Any time you are compiling a list or predicting who will be the top performers in any given topic, it’s a challenge. When it comes to high school sports, multiply that difficulty by 10. Of course, you want to include as many kids as possible and do not want to leave out any deserving player.
We are just a few weeks away from the start of another high school football campaign in the CSRA, and there are dozens of talented players who I look forward to watching this season. I decided to compile a list of the top athletes to watch in 2021. I based the list off this criteria: 2020 performance, recruiting buzz, the “eye test” (watching them perform in person) and likely 2021 performance.
MORE: Awarding the Top Performers in CSRA Basketball
No list is perfect, but here are my choices as the top 21 players to watch in 2021, in no particular order.
Brooks Pangle (SR., QB Greenbrier)
Getting looks from Ivy League and small college programs alike following an incredible 2020 season in which he was 212 of 356 for 2,858 yards and 31 TD passes.
Zack Blackwell (SR. RB/LB Augusta Christian)
He is finally starting to get some offers (Charleston Southern most recently) and the number should soar if he has another year like 2020. He rushed for 1,618 yards and 21 TDs in 2020 while also making 58 tackles, including 15.5 tackles for loss.
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Kaleb Hutchinson (Sr. DB Westside)
He is a head-hunter who is always around the ball and should be primed for a huge senior season. He had nearly a dozen scholarship offers, but in the end chose Coastal Carolina over Georgia Southern, Wake Forest and a host of others.
Marcus Washington (Jr. DB Grovetown)
His father was a star at Burke County and had a nice career at UGA. Well, it appears Marcus will follow in his dad’s footsteps after committing to UGA following a wild summer on the recruiting circuit that saw Washington go from an unknown to a top 100 player in the country with offers from nearly every top program. As a sophomore, he had 42 tackles, eight pass breakups and used his insane speed (fifth in the state 100 meters) to return two kicks for scores.
Nick Williams (Sr., OL Fox Creek)
Williams missed last season, but that did not stop recruiters from paying the big fella plenty of attention this summer. The 6’5″, 305-pound tackle has offers from Auburn, FSU, Florida, Georgia Tech, Michigan St., Penn St., Tennessee and Florida.
Malik Leverett (Jr., WR Greenbrier)
The scholarship offers will likely pile up for Leverett over the next year. At 6’4″, 205-pounds and only a rising junior, he oozes Power-5 potential. Last season, he caught 63 passes for 663 yards and seven touchdowns. He already boasts offers from Minnesota, Akron, Maryland, Kansas State and a handful of other programs.
A’Chean Durant (Jr. RB McCormick)
He burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2019 when he exploded for nearly 1,400 yards and 28 touchdowns. He had another big year last season, although limited due to COVID-19. His brother, Mateo, is expected to be one of the top backs in the ACC this year and A’Chean will be one of the best in South Carolina. He already has an offer from Duke, and he will have plenty more by this time next season.
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Dalen Cobb (Sr., QB/Athlete Wash-Wilkes)
Cobb is a special talent who could play almost anywhere you needed him. At QB last season, he threw for over 1,200 yards and 14 TDs while rushing for nearly 700 yards and 12 more scores. Capable of a big play on every snap of the ball.
Tay Martin (Sr., QB Thomson)
Martin is so dangerous for opposing defenses, especially when the play breaks down. Last season, he rushed for 1,247 yards and 12 touchdowns on 166 carries. He also threw for nearly 700 yards and five scores. He is listed at a generous 5’11″, 185 poumds, but Martin is as tough as any 240-pound fullback out there.
Gregory Bryant (Jr., WR Strom Thurmond)
Big time prospect who put on a show last year in a COVID-19-shortened 2020. In just six games, Bryant hauled in 24 passes for 453 yards and five touchdowns. I expect both his numbers and scholarship offers to soar this year.
Traevon Dunbar (Soph. RB Silver Bluff)
The next big thing in “The Bluff” is Mr. Traevon Dunbar. He needed only five varsity games as a freshman to prove that he is special. He rushed for 813 yards and 16 touchdowns on just 88 carries. I predict he will have a huge 2021 and will be in the running for area player of the year honors, despite being only a sophomore.
Kaleb Jackson (Sr., QB Evans)
Jackson surprised me a little last year. I knew he was talented and could throw, but his wheels were better than I thought. He rushed for 893 yards and eight TDs on 135 carries while throwing for nearly 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns versus only five interceptions.
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Falentha Carswell (Sr., OL WACO)
The 6’7″ 275-pound Carswell picked up several big-time scholarship offers this summer. He has offers from Miami (Fla.), Oregon, NC State, Georgia Tech, and Ole Miss after using his impressive frame to open holes for the area’s top rusher last year in Malyk Walker.
Quinshawn Hearst (Jr., LB Wash-Wilkes)
Hearst blew me away when I saw him live last season. He seemed to be in on every play — talk about a nose for the ball. He plays with reckless abandon and only needs a little added size to become a really nice prospect. He averaged 11 tackles per game last year as a sophomore.
Chase Tillman (Sr. DE North Augusta)
The 6’5″ 275-pound Tillman can be a force on the defensive line. He recently committed to Appalachian State over Coastal Carolina, Charlotte, Howard University and Georgia State. He is ranked as a 3-Star recruit and the #43 player in South Carolina.
Jontavis Curry (Sr. RB Richmond Academy)
You hear stories about players coming from out of nowhere all the time. Curry may be the ultimate in that category. About the midway point of last year, he was a virtual unknown. Then, in the span of a few weeks, he became arguably the most dangerous home run threat runner in the area. No back is quicker getting to the edge.
Colton Smith (Jr. DE WACO)
He may not be as known as some of the other players on this list, but he soon will be. Smith tallied five sacks versus Evans last year as a sophomore and has that motor that never stops. He is 6’2″. 210 pounds and still growing. Smith could develop into a big time recruit.
Joe Hampton (Sr. RB, Evans)
Hampton was overshadowed a bit last year by senior standout Jofranstar Graham. He still managed to rush for 653 yards and seven touchdowns on just 102 carries. He picked up an offer from Reinhardt a few weeks ago and has been lighting it up on the Summer Camp Circuit.
Nick Jordan (Sr. LB Jefferson Co)
Nose for the ball right there with Quinshawn Hearst. Already has 12 offers, including Central Florida, Coastal Carolina, Akron, Florida International & Kent St.
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KD Dorsey (Sr. Evans)
This one is based purely on potential. Dorsey is a transfer from Hephzibah that is generating lots of recruiting buzz. He already has a D-I offer from Arkansas State. Couple that with Evans High School’s recent ability to produce big time DBs (Derrick Canteen of Georgia Southern is one of college football’s premier cornerbacks coming into 2021), and I think Dorsey is definitely someone that you should keep an eye on.
Adam Bussey (Sr. RB/Athlete Augusta Prep)
Rushed for 900 yards and 13 scores a year ago. Also had 48 tackles and three interceptions on defense. And he’s even better in the classroom, which has helped him garner lots of attention from Ivy League programs.
Obviously, there are plenty of other players who could easily be on this list.
So, I decided to give you the next 21 players I think are in for a big year.
MORE: Durant Primed for Big Senior Season at Duke
Chase Brightharp (Jr. De Strom Thurmond ) Stud!; Jackson Smith (Sr., WR Greenbrier) In the ‘Pack’s offense, he could be this year’s breakout star; Joseph Jean (Jr. RB/LB Grovetown); David Driskell (Sr. DE/TE Greenbrier); Charlie Bussey (Sr. WR/DB Aquinas); Austin Harrell (Sr., QB North Augusta); RJ Edwards (Sr. RB Aquinas); Zay Green (Sr. RB Westside); Temarcus Elam (Jr. Lakeside) Not well-known, but he could have a monster year; Ivan Arroyo (Sr. DL Hephzibah); Jeremiah Ellis (Sr. QB/RB Harlem) He may be the toughest omission from the First 21; Jeb Bradford (Jr. QB Augusta Christian); Tevin Gartrell (Sr. RB Lincoln Co.); Christian Carter (Jr. DB Lakeside); Kohen Rogers (Jr. WR Burke Co.); Charlie Dorsey (Jr., RB Burke Co); Marshall Flowers (Jr. QB Burke Co.); Kindarius Green (Sr. RB Thomson); Vandre Thomas (Sr. DL Harlem); Jordan Franklin (Jr. RB/DB Burke Co.); Drew Stevens (Sr. Kicker North Augusta) Iowa Commit.
Ashley Brown covers sports for The Augusta Press. Reach him at Ashley.brown@theaugustapress.com.
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