The Huddle: RB tiers, alums moving around in the NFL, making the basketball title format work for football

Lastly, I'll share my running back tiers for the fall 2024 season.

Between the craziness of the basketball regional finals and state titles, I could finish my conference projections for the upcoming 8A realignment in 2025. I'm making it a priority to get them out to Insiders over the next few days here.

1st Down: Taking what works from the NCHSAA's new basketball championship format

In case you somehow missed it, the N.C. High School Athletic Association debuted a new format for basketball regional finals and state championships last week. The association decided to replicate the NCAA's Final Four schedule by playing the semifinals and the state championships in one location. From Monday through Saturday, the association played four championships at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem.

The one negative thing that I'd like to get out of the way is the location. The actual facility of LJVM Coliseum is a nice one for basketball, but Winston-Salem is far from centrally located in North Carolina. There were some nice crowds for the western regional finals, but the eastern regional finals felt barren in most cases. Had they done this exact format in Chapel Hill, it would have been a big upgrade.

The biggest positive feature of this new format showed itself on Saturday. With all of the proceedings taking place in one facility, fans with or without an allegiance could easily take in all of the games of the day once they were in the building. The crowd started strong at 12:00 but increased like a snowball rolling down a mountain throughout the day. In the penultimate game, the 2A state championship between Reidsville and Farmville Central, the entire lower bowl became full and the coliseum staff had to begin letting fans into the upper bowl.

In past NCHSAA state championship weekends, the title games have been held at multiple sites, sometimes simultaneously. There hasn't been a way for fans who want to see every championship to be able to.

There is no way the association could pull off a similar thing for football regionals, nor should it. Fan capacity issues in high school stadiums are far more rare than high school gymnasiums. There's also something special that happens to small towns when their football team makes a deep playoff run and gets to play home games late into the playoffs.

I will say this: I think the NCHSAA should copy the idea of playing every football state championship game at location. In the past, football state championships have been split between UNC, NC State, Duke, and Wake Forest. Under the four classification setup, they've been at UNC and NC State, with one site getting the Friday night game and the noon game on Saturday and the other site getting the last two games on Saturday. Even with staggered start times, its near impossible for fans to see every football state championship. There is no reason we should have multiple locations on one day right now. For the Saturdays that feature three of the title games, all three should be played in the same stadium. Imagine what the crowds could look like by the final game of the night if fans an compound throughout the day. It would also be tremendously easier for someone like me to cover the games that day. Us media has to rush from the site of the noon game to hope to get to the other side by halftime of the afternoon game.

Even after we go to eight classifications, I believe that its worth spreading the championships over more days to get them into one facility. You can still spread the love around to multiple universities, but one day should be one stadium. The NCHSAA is going to have to play state championships on Sunday when we go to eight classes. Two of the universities have turf surfaces that can handle three games in one day: Chapel Hill's Kenan Stadium and Wake Forest's Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. The Carolina Panthers' Bank of America Stadium also has field turf that could handle three games. The eight games should look something like this: Friday night has a double-header at Duke or NC State, Saturday has a triple-header at Bank of America Stadium, and Sunday gets a triple-header in Chapel Hill or Winston-Salem. This way, anyone that wants to see all eight championships will be able to.

2nd Down: NC natives some of the most impacted by crazy week in NFL free agency

The week got off to a fun start before the negotiating window even opened. The Philadelphia Eagles signed South Caldwell alum Landon Dickerson to a huge four-year, $87 million extension. At the time of signing, the former second round pick and University of Alabama player was the highest paid guard in NFL history. Dickerson, who started his high school career at Hickory High, is one of the NFL's best run blockers and has made the Pro Bowl in two of his first three seasons in the league.

Northern Guilford High School alum Keenan Allen was traded to the Chicago Bears for a fourth round pick after spending the first 11 seasons of his career in San Diego/Los Angeles with the Chargers. He has over 900 receptions and over 10,500 receiving yards in his career, to go with 59 touchdown receptions. Allen is going to be a key veteran target for presumptive No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams.

The Detroit Lions now have two big defensive tackles from North Carolina at the heart of its defensive line. The Lions already had Sanderson High School's 315-pound Alim McNeill and just signed Grimsley High alum D.J. Reader to a big two-year, $27.25 million contract. Formerly of the Cincinnati Bengals, the 327-pound Reader has made 277 total stops, 23 tackles for a loss, and 9.5 sacks in his career. He is a favorite of the analytics community and earned an 82.2 overall grade from PFF last season. Reader is a space eater, which could provide more opportunities for the quicker McNeill to work his way into the backfield to make tackles for a loss.

The Houston Texans signed 33-year old Albemarle High School alum Denico Autry to a two-year, $21.5 million contract. Autry has been one of the NFL's most consistent versatile defensive linemen for years. In 2023, Autry posted a career best 50 total tackles and 11.5 sacks in his final year with the Titans. Autry spent his first four years in Oakland, next four in Indianapolis, last three in Tennessee, and is now at his third AFC South team. He has 310 career tackles, 80 career tackles for a loss, and 59 career sacks.

Another versatile defensive lineman from NC, Tarboro alum Tyquan Lewis re-signed with the Indianapolis Colts on a two-year, $12 million extension. In 2023, Lewis, recorded four sacks and set career highs in total tackles (25), tackles for a loss (nine), and quarterback hits (13).

Jonathan Bullard, a defensive lineman from Crest High School, returned to the Minnesota Vikings on a one-year deal after starting 14 games and posting a career high in tackles with 44 in 2023. This fall will be his ninth NFL season.

Raleigh native and Garner High School alum Nyheim Hines left the Bills to sign a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Cleveland Browns. After suffering an offseason injury that prevented him from playing in 2023, Hines hopes to prove his worth with the Browns in 2024. Hines has posted 2,980 yards from scrimmage to go with 18 scrimmage touchdowns in his career. He also has nearly 2,000 return yards and four return touchdowns over his career.

The Atlanta Falcons have re-signed former J.H. Rose High School defensive lineman Kentavius Street on a one-year deal. Street was traded to the Falcons at the trade deadline by the Philadelphia Eagles and made 18 total stops to go with one sack.

Thomasville High School alum Akeem Davis-Gaither re-signed with the Cincinnati Benals on a one-year deal. He has been a key special teams player for the Bengals during his four-year career. He played 80% of the special teams snaps in 2023. Davis-Gaither has made 122 total tackles in his career.

Monroe's Jamison Crowder signed a one-year deal to return to the Washington Commanders, where he was drafted. Last fall, he played in all 17 games for the Commanders and caught 16 receptions for 159 yards receiving and a touchdown.

It's been a crazy week, let me know if I missed anyone. jbryant@wral.com

3rd Down: Running Back Tiers for 2024

I'm continuing my position tiers for the upcoming fall season with running backs. In you missed my quarterback tiers, check out last week's Huddle here:

Elite HS Running Backs

• Amareon Blue, rising senior, Jordan
  • Blue has been nearly unstoppable since taking over as Jordan High's lead back as a sophomore in 2022. He rushed for a blistering 2,442 yards and 30 touchdowns as a sophomore. Blue followed up that season with 1,977 yards and 34 touchdowns despite receiving 75 less carries than the season before. He has averaged an even nine yards per attempt in his career.
• Jamal Rule, rising senior, Salisbury
  • Rule had the biggest season of any running back in North Carolina in 2023. Despite rushing for a hefty 274 attempts, Rule averaged 9.9 yards per carry and reached 2,712 yards on the season. Rule found the end zone 36 times as a rusher and three times as a receiver.
• Mitchell Summers, rising senior, Grimsley
  • Summers isn't getting the attention from colleges that he deserves due to his smaller stature. Summers is at best 5-foot-7. However, there are not many players that have been able to produce at this level. Summers has rushed for 2,100-plus yards over the past two seasons behind an offensive line that I don't consider to be one of the best in 4A. In 2023, he rushed for 42 touchdowns and averaged an incredible 8.8 yards per carry.
• De'Von Thomas, rising senior, Rolesville
  • Thomas was a nightmare for teams in the 4A East in 2023, rushing for 2,309 yards and 25 touchdowns on just 211 carries. He's 5-foot-9, but rock solid at 195 pounds. His contact balance is unreal and jet boosters for after he rams through a tackle and into open space.
• Jason Willis Jr., rising senior, Bunker Hill
  • Willis Jr. has put together an incredible career of production and efficiency at Bunker Hill. He has rushed for 3,865 career yards and 53 career touchdowns, including 2,224 yards and 24 touchdowns last fall. Willis has never averaged less than 8.1 yards per attempt in his career.

Very Good HS Running Backs

• Irving Brown, rising senior, Wallce-Rose Hill
  • Brown has produced back-to-back seasons of 1,600-plus yards and 23-plus touchdowns while averaging 9.2 yards per carry.
• Ian Cline, rising senior, Providence Day
  • Cline rushed for an impressive 10.5 yards per carry and 23 touchdowns in his first season with the Providence Day Chargers.
• Jayden Jones, rising junior, Independence
  • With another year like he had as a sophomore (1,830 yards, 19 touchdowns), he will be in the elite tier. Watch what Jones did against top programs like East Forsyth, Charlotte Catholic, Butler, and Watauga and you'll know.
• Demon June, rising senior, Jacksonville
  • June averaged 10.2 yards per attempt and rushed for 1,206 yards and 21 touchdowns for Jacksonville. With a bigger load, June would easily become a 2,000-yard rusher.
• Isaiah Lackey, rising senior, Hickory
  • The 220-pound Lackey bulldozed his way for 36 total touchdowns during Hickory's 3A state championship season last fall. He has over 3,100 yards in his career but had not topped 6.2 YPC in a season.
• Tylik Mitchell, rising senior, Southern Nash
  • If Mitchell had more than one season with the production he had as a junior (1,783 yards, 11.7 YPC, 23 touchdowns), I'd consider him in the elite category.
• Da'Zion Murray, rising senior, West Henderson
  • At CHASE High last season, Murray rushed for exactly 1,10 yards on just 123 attempts. He found the end zone efficiently at 14 scores, although he lost some red zone opportunities to other talented players. Murray has transferred to West Henderson and could see his numbers explode in place of Carson Dimsdale, who rushed for over 2,100 yards and 33 touchdowns last season.
• James Rodgers, rising senior, Nash Central
  • Rodgers rushed for over 10 yards a clip last season for 1,654 yards and 27 touchdowns. Expect him to be a 2,000-yard guy as a senior.
• Tyrek Samuel, rising senior, Eastern Alamance
  • Samuel has been Eastern Alamance's lead back on varsity since his sophomore season and has rushed for 2,828 yards and 42 touchdowns so far. He has averaged a very strong 8.5 yards per rush and added five touchdowns through the air.

Above Average HS Running Backs

• Jaelan Brewington, rising senior, Ashley
• Justin Clemmons, rising junior, North Pitt
• Christopher Daley II, rising senior, East Lincoln
• Shawn Davis, rising junior, East Duplin
• Jayson Franklin, rising junior, Seventy-First
• Donavan Frederick, rising senior, Seventy-First
• Malik Fuller, rising senior, North Lenoir
• Jeremiah Johnson, rising senior, Pender
• Calvin Lacewell, rising sophomore, Lakewood
• Austin Lewallen, rising junior, Princeton
• Taeshon Martin, rising junior, Mount Airy
• Brilison McCullers, rising junior, Millbrook
• Kamerin McDowell-Moore, rising junior, Tarboro
• Nagellam Powell, rising senior, Whiteville
• Mason Satterfield, rising senior, Tarboro
• Lebron Sharpe, rising senior, Havelock
• Jaquavion Sheppard, rising junior, Martin County
• Tristan Tate, rising senior, Shelby
• Shannon Wingate, rising junior, North Lincoln
• Jayden Williams, rising senior, Butler
• Karson Williams, rising senior, Oak Grove
• Jaylen Winnex, rising senior, West Lincoln