SC’s 2026 Offensive Linemen Boasts Three Players In HSSR’s Top 10

By WORTHY EVANS

Special Writer to HSSR

Columbia--Among the High School Sports Report’s Top 100 senior football players across the state are many talented offensive linemen, including three players ranked among the top 10 in the 2026 class.

One of those linemen tops the list of all position players—Timberland’s Desmond Green (6 feet, 5 inches, 340 pounds). Green committed to play for Florida in June, choosing the Gators over South Carolina, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Virginia Tech.

“I just fell in love with everything down there in Gainesville,” Green told the High School Sports Report in June. “Their tradition, culture and the environment along with the people at Florida impressed me very much. I just fell in love with everything I experienced on my visits to Florida.”

Besides being a top lineman who led the offense to 1,180 passing yards and 1,467 rushing yards in the Wolves’ 8-4 season, Green has a 4.4 grade-point average.

“He is a film junkie and that is what any coach wants in a player,” said Coach Greg Wright. “From my time playing at a high level I can tell you that he embodies everything it takes to be successful at the highest level of football.”

Carvers Bay’s Zyon Guiles (6-4, 295) is at the No.5 spot. The South Carolina commit said playing for the Gamecocks came down to state representation.

“It was hard, but you can’t beat playing for your home state,” Guiles said. “Tennessee, Florida, and Georgia were in the running, and also Clemson, but at the end of the day I prayed, talked to my family, and USC was the best for me.”

For the fall Guiles is focused on giving the Bears, 4-7 last year, a much better season finish.

“Just making sure I’m there for my team, showing up and being that role model for the younger guys,” he said about his main job, on and off the field, for Carvers Bay. “So that when they come back (this year) and do better than how we do the season before. We did alright, we could’ve done better. We’ve been fixing our mistakes, so I think we’ll have a break-out year this year.”

South Pointe’s Anthony Baxter (6-3, 335) is also a South Carolina Commit and is No.10 on the HSSR list. Besides the Gamecocks, Baxter had offers from Appalachian State, Charlotte, Cincinnati, and Duke.

“USC coach Shane Beamer came to the school, and was talking to me every time I went down there (to Columbia),” Baxter said. “I felt like it was the best place to be.”

Last year the Stallions reached the AAAA upper state final, falling at Westside.

“This year, preparation has been great. Everybody’s pushing each other in practice,” Baxter said. “I just got to get my body right and learn different stuff so that when I get there (to USC) it won’t be anything new to me. I’m just excited to be going there.”

Baxter already has deep and broad experience as a lineman as a four-year starter for the Stallions, who won the 4A state championship in 2021, the year before Baxter came to South Pointe.

 “I think he’s a Sunday player, with leadership skills and his all-season workouts are the most impressive I’ve seen as a coach,” said head coach Bobby Collins. “I’m really impressed by him and excited for what he’s going to do at South Carolina. I think he’s the No.1 offensive lineman in the state, and Coach Beamer is excited to have him. I’m excited for his senior year where he can showcase his talent as we go for a state title.”

Gaffney’s Scotland Dover (6-3, 305) comes in at No. 15. An Appalachian State commit, Dover said the Mountaineers offered a family environment in a great location.

“What sold me was the place. Just being in Boone, of all places I’ve been, it’s one of the best places I’ve been to, and the new coach that got there (Dowell Loggains, hired in December 2024), he and his staff showed that they care about everybody. I talked to coach Mo (offensive line coach Allen Mogridge) every day this week.”

Dover said a lot of work he’s put in since the end of last season is focused not only making the Indians (10-2, reaching the third round of the 5A Division I playoffs) into a stronger team, but also in getting ready for the next level.

“I’ve been pushing myself and working hard. I want to be able to lead by example,” he said. “I’ve been helping the team fix things from last year, and showing the younger guys what the seniors do. I know what it’s like being an underclassman looking to seniors, and I’ve got to show them how we should be so they’ll pick up on it.”

Dover added, “We’re from spring ball to now. We’ve grown so much as a team and we’ve learned that we can’t play without each other. Everybody’s an important part of the team. To reach our goals we’ve got to do it together.”

Malcolm Gaston (6-5, 330) of North Augusta is 17th on the list. He has offers from Virginia Tech, Florida, and Georgia, among others, and said that he will announce his commitment very soon.

In the meantime, Gaston said he’s focused on keeping the Yellow Jackets on track after North Augusta (12-2) reached the AAAA lower state championship game last year.

“It’s really just been high intensity, doing a lot of running and trying to make sure going into the season that I’m not out of shape by the fourth quarter,” Gaston said. “The school emphasizes the run this year. We are a team that can run or pass and we can be dominant in both, but really, it’s leadership. We have some shoes to fill since we came up short last year.”

North Augusta fell 27-20 to South Florence in the lower state championship game, and lost some seniors, but the team remains young and hungry. The Yellow Jackets passed for 2,349 yards and rushed for 3,105 last year thanks to Gaston and the offensive line.

“We feel amazing,” Gaston said of his team. “We also try to include outside activities with the offensive line and our quarterbacks included. We want to be a brotherhood. We’re a team that hopefully will win it all this year, but first we’re a family team and we stand beside each other.”

At 25^th is Clinton’s Tre Aiken (6-4, 265). A North Carolina State commit, he chose the Wolfpack over offers from Georgia Tech, Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, and Duke.

“Every single time I’ve been there, it’s been on,” Aiken said. “People brought me in the locker room and really brought me in. I’m very close to a lot of the players, and it’s just somewhere I feel like I can go and develop as a man and play at the same time.”

Aiken helped the Red Devils to a 12-2 record and the team’s first state championship in 15 years last year. 

Caden Muskus (6-5, 280) of Chapin is at No. 32 and is another Appalachian State commit. The tackle had offers from Charleston Southern, Coastal Carolina, Gardner-Webb, and Liberty.

“It came down to not one thing, but it was also the coaching staff,” Muskus said. “Coach Loggains and the O-line coach (Mogridge) made it feel like home, but they were the cherry on top. I liked a lot of things about the school.”

With his commitment to the Mountaineers settled, Muskus can focus on being a team leader and getting the job done at Chapin.

“Caden is a great player for us and was voted one of our captains this year,” second-year Chapin head coach Ryan Cole said. “He has a great work ethic and started playing lacrosse as well as football. He’s one of the leaders in football.”

Muskus picked up on being a leader last year.

“On the field I’ve noticed a lot of people looking up to me and I have to be that role model,” he said. “I’m the one along with some of our other great players. We’re the seniors and we’ve been here for a while.”

As for Chapin improving on its 6-6 season last year, Muskus says the team is responding.

“I see a strong team. We’re hungry, we really are,” he said. “We had our first scrimmage and were excited to get on the field and hit someone. We’re smash-mouth, we’re gritty, and we’ll do what it takes to win.”

Garrison Vaughan (6-4, 251) of Laurens Academy is 52^nd. Vaughan has offers from The Citadel, Denison University in Ohio, and Presbyterian College. After helping the Crusaders to the SCISA 8-man football championship game, Vaughan attended camps at Mercer, Catawba, The Citadel and Wofford.

“I also spent a lot of time by myself this summer, working on my craft and also a lot of time working in the weight room with the guys,” he said. Adding that while Laurens lost to Richard Winn in the final game, the team has a strong shot to make a return trip. “I feel like we have a really good shot to make a run at the state championship. We have a lot of things to improve on though, but you can just tell by the way we play together and the way we have relationships on this team that we are going to be special.”

Coming in at No.55 is Bryson Moore (6-3, 305) of Irmo. He recently committed to Charleston Southern.

 “One thing about CSU is that it’s a smaller school, close-knit, and it felt like family when I went to visit,” Moore said. “It was amazing. The campus was nice, its great community, great people, and it’s faith-based, I’m a big Christian and a big believer in Jesus Christ so that was one of the big things for me.”

Helping Irmo’s line to get better after running-and-passing quarterback A.J. Brand has moved on to Virginia Tech has been Moore’s and the Yellow Jackets’ mission.

“I’ve been lifting weights and working hard on the field, working on my techniques with trainers and things like that, eating right and staying in condition,” he said. “We’re gonna be great. We’ve got a great offensive line, we’re only losing (wide receiver) Donovan Murphy, AJ Brand and (center) Ryan Love on offense, and we’re going to make up for losing those pieces. We’ve got great quarterbacks coming in, great receivers coming in, (wide receivers Ethan) Singletary, Maleek Miller, guys like that.”

At 67^th is Dallas Williams (6-4, 275) of Greer. He has an offer from North Carolina Central and interest from North Greenville, Anderson, and Gardner-Webb, among other schools.

Coming into this season the team looks to do better than its 7-5 mark.

“It’s been a lot of preparation, getting in shape, working out more and getting stronger,” Williams said about his offseason. “I had to step in for a senior who got injured last year and I ended up coming in at All Region (2-4A). I never thought I would be a leader, but now that I’m actually doing it is very fun.”

Beaufort’s Kenshon Speaks (6-4, 295) is 76th. Speaks is getting interest from Virginia Tech, Charleston Southern, and other schools. While Beaufort went 2-9 last season, Speaks was a sophomore when the Eagles won the 3A state championship.

“Kenshon is a great kid who has been a starter in our program for four years,” head coach Charlie Lybrand said. “He has been a great leader and mentor to younger players in our program. It has been really great to see just how far Kenshon has come in his four years in our program. We expect big things from Kenshon this year.”

Cody Peterson (6-5, 315) of Ashley Ridge is No.79 on the list. He has offers from Wingate and Lenoir-Rhyne. Peterson and the offensive line helped Ashley Ridge pile up 3,611 passing yards and 2,070 rushing yards and 70 total touchdowns in the Swamp Foxes’ 8-4 season that ended in the second round of the 5A Division I playoffs.

Northwestern’s Chris Coleman (6-3, 280) is 84^th on the list. After helping the Trojans to a perfect 14-0 season and a 5A Division 2 championship, the senior announced his commitment to Charleston Southern in June.

Abbeville’s Kamyron Jones (6-2, 280) is at No.89. He’s gotten interest from Gardner-Webb but should generate more interest and offers soon.

“Regarding training and prepping for the season, I attended football camp, did lots of field work, attended summer practice, and completed lots of strength training,” Jones said. “As far as this year's team goes, I'm very enthusiastic. Leading into this season, we have lots of work to do. But as a leader and senior, I'm working to have an open mind, getting to know the new guys, and ensuring I'm leading by example on and off the field.”

The Panthers are no strangers to the final game of the season in any classification. With 13 state titles in the school’s history, including last year’s 1A state crown, Jones said Abbeville knows the formula.

“We have the potential to win a state title, but potential means nothing without passion, work, and effort,” he said. 

Johnsonville’s Jason Brigham (6-0, 230) is at the 90^th spot on the list. Brigham hasn’t had any offers yet but has had some interest from smaller schools, including Anderson University, North Carolina Central, the University of Buffalo, and Grove City College in Pennsylvania.

“Me personally, I’ve been lifting and practicing as much as I can in the afternoons and on the weekends, like power cleans and explosive lifts also footwork and having consistent snaps and low hips,” Brigham said. “Usually when I have free time, I like to watch film on collegiate offensive lines and higher-level guys that run similar schemes that we do in Johnsonville.”

This year Brigham, who has seen time on both sides of the football, will be seeing time exclusively as left tackle, something that has made Brigham work on his leadership skills.

“I know my coaches expect more out of me,” he said. “They seem to rely on me to make sure my offensive linemen know what they’re doing and what the assignments are. I’ve been as vocal as I can and I try to stay on top of my guys to make sure we’re doing the little things right. I’m honored to get the chance to lead my team and I’m glad I got guys looking up to me.”

Johnsonville, which finished 5-7, looks to make it back to the 1A state championship final. The Flashes lost to Christ Church in 2022 and 2023.

“I’ve been part of two lower state championship teams and I really think our 2025 team is coming together really well,” he said. “I’ve noticed since last year a lot of our young skilled players have really taken this offseason very seriously and I feel like our guys take pride in being in a winning culture and want to carry that legacy here at Johnsonville.”

QuaShaun Hampton (6-4, 290) of Keenan is at No.91. He has an offer from Sussex Community College in New Jersey, but he will also likely have more offers coming his way.  “A whole bunch of schools have been in talks and we’ve been communicating, like SC State, Wofford, and Erskine to name a few,” he said. 

After a successful 7-5 year for the Raiders, Hampton said he spent a lot of time in the offseason getting ready for August 2025.

“I’ve done a lot in the offseason to get right, staying in the weight room, working out at home, hitting the field on the weekends, working out with my little brother and making each other better,” he said. “I’m just trying to get 1 percent better to prepare myself for the season and for the future.”

Keenan has had its struggles over the past decade, but last year was a season the Raiders could build on, Hampton said.

“Our team definitely is coming together,” he said. “We are a really young team with a lot of seniors leaving. We’re just getting a feel for the field and stuff but I really think we have the potential to do something big if we come together on one beat and one sound.” 

Dutch Fork’s Jordan Roseborough (5-11, 241) is at No. 97. Roseborough hasn’t had interest in colleges of yet, but if you block for a team like the Silver Foxes, who have won eight state championships since 2012, interest and offers will not be far away.

Dutch Fork won its eighth crown with a win over Summerville in December, but has lost 30 or more seniors from that team, but Roseborough says there’s a lot of players who can step up and fill the gaps.

“We have a lot of talent on this team and I feel like we can replace what we lost from last year,” Roseborough said. “I was asked to start as a sophomore and take on a big role and it helped me throughout the year, so now I know what to do”

On the Summerville side, Christian Hewitt (6-0, 300) is 107th. He has offers from Newberry and Hampton-Sydney College in Virginia, and is talking with West Virginia State, Wingate, Anderson, S.C. State, and other schools.

Hewitt was on the sidelines of the Dutch Fork-Summerville state championship game, sidelined with a week f

our injury.

“Ever since then I have been working, training, and rehabbing for this season,” Hewitt said. “My mental state has been good and I love the process and the work so just knowing that I sat on the sidelines last year and I couldn’t go out and play with the guys and seeing us in the championship and not winning that has fueled me to stay on the grind.”

The rest of the team has been on the grind as well, working on finishing out the season with a win.

“We have just been focusing on the small things and how much more we gotta work and grind to finish it off,” Hewitt said. “So, we got the talent and the potential we just gotta stick together and ride it out all the way to the finish line.”

Dover’s teammate, C.J. Brooks (6-4, 320) of Gaffney, is the state’s top junior offensive linemen, 10^th on the list of top 25 juniors. Brooks has six offers thus far, including Coastal Carolina, Appalachian State, and Florida A&M.

Brooks confirms Dover’s insight on how the Indians are coming together as a team.

“We’re working out three days a week, lifting weights, a lot of conditioning,” Brooks said. “Everybody likes to compete, everybody’s working hard, everybody’s pushing each other to get better.”

Irmo’s Nate Carson (6-4, 271) is 15th on the list of top juniors. Carson, who with teammate Bryson Moore, helped the offensive line boost Irmo to a 12-2 season last year that ended with a last-seconds loss to Northwestern in the 5A Division 2 championship game. Carson has offers from South Carolina as well as Alabama, Florida, Florida State, and Charlotte.

Denmark-Olar’s Khamari Moody (6-4, 235) is at No.27. Moody has no offers as of yet but is busy getting ready for the coming season.

“I’ve been practicing and staying focused, putting my mindset right and working hard to stay healthy,” Moody said, noting his team’s jamboree matchup against Cross in the Bamberg-Ehrhardt Jamboree Aug. 15. “I think we have a phenomenal team. We’ve got some new guys and we’re about to go hard.”

Jeremiah Good of Seneca (6-1, 248) is at No. 31. Good had 46 pancake blocks and graded out at 86 percent in his sophomore year with the Bobcats, who went 8-3. Seneca rushed for 2,443 yards and 33 touchdowns and passed for 1,355 yards and 15 TDs.

Good, named to the 2-4A All Region team, went to camps at West Virginia, Coastal Carolina, and Gardner-Webb over the summer.

One sophomore, Dutch Fork’s Brody Lorenzo (6-3, 290) is high on the list of top sophomore football players in the state. Lorenzo has offers from N.C. State, Cincinnati, East Tennessee State, and Liberty, and will likely get more as the seasons go by. Lorenzo has no college pressure at this point—his focus is primarily bettering himself and his teammates as they work to make it back to the state title game.

“It’s a lot of pressure and we lost a lot of people but we’re going to be able to handle it,” Lorenzo said. “We replaced the holes very well. We’ve got a lot of leaders on our team.”