High School Sports

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.NameSchoolPos.Height/WeightCollege
1.Daevin HobbsRobinsonDL6-4, 262Undecided
2.Jamaal JarrettGrimsleyDL6-6, 340Georgia
3. Noah RogersRolesvilleWR6-2, 195Ohio State
4.Daylan SmothersWest CharlotteRB5-11, 190Oklahoma
5.Jaybron HarveySouthern DurhamDL6-3, 215North Carolina
6.Sam PendletonReaganOL6-5, 293Notre Dame
7.Sullivan AbsherSouth PointOL6-7, 290Notre Dame
8.Rico WalkerHickoryDL/LB6-3, 233North Carolina
9.Chris PealProvidence DayDB6-0, 175Undecided
10.Christian HamiltonHickory RidgeWR6-0, 175North Carolina
11.Keith SampsonNew BernDL6-3, 285Florida State
12.Zack MyersChrist SchoolATH6-1, 190N.C. State
13.KC ConcepcionChambersWR5-11, 173Undecided
14.Chris CulliverMaidenWR6-3, 174North Carolina
15.Javonte VereenHavelockTE6-4, 210NC State
16.Tad HudsonHoughQB6-3, 220North Carolina
17.Grant TuckerCharlotte ChristianATH6-3, 184Undecided
18.Nathan LeacockMillbrookWR6-3, 200Tennessee
19.Darion RiversWest CharlotteOT6-6, 255NC State
20.Semaj TurnerReaganDL6-2, 235Duke
21.Tyler ThompsonPanther CreekDE6-5, 205North Carolina
22.JT SmithHoughATH5-9, 200Undecided
23.Lex ThomasHeritageQB5-11, 193NC State
24.Isaiah ShirleyWataugaDE6-3, 260NC State
25.Jayvontay ConnerEast ForsythTE6-4, 230Mississippi

This story was originally published August 14, 2022 at 6:30 AM.

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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