Underrated 2028s: 20 To Watch In The Midlands

It's hard to believe we're at the beginning of March and we will have combines, spring practices and then summer camps and the start of football practice is less than six months away.   With all that being said, we want to look at a group of 2028 players that could make huge leaps in our rankings by the time their senior seasons are complete. Some of these players are coming off injury while others burst on the scene with authority and should continue that trend.   Here are 20 players from across the Midlands that can see their stock rise by the end of the 2026 season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1050738' first='Larry' last='Pickett'] DB, AC Flora   The Falcons are going to be completely new look in 2026 with Willie Offord taking over as head coach and a number of graduates and transfers have hit the program. But Pickett should be one player that can be counted on. He finished last season with 55 tackles and an interception. He might be one of the two or three most experienced returners on defense and that knowledge is going to help a young group on the field next season.    [player_tooltip player_id='1865303' first='Nico' last='Terry'] WR/DB, American Leadership   Terry transferred to American Leadership from Lexington and turned into a valuable member for the Patriots. He played both sides of the ball and many of the special teams, so he garnered a lot of playing time in 2025. He's a speedy receiver that is around 6 feet tall that uses his body well and attacks the ball at the high point. He doubles as a defensive back, and that same mentality and strength translate over to that side of the ball as well.   [player_tooltip player_id='1312528' first='Braylen' last='Harley'] RB/LB, Andrew Jackson   The Volunteers were a running back by committee last season with Harley getting the third most carries (34) and finishing with the third most yards (190). The second leading ground gainer graduated and that will mean more carries for Harley in the fall. Bur defensively is where he carved out his niche as a sophomore. He had 93 tackles, three fumble recoveries and a sack. He's a solid 6-foot, 195 pounds and plays like he's upset with anyone in an opposing jersey.     [player_tooltip player_id='1824401' first='Mario' last='Waters'] RB, Batesburg-Leesville   The Panthers might be in a little bit of a rebuilding mode because they must replace the school's all-time leading rusher in [player_tooltip player_id='1267286' first='Amadre' last='Wooden']. The role might fall more by committee but one name to keep an eye on is Waters. The sophomore played in just three games, but he got 22 carries for 158 yards and two touchdowns in that limited time and Waters might be the front-runner on taking the lead role next season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1818985' first='Tay'Shawn' last='Johnson'] WR, Blythewood   The Bengals lost their top two receivers, but Johnson should be more than an adequate replacement. He had a sophomore season in which he caught 35 passes for 336 yards and three touchdowns. With the return of [player_tooltip player_id='1426578' first='James' last='Veasey'] at quarterback, Johnson could easily top 50 catches and 700 yards. He's long and rangy and that should help him in creating separation from defensive backs.    [player_tooltip player_id='1816246' first='Carter' last='Bennett'] ATH, CA Johnson   The Hornets will return a wealth of talent and receiver is going to be one of the top positions. Bennett is going to team with fellow sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1824040' first='Elijah' last='Harper'] for one of the best 1-2 tandems in the Midlands. Bennett caught 23 passes a season ago for 436 yards and four touchdowns. Add in his 23 tackles and two interceptions and you see why the excitement is building for a team that just added a basketball championship to the trophy case.   [player_tooltip player_id='1818507' first='Kemp' last='Tisdale'] OL, Chapin   The Eagles are coming off a 0-10 campaign, but Tisdale will give new coach and former South Carolina offensive lineman Cory Helms a true building block. Helms is going to inherit a strong, athletic guard that can overpower defenders at times. Tisdale saw plenty of reps in 2025 and will be a mainstay this coming fall. He's got the intangibles to become one of the best linemen in the area, if not the state.   [player_tooltip player_id='1953815' first='Malachi' last='Jackson'] RB/DB, Clear Dot Charter   Clear Dot Charter has only played one varsity season of football, but the future seems bright. They went 5-5 a season ago with Jackson doing a lot of heavy lifting. On offense, he had 102 carries for 856 yards and seven touchdowns. On defense, he totaled 48 tackles and two interceptions. He's got great size at 5-foot-11, 170 pounds and doesn't shy away from contact on their side of the ball. He also displayed breakaway speed.   [player_tooltip player_id='1369557' first='Chrishaun' last='Miller'] LB/DB, Crestwood   Miller only played in six games last season but contributed 24 tackles when given an opportunity. He added an interception, a fumble recovery, three passes defended, a fumble recovery and a quarterback hurry. His frame might be more suited as a defensive back at 5-foot-11, 165 pounds but the Knights coaching staff will have an opportunity to move Miller around and get the most from his ability.      Marcus Davis DE, Dreher   Davis is a throwback that uses a high motor and great leverage in his 6-foot, 190-pound frame. His most impressive performance in 2025 came in a loss to Lancaster in early October where he had eight tackles. That type of production has a chance to become the norm. He's quick and can run around or run through blockers to become involved in the play.     [player_tooltip player_id='1672914' first='Carsyn' last='Harris'] WR, Gray Collegiate   We have not seen much of Harris yet, but his measurables are impressive. He's 6-foot-3, 185 pounds with 260-pound bench, 390-pound squat and 490-pound deadlift. He's got speed to get open and he's going to be playing in a system with two other talented receivers and a quarterback in [player_tooltip player_id='1623307' first='Xavier' last='Wright'] that likes to spread the ball around.     [player_tooltip player_id='1817611' first='Charlie' last='Taylor'] LB, Heathwood Hall   The Highlanders used a large senior class to make their first championship game appearance in a couple of decades, but Taylor was a young player that found his way into a lot of playing time. He tallied 32 tackles, five tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. He plays with a mean streak and is a bonus defending the run but is improving on his coverage skills. He should blossom after a strong offseason in the weight room and more playing time as one of the more experienced returners.   [player_tooltip player_id='1821766' first='Russell' last='Sutton'] DB, Keenan   Sutton ended up playing in 10 games a season ago, but his minutes will increase greatly over the next two seasons. He finished last season with 29 tackles, a tackle for loss, an interception and six passes defended. He displays good feet and quickness and should blossom this offseason while getting reps on the summer circuit. He should move into a full-time starter role and could become a lockdown defender for the Raiders.   [player_tooltip player_id='1816413' first='Kaden' last='Brown'] QB, Lakewood   Lakewood will have a new coach this coming season and are coming off a disappointing 0-10 campaign, but Brown will at least give the new coach a starting point. He threw for 446 yards and added an additional 270 yards rushing but might become the full-time starter that will see those numbers improve greatly. A strong offseason of 7-on-7 competition will help Brown develop his throwing skills more.   [player_tooltip player_id='1312555' first='Keegan' last='Coffman'] LB, Lexington   All you need to know about Coffman is he's ready to burst onto the scene with vengeance. He closed the 2025 season with 11 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack in a playoff loss to Fort Dorchester. In 10 games, the sophomore racked up 53 tackles and seven tackles for loss and his production increased as the season progressed. He's active and makes plays all over the field and he will be ready to take the next step in his junior season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1816308' first='Malik' last='Katio'] LB, Lower Richland   The leaders for the Diamonds last season were a handful of seniors so there will be plenty of opportunities this coming season to fill some prominent roles and we believe Katio is ready for that next step. He found playing time in a rotation that was senior heavy and was able to contribute 25 tackles and a tackle for loss in eight games. Katio should slide into a starting role and become the cornerstone of the defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='1610229' first='Keenen' last='Cunningham'] WR/DB, Lugoff-Elgin   The Demons are going to have to replace the 75 receptions and nearly 1,200 yards from [player_tooltip player_id='1267277' first='Shamil' last='Saadiq'] and Cunningham is right in line to be the benefactor of some of that. The sophomore is coming off a season in which he caught 16 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns. The 5-foot-10, 165-pound speedster has big play potential and could be a deep threat if needed.   <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/mac-strickland/">Mac Strickland</a> LB/ATH, Orangeburg Prep   Stricklin didn't take a backseat to anyone last season – finishing with 150 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, three sacks and two fumble recoveries. He's 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds that plays in the middle but that doesn't stop him from making plays all over the field. He's going to play along the offensive line as well and that versatility is good but his future is definitely on the defensive side of the ball.    [player_tooltip player_id='1817131' first='Joshua' last='Mickey'] DL, Spring Valley   Mickey is a 200-pound powerhouse that plays on the defensive line, but he could stand up and be just as impressive. He finished with 35 tackles and nine tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. The Vikings limit home with a 2-9 record but with youngsters like Mickey returning, the future could become brighter very quickly.   [player_tooltip player_id='2098786' first='Nick' last='Riley'] DL, Swansea   Though just a sophomore, Riley (pictured above) already looks like he can develop into a next level defensive lineman. He's already a confirmed 6-foot-2, 240 pounds and has a chance to add a few inches and several pounds to his frame before he graduates. Riley is a brick wall along the front and can bullrush blockers to make his way into the backfield. As he develops more technique than just relying on brute strength, his resume is going to become more impressive.

It's hard to believe we're at the beginning of March and we will have combines, spring practices and then summer camps and the start of football practice is less than six months away.