Who are the state’s best? Here are North Carolina’s top 25 HS football players
Every fall, The Charlotte Observer ranks the top 25 high school football players in North Carolina.
This list is for seniors only.
This season, the top ranked player is from Cabarrus County. Robinson High School’s Daevin Hobbs is a two-sport star from an athletic family. He’s the top recruit heading into the season.
A 6-foot-4, 262-pound defensive end, Hobbs is a top 150 national prospect overall and a top 20 recruit at his position, according to 247 Sports.
He’s got offers from schools like Alabama, Michigan, North Carolina and Penn State and hasn’t announced his decision. Hobbs was named state finals MVP after leading Robinson to a N.C. 2A basketball championship in March.
His sister, Ella, a a 6-3 forward in basketball, is ranked among the nation’s top 40 players in the class of 2024 by ESPN.
The Observer’s Top 25 recruits
| Rk. | Name | School | Pos. | Height/Weight | College |
| 1. | Daevin Hobbs | Robinson | DL | 6-4, 262 | Undecided |
| 2. | Jamaal Jarrett | Grimsley | DL | 6-6, 340 | Georgia |
| 3. | Noah Rogers | Rolesville | WR | 6-2, 195 | Ohio State |
| 4. | Daylan Smothers | West Charlotte | RB | 5-11, 190 | Oklahoma |
| 5. | Jaybron Harvey | Southern Durham | DL | 6-3, 215 | North Carolina |
| 6. | Sam Pendleton | Reagan | OL | 6-5, 293 | Notre Dame |
| 7. | Sullivan Absher | South Point | OL | 6-7, 290 | Notre Dame |
| 8. | Rico Walker | Hickory | DL/LB | 6-3, 233 | North Carolina |
| 9. | Chris Peal | Providence Day | DB | 6-0, 175 | Undecided |
| 10. | Christian Hamilton | Hickory Ridge | WR | 6-0, 175 | North Carolina |
| 11. | Keith Sampson | New Bern | DL | 6-3, 285 | Florida State |
| 12. | Zack Myers | Christ School | ATH | 6-1, 190 | N.C. State |
| 13. | KC Concepcion | Chambers | WR | 5-11, 173 | Undecided |
| 14. | Chris Culliver | Maiden | WR | 6-3, 174 | North Carolina |
| 15. | Javonte Vereen | Havelock | TE | 6-4, 210 | NC State |
| 16. | Tad Hudson | Hough | QB | 6-3, 220 | North Carolina |
| 17. | Grant Tucker | Charlotte Christian | ATH | 6-3, 184 | Undecided |
| 18. | Nathan Leacock | Millbrook | WR | 6-3, 200 | Tennessee |
| 19. | Darion Rivers | West Charlotte | OT | 6-6, 255 | NC State |
| 20. | Semaj Turner | Reagan | DL | 6-2, 235 | Duke |
| 21. | Tyler Thompson | Panther Creek | DE | 6-5, 205 | North Carolina |
| 22. | JT Smith | Hough | ATH | 5-9, 200 | Undecided |
| 23. | Lex Thomas | Heritage | QB | 5-11, 193 | NC State |
| 24. | Isaiah Shirley | Watauga | DE | 6-3, 260 | NC State |
| 25. | Jayvontay Conner | East Forsyth | TE | 6-4, 230 | Mississippi |
This story was originally published August 14, 2022 at 6:30 AM.
