The top 50 Midlands football players to keep an eye on for the 2022 season

Lou Bezjak
Joshua Boucher/jboucher@thestate.com

High school football in South Carolina kicks off this week. The State put together a preseason watch list of players to keep an eye on, ranking the top 10 players in Columbia area.

Look for our all-area football team after the season.

The State’s Top 10

1. Xzavier McLeod, DL, Camden: Top-ranked area prospect for Class of 2023. Had 58 tackles, five sacks and team-high 21 quarterback pressures last season on the defensive line. No. 3 ranked recruit in the state, according to 247Sports Composite. Committed to play in Under Armour All-American game.

2. Apollos Cook, WR/DB, Airport: Senior had 470 yards receiving and had 27 tackles last season at River Bluff. Committed to play at Duke. The 23rd-ranked prospect in South Carolina by 247Sports Composite.

3. Jarvis Green, RB, Dutch Fork: Senior running back had 2,125 yards of total offense last season and 36 touchdowns. Ranks in the top 10 of five different offensive categories in Dutch Fork history.

4. Chris Lawson, WR, Ridge View: Caught 40 passes for 673 yards and five touchdowns last season. Senior is committed to Appalachian State. The 24th-ranked prospect in South Carolina.

5. Zion Agnew, WR, Ridge View: Senior receiver had 65 catches for 1,030 yards and 12 touchdowns last year. Committed to play at East Carolina. The 27th-ranked prospect in the state.

6. Nate Branch,WR, Lower Richland: Senior receiver had 31 catches for 855 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. Committed to Coastal Carolina.

7. Markel Townsend, RB, AC Flora: Senior running back rushed for 1,444 yards and 21 total touchdowns last season.

8. Max Drag, DL, Chapin: Senior defensive lineman had 58 tackles, five sacks and two forced fumbles last season. Committed to play at Appalachian State and is the 31st-ranked prospect in South Carolina.

9. Shymeik Jones, DE, Camden: Senior saw his recruiting really take off over the summer with multiple Power 5 offers. Had 29 tackles, seven for loss in first year of varsity football last year.

10. Tanner Staton, QB, Brookland-Cayce: Senior quarterback threw for 2,445 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. Committed to play at Elon.

Vote now for the Midlands high school football preseason player of the year

Midlands top players, 11-20

11. Will Wilson, QB, Richland Northeast: In seven games at QB as a freshman last season, Wilson threw for 987 yards, ran for 855 yards and scored 13 touchdowns.

12. Landon Danley, S, Dutch Fork: Senior is one of top players on Silver Foxes’ defense. Had 77 tackles and four interceptions last year.

13. Noah Jennings, WR/DB, Westwood: Two-way standout for Redhawks had 41 catches for 858 yards, 10 touchdowns last year. He also made 18 tackles and picked off a pass.

14. Chandler Perry, LB, Dutch Fork: One of top tacklers in Midlands. The senior had 130 tackles for DF last year

15. AJ Brand, QB, Irmo: Sophomore started at receiver last year but is moving back to quarterback. Had four total TDs and was MVP in Yellow Jackets’ win at Aun & McKay Classic jamboree.

16. Ben Holmes, OL, AC Flora: Senior is one of the anchors of AC Flora’s massive offensive line. Committed to Wofford.

17. Chris Lofton, WR/DB, AC Flora: Senior had 28 catches for 408 yards and four touchdowns on offense. He also was second on team with four interceptions. Committed to James Madison.

18. Stephen Collier, WR/DB, River Bluff: Sophomore has chance to be breakout star this year. Had 15 catches for 158 yards last year.

19 and 20. Alias Graham-Woodberry and RB, Gilbert Jaden Allen-Hendrix, RB/LB, Gilbert: The duo combined for almost 2,700 yards on the ground and 34 touchdowns last season.

30 more to watch

Thirty more players to keep an eye on (in alphabetical order)

  • Aliam Appler, QB, Dutch Fork

  • Adam Bass, DB, Chapin

  • Jacob Beasley, OL, Dutch Fork

  • Braxton Burton, DL, AC Flora

  • Mekhi Canfield, WR, Lower Richland

  • Nate Cole, OL, Ben Lippen

  • Blake Cooke, OL/TE, Gilbert

  • Gabe Cooper, WR/DB, Heathwood Hall

  • Shaquil Good, WR, Newberry

  • Qua Howard, RB, Keenan

  • Evan Javis, RB/LB, Spring Valley

  • Chance Jennings, ATH, Gilbert

  • Cooper Johns, RB, River Bluff

  • Jayden Johnson, DB, Brookland-Cayce

  • Kendarius Kinard, OL, AC Flora

  • Cortez Lane, ATH, Camden

  • Logan Locklear, OL, Cardinal Newman

  • Adonis McDaniel, WR, Ridge View

  • Taiden Mines, QB, Lexington

  • Parker Murray, QB, River Bluff

  • Jonah Norris, RB, Lexington

  • Jackson Osborne, OL, Hammond

  • Elijah Radden, OL/DL, Gray Collegiate

  • Dawan Rice, RB, CA Johnson

  • Riley Staton, QB, Gray Collegiate

  • Patrick Swygyert, OL, Batesburg-Leesville:

  • Tracy Stephens, TE, Ridge View

  • Donovan Watkins, DB, Fairfield Central

  • David Wilson, LB, Spring Valley

  • Zion Wright, WR/DB, Saluda

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