High School Sports

The Carolinas Top 50 high school football recruits: The best players from two states

By Langston Wertz Jr.

lwertz@charlotteobserver.com
Scotland County’s Zamir White, a Georgia commit, is the No. 1 college football recruit in North Carolina.
Scotland County’s Zamir White, a Georgia commit, is the No. 1 college football recruit in North Carolina. File

North Carolina

Rank, Name, School, Pos., Size, College

1. Zamir White, Scotland County, RB, 6-1, 220, Georgia

West Forsyth defensive end KJ Henry is still deciding where he’ll go to college.
West Forsyth defensive end KJ Henry is still deciding where he’ll go to college. Dwayne McLemore dmclemore@thestate.com

2. KJ Henry, West Forsyth, DE, 6-6, 235, undecided

Shelby High All-American linebacker Dax Hollifield hopes to lead his team to a fifth straight state championship.
Shelby High All-American linebacker Dax Hollifield hopes to lead his team to a fifth straight state championship. Diedra Laird dlaird@charlotteobserver.com

3. Dax Hollifield, Shelby, LB, 6-2, 235, undecided

[All-American Shelby LB Dax Hollifield uses basketball to be great]

Hillsborough Orange’s Payton Wilson (11) stiff-arms Webb’s RJ Crews.
Hillsborough Orange’s Payton Wilson (11) stiff-arms Webb’s RJ Crews. Fabian Radulescu newsobserver.com

4. Payton Wilson, Hillsborough Orange, OLB, 6-4, 225, North Carolina

Cary Green Hope’s Jordyn Adams is a North Carolina commit.
Cary Green Hope’s Jordyn Adams is a North Carolina commit. Dwayne McLemore dmclemore@thestate.com

5. Jordyn Adams, Cary Green Hope, WR, 6-2, 175, North Carolina

Concord defensive lineman Rick Sandidge remains undecided on his college choice.
Concord defensive lineman Rick Sandidge remains undecided on his college choice. Dwayne McLemore dmclemore@thestate.com

6. Rick Sandidge, Concord, DE, 6-5, 290, undecided

[Concord DT Rick Sandidge, down to 7 schools, has a plan]

Heritage running back Ricky Person makes a Rolesville football player miss.
Heritage running back Ricky Person makes a Rolesville football player miss. Liz Condo newsobserver.com

7. Ricky Person, Wake Forest Heritage, RB, 6-2, 202, N.C. State

8. Tre Turner, Northwest Guilford, WR, 6-5, 175, Virginia Tech

West Meck's Dyami Brown (2, left) is a North Carolina commit.
West Meck's Dyami Brown (2, left) is a North Carolina commit. David T. Foster III dtfoster@charlotteobserver.com

9. Dyami Brown, West Mecklenburg, WR/ATH, 6-2, 180, North Carolina

[West Meck’s Dyami Brown has talent college coaches drool over]

10. Avery Jones, Havelock, OT, 6-5, 275, North Carolina

11. Alim McNeill, Raleigh Sanderson, DT, 6-2, 272, undecided

12. Jordan Davis, Mallard Creek, 6-6, 300, undecided

13. Jamal Elliott, Durham Hillside, RB, 5-10, 180, Oregon

14. Alan Tisdale, Greensboro Page, OLB, 6-3, 208, Virginia Tech

Harding High lineman Jovaughn Gwyn is tracking as a top national recruit.
Harding High lineman Jovaughn Gwyn is tracking as a top national recruit. Jeff Siner jsiner@charlotteobserver.com

15. Jovaughn Gwyn, Harding, OG, 6-3, 290, undecided

[Harding lineman riding up recruiting charts with rare talent]

16. Devon Lawrence, Wake Forest, RB, 5-11, 195, undecided

17. DJ Crossen, Greensboro Dudley, DB, 6-2, 180, Virginia Tech

18. Nate Thompson, Sanford Southern Lee, DB, 6-2, 180, Duke

Charlotte Christian's Justus Woods, right, fights for extra yardage as Charlotte Catholic's Jim Hurney, left, tries to make the tackle.
Charlotte Christian's Justus Woods, right, fights for extra yardage as Charlotte Catholic's Jim Hurney, left, tries to make the tackle. Jeff Siner jsiner@charlotteobserver.com

19. Justus Woods, Charlotte Christian, RB, 6-1, 190, Stanford

[Charlotte Christian star picks Stanford for college]

20. Holton Ahlers, Greenville Conley, QB, 6-4, 235, East Carolina

21. Jahmir Smith, Sanford Lee County, RB, 6-0, 200, Notre Dame

22. Nadir Thompson, Southern Nash, ATH, 5-11, 170, Virginia Tech

23. Andrew Leota, Asheville, DE, 6-3, 220, Northwestern

24. Andrew Tuazama, Knightdale, TE, 6-6, 235, undecided

25. Trent Pennix, Raleigh Sanderson, RB, 6-2, 200, N.C. State

South Carolina

Rank, Name, School, Pos., Size, College

South Pointe High standout Derion Kendrick, a Clemson commit, is the top recruit in South Carolina.
South Pointe High standout Derion Kendrick, a Clemson commit, is the top recruit in South Carolina. Dwayne McLemore dmclemore@thestate.com

1. Derion Kendrick, Rock Hill South Pointe, WR, 6-1, 195, Clemson

[What’s best position for Derion Kendrick with NFL in mind?]

2. Channing Tindall, Columbia Spring Valley, LB, 6-2, 213, undecided

3. Josh Belk, Richburg Lewisville, DT, 6-3, 285, Clemson

4. Dakereon Joyner, Fort Dorchester, QB, 6-2, 200, South Carolina

5. Demarcus Gregory, Duncan Byrnes, WR, 6-3, 200, Ole Miss

6. Jake Venables, Central Daniel, LB, 6-2, 222, Clemson

7. Bryce Thompson, Dutch Fork, ATH, 6-0, 180, undecided

8. Khalid Jones II, Duncan Byrnes, ILB, 6-1, 225, Northwestern

9. Kavesz Sherard, Anderson Hanna, OT, 6-4, 310, undecided

10. Dennis Smith, Gaffney, WR, 6-2, 185, Duke

11. Hank Manos, Chapin, OL, 6-4, 275, South Carolina

12. Kelijiha Brown, Saluda, DT, 6-3, 305, Wake Forest

13. Braden Galloway, Seneca, TE, 6-6, 220, Clemson

14. Justin Williams, Fort Dorchester, ATH, 6-1, 190, undecided

15. Wyatt Campbell, Lugoff Elgin, OT, 6-7, 290, South Carolina

16. Eli Adams, Rock Hill South Pointe, DE, 5-11, 230, Virginia Tech

17. Jordan McFadden, Roebuck Dorman, OT, 6-5, 280, Virginia Tech

18. Kyle Wright, Columbia Ben Lippin, LB, 6-1, 220, undecided

19. Steven Gilmore, Rock Hill South Pointe, 5-9, 152, undecided

20. Trad Beatty, Columbia Ben Lippen, QB, 6-5, 220, Temple

21. Sam Hartman, Oceanside Collegiate, QB, 6-1, 170, Wake Forest

22. Raiqwon O’Neal, Conway, OT, 6-5, 265, undecided

23. RJ Roderick, Summerville Cane Bay, 6-0, 207, South Carolina

24. Sam Pinckney, Greenwood, WR, 6-3, 205, undecided

25. Darius Rush, CE Murray, WR, 6-2, 275, South Carolina

This story was originally published August 12, 2017 at 4:02 PM with the headline "The Carolinas Top 50 high school football recruits: The best players from two states."

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