Upstate's Best: Five Unsung Standouts

Everybody knows the names, right? The guys who are going to stand out. The guys you've heard of for their entire careers. The guys who set themselves apart.   Well, not always.   In the Upstate especially, there are just as many under-the-radar guys as players who get top billing. And they're not necessarily diamonds in the rough. They're often guys you might not have heard of because they were behind an upperclassman, or in a different position, or taking on a different role.   Here's a look at five of those guys who we think are going to have a huge impact, and why they're among the guys we're looking forward to watching.   [player_tooltip player_id='1820009' first='Wyquial' last='Moss'] LB, Byrnes - Moss (pictured) isn't officially a returning starter - the Rebels have just one of those on the defensive side of the ball - but he's bringing back a ton of experience and a bunch of production. He was one of the most physical players on a very good defense a year ago, with 37 tackles and two tackles for loss   Now he's going to have to take on a leadership role as well. Moss flies to the football and is violent when he gets there, but more than that he shows a knack for knowing exactly where to be. He's not a name that you're going to have to wonder about for very long.   He's also becoming a guy the Rebels look to for leadership, both in his actions and his words.   Byrnes Coach Reggie Shaw: "Wyquial, man, he's an ultimate team player. He'll be one of our captains, most likely. He's on our leadership council. He's a strong guy of faith. When I ask for a volunteer to pray, he's one of the first to volunteer. When you look for somebody who's an encourager and who is always there for his teammates, that's Wyquial. He's going to lead by example, but he's also vocal. He's confident in who he is and his abilities and he's confident in our defense. He'll be that Mike backer that gets us lined up, makes sure we're in the right checks and formations and just kind of be a quarterback for the box. Safeties are the quarterback on the back half of a defense, but you've got to have a linebacker to get that box lined up and be able to stop that run game, and Wyquial's that guy."   [player_tooltip player_id='1816751' first='Calvin' last='McCoy'] RB, Greer - How is it possible that you look up and see that McCoy rushed for 1,400 yards last season and have a hard time believing it? He's a quiet contributor, and when he's asked about his success he immediately defers to his offensive line. Well, don't look now, but they're mostly back, and he's got a new QB who's getting better every day to take some of the pressure off. If McCoy rushed for last year's total with defenses geared to stop him, how much damage will he be able to do when they can't?   McCoy is a speed guy. But he's also a whole lot more than that. He can make people miss, he can run through tackles, and he's shown a knack for doing the little things that will help to set him apart.   Now, he's also doing the little things both off the field and from a leadership perspective. McCoy is one reason that Greer's got high hopes going into this season.   Greer Coach Will Young: "Calvin has grown more than just as a player. Coming into his junior year, we noticed changes in his personality and how he performed during the school day and in the weight room. I would say that in the last year he has also become one of the main vocal leaders we have. His work in the weight room has paid off unbelievable gains. He can run with both speed and power today.   [player_tooltip player_id='1819842' first='Tyvion' last='Hall'] DB, Boiling Springs - Hall was a turnover machine last season for the Bulldogs, nabbing four interceptions and recovering a fumble while playing just nine games due to an injury. He also knocked down three passes in coverage while drawing some of the toughest defensive matchups.   More than that, though, Hall had a knack for doing something with the ball when it was in his hands. He scored three defensive touchdowns in three consecutive games last season, turning a couple games for the Bulldogs and cementing his status as one of the top cover guys in the area.   All of that fits right in with what the Bulldogs want to do, and what they have to get from their defense. Hall is back and healthy, he's had a good offseason, and with a couple of graduation losses, he'll be the centerpiece of the Bulldogs' secondary.   Boiling Springs Coach Matt Reel: "Tyvion is a ball magnet. He always finds his way to the football. Last year early in the year he made that switch from making the play to making the play and scoring or causing a turnover. We have pushed the narrative to score on defense and special teams and he was a huge part of that. He's very intelligent and understands our defense and what we're trying to force. He has great instincts, is physical in the run game and pass game and has great ball skills. We expect and need him to be great for us this year and continue what he started last year.   [player_tooltip player_id='1822131' first='Keilon' last='Tucker'] WR/DB Chapman - Tucker is a guy who's absolutely got to produce for the Panthers to be successful. The good thing about that is that he's done it time after time. He's a huge downfield threat who can take the top off a defense, and he's as adept at settling into space and securing important catches as he is at beating guys one-on-one.   He's also able to defend both those kind of routes on the other side of the ball. He plays defense at a high level, flying to the ball and playing well in run support as well as coverage.   Tucker's athleticism is his strong suit - he's a state championship-level hurdler. He uses that explosive ability to full advantage, and he's capable of putting defenders in a terrible position with some of the things he's able to do. That role for the Panthers may be expanding.   Chapman Coach Harry Cabaniss - "The sky's the limit for Keilon. There's no reason he should ever come off the field for us on either side of the ball. We've had a bunch of guys playing both ways, and that's not going to be as bad for us as the past couple of years, but Keilon will definitely hold that down at defensive back and wide receiver. He's athletic, and he's just so important to what we try to do."   [player_tooltip player_id='1732409' first='Devonte' last='Taylor'] RB, Woodmont - There's no doubt about one thing at Woodmont: Taylor can run the ball. He's got top-end speed as well as fantastic lateral movement, and he's without a doubt a big-play guy for the Wildcats. He's also got two more years to get better and to make it clear that he's a player to be noticed.   He's doing a good job of that so far. Taylor is one of a couple of RBs that are producing high hopes for Woodmont, and with a young QB and a breakout WR, the Wildcats are looking to capitalize on their second year in Malcolm Boyd's system. Taylor is one of the keys to how far they can go.   That's not all, though. Taylor also excels on the defensive side of the ball, bringing speed off the edge and playing well when he drops back in coverage from his position at LB. In a region where two-way players are likely to be scarce, Taylor has shown his value on both sides of the ball.   Woodmont Coach Malcolm Boyd: "Devonte is special because he is a true two-way player at RB and LB that truly changes the energy on both sides of the ball when he arrives. The energy level just changes! He works unbelievably hard in the weight room, and he just shows up consistently."

Everybody knows the names, right? The guys who are going to stand out. The guys you've heard of for their entire careers. The guys who set themselves apart.