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Georgia Recruiting Tour - Spring Practice Kicks Off For Biggest Prospects
Every spring, I set out to see as many high school football prospects as this great state of Georgia provides as I possibly can. Here are my thoughts, notes, and experiences from the 2024 trail.
The State of Georgia is not short of football talent or resources. At the conclusion of the 2023 NFL season, there were 136 players from the state of Georgia. It's become the place to be not only during the fall when looking for football talent, but it's perhaps even more paramount to be out on the trail during the spring time for college programs looking to land Peachstate products.
Here in Georgia, spring practices involve ten practices and a scrimmage against either yourself or an opponent. For comparison, in California, they can't put the pads on until August. So, during this time every year, I set out to see as many high school football programs in this great state as I possibly can. These are the stories from the road. Enjoy.
15. Brookwood
Braiden Tyson is an elite running back in the 2027 class at Brookwood High School. As a freshman a year ago, he received offers from Tennessee, South Carolina, Oregon, Ole Miss, Florida State and plenty of others. He's already 6'0, 215 pounds as just a rising sophomore, however, it's rare you see a back this size at this age with these types of ball skills. He's tremendously natural and fluid out of the backfield. I wouldn't call him a burner, but he's as balanced of a back as the state provides in the 2027 class, that's without a doubt. Additionally, Brookwood's left tackle, Zayden Walters is relatively new to the offensive line position, but the 550 LB squatter has offers from Ole Miss, Syracuse, Penn State, and others.
14. Grayson
Grayson is home to perhaps the most sure-fire "that's going to work in college" evaluation we will see this entire tour. 2026 ILB Tyler Atkinson is as close to a guaranteed hit in college as there ever will be at inside linebacker. He's 6'2.5, 210 pounds and when he first entered high school he was a Power5 offered EDGE rusher. Knowing he was never going to be 6'5, Atkinson's coaches and team realized his NFL potential will be as an off-ball linebacker. As a freshman, he had 127 tackles as a true freshman and finished his sophomore year with 197 total tackles. He's got a nose for the ball, a physical skillset that's unmatched, and a pristine work ethic. He WILL be a hit in college. There's little to no doubt. As for the rest of the Grayson roster, there's plenty to talk about like EDGE Andre Fuller or WR, Alexander Sanchez. However, there's a young man from Cameroon who just started playing football and what a potential ceiling this young man has. Joseph Mbatchou is a 6'6. 285-pound defensive tackle and he's worth the visit to Gwinnett County alone. Without any tape on a Friday night, the rising senior already has four division one offers this spring.
13. South Gwinnett
South Gwinnett sends players to college every single season, 2024 will be no different. Jaiden Braker, a 2025 LB is perhaps their highest-touted recruit. At 6'4, 210 pounds, Braker plays mulitple positions for South Gwinnett's defense, and is being recruited as a hybrid player by the SEC. He could potentially play offball in college or even rush the passer. He's got an official visit schedule for South Carolina. 2025 WR Jackson Cook is currently running track, and at 6'2 is clocking 10.8's in the 100-meter dash. He's a name to know as the cycle comes to a close.
12. Douglas County
What a loaded roster the Tigers have under head coach Johnny White. Clemson, Florida, and about half a dozen more power5 programs were in attendance Wednesday for practice. 2026 EDGE Jordan Carter is perhaps one of my favorite prospects to watch play football. He's relentless, he's violent, he's there to have fun. He likely won't test out of this world, he's not 6'5, 250, and won't run a 4.5... but is going to make your life hell for four quarters. The receiving corps at Douglas County probably combined has north of 60 collegiate offers. Headlined by 2026 WR Aaron Gregory, he's joined by 2025 WR James Johnson and several others with a D1 offered signal caller in DJ Bordeaux. Oh, and the offensive line is just filled with D1 bodies and offers.
11. Central Carrolton
Central Carrolton will be a return trip for me in the coming years, their 2027 and 2028 classes are filled with promising prospects. However, for the next 18 months, the coaches coming through Central will be there to see Jonaz Walton. Walton is a two-time MaxPreps all american with a 545 pound squat and a 340 pound power clean, bolstering 10.6's in the 100-meter dash. He's going to be one of the nation's highest-rated backs when all is said and done. Southern Cal was in town on Wednesday and I'm told Tennessee and Florida State are doing a good job here. New Georgia running backs coach Josh Crawford will need to rekindle the relationship as the class comes to a tipping point.
10. Carrollton
I wouldn't set the alarm for a 3:15AM wake up call to make just any 5:30 AM start time, but for Carrolton, you kind of have to. The nearly a dozen college coaches bright-eyed on the sideline Wednesday morning would attest to that. 2025 QB Julian Lewis obviously headlines the bunch, though he's not alone. 2026 WR Ryan Mosely stole most of my attention during the practice. He's 6'2.5, nearing 200 pounds, plays wide receiver and safety for Carrolton and holds offers from Georgia, Bama, FSU, Tennessee, Georgia Tech, and many others. He's got the ceiling of a true number one in college.
9. Alpharetta
I've seen Julius Holly a half dozen times it seems at this point. From the spring of 2022 when he was just a rising sophomore till Tuesday night, as a rising senior. He's always passed the eye test, there's no doubt, and I knew given that Marcus Howard is his position coach at Alpharetta, he would inevitably blossom into a great player... I just didn't know when. I think the time is now. At 6'4, 230 pounds, during the offseason, Holly ran a verified 4.71, with a 1.68 ten-yard split and is seemingly putting the tape together this spring as well. Georgia will be by next week I'm told.
8. Walton High
Walton is an annual stop on this spring tour, not only because they are a perennial winner on the 7A level here in Georgia, but they also happen to have great football players. I was intrigued to see the Ward brothers in their new digs. Christian Ward is a 2026 wide receiver that's got offers from most of the SEC, including Georgia. He's a 6'2 receiver with tremendous length and top-end speed along with dependable hands. It's his little brother, Alex Ward that's going to be receiving the same level of attention big brother has gotten very soon. Alex is a 2027 ATH who will play both receiver and DB this year for Walton, but will likely play his college ball at corner. He has unique twitch.
7. Duluth High
Duluth is a school worth stopping at for the next several cycles with the plethora of young talent they have, but most P5 coaches will be stopping in for the main attraction this spring, 6'5, 300 pound offensive tackle Damola Ajidahun. Ajidahun has received offers from most of the SEC this spring and has official visits set up for USF, Georgia Tech, Georgia, and Duke. When you talk about the potentials and ceilings of athletes, I don't know if they make them much higher than Damola's. Having moved from Nigeria to the states in middle school, Ajidahun didn't start playing football till his freshman year, and he didn't start putting weight on until recently. In fact, in December of 2022 at the end of his sophomore season, Ajidahun weighed in at just 240 pounds. He's going to be a player to track for some time. Georgia will be by next week I'm told to see him.
6. Rome High
Physicality is a gurantee when you arrive at a Rome High football practice under Coach Reid. It's going to be fast and it's going to be physical. Unfortunately for myself and the several P5 coaches in attendance on Monday, Alabama linebacker commit Jaedon Harmon was limited during practice. He's got some of the most jaw-dropping linebacker tape in the 2025 class and assuming they hold on, Bama's got a good one in Harmon. As for the rest of the Wolves, they have several division one offered players, including multiple running backs, but I was blown away by Rhyon Sykes Jr. who is a relatively unknown prospect from a national media perspective, but the 6'2, 190 lb safety is an extremely fluid mover and has already drawn offers and interest from P5 schools according to Rome's staff.
5. Cass High Schoool
Cass high school is on every P4 coaching staff's radar now... I don't know if that was the case five years ago or so. Now, even after sending Sacovie White to play receiver at Georgia, they have several P4 offered players. Bear McWhorter is the 6'5, 295-pound offensive tackle who looks like he's moved the weight around in the right kind of way the offseason. He seems lighter on his feet, playing with high levels of effort on a frame that was receiving SEC offers as a freshman. Kail Ellis is his counterpoint at right tackle, the Auburn commit is a technician, I always enjoy watching him play. QB, Brodie McWhorter is perhaps the most intriguing player at Cass. The 6'3, 200-pound QB is being recruited by some of the nation's premier programs like Oregon and North Carolina, but it's West Virginia who's done a tremendous job with the state's top-ranked signal caller in 2026. Additionally, 2026 TE/ATH Chase Tatum is as compelling as they come. The 6'3, 230-pound tight end is a tremendous athlete for his size. As a hybrid TE/DE, Tatum moonlights as the center fielder for Cass High School's baseball team. He's going to be receiving P4 interest for the fact that they don't make athletes this size with these movements very often. The newcomer to the circuit is ATH Ian Williams, the defensive back has received Minnesota, Georgia Tech, Pitt, and Rutgers offers this spring alone.
4. Lumpkin County
My first time to the mountains of Northeast Georgia on a spring tour like this since... don't say it... Ladd McConkey, brings me to Lumpkin County to see 6'2, 185-pound WR/ATH Cal Faulkner. Faulkner hasn't pubicly received any major P4 offers just yet, but he's got plenty of interest. Georgia Tech was in town this week and Georgia is expected to come by at some point this spring as well I'm told. He's an extremely smooth mover for his length, and though he's posting 100-meter times north of 11.0 seconds currently, coach Heath Webb has GPS metrics in the 23.0 MPH range. His tape indicates a build-speed receiver that has tremendous leaping ability.
3. Woodward Academy
Talent has been in droves over at Woodward Academy over the last several recruiting cycles, and the 2024 roster is no different. Led by perhaps their highest-profile recruit, Jerome Bettis Jr, this Woodward team has a half-a-dozen division one offered football players. Despite starting practice at 6:45 AM, there were multiple Division One coaches at practice Thursday, including Florida's receiver coach Billy Gonzales to see 2025 commit Josiah Abdullah. Defensive back RJ Harrison recently received an offer from Duke and is fundamentally sound as they come. A new addition to the roster this offseason is 6'1, rangy corner Blake Stewart who has several D1 offers, including Georgia Tech and Tulane most notably. Woodward is a school I'm extremely excited to see on this tour next year as well, their sophomore and freshman group is fully loaded.
2. Jones County
Perhaps the home of speed in the state of Georgia, Jones County has an annual handful of sub-11.0 second 100-meter runners. It was the first day of pads at Jones County this spring, the first day in fact. That didn't stop them from SIX team periods during the two-hour practice. It was fast, it was physical, and it was not for the timid. Safety Javion Butts will not practice this spring, but the UNC commit is extremely impressive, standing 6'1, 190 pounds he looks every bit of a Power4 commit. I spoke to him about other schools, and he mentioned how locked in to UNC he is currently. As for the rest of the Jones County roster, linebacker Zacari Thomas looked shot out of a cannon all day. I expect a massive spring for Thomas, hard for me to believe he remains a Group of Five offered player like he currently is for much longer. In fact, sources in the SEC have expressed interest... he's currently being evaluated. ATH, Jaivon Solomon plays both defensive back and receiver, though he projects much more as a receiver, in my opinion. He tracks and attacks the ball well, is a smooth route runner, and has the frame to add weight in college. As for the "I can't believe it" category... DJ Ingram is a 6'2, 205-pound, multi-year starter for Jones County and has tremendous traits and tape with currently ZERO offers, that will change. DJ Ingram's Highlight Tape
2025 LB, DJ Ingram Currently Holds ZERO offers.
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1. Jonesboro
An (8-4) football team in 6A a year ago, the Jonesboro football program is not short of talent. They are not short of players with major offers, particularly their junior defensive back group. DL, Jeremiah Ticket, DB, Cortez Redding, LB, Jerimia Collier, DB, Jamar Owens, and DB Jontavious Wyman all hold division one offers. I left impressed with 2026 corner Jamar Owens and 2025 DL Jeremiah Ticket. Owens is a 6'1, 190-pound corner with tremendous length and athleticism, it should be a massive spring and summer for Ownes with regards to offers from some of the biggest programs like potentially Georgia and Ohio State where he's expected to camp soon. As for Ticket, Ticket is originally from Alaska and has only been playing football for about two seasons now, and boy is he athletic at his size. I was simply blown away by his movement skills at his size.
Up Next... Jones County High School.
Other Georgia News:
- Georgia Spring Practice Comes to an End - What We've Learned
- Malaki Starks Shares how Kirby Smart has Helped his Development
- WATCH: Georgia Tight End Brock Bowers Lands Impressive Back Flip
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