Where are they now? Catching up with top 15 NC prep football players in class of 2018

The top 15 North Carolina prep football players in the class of 2018 featured multiple Army All-Americans, a couple of national champions and an MLB first-round pick.

The group featured two five-star prospects according to 247Sports, and four top-100 players. All 15 were in the top 50 nationally at their position.

Out of the group, just six remained in state — three at UNC, three at N.C. State. There are some still in school, a few second-year pros, NFL rookies — and a couple of “what ifs?”

Four years later, here’s where the top 15 football players from North Carolina are now:

1.) Zamir White (Scotland County), running back, Georgia

After rushing for 2,086 yards and 34 touchdowns at Scotland County the consensus five-star recruit picked Georgia over Alabama, Clemson, North Carolina and Ohio State. White tore his ACL the summer before his freshman season and had to redshirt. Over the next three seasons he rushed for 2,043 yards and 25 touchdowns for the Bulldogs, leading the team to a national title last year. In April White was drafted in the fourth round (pick No. 122) by the Las Vegas Raiders.

2.) K.J. Henry (West Forsyth), defensive end, Clemson

Henry was the No. 3 defensive end in the nation according to 247Sports. He’ll be entering his fifth season at Clemson in 2022. In his previous four seasons, Henry has started 10 games for the Tigers, recording 88 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. He’s seen 1,112 snaps over his career.

3.) Jordyn Adams (Green Hope), wide receiver, UNC

Adams was the No. 8 wide receiver in the nation coming out of Green Hope High School. He was expected to make an immediate impact at UNC, where his father, Deke, was the defensive line coach. Adams was also really good at baseball, a sport he was also expected to play for the Tar Heels. In the spring of 2018, Adams was drafted No. 17 overall by the Los Angeles Angels. He declined playing football at UNC and signed a $4.1 million dollar deal with the Angels.

In 2021 with the Tri-City Dust Devils, Adams batted .217 with five home runs, 27 RBIs and 18 stolen bases. So far in 2022, he’s played 58 games with the Dust Devils.

4.) Payton Wilson (Orange), linebacker, N.C. State

Wilson made headlines as a prep star when he flipped from UNC to rival N.C. State. Wilson suffered a knee injury in the summer of 2018 and sat out the season. In 2019, he led the team in tackles despite only starting one game. In 2020 Wilson led the ACC in tackles per game (10.8) and ranked fourth overall in the FBS in tackles and was a first-team All-ACC performer. Wilson played in just one game in 2021 after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. Will return for his fourth season in 2022.

5.) Ricky Person, Jr. (Heritage), running back, N.C. State

Person, the fourth rated prep running back in the nation, was the second-leading rusher as a freshman. He shook off the injury bug as a freshman and sophomore to start all 12 games in 2020. Person rushed for 643 yards and four scores as a junior. As a reserve back in 2021, Person rushed for 672 and five more scores, which led the team.

Person entered the 2022 NFL Draft and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Baltimore Ravens.

6.) Rick Sandidge (Concord), defensive tackle, South Carolina

A four-star recruit out of Concord, Sandidge will return for his fifth year at South Carolina in 2022. He missed all of 2021 after suffering a leg injury in the fall. In his previous three seasons, Sandidge appeared in 34 games with 30 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 4.0 tackles for loss.

7.) Dax Hollifield (Shelby), linebacker, Virginia Tech

Another Army All-American, Hollifield was a tackling machine at Shelby, registering 150 stops as a senior. The No. 8 linebacker in the nation, Hollifield contributed right away at Virginia Tech. He started six games as a true freshman, finishing with 62 tackles. Has 273 stops in four seasons and will return for a fifth year in 2022.

8.) Tre Turner (Northwest Guilford), wide receiver, Virginia Tech

Turner started 36 games for the Hokies, catching 134 passes for 2, 292 yards and 14 scores. In 2021 he averaged 16.9 yards per catch. Turner also showed his versatility at Virginia Tech, carrying the ball 53 times for 456 yards and four more scores. He left Blacksburg with 2, 748 yards from scrimmage.

Turner went undrafted in 2022 and signed as a free agent with the Las Vegas Raiders.

9.) Dyami Brown (West Mecklenburg), wide receiver, UNC

Brown jumped on the scene as a sophomore and junior. In 2019 he caught 51 passes for 1,034 yards and 12 scores. In 2020, he caught 55 passes for 1,099 yards and eight more scores.

Brown averaged 18.7 yards per catch for his career. He became the first player since 2000 to average 20 yards per catch in back-to-back seasons. Brown was first-team All-ACC in 2020 and a third-team All-American.

In 2021 he was drafted in the third round (pick 82) by the Washington Football Team. Brown started six games a rookie, with 12 catches for 165 yards.

10.) Alim McNeill (Sanderson), defensive line, N.C. State

One of the more freakish athletes in the class of 2018, McNeill was a 270 pound running back and linebacker at Sanderson High. McNeill had 77 tackles in three seasons for the Wolfpack and 10 sacks.

In his final season, his lone year as a starter, McNeill was named an All-American by The Athletic and Pro Football Focus and was first-team All-ACC. He entered the NFL Draft and was selected in the third round (pick 72) by the Detroit Lions. He finished with 35 tackles and 2.0 sacks as a rookie. After the season, McNeill was named to the PFF All-Rookie team.

11.) Jamal Elliott (Hillside), running back, Oregon

Elliott went to Oregon but never played a game for the Ducks. He transferred back home to play for North Carolina Central. He played in 10 games for the Eagles from 2018-21, with 162 career yards on the ground and one score. Elliott graduated from NCCU in May.

12.) Avery Jones (Havelock), offensive line, UNC

Jones started his career at North Carolina, where he played in one game in 2019 before transferring to ECU. Played in 12 games in 2020 and ‘21 for the Pirates. Will return for an additional season in 2022.

13.) Jovaughn Gwyn (Harding), offensive line, South Carolina

The No. 15 guard in the country coming out of high school, Gwyn has started 34 games for South Carolina. His 34 starts are the most on the team heading into 2022. He’s the only captain returning for the Gamecocks in 2022. Has appeared in 36 games overall for South Carolina.

14.) Alan Tisdale (Page), linebacker, Virginia Tech

Tisdale redshirted in 2018, but has been a major contributor for the Hokies since. He played in all 13 games in 2019, finishing with 52 tackles. Over the next two years he started 22 games, finishing with 143 total stops. Has 17.0 tackles for loss for 49 yards. Returning for another year in 2022.

15.) Jordan Davis (Mallard Creek), defensive line, Georgia

Davis was a three-star recruit out of Mallard Creek, where he didn’t start playing football until his junior year.

Davis picked UGA over Clemson, Miami and North Carolina. He played in 11 games as a freshman and was named to the SEC All-Freshman team. As a senior he played in all 15 games, finishing with a career-high 32 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. Won a national title with the Bulldogs his final year. Was an unanimous All-American after senior year.

In the 2022 NFL Draft, was selected in the first round (13 pick) by the Philadelphia Eagles.