Last week, I highlighted a couple of our former Lowco stars that are shining at the college football level. But I left off many other hard-working student-athletes who also deserved a shoutout. It’s been incredible to see the number of players we send off each year, and they are all worthy of high recognition. Let’s take a look at some more area players that have made their names known on Saturday afternoons.
BJ Payne has done a fantastic job cultivating talent for the college game, including now-Seattle Seahawk Poona Ford. The tradition has certainly continued at Hilton Head High. After a spectacular career at defensive back while doubling as a playmaker on offense, Cole DeMarzo landed a spot at Michigan State. His stellar athleticism and tackling abilities should give the redshirt freshman a chance to make a large impact in East Lansing.
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Christian Miller, a former shutdown defensive back for the Seahawks, has continued his career at Gardner-Webb while quarterback Gaston Moore is at Tennessee after initially attending UCF. One of my favorite Seahawks to watch over the years, Tyler Hamilton began his college stint at Purdue before transferring to Eastern Illinois. Last year, he moved from defensive back to wide receiver and finished third on the Panthers with 13 catches. Like teammate Bryce Singleton, Hamilton is just a redshirt junior and will have two more years to further improve his craft. With five catches for 32 yards at South Carolina to start the season, we should see another strong year for the former Seahawk.
After making a big splash last spring at Presbyterian, Beaufort High’s Jeffrey Smyth moved up to FBS football with the Georgia Southern Eagles. Smith put together a spectacular spring earlier this year, racking up 44 tackles at defensive back. He delivered a monster game against Stetson, making seven tackles and returning TWO pick-sixes to earn National Player of the Week honors. The high-motor and explosive junior will look to keep his terrific college campaign going in the Sun Belt Conference this fall.
We continue to be amazed by how many stars that Jerry Hatcher continues to send off to the collegiate game, and his Warrior alums are getting it done at the next level. Dee Delaney set the example, and has blazed a trail for so many Seabrook standouts to follow, including Nyles Pinckney, who is completing his career at Minnesota after winning a national title at Clemson. After being named to the Southern Conference All-Freshman Team a year ago, Irvin Mulligan is dominating again in 2021. He’s already recorded two 100-yard games, and is averaging a sensational 96.3 yards per contest. Mulligan is a hard runner with the strength to bulldoze past tackles. He’ll be the focal point of the Terriers’ run game down the stretch, and will give himself a real shot to play on Sundays, too. His high school and now college teammate is also showing out on the field. Cornerback Jaheem Hazel has become a solid component of the Terrier secondary and should continue to see lots of action under coach Josh Conklin.
Ahmad Green is the big name, but there are many other former Sharks making waves in the college game. Melik Frost has been spectacular at Hampden-Sydney, leading his team with five rushing touchdowns in his freshman season last spring. He’s been a versatile component to the Tiger squad, earning time both ways with four tackles in his opening game against Widener. Outstanding offensive linemen Moxon Zehr and Ben Marler, who were dominant for the Shark offense, have begun their careers alongside Mulligan and Hazel at Wofford. Another stellar lineman across town, Bluffton’s Lucas Bond will get his new chapter started at Limestone this fall.
It doesn’t stop at just our public schools. Several local SCISA programs have also produced some big-time college talent. Thomas Heyward offensive lineman Therion Cannon, who paved the way for the Rebels’ extraordinary ground attack the last few years, is now at UAB. He was such a hard worker at the high-school level, and should earn his shot to become a mainstay on the line. Defensive beast John Hampton Hewlett has joined Green at the Citadel, and his elite strength and explosiveness on the line will be an important factor for the Bulldogs down the road.
A former stud for the John Paul II Golden Warriors, Freddie Aiken has been grinding away at Brevard College as a fullback. And over from Hilton Head Christian Academy, all-around phenom JP Peduzzi is continuing his journey at Lenoir-Rhyne. If he keeps up the incredible work ethic that we saw on the island, he should shine with the Bears.
It took a second weekly column to cover our amazing crop of Lowco talent in the college game, and we certainly may have still missed a handful. If you pick up on another area name who’s currently shining on Saturdays, we’d love to give them a shoutout on the podcast. Celebrating our student-athletes’ success is at the heart of LowcoSports, and we’ve been treated to an incredible show from our stars on the football field this fall.
By Wes Kerr