Football

Top returning NCHSAA football stat leaders in 2024: 3A Rushers

HighSchoolOT is back with more football preview coverage in the spring. Today, a look at the best statistically returning rushers in the 3A classification.

Posted 2024-04-14T17:09:49+00:00 - Updated 2024-04-14T17:22:06+00:00

Tylik Mitchell (12) of Southern Nash High School. The Southern Nash High Firebirds played the Northern Nash High Knights in Bailey N.C. on October 20, 2023. Photo by Dean Strickland, HighSchoolOT.com.

Joel Bryant

Throughout the month of April, we'll have some kind of football preview coverage released to HSOT Insiders each day.

Today is a look at the top statistically returning rushers in the 3A classification. These players could be running backs, quarterbacks, or any other kind of offensive weapon. The only requirement is that they had 100 carries last year.

We have four sections: Yards/Game, Yards/Carry, Touchdowns/Game, and Touchdown Rate (touchdowns/carry). We are using these efficiency stats because the bulk numbers like total yards and total touchdowns can be deceiving and don't always correlate year-to-year.

Note: If your player's stats have not been published to MaxPreps or have not been sent to me, they are not going to be included below.

HSOT Insiders: Prepare for the 2024 football season

Top Returning 3A Rushing Leaders: Yards per Game

Players are listed with their rising class year and school. Minimum 2023 carries to qualify: 100. Ties broken by total rushing yards.

Tylik Mitchell, senior, Southern Nash — 148.6 YPG
Daejon Hodge, senior, Person — 131.5 YPG
Chanyce Ford, senior, South Point — 128.3 YPG
Brycen Gaither, senior, St. Stephens — 123.2 YPG
Ricky Elliott, senior, C.B. Aycock — 120.7 YPG
Isaiah Lackey, senior, Hickory — 119.4 YPG
Tareavion Mageo, senior, White Oak — 115.9 YPG
Karson Williams, senior, Oak Grove — 114.9 YPG
Demon June, senior, Jacksonville — 109.6 YPG
Shannon Wingate, junior, North Lincoln — 107.2 YPG
Patrick Blee, junior, South Point — 107.1 YPG
Lebron Sharpe, senior, Havelock — 106.1 YPG
DeAndre Nance, senior, Seventy-First — 105.7 YPG
Tyrek Samuel, senior, Eastern Alamance — 105.6 YPG
Christian Holland, senior, Forestview — 103.0 YPG

Finalized schedules for the 2024 North Carolina high school football season

Top Returning 3A Rushing Leaders: Yards per Carry

Players are listed with their rising class year and school. Minimum 2023 carries to qualify: 100. Ties broken by most carries.

Tylik Mitchell, senior, Southern Nash — 11.7 Y/C
Donavan Frederick, senior, Seventy-First — 10.8 Y/C
Jonathan Williams, senior, Havelock — 10.3 Y/C
DeAndre Nance, senior, Seventy-First — 10.2 Y/C (166 carries)
Demon June, senior, Jacksonville — 10.2 Y/C (118 carries)
Jayden Brown, senior, Dudley — 9.9 Y/C
Jayson Franklin, junior, Seventy-First — 9.2 Y/C
LJ Southern, senior, Dudley — 9.1 Y/C
Da'Zion Murray, senior, West Henderson (transfer from CHASE) — 8.9 Y/C
Daejon Hodge, senior, Person — 8.8 Y/C
Karson Williams, senior, Oak Grove — 8.7 Y/C (171 carries)
Aiden Carson, senior, Crest — 8.7 Y/C (126 carries)
Lebron Sharpe, senior, Havelock — 8.5 Y/C
Ricky Elliott, senior, C.B. Aycock — 8.1 Y/C
Tareavion Mageo, senior, White Oak — 7.9 Y/C

Top Returning 3A Rushing Leaders: Touchdowns per Game

Players are listed with their rising class year and school. Minimum 2023 carries to qualify: 100. Ties broken by most touchdowns, then fewest carries).

DeAndre Nance, senior, Seventy-First — 2.4 TD/Gm (38 TDs)
Isaiah Lackey, senior, Hickory — 2.3 TD/Gm (36 TDs)
Tylik Mitchell, senior, Southern Nash — 1.9 TD/Gm (23 TDs)
Demon June, senior, Jacksonville — 1.9 TD/Gm (21 TDs, 118 carries)
Daejon Hodge, senior, Person — 1.9 TD/Gm (21 TDs, 165 carries)
Chanyce Ford, senior, South Point — 1.9 TD/Gm (19 TDs)
Tyrek Samuel, senior, Eastern Alamance — 1.8 TD/Gm (20 TDs)
Shannon Wingate, junior, North Lincoln — 1.6 TD/Gm (18 TDs)
Karson Williams, senior, Oak Grove — 1.5 TD/Gm (20 TDs)
Tareavion Mageo, senior, White Oak — 1.5 TD/Gm (17 TDs)
Patrick Blee, junior, South Point — 1.4 TD/Gm (15 TDs)
Lebron Sharpe, senior, Havelock — 1.3 TD/Gm (18 TDs)
Da'Zion Murray, senior, West Henderson (transfer from CHASE) — 1.3 TD/Gm (14 TDs)
Brycen Gaither, senior, St. Stephens — 1.3 TD/Gm (13 TDs)
Josiah Hill, junior, Kings Mountain — 1.2 TD/Gm (14 TDs)

2023-2024 North Carolina high school football coaching changes

Top Returning 3A Rushing Leaders: Touchdown Rate

This is the rate of total rushing touchdowns scored to number of carries. Players are listed with their rising class year and school. Minimum 2023 carries to qualify: 100. Ties broken by most carries.