Carolinas’ underclassmen swarming Army combine

While most of us are aware that the U.S. Army All-American Game will feature some of the nation’s top prep football seniors and will be played Saturday in San Antonio, not everyone knows that many underclassmen—primarily juniors—are invited to a combine connected with the week’s activities as well.

A list of those invited from the Carolinas include a number of players on our Top 20 Junior Prospects lists in each state. Others may soon move into those rankings.

The North Carolina combine invitees are Justin Burris (Needham B. Broughton; Raleigh), Daniel Davie (Beatrice; Beatrice), Justus Hoffman (Millbrook; Raleigh), Nigel King (Wakefield; Raleigh), Stephen Machanic (Northern Guilford; Greensboro), Ryan Mangum (Leesville Road; Raleigh), Montese Overton (South Central; Winterville), Tyler Philpott (Polk County; Columbus), Jeremy Reynolds (Dudley; Greensboro), Rocco Scarfone (Northern Guilford; Greensboro), John Scott (Knightdale; Knightdale), Jalen “Scoot” Simmons (West Charlotte), Jarrod Spears (Harnett Central; Angier), Sam Spence (Charlotte Latin; Charlotte) and Terrell Stanley (South Brunswick; Southport).

Invited from South Carolina are Jacob Baxter (Brookland-Cayce; Cayce), Gerald Dixon (South Pointe; Rock Hill), Gerald Dixon (Northwestern; Rock Hill), Hakeem Flowers (Wade Hampton; Greenville), Stephen Grommer (Spartanburg, Spartanburg), Pat Martin (J.L. Mann; Greenville), Jason Rexroad (Myrtle Beach; Myrtle Beach), Lateek Townsend (Marlboro County; Bennettsville) and Brandon Wilds (Blythewood; Blythewood).

The army, though, won’t be passing out combine results. Apparently, those are top secret.

--Stan Olson