Meet the 2024 All-Observer preseason high school football team

The preseason All-Observer high school football team features 13 players who could be on the team next season.

The preseason team features 13 juniors on the offensive and defensive teams, including four players from NCHSAA 4A state champion Weddington.

The All-Observer team includes players from these counties: Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Union in North Carolina; York and Lancaster in South Carolina.

Defensive lineman Aiden Harris and Drew Harris made the team along with Warriors linebacker Thomas Davis Jr, son of the Carolina Panthers’ legend.

Weddington also added another defensive lineman who made the preseason team, transfer Trajen Odom, a senior committed to Ohio State who transferred from Cary’s Panther Creek High School.

Weddington will open the season Thursday at Bank of America Stadium against Providence Day, which has five players on the preseason team.

OFFENSE

QB: Finley Polk, Northwestern 6-3, 190, Sr.: One of the Carolinas’ top quarterbacks, Polk threw for 2,902 yards and 38 touchdowns last season. He also ran for eight scores.

RB: Ian Cline, Providence Day, 5-9, 210, Sr.: An Army commit, Cline rushed for 1,355 yards and 23 touchdowns for a team that returns 14 starters this season.

RB: Jayden Jones, Independence, 5-10, 180, Jr.: Jones will be in the argument for North Carolina’s top tailback this season. As a junior he ran for 1,830 yards and 19 touchdowns, among the best in North Carolina in any class.

RB: Landon Stone, Clover, 6-0, 195, Sr.: Clover returns 14 starters from a 9-3 team that hopes to repeat as Region III 5A champions. Stone ran for more than 2,400 yards and 24 touchdowns last season.

WR: Je’rel Bolder, Forest Hills, 6-0, 192, Sr.: An N.C. State commit, Bolder caught 43 passes for 881 yards and 14 touchdowns. He’s one of 11 starters back from a 12-2 team. He plans to play into December.

WR: Arrion Concepcion, Julius Chambers, 5-10, 170, Sr.: Concepcion has committed to N.C. State and should improve on his impressive junior year stats: 51 catches, 640 yards, nine touchdowns).

WR: Brian Rowe, Jay M. Robinson, 6-2, 175, Sr.: Robinson averaged 42 points per game last season and Rowe had 50 catches for 1,063 yards and 15 touchdowns. He’s committed to South Carolina.

TE: Kendre Harrison, Providence Day, 6-7, 245, Jr.: Harrison won state championships in football and basketball at Reidsville High before transferring. The reigning MaxPreps national male athlete of the year caught 62 passes for 940 yards and 16 touchdowns. He had 76 tackles and nine sacks on defense.

OL: Anthony Baxter, South Pointe (SC), 6-3, 335, Jr.: Baxter is one of 12 starters returning, including six on offense, for a Stallions’ team that has averaged nine wins over the past four years. He’s committed to South Carolina.

OL: Tai Buster, A.L. Brown, 6-4, 280, Sr.: Buster is a top 25 recruit in North Carolina who has committed to Auburn. He’ll start on the offensive line for the fourth straight season.

OL: Leo Delaney, Providence Day, 6-6, 280, Jr.: An offensive tackle, Delaney is a top 100 national recruit among juniors with offers from schools like Alabama, Auburn, Michigan and Clemson.

OL: Kiande Marsh, Hough, 6-1, 325, Sr.: Marsh emerged as one of the area’s top lineman as a junior, helping Hough to a share of its fourth straight league title. He’s committed to S.C. State.

OL: Kevin Peay, Lancaster, 6-3, 311, Sr.: A Georgia Tech commit, Peay is a top 25 recruit in South Carolina who helped his team reach the third round of the S.C. 4A playoffs last season.

OL: David Sanders, Providence Day, 6-7, 285, Sr.: Perhaps the nation’s best high school football player, Sanders has allowed just two sacks in three seasons for the three-time state champs.

ATH: Malik Clark, Rock Hill, 6-3, 183, Sr.: A Florida State commit, Clark caught 46 passes for 800 yards and nine touchdowns. He’s the No. 2 recruit in South Carolina and a four-star nationally.

ATH: Ki’Anthony “K.D.” Cotton, West Charlotte, 5-10, 185, Jr.: Last season, Cotton had more than 2,000 yards total offense last season. He’ll move from quarterback and play slot receiver and defensive back. He’s a Power 4 recruit on defense.

DEFENSE

DL: Rodney Dunham, Myers Park, 6-4, 225, Jr.: The preseason Mecklenburg County defensive player of the year also has a 90 mph fastball and is a major college baseball recruit. He had 58 tackles, 15 for a loss and four sacks last season.

DL: Aiden Harris, Weddington, 6-3, 255, Jr.: The Warriors defense allowed 13 points per game last season. Harris had 93 tackles and 21 for a loss for the 4A champs.

DL: Drew Harris, Weddington, 6-2, 230, Jr.: Drew Harris had 104 tackles, 25 tackles for a loss and 8.5 sacks last season.

DL: Elijah Littlejohn, Charlotte Christian, 6-3, 210, Jr.: A Power 4 recruit, Littlejohn transferred from West Charlotte and joins a team that returns 17 starters from an 8-4 team. He had 86 tackles and 12 sacks last season for the Lions.

DL: Trajen Odom, Weddington, 6-4, 285, Sr.: An Ohio State commit, Odom transferred from Cary’s Panther Creek High, where he had 54 tackles and 22 for a loss last season.

LB: Ryan Bassani, North Lincoln, 5-11, 190, Sr.: One of 15 starters back from an 8-4 playoff team, Bassani had 189 tackles, 19 tackles for a loss and three fumble recoveries last season.

LB: Dallas Brannon, Independence, 6-2, 210, Jr.: One of 14 starters back from a state semifinalist, Brannon had 147 tackles last season and is one of the biggest reasons why the Patriots are a 4A state title favorite.

LB: Jamari Farmer, Mooresville, 6-0, 215, Sr.: An Indiana commit, Farmer is one of 15 starters and 35 lettermen returning from a 11-1 team. Last season, Farmer had 130 tackles and eight sacks.

LB: Jackson Forrest, Northwest Cabarrus, 6-1, 225, Sr.: Forrest was part of a defense that allowed 9.2 points per game last season. He had 147 tackles, 36 for a loss and 17 sacks as a junior.

DB: J’Zavien Currence, South Pointe, 6-3, 190, Jr.: A four-star recruit with more than 40 offers, Currence plays quarterback on offense but is star safety on defense, where he had 67 tackles and five interceptions last season.

DB: Omarion Davis, Indian Land, 6-0, 180, Sr.: Davis is one of 26 lettermen and 12 starters back from a 7-5 team. He’s a Boston College commit.

DB: Samari Matthews, Hough, 6-1, 185, Jr.: Matthews is a four-star national recruit who doesn’t get thrown on a lot. Expect that to continue this season. He’s a Power 4 recruit for a reason.

DB: Braxton Winston, Providence Day, 6-0, 170, Sr.: Winston had 34 tackles, an interception and five pass breakups last season for the two-time Charlotte Observer Sweet 16 champions.

DB: Jordan Young, Monroe, 6-0, 184, Sr.: A classic two-way star, Young caught 34 passes for 812 yards and eight touchdowns last season to go with 66 tackles and five defensive touchdowns. He’s a 5-star recruit.

ATH: T.J. Davis, Weddington, 6-2, 215, Jr.: Davis had 92 tackles season and hopes to help his team improve on its 62-7 record over the past five years.

SPECIALISTS

K/P: Matthew Fish, Northwestern, Height, Weight, NA, Sr.: Part of a Trojans’ team that made 6-of-10 field goals last season and 82-of-83 PATs.

SPEC: Dequadre Currence, Butler, 5-10, 175, Sr.: Currence is a two-sport star at Butler. He also plays basketball. Last season he had 48 catches for nearly 700 yards and eight touchdowns and will get the ball much more this season.

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: David Sanders, Providence Day

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Jordan Young, Monroe