MIDLANDS AREA TOP TEN FOOTBALL PLAYERS FOR 2018 SEASON
| RANK | PLAYER | POSITION | HGT/WGT | CLASS | SCHOOL | NOTES |
| 1 | Jordan Burch |
DE | 6-5, 260 |
2020 | Hammond | SCVarsity.com’s top prospect for the 2020 class, Burch will be a five-star player and one of the top ranked defensive ends nationally in his cycle. |
| 2 | Gregg Williams |
LB | 6-4, 235 |
2019 | Swansea | The top returning senior in the Midlands, this linebacker is a downhill player with big-hit ability. Strong on key-diagnosis and a ball hound. |
| 3 | Darrius Bell |
DE | 6-3, 260 |
2019 | Gilbert | Was a sack machine in 2017; Bell is long and rangy, quick off the edge with good instincts. |
| 4 | Ron Hoff |
RB | 5-10, 180 |
2020 | Dutch Fork |
Missed much of the 2017 season with injury, Hoff is one of the most evasive runners in the state and will be inside the Class of 2020 Top 20. Was a freshman All-American in 2016. |
| 5 | Kendrell Flowers |
ATH | 6-0, 190 |
2019 | Irmo | Dangerous playmaker as a special teams guy, running back or wide receiver. Had 1,390 all-purpose yards and is equially dangerous as a wide receiver or running back. |
| 6 | Jalin Hyatt |
WR | 6-1, 165 |
2020 | Dutch Fork |
Speed to stretch the field and has excellent hands. Averaged 21 yards per reception in 2017 as a sophomore and gets great YAC. |
| 7 | Jeremiah Green |
RB | 6-2, 220 |
2019 | Pelion | Rushed for more than 1,300 yards and averaged 6.1 yards per carry. |
| 8 | Alex Huntley |
DL | 6-4, 270 |
2020 | Hammond | One of the top prospects in the Class of 2020, collected 9 sacks for the Skyhawks this past season. Already 2 power-five offers on the table from South Carolina and Georgia. |
| 9 | Patrick Godbolt |
LB | 6-2, 205 |
2019 | Blythewood | Great player who is explosive off the edge; had 25 tackles for loss in 2017 with 12 sacks. |
| 10 | Noah Johnson |
LB | 6-2, 220 |
2019 | River Bluffl |
Strong and athletic defender who is strong off the edge and athletic enough to drop back when needed in coverage. He had close to 80 tackles in 2017 with 10 sacks. |
Some other impressive players in the Midlands that are worthy of mention and in the same conversation:
One player very close to making the Top 10 was Braden Walker (2020) of River Bluff. The 6-0, 185lbs athlete played quarterback out of necessity for the Gators but if they find a signal caller for 2018, he will move back as a ball carrier and be one of the best in the Midlands.
The quarterback position is not going to be extremeley deep in the Midlnads after graduating some solid players but look for impressive play from Brookland-Cayce’s Reed Charpia (2019), Gray Collegiate’s Hunter Helms (2020), Ridge View’s JaVon Andrson (2019), Gilbert’s Josh Strickland (2020), and Dutch Fork’s Ty Olenchuk.
Running backs Rod Edmonds (2019) of Fairfield Central and Lexington’s Jordan Hillar (2019) are both backs that could find themself among leaders at their position. Hillar is the 2nd leading rusher returning to the Midlands behind Jeremiah Greene of Pelion.
Defensive backs who are impressive are Spring Valley’s Jalen Geiger (2019), Akele Pauling, who is also a WR, of Ben Lippen (2019) and Quincy Riley (2019) of AC Flora.
