Vote: Who Was Georgia’s Top High School Football Player at Mercedes-Benz During Its Kick-off Week?

Georgia high school football got an early start last week, and several players wasted little time putting together performances worth remembering.

The 2026 season opened Aug. 12–13 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with four games in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic, giving eight teams the first chance to make a statement before the rest of the state joins them.

North Gwinnett delivered perhaps the loudest one, building a 37-0 lead on Grayson before winning 37-22. Brookwood rolled past Cambridge 52-7, South Gwinnett handled Lanier 29-3, and Roswell erased an early two-touchdown deficit to beat Walton 32-20.

Here are the top performers from Georgia’s opening week. Vote for the player you think deserves to be named High School on SI Georgia Football Player of the Week.

Voting closes Sunday, Aug. 23, at 11:59 p.m. PT. The winner will be announced in next week's Player of the Week poll.

Georgia high school football player of the week — High School On SI

Elam Rahman, QB, North Gwinnett

Rahman was nearly perfect against Grayson, completing 8 of 9 passes for 147 yards and three touchdowns. He connected with C. Jackson for two scores and Evan Hawkins for another as North Gwinnett built a commanding lead.

Jake Godfree, LB, North Gwinnett

Godfree helped turn North Gwinnett’s impressive win over Grayson into an early blowout. He returned an interception 56 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter and finished with five tackles, a sack, and 1.5 tackles for loss.

Evan Hawkins, WR, North Gwinnett

Hawkins made his impact in multiple ways, catching three passes for 68 yards and a touchdown while also scoring on a 7-yard run. His 53-yard reception was North Gwinnett’s longest offensive play of the game.

Brayden Tyson, RB, Brookwood

Tyson set the tone early in Brookwood’s 52-7 win over Cambridge. He carried 15 times for 93 yards and scored three rushing touchdowns in the first quarter as the Broncos raced to a 21-0 lead.

Gary Chatman, QB, Brookwood

Chatman accounted for three touchdowns and 212 yards of offense. He completed 8 of 13 passes for 162 yards and two scores, and then added 50 yards and another touchdown on the ground.

Jordan Peacock, WR/RB, Walton

Peacock produced one of the most explosive individual performances of the opening week despite Walton’s loss. He took his only carry 74 yards for a touchdown, then caught seven passes for 76 yards and another score, finishing with 150 yards from scrimmage.

Matt Schletty, QB, Roswell

Schletty helped Roswell come all the way back from an early 14-0 deficit. He rushed 22 times for 95 yards and scored two second-half touchdowns, including the final score with 50 seconds remaining to seal the 32-20 win.

Jaxon Holly, DB, Roswell

With Roswell trailing 14-0 in the second quarter, Holly provided the play that changed the game's direction. His 58-yard interception return for a touchdown put the Hornets on the board and helped spark a run of 25 unanswered points.

Thomas Morris III, RB, South Gwinnett

Morris scored twice as South Gwinnett opened the season with a convincing 29-3 win over Lanier. His first touchdown followed a muffed punt and gave the Comets a 21-3 halftime lead before he added another rushing score in the fourth.

CJ Peoples, QB, South Gwinnett

Peoples helped South Gwinnett take control early. He scored on a short touchdown run and later connected with Cohl Hendon for a 2-yard touchdown pass as the Comets built a 14-0 first-quarter advantage.

About Our Athlete of the Week Voting
High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.

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