High School Sports

Who are the best high school football players in NC? Here are the Observer’s top 25

In a state with more than 500 high schools, many of which play high school football, picking the 25 best senior football players is a daunting task.

That’s especially true this year with North Carolina having a wealth of talent at nearly every position.

That makes ranking this year especially hard, particularly at the top. In the end, we will give a slight nod to Myers Park’s Drake Maye, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound quarterback committed to North Carolina.

Maye is ranked No. 21 overall by 247 Sports and No. 2 nationally at his position. Recently named the Charlotte Observer male athlete of the year, Maye threw for 50 touchdowns against two interceptions last season while completing more than 70 percent of his passes.

New West Charlotte High coach Sam Greiner has called Maye the best high school quarterback he’s ever seen. This year, Maye headlines an extremely deep field of recruits.

Rk.PlayerSchoolPos.Ht/WtCollege
1 Drake MayeMyers ParkQB6-5, 210UNC
2.Will ShipleyWeddingtonRB5-11, 200Clemson
3. Payton PageDudleyDT6-4, 315Undecided
4. Keeshawn SilverRocky MountDE6-5, 260UNC
5.Evan PryorHoughRB5-10, 190Ohio State
6.Jahvaree RitzieGlennDE6-5, 275UNC
7. Jordan PooleWest StanlyATH6-0, 225Undecided
8.Kaemen MarleyEastern RandolphATH6-3, 215Tennessee
9.Power EcholsVanceLB6-1, 210UNC
10.Zaire PattersonWinston-Salem PrepDE6-6, 230Clemson
11.Deandre BoykinsCentral CabarrusATH5-11, 195UNC
12.Gavin BlackwellSun ValleyWR6-0, 155UNC
13.Micah CrowellEast ForsythWR6-2, 205NC State
14.Gabe StephensMountain Island CharterATH6-3, 205UNC
15.Colby SmithRockingham CountyOT6-7, 295Tennessee
16.Kamarro EdmondsHavelockRB5-11, 200UNC
17.Dontavius NashHunter HussATH6-1, 170UNC
18.Breon PassReidsvilleATH6-0, 162Undecided
19.Raneiria DilworthGlennLB6-2, 185UNC
20.Yousef MugharbilMurphyOG6-4, 305Undecided
21.Travali PriceNorth LincolnLB6-4, 260Undecided
22.Jabril McNeillSandersonLB6-4, 225Undecided
23.Dameon WilsonKings MountainLB6-1, 210Undecided
24.Chase HattleyPanther CreekDB6-3, 205Undecided
25.Julian GrayHopewellWR5-11, 175NC State
Langston Wertz Jr.
The Charlotte Observer
Langston Wertz Jr. is an award-winning sports journalist who has worked at the Observer since 1988. He’s covered everything from Final Fours and NFL to video games and Britney Spears. Wertz -- a West Charlotte High and UNC grad -- is the rare person who can answer “Charlotte,” when you ask, “What city are you from.” Support my work with a digital subscription
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