Breland Is Top 2027 Combo Kicker In South Carolina From Bamberg Ehrhardt

By Roger Lee

Special Contributor

 Goose Creek ­­- The High School Sports Report’s top senior kicker/punter prospect in the state comes from the smallest classification, and he is quite a combo-kicker at his small rural high school.

Charles (Chaz) Breland of Class A Bamberg-Ehrhardt is the only kicker/punter on the publication’s 2027 Top 100 Football Prospects list. Breland helped the Red Raiders to a perfect 15-0 record in 2025. His big leg and accuracy helped the team capture the state championship and earned him a spot on the Class A All-State Team.

“He kicks six to seven touchbacks a game,” said Bamberg-Ehrhardt coach Corey Crosby. “When your opponent has to go 80 yards for a touchdown that helps your defense and were playing good defense here in Bamberg. Any time our offense gets near the 25-yard line we are comfortable putting him in, right hash, left hash, middle, it doesn’t matter. That’s a good weapon to have especially in our class.”

Breland had 81 touchbacks last season and landed 21 other kickoffs inside the 20. He only had one field goal attempt and sent the 47-yard field goal through the uprights. He was also accurate on PATs, making 104 of 109 extra-point attempts.

“When he missed it wasn’t his fault it was due to something like a snap or block,” Crosby said.

Breland averaged 40.7 yards per punt with a long boot of 59 yards. He also made five tackles.

“He works on his craft, on improving his technique,” Crosby said. “He does all the little things a kicker should do to perfect his kicking. He’s serious about it and right in the mix with the best in the state.”

The kicker has been at it for some time.

“My dad kicked at Blackville-Hilda when he was in high school and loved it so he got me into it and taught me how to kick,” Breland said. “I attend Kohl’s camps and have trained with Khol’s for several years. When I first started I could barely make a field goal, but I’ve grown so much. Coaches tell me they see great potential in me so I’m hoping to kick in college.”

He is in his third year as the kicker for the Red Raiders’ varsity. He has participated in a few camps at colleges and has visits planned to others. He already has an offer from Concord University in West Virginia. Other colleges that have shown interest in him include The Citadel, Charleston Southern, Garner-Webb, Erskine and Presbyterian.

“Right now I’m just focusing on doing everything I can to help Bamberg-Ehrhardt,” he said. “All I can do is keep practicing to get better every day.”

While the 47-yarder is his best in-game kick so far, he has hit from 55 yards in practice.

Top junior

Jackson Sumney of Oceanside Collegiate is the only kicker on the publication’s list of top junior football prospects. He is ranked 41st overall on the 2028 Football Prospects list.

He helped the Landsharks to a 13-2 record and the Class AAA state championship last season. According to MaxPreps, he averaged 50.8 yards per kick off with a long boot of 60 yards and had double-digit touchbacks. He was perfect on PAT kicks and only missed two field goal attempts. He averaged 39.3 yards per punt with a long punt of 61 yards.

While only a junior, he is receiving a lot of college interest and already has multiple offers, including from some Division 1 programs.

Players not ranked by HSSR But On Our Watch List:

Some might argue there are other kickers in the state who are every bit as much of a prospect as those mentioned above. This publication chose to include more athletes from other positions based on overall athleticism rather than select more kickers so it shouldn’t be seen as a slight if a kicker didn’t make the list.

However, the HSSR was able to catch up with a few other promising kickers, or their coach, this Summer. Below are a few and some of their thoughts.

Gray Collegiate senior Weston Mims tore his ACL last season, but when he was on the field showed good leg strength and accuracy. Prokicker.com, which only rates kickers who attend their camps, rate him No. 1 in state. Their stats indicate he has a 59.25 yard average kickoff distance, 3.66 average hang time and 100 percent accuracy on field goals.

As a sophomore, he hit a 49-yarder in a game. In practice he has hit from 62 yards.

Kickers often don’t get the recognition players in other positions do but when they step onto the field on Friday nights most eyes turn to them.

“I don’t really focus on that,” Mims said. “I know my coaches and team mates, everyone I surround myself with, aren’t going to think any different of me. They know you can’t make them all and have my back whether I make it or don’t.”

Northwood Academy’s Elliott Parrott, who transferred from Stratford for his senior season, is looking to make an impact. His personal best field goal is from 60 yards and his average punt hang time is 4.4 seconds.

“He is the mix to get a scholarship offer with teams such as Clemson and App State,” said Northwood coach Johnny Waters. “He is popping 55-yard field goals and with him we don’t have to go to the pooch kick.”

This Summer, Parrott won a punting competition in Chicago.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to be out there and hopefully get some more looks by colleges,” Parrott said. “It’s my senior year so I’m going to put my all into it and help the younger guys when I can.”

Summerville has a pair of big legs in senior kicker Nate Beaver and senior punter Hayden O’Rear.

“Nate Beaver is in the running to make one of these all-star teams,” said Summerville coach Ian Rafferty. “His leg has gotten stronger; he is pretty much landing most of his kickoffs in the end zone and in a scrimmage he just barely missed a 50-yarder. He is drawing a lot of college interests. Punter Hayden O’Rear has two D1 offers so they will both be a strength for us this year.”

Heathwood Hall kicker/defensive back Liam Edwards has a college-strength leg and is hoping to help his team get back to the SCISA AAAA Football Championship.

“A tired leg doesn’t have as much as an impact so I’ve been working on my conditioning to try to balance things,” Edwards said. “I’m also trying to get my form down so I’ll be kicking my best if they need me.”