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Will Helms
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A few weeks ago, I broke down some players in the next few classes that I’m watching from the state of North Carolina. If you missed those, you can check those out below.
2022 Offense
2022 Defense
2023 Names to Watch
I run the Prep Redzone sites for North Carolina and Tennessee where we're focused on scouting more than we are on recruiting. If you're interested in supporting me over there/getting some great scouting content for either state, shoot me a DM. This series is far less focused on insider notes about which players are trending to which schools and more focused on scouting the players themselves.
While I’m the primary scout for NC, I share those duties with some phenomenal Tennesseans over on that site, which is great while I continue to get my feet under me here (I moved to Nashville last August). With that being said, I’ve gotten the chance to scout several top guys, many of whom South Carolina has at least some interest in recruiting. I’ll talk a bit about them here.
The Guys with Offers
First of all, keep in mind offers are not always committable (A great piece on The Athletic yesterday looked at this exact topic) and are usually just an indication of actual interest on the part of the coaching staff.
Tevin Carter, 6’4 210, QB- Kirby (Memphis)
As a staff, we ranked Carter fairly far down our rankings (33rd-best player in the state) as far as Power Five prospects go. That was before we saw him throw this offseason. Carter is growing as a passer and should still be put in that “gunslinger” group for the moment but he has a cannon.
As the 2020 fall season progressed, you could see his confidence grow as he made more and more “NFL throws” on a consistent basis. On the 7-on-7 circuit (Yes, I know it’s not “real” football) he’s been the best quarterback in the state. Consistency is key for him, but his upside is tremendous, thanks to a rocket arm and fearlessness in the pocket. His recruitment is all over the place, mainly due to the college coaching carousel.
An interesting note here, Carter has called his own plays since ninth grade. After Monday’s events regarding quarterback commitments, it was reported Carter will throw for the staff this summer.
Highlights
Isaiah Horton, 6’3 190, WR- Oakland (Murfreesboro)
Horton has one of the most unique recruitments in the state. He secured several top offers from the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Louisville (Always of note at the receiver position) as a sophomore before his sophomore year and then barely seeing the field that fall. He released a top four last month, but I’ve had sources tell me a couple of those schools are wavering on their offers.
To clarify, there are no character issues here. Horton had an Arkansas offer while Justin Stepp was there and a South Carolina offer from the old staff. If his recruitment drags out, South Carolina could jump in for the chance to get a really well-rounded receiver that has speed to burn and high points the ball well.
Highlights
Dallan Hayden, 5’11 185, RB- Christian Brothers (Memphis)
Hayden’s is a name we’ve heard more and more in connection to South Carolina over the last month or so. Plainly stated, our Prep Redzone staff loves Hayden, ranking him as the best athlete and the third overall prospect in Tennessee (Ahead of guys like Alabama commit Ty Simpson and future P5 running back Jordan James).
Hayden’s connection to Tennessee has been well-documented (His dad played for the Vols), but I don’t get the impression that he’s a Vol lock. His older brother Chase was actually at Arkansas before transferring to East Carolina and recently Illinois.
Hayden’s balance and quickness are off the charts and it’s easy to see why Montario Hardesty really likes him. He’s a bit further in his recruitment than South Carolina would prefer, but expect the Gamecocks to make a run at him should a few of the other guys on the board fall through.
Highlights
The Guys Who Could Get Offers
Fisher Anderson, 6’7 275, OT- Franklin (Nashville)
Anderson has already seen his recruitment take off, but teams have varying degrees of interest due to his unique size (Some think he’d be an excellent Power Five tackle, while others think he needs to put on more weight) but technically and athletically, he’s one of the best tackles in the state.
He plays both left and right tackle for Franklin against some of the best teams in the state and is our top offensive lineman in a state loaded with talent at that position. I think he’s an SEC guy and South Carolina will value athletic linemen going forward.
Grayson Morgan, 6’6 265, OG/OT- Montgomery Bell Academy (Nashville)
Morgan, like Anderson, is a smaller, athletic lineman. He’s got some positional flexibility which we know South Carolina has valued in the past. It is perhaps unsurprising then that Morgan received his first Power Five offer earlier this week from Eric Wolford and Kentucky. Morgan is a late bloomer and to be honest, I didn’t know much about him until this offseason.
Morgan is the type of prospect a new staff loves to recruit. He’s talented, but since his recruitment got started a bit later a team like South Carolina could jump in late and not be that far behind.
As of this original writing on Monday, he had one Power Five offer. Less than 24 hours later, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt have jumped in.
Highlights
Alex Broome, 5’8 180, RB- Lipscomb Academy (Nashville)
No prospect in the state of Tennessee is having a better offseason than Broome, who has picked up nine offers in the last month. If you’ve heard of Lipscomb Academy, it’s probably because of head coach Trent Dilfer and his connections to the Elite 11 quarterback competition. LA has a few talented underclassmen and I love how Broome runs, with good pad level and breakaway speed.
He’s a guy the staff will want to see in camp, but he’s excelled on the 7-on-7 circuit this spring, showing great speed and good hands.
Highlights
Other Guys I’m Tracking
Jacob Hood, 6’8 355, (Not a typo) OT- Hillsboro (Nashville)
Patrick Kutas, 6’5 270, OT- Christian Brothers (Memphis)
Reco Trimble, 6’1 180, RB- Red Bank (Chattanooga)
2022 Offense
2022 Defense
2023 Names to Watch
I run the Prep Redzone sites for North Carolina and Tennessee where we're focused on scouting more than we are on recruiting. If you're interested in supporting me over there/getting some great scouting content for either state, shoot me a DM. This series is far less focused on insider notes about which players are trending to which schools and more focused on scouting the players themselves.
While I’m the primary scout for NC, I share those duties with some phenomenal Tennesseans over on that site, which is great while I continue to get my feet under me here (I moved to Nashville last August). With that being said, I’ve gotten the chance to scout several top guys, many of whom South Carolina has at least some interest in recruiting. I’ll talk a bit about them here.
The Guys with Offers
First of all, keep in mind offers are not always committable (A great piece on The Athletic yesterday looked at this exact topic) and are usually just an indication of actual interest on the part of the coaching staff.
Tevin Carter, 6’4 210, QB- Kirby (Memphis)
As a staff, we ranked Carter fairly far down our rankings (33rd-best player in the state) as far as Power Five prospects go. That was before we saw him throw this offseason. Carter is growing as a passer and should still be put in that “gunslinger” group for the moment but he has a cannon.
As the 2020 fall season progressed, you could see his confidence grow as he made more and more “NFL throws” on a consistent basis. On the 7-on-7 circuit (Yes, I know it’s not “real” football) he’s been the best quarterback in the state. Consistency is key for him, but his upside is tremendous, thanks to a rocket arm and fearlessness in the pocket. His recruitment is all over the place, mainly due to the college coaching carousel.
An interesting note here, Carter has called his own plays since ninth grade. After Monday’s events regarding quarterback commitments, it was reported Carter will throw for the staff this summer.
Highlights
Isaiah Horton, 6’3 190, WR- Oakland (Murfreesboro)
Horton has one of the most unique recruitments in the state. He secured several top offers from the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Louisville (Always of note at the receiver position) as a sophomore before his sophomore year and then barely seeing the field that fall. He released a top four last month, but I’ve had sources tell me a couple of those schools are wavering on their offers.
To clarify, there are no character issues here. Horton had an Arkansas offer while Justin Stepp was there and a South Carolina offer from the old staff. If his recruitment drags out, South Carolina could jump in for the chance to get a really well-rounded receiver that has speed to burn and high points the ball well.
Highlights
Dallan Hayden, 5’11 185, RB- Christian Brothers (Memphis)
Hayden’s is a name we’ve heard more and more in connection to South Carolina over the last month or so. Plainly stated, our Prep Redzone staff loves Hayden, ranking him as the best athlete and the third overall prospect in Tennessee (Ahead of guys like Alabama commit Ty Simpson and future P5 running back Jordan James).
Hayden’s connection to Tennessee has been well-documented (His dad played for the Vols), but I don’t get the impression that he’s a Vol lock. His older brother Chase was actually at Arkansas before transferring to East Carolina and recently Illinois.
Hayden’s balance and quickness are off the charts and it’s easy to see why Montario Hardesty really likes him. He’s a bit further in his recruitment than South Carolina would prefer, but expect the Gamecocks to make a run at him should a few of the other guys on the board fall through.
Highlights
The Guys Who Could Get Offers
Fisher Anderson, 6’7 275, OT- Franklin (Nashville)
Anderson has already seen his recruitment take off, but teams have varying degrees of interest due to his unique size (Some think he’d be an excellent Power Five tackle, while others think he needs to put on more weight) but technically and athletically, he’s one of the best tackles in the state.
He plays both left and right tackle for Franklin against some of the best teams in the state and is our top offensive lineman in a state loaded with talent at that position. I think he’s an SEC guy and South Carolina will value athletic linemen going forward.
Grayson Morgan, 6’6 265, OG/OT- Montgomery Bell Academy (Nashville)
Morgan, like Anderson, is a smaller, athletic lineman. He’s got some positional flexibility which we know South Carolina has valued in the past. It is perhaps unsurprising then that Morgan received his first Power Five offer earlier this week from Eric Wolford and Kentucky. Morgan is a late bloomer and to be honest, I didn’t know much about him until this offseason.
Morgan is the type of prospect a new staff loves to recruit. He’s talented, but since his recruitment got started a bit later a team like South Carolina could jump in late and not be that far behind.
As of this original writing on Monday, he had one Power Five offer. Less than 24 hours later, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt have jumped in.
Highlights
Alex Broome, 5’8 180, RB- Lipscomb Academy (Nashville)
No prospect in the state of Tennessee is having a better offseason than Broome, who has picked up nine offers in the last month. If you’ve heard of Lipscomb Academy, it’s probably because of head coach Trent Dilfer and his connections to the Elite 11 quarterback competition. LA has a few talented underclassmen and I love how Broome runs, with good pad level and breakaway speed.
He’s a guy the staff will want to see in camp, but he’s excelled on the 7-on-7 circuit this spring, showing great speed and good hands.
Highlights
Other Guys I’m Tracking
Jacob Hood, 6’8 355, (Not a typo) OT- Hillsboro (Nashville)
Patrick Kutas, 6’5 270, OT- Christian Brothers (Memphis)
Reco Trimble, 6’1 180, RB- Red Bank (Chattanooga)
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