Who should be Midlands high school football 2023 Offensive Player of the Year? Vote now
It’s time to vote for The State’s football Offensive Player of the Year from Midlands-area high schools. Voting ends Monday, Dec. 18 at noon. The winner will be announced along with the all-area football team next week.
Congrats to all the nominees. The voting takes place below the bios. Please note: This poll is not scientific and is meant to be just for fun.
Offense Player of Year Nominees
Jaden Allen-Hendrix, RB, Irmo: Senior rushed for a school-record 2,215 yards and caught 21 passes for 363 and 29 total touchdowns. Was selected to the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives North-South game.
AJ Brand, QB, Irmo: Junior set school records for total offense (4,045 yards), passing yards (2,932), touchdown passes (45) and total TDs (62). Was named Class 4A Lower State Offensive Player of the Year.
Drake Braddock, QB, Gilbert: Senior was 146-of-244 passing for 2,763 yards and 32 touchdowns. Was selected to the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives game.
Kendall Byrd, WR, AC Flora: Sophomore caught a career-high 66 passes for 1,069 yards and 16 touchdowns this season.
Cortez Lane, RB, Cardinal Newman: Senior rushed for 1,321 yards 19 touchdowns, caught 26 passes for 334 yards and three scores this year.
Ja Mayrant, WR/DB, Camden: Senior had 88 catches for 1,460 yards and 16 TDs. He finished with 2,000 all-purpose yards and 21 total TDs. On defense, he picked off one pass, had seven pass break-ups. Was selected to the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives game.
Caleb Pearson, QB/RB, CA Johnson: Senior had 2,382 total yards and 28 touchdowns. On defense, he had 50 tackles and two interceptions. Pearson was named Richland County High School Football Player of the Year.
Landon Sharpe, QB, White Knoll: Junior completed 67% of his passes for 2,702 yards and 30 touchdowns in helping Timberwolves to first state title appearance. Sharpe also rushed for 400 yards and seven TDs.
Grayson White, QB, Camden: Senior leaves Camden as one of its most decorated QBs in school history. This season, White completed 65% of his passes and 4,605 total yards and 59 total touchdowns for the Bulldogs, who played for the Class 3A championship.
Will Wilson, QB, Richland Northeast: The state’s top-ranked quarterback for Class of 2025 and a North Carolina State commitment. Junior completed 64% of his passes for 2,337 yards, 22 TDs and rushed for 1,527 yards and 25 TDs.
Will Young, ATH: Brookland-Cayce: The senior played quarterback, running back and receiver for the Bearcats, who advanced to the Class 3A Lower State championship. Young had 2,327 all-purpose yards and 34 touchdowns this year and was picked for the Shrine Bowl.
