Friedman’s Takeaways: WR Depth On Display At Rivals Camp Series Charlotte

FORT MILL, S.C. – The Rivals Camp Series spent the weekend in the Charlotte area and the hungry athletes in the Mid-Atlantic took advantage of the opportunity. The Carolinas, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland and all the way up to Connecticut, was represented by a deep group of participants. Let’s look into some of the takeaways from the camp:

The day started off with a bang thanks to the offensive line group. Three players could have easily won MVP but Pierre Dean came away with the No. 1 spot. The 2026 North Carolina native could play tackle or guard at the next level, but any college coach would be happy to have at either spot. With very little bad weight on his frame, Dean was still able to toss guys around and seemed to enjoy finishing off his blocks. Darius Gray and Jayvon McFadden showed off excellent technique playing both tackle and guard throughout the session. Each of them came away with gold ball awards.

Desmond Green has the look of a player who should be ranked in the Rivals250. The 2026 guard from South Carolina is a road grader on the interior of the offensive line and as he develops his pass blocking skills he should be able to dominate in a setting like this. It won’t be surprising to see his offer sheet continue to grow based off of the physical traits we were able to see on Sunday.

Kenneth McManus, Jadian Shabazz and Zion Guiles should continue to see more college interest and more offers as the process continues. Each of them shined in their own right thanks to solid technique or outstanding physical traits with plenty of room for development.

We had really high hopes for the defensive line group and many of them did shine at various points in the camp, but just a few of them were able to have consistent success. Aiden Harris has grown an inch or two and slimmed down since his last in-person evaluation but still maintained his strength and quickness. He made it fairly easy to decide who should win the Defensive Line MVP award. South Carolina commit Anthony Addison was a late addition to the camp roster, but he made the most of his opportunity and came away with the gold ball award. The edge rusher has really strong hands and great pass rushing skills. He was able to shock offensive linemen with his strength and understood how to use his athleticism to his advantage to get into the backfield.

Kayden Bennett wasn’t one of the favorites to win an award prior to the camp, but he wasn’t totally off the radar either. The younger brother of Michigan defensive lineman Kechaun Bennett, Kayden has a very similar build at this stage of his recruitment, but he packs a bigger punch and understands how to play a more physical and aggressive style. All the way from Connecticut, Bennett made the most of his opportunity and surprised many by coming away with a gold ball award.

Zion Elee made the trip from Maryland after taking in the Ohio State spring game and the 2026 Rivals250 defensive end confirmed what we thought after watching his sophomore film. He has all the physical tools to dominate at the next level, but he needs more experience against solid pass blockers so that he’s ready to contribute when he arrives in college. Physically, Elee is already the size of a college player and he has plenty of time to develop from a technical perspective.

Make sure to track Elijah Littlejon, Zavion Griffin-Haynes, Dominic Basrawala, Jermaine Kinsler, Noah Clark and Yvan Kemajou as the recruiting process rolls on. Each of them shined at various moments during the one-on-one session thanks to their physical tools and aggressive style.

One of the top storylines in the 2026 class is the race for No. 1 running back in the Rivals250. Top ranked running back Savion Hiter made the trip from Virginia and very nearly came away with the MVP award. The smooth and strong ball carrier shined in and pass blocking drills, footwork drills, and had consistent success during one-on-ones, regardless of the route or linebacker who he was matched up with. Jaylen McGill, however, narrowly won the MVP award after hauling in multiple tough catches during one-on-ones. He was also very solid during footwork and pass blocking drills. McGills seemed to glide on the field similarly to Hiter. Both backs will continue to be highly rated in the 2026 class and their continued development is something to keep an eye on as the recruiting process rolls on.

Picking a Defensive Back MVP was the most difficult race to call on Sunday thanks to the outstanding depth at the position. Class of 2026 stand out safety Jireh Edwards landed the award closely followed by 2026 cornerbacks Camdin Portis and Ramani Burton. Those three made excellent plays on a consistent basis thanks to their technique, physicality, and ability to get their hands on the ball, but there were a number of other defensive backs who could’ve easily earned these awards.

Samari Matthews, one of the top-ranked prospects in the 2026 class, had an excellent day in coverage. He was able to force bad throws from quarterbacks on a consistent basis and was able to use his length and instincts to take receivers out of the play. Also in the 2026 class, Andre Clark, Hakim Satterwhite, Julian Peterson and Jordan Thomas presented difficult matchups for the receivers. Each of them brings above average height and length to the field, which makes it very difficult for receivers to create any separation.

Ohio State cornerback commit Blake Woodby was also one of the top defensive backs on Sunday. His outstanding speed and increased muscle mass helped him cover wide receivers using a wide range of strategies and techniques. Woodby may not have had as much success as he would’ve liked, but he was still able to force receivers alter their routes and timing because of his elite speed.

Chamarryus Bomar, Remington Moss, KJ McClain and Jerron Blackwell also had their moments. It’s easy to see why each of them has fairly lengthy offer sheets.

In a really tight race for the Wide Receiver MVP award, Je’rel Bolder landed at No. 1 followed by freshman Myles McAfee and sophomore Dyzier Carter. Each of them bring outstanding speed to the field and varying styles of route running. Bolder had a knack for winning reps down the field and coming up with acrobatic catches. McAfee may have been the best route runner of the three and had plenty of highlight plays as well. Carter is the smallest of the three but he is very tough and has speed to burn.

A trio of standout 2026 receivers from South Carolina each shined various moments in the camp. Expectations for Jordon Gidron, Malik Clark and Donovan Murph were high coming into the event and each of them put on a show when their number was called. Clark looked to be the most physically imposing of them while Gidron is the more explosive of the group. Murph is a well-rounded receiver with good hands and solid understanding of running techniques.

Coming up from Florida, Kenyon Alston is a physically imposing receiver who understands how to create separation through sharp cuts and did a great job catching the ball away from his body on a consistent basis. Notre Dame commit Elijah Burress isn’t going to blow anybody away on the hoof but he’s a very good runner who consistently catches the ball with his hands and is able to create separation through solid running techniques.