Welcome to the USA Today Network’s recruiting ladder, a statewide feature by reporter Joe Hughes highlighting top prospects and outstanding performances throughout the 2026 North Carolina high school football season.

Anyone is eligible for consideration, whether it be an unranked player who had a career game, a recruit with mid-level offers, or four- and five-star talents adding to their personal highlight reel.

Do you have a player to recommend? Feel free to submit their name, position and graduation class, as well as other relevant information (statistics, scholarship offers) to jhughes@gastongazette.com or X (@JoeLHughesII)

Dallas Brinton

In a key Triad Athletic Conference (TAAC) matchup, Brinton’s play proved to be the difference

The 5-foot-11, 168-pound quarterback finished 13-of-18 passing for 125 yards and a touchdown, in addition to 180 rushing yards and two TDs on 28 carries in a 35-21 win over Northeast Guilford.

It was the fourth time this season that Brinton threw for 100 yards and rushed for 100 more.

Through nine games, he’s completed nearly 62% of his passes for 1,127 yards and seven TDs, in addition to 868 rushing yards and 17 TDs. Asheboro is 8-1 overall (3-1 TAAC).

Mez Harris

On the heels of his team’s first loss of the season, Harris responded in a big way Week 10 to get his team back in the win column.

Along with passing for 41 yards and a touchdown, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound athlete rushed for 224 yards and three touchdowns in the Warriors’ 49-7 win over Rocky Mount.

Through nine games, Harris leads Hunt with 1,225 rushing yards and 18 TDs, along with 906 passing yards and four more TDs. His showing this fall comes after a 2025 season in which he threw for 1,435 yards and eight TDs, along with 1,374 rushing yards and 18 TDs in helping the Warriors to a 5A state final appearance.

Hunt is 8-1 overall, in contention for a top-4 seed in the NCHSAA 5A East playoffs.

Collin Jeffries

Is Jeffries the next top prospect to come out of Corvian? Early returns seem to indicate such, the 6-foot-5 defensive end with 52 tackles (17 for a loss) and seven sacks through nine games.

In a Week 10 victory over Christ the King, Jeffries had six tackles (two for a loss) and two sacks. He’s part of a Corvian defense allowing 15.5 points per game, sacked the quarterback 39 times and forced 23 turnovers.

Corvian is 8-1 this season, with aspirations of an NCHSAA 2A state title. Meanwhile, Jeffries is getting noticed by college scouts, recently scoring an offer from Louisville.

Isaiah Johnson

In a 35-3 win over Butler, Johnson finished with 14 tackles (three for a loss) and a sack.

It was Johnson’s fourth consecutive game with a sack, in addition to earning his ninth double-digit tackle game this season. With one game left in the regular season, he has a team-high 113 tackles (18 for a loss), along with 10 sacks, 14 quarterback hurries, an interception, five forced fumbles and a blocked punt.

The 6-foot, 200-pound linebacker and strong safety has been key in Mallard Creek’s resurgence this fall, the Mavericks 7-2 heading into an Oct. 30 clash with unbeaten Chambers (Charlotte).

King Murdock

Murdock is making quite the impression this fall, adding to his acclaim Oct. 23 in a 59-0 win over Wakefield.

The 6-foot-1, 215-pound wideout had three catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns. It was his fourth game with 100 receiving yards or more. Through nine games, he has 30 receptions for 722 yards and 11 TDs.

Millbrook is 8-0-1 this season, the Wildcats looking to make a second NCHSAA 8A title appearance in a row.

Murdock spent the 2025 season at Harnett Central, catching eight passes for 70 yards and a TD. He also served in its defensive backfield, contributing 22 tackles and five passes defensed. 

Duncan Parker

No one in North Carolina has passed for more yards this fall than Seaforth’s Parker.

Parker put on an aerial display above the J.F. Webb defense Oct. 23, completing 16 of 28 passes for a season-high 417 yards and seven touchdowns in a 66-20 victory. It was the eighth time in nine games he’s passed for 200+ yards, limited to 146 yards — albeit on 10-of-11 passing — in a 50-0 win over North Moore.

Parker has thrown for 2,833 yards and 41 TDs this fall for an 8-1 Seaforth team. He’s also rushed for 523 yards and six TDs.

A veteran of 34 career games, he has 6,643 passing yards and 76 TDs, along with 1,855 rushing yards and 20 TDs.

Amari Pearson

Pearson is playing his best football at the right time for Jacksonville High football.

The 5-foot-8, 185-pound running back rushed for 155 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries in a 63-22 win over D.H. Conley. It was Pearson’s third game in a row with 150 rushing yards or more.

A year ago, Pearson rushed for 1,935 yards and 30 TDs, doing so while averaging better than 11 yards per carry. To this point of the 2026 campaign, he has 879 yards and 17 TDs, along with six receptions for 132 yards and two TDs.

Jacksonville is 6-2 overall, 3-1 in Big Carolina 6A/7A.

Pearson holds offers from East Carolina and Glenville State (West Virginia).

Garrett Young

Young came up big for the Panthers in their Week 10 matchup with Smoky Mountain, rushing for a season-high 208 yards and four touchdowns on 25 carries in a 42-35 win.

Franklin upped its record to 9-0, in addition to securing the Mountain Eight 4A/5A crown with a 6-0 mark in league play.

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound athlete has rushed for 100 yards or more in each of his team’s last five games. Averaging better than nine yards per carry, he’s tallied 892 rushing yards and 17 TDs this fall. Also contributing on defense, Young has 31 tackles, with a sack, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

In three varsity seasons, Young has 2,889 rushing yards and 41 TDs, along with 193 tackles (12 for a loss), two sacks, two interceptions, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. 

He holds offers from Liberty, East Carolina and Charlotte.