The following is the third segment in a series of rankings published each Sunday leading up to the high football openers. Staff writer Brad Crawford picks the top 25 players in Robeson County based on film study, statistics, importance to their respective team and intangibles.

15. Naim Bellamy, Fairmont, 5-11, 250, Jr., DL: Bellamy went from an unknown lineman to Fairmont’s top run-stopper as a sophomore and collected 2.5 sacks during the Golden Tornadoes’ overtime win over Red Springs. Late in the season, Bellamy transformed into an immovable force at the line of scrimmage with a knack for stopping players in the backfield.

14. Quinn Lowery, Red Springs, 6-2, 200, Sr., FS: Unafraid of contact, Lowery’s a banger on the hardwood for the Red Devils and a head hunter on the gridiron. He’ll lead a defense that hopes to improve against the pass if Red Springs has its sights set on a Three Rivers Conference championship. His ball skills are still developing, but his upside is tremendous.

13. Luke Hunt, Fairmont, 6-2, 225, Sr., TE/DE: After Lumberton’s Darius Lesane, Hunt was one of the area’s top pass-rushers in 2011 with eight sacks. In the red zone, he’s equally as gifted as Fairmont’s tight end and a big target for quarterback Jarrod Neal. Hunt carries his weight well at 225 and has a quick burst off the edge.

12. Mike Graham, Red Springs, 5-8, 250, Sr., DE: It isn’t hard to pick out Red Springs’ best defender on film, a 250-pound behemoth who eats opposing ballcarriers for lunch. Teams will likely run the other way this fall when they notice Graham’s dominance against the run. Graham uses a bull rush — a la former Richmond Raider Melvin Ingram — to overpower opposing linemen.

11. Joe Locklear, Purnell Swett, 5-10, 230, Sr., OL: Locklear enters his third season along an offensive front expected to give plenty of room for Juan Ellerbe to operate. Locklear’s a two-time all-Southeastern Conference selection and one of the top blockers in a talent-rich league.