam Houston: “Malachi has had a good year so far in his freshman campaign. He does a lot of good things on the field that you like to see as a coach and a player that focuses on the details of everything that he does. I'm excited to see Malachi grow and continue to develop into a great football player. Malachi's character is what sticks out the most. He is a player that you trust and a player that holds himself to a high standard both on and off the field. Sky is the limit.”   [player_tooltip player_id='1301735' first='Dash' last='Holley'] LB, Northwestern   Before the season started, we already had eyes on Holley (pictured) because of some noise he made prior to enrolling in high school. Backing that up wasn't going to be easy, especially with him simultaneously converting to more of a standard linebacker spot. Northwestern is one of the big dogs in Class 5A football and it happens to have some pretty good linebackers as it is. But Holley learning the ropes from some of those upperclassmen will only help him mature quicker. Because while his fumble recovery from the very first varsity game or three tackles in game two were nice, we don't think we've seen a fraction of what he can be yet.   Northwestern coach Page Wofford: “In meetings and practice he is very focused and understands the opportunity which is before him. Dash also understands that nothing is given and everything is earned. He is continuing to grow as a  student of the game and understand his role in pass drops and how the various coverage packages work. The defensive staff is very pleased with his progress so far this season.”    [player_tooltip player_id='1881794' first='Ethan' last='Shaw'] LB, Loris    In most worlds, one of the best teams in Class 3A is a senior-laden bunch not needing much more than some depth from the youngest class. Loris has 20 seniors, but what it also has is Shaw, the freshman linebacker who was tied for the team lead in tackles after the first four games of the season. Did we mention those four games all resulted in win by at least three touchdowns? Shaw's two games against teams from Class 5A were his best, as he put up 10 tackles against Conway and eight more against North Myrtle Beach.   Loris coach Greg Mance: “[player_tooltip player_id='1881794' first='Ethan' last='Shaw'] has a tremendous work ethic on the field and in the weight room He has natural instincts and is a true student of the game. Ethan is one of the most physical players on our team averaging more than tackles a game. No doubt,  He will play on Saturday at a high level.”    [player_tooltip player_id='1522453' first='Kaylin' last='Culp'] DB, Fairfield Central   We label Culp as a defensive back, which is sort of like calling a Maserati is a “car”. Culp has already shown so many different skill sets in the secondary, from direct coverage to manning center field and everything in between. He can come off the edge and help in run support. Through the first four games of the year, he averaged 9.3 tackles per while picking off a pass and breaking up another. His instant influence on the defense can be seen in those stats, but also many plays where he's not directly adding numbers to his early resume.   Fairfield Central coach Demetrius Davis: “[player_tooltip player_id='1522453' first='Kaylin' last='Culp'] is the most mature freshman I have coached. With his god-given abilities and work ethic I expect him to be one of the top players in the class of 2029.”    [player_tooltip player_id='1881788' first='Nibras' last='Harrison'] WR, Dillon    It's important to note that if it wasn't for the No. 1 overall player in the class, Harrison might be the Wildcats' starting quarterback right now. Dillon's staff spent part of the summer talking about just that, all while complimenting Harrison's overall athletic ability and how much he was going to be on the field in 2025. Surprisingly still, he had already caught, rushed for and thrown for a touchdown within the first four varsity games of his career. The Wildcats already have a star receiver, so Harrison is getting to earn his sea legs at his own pace, even if that pace still seems expedited.   Dillon coach Kelvin Roller: “Nibras is very talented and mature to be a freshman. He combines great ball skills with elite speed for a young player. Nibras' cousin [Ahmari Huggins-Bruce] started at receiver at Louisville, so he comes from an athletic family. Nibras is a dynamic player that's continuing to grow and get stronger. Sky is the limit for Nibras.”

Potential might be off the charts.