What NC high school football standouts are climbing the recruiting ladder at season's end?
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Welcome to the USA TODAY Network’s recruiting ladder, a statewide feature from reporter Joe Hughes highlighting prospects on the rise each week of the 2025 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 standouts adding to their personal highlight reel.
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Have a player to recommend? Feel free to submit their name, position and graduation class, in addition to other relevant information, statistics or scholarship offers via email to jhughes@gastongazette.com or X (@JoeLHughesII) by each Tuesday morning.
C.J. Dickerson
Hunt | Jr., DL
Dickerson wreaked havoc Friday night in his team’s 50-34 win over Fike, finishing with seven tackles (six for a loss) and five sacks. Such comes on the heels of an Oct. 24 outing against Rocky Mount in which he was credited with 30 tackles (six for a loss) and two sacks.
The 5-foot-11, 290-pound lineman has 130 tackles (40 for a loss) this season, along with 13 sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
Jayson Franklin
Seventy-First | Sr., RB
Franklin achieved his 24th 100-yard rushing performance last week, tallying 128 yards and two touchdowns in a 46-22 win over South View.
A 5-11, 215-pound running back, Franklin has rushed for 1,233 yards and a career-high 16 TDs this fall. The University of South Florida (USF) football recruit is averaging better than 11 yards per carry and 154 yards per game.
He has 4,189 career rushing yards to go with 48 TDs.
Tre Graves
Hayesville | Sr., RB
Graves rushed for a career-high 334 yards and four touchdowns in his team’s 55-14 victory over Andrews. The 5-9, 180-pound back averaged just shy of 19 yards per carry.
A three-year contributor, Graves is enjoying the best season of his career, setting new highs for rushing yards (1,340) and touchdowns (19). He has 3,271 career yards and 41 touchdowns.
Ely Hamrick
Crest | Sr., QB
Hamrick and the Crest offense could do no wrong in a 70-0 rout of rival Kings Mountain, the Virginia recruit finishing 10-of-10 passing for 249 yards and three touchdowns, in addition to 42 rushing yards and four TDs.
The 6-5, 220-pound quarterback has completed 71% of passes this season for 20 TDs. He’s also been an asset to the Charger ground attack, rushing for a team-high 449 yards and 14 TDs.
Yoshua McBryde
St. Pauls | Sr., RB
McBryde continued a stellar 2025 season with 175 rushing yards and three touchdowns on four carries, including a 98-yard TD scamper in a 48-0 win over Douglas Byrd.
The 5-10, 185-pound running back has rushed for 1,403 yards and 20 TDs this fall. He is averaging better than nine yards per carry. For his career, McBryde has 4,387 rushing yards — including 20 100-yard performances — and 53 TDs. He also has 45 receptions for 694 yards and six TDs.
McBryde holds offers from Air Force, Army, Elon and UNC Pembroke.
Kamerin McDowell-Moore
Tarboro | Sr., RB
McDowell-Moore set a career-high with 285 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 22 attempts, helping the Vikings take a high-scoring affair with Kinston, 42-35.
It was the 5-11, 185-pound back’s fifth career 200-yard performance and second this fall. He’s rushed for 1,538 yards and 20 TDs this fall. A four-year letter winner, he has 5,704 rushing yards and 85 TDs. McDowell-Moore averages just shy of 11 yards per carry.
McDowell-Moore is an Elon football recruit.
Brady Swett
Bandys | Sr., QB
Swett’s latest prolific performance saw him complete 23-of-35 passes for 365 yards and three touchdowns, along with 34 rushing yards and a TD in a 47-45 loss to Hickory. His favorite targets were Ryder McClure and Kayden Henrickson, the duo combining for 313 receiving yards and three TDs.
This fall, Swett is completing 65% of passes while setting career highs for TDs (23) and passing yards (2,379).
Swett’s no one-year sensation, however, completing 64% of career passes for 6,307 career yards and 62 TDs. He also has 1,404 career rushing yards and 27 TDs.
Swett holds an offer from Weber State.
Malachi Thomas
Millbrook | Sr., WR
Though unable to reach the end zone on Halloween, Thomas was mighty active with 10 catches for 106 yards in Millbrook’s 25-6 win over Corinth Holders.
It was the third 100-yard performance this season for the Campbell recruit, helping the Wildcats to an undefeated regular season. He has 39 receptions for 575 yards and six TDs.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: NC high school football recruiting ladder (Nov. 5, 2025)
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