By the Numbers: Top 6 Returning Georgia Quarterbacks in 2025

Who are the top returning quarterbacks in the state of Georgia?

Gavin Owens, 2025 pro-style quarterback from Rabun Gap Nacoochee High, participates in drills from during the first of the 2023 Dabo Swinney High School Camps at the practice facilities at Clemson University in Clemson, S.C. Wednesday, May 31, 2023. There are camps for High School (rising 8th-12th graders), and Youth camps. The camps provide campers with football fundamentals for various skill positions, with no-contact, no pads, or helmets. / Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

The senior class came ready to spin it in the state of Georgia during the 2024 high school football season. Julian Lewis (Colorado), Luke Nickel (Miami), Antwann Hill Jr. (Memphis), and Weston Taylor (4A POY) all topped the 3,600-yard passing mark shredding opposing defenses. But there were fantastic underclassmen that put the Peach State on notice and will be back to surpass the pace setters from a year ago attracting new fans and college coaches from around the country.

Jumping into the top five among all the upperclassmen was Lyndon Worthy. Worthy had a standout freshman year hitting for 2,670 yards with 27 touchdowns laying the groundwork for a breakout sophomore campaign. Worth County rode the arm of the super sophomore for 3,408 yards and 37 touchdowns ending the year with a QB Rating for 128.0. Easy to guess that college coaches hitting the state of Georgia this offseason will stop by the city of Sylvster to see Worthy at Worth County.

Another top 10 performer was Morgan County’s Davis Strickland. Strickland got the chance to spin it and did so at a high rate completing 72 percent of his attempts. The effort went for 3,164 yards and 40 touchdowns. He didn’t run much, but when he did it counted. Off 28 carries, six were punched into the end zone. Reported recruiting interest includes South Carolina, Auburn, and Georgia Tech among others.

Just outside of the top 10 in passing yards was Lane Sceals. Throwing on the run, going deep, or quick passes taking what the defense is giving all worked in the favor of Deerfield-Windsor (Albany) seeing their junior star take off. After a 1,523-yard sophomore season, Sceals fell just shy of 3,000 yards with 2,925 yards and 27 TDs. The movement in the pocket made the junior a threat on the ground going for 223 yards with three trips into the end zone.

A big gunslinger who can see the entire Rabun Gap-Nacoochee field, that is Gavin Owens. Before his January verbal commitment to the Memphis Tigers, Owens continued his rampage through Georgia defenses connecting on 69 percent of his attempts covering 2,815 yards with 35 touchdowns. Already a salty veteran getting varsity time in ninth grade, Owens is nearing the 10,000-yard career milestone (9,600) and 100 touchdowns tossed mark (87).

Georgia 5A competition is not for the faint of heart, and over at Dutchtown (Hampton), Michael Johnson has proven his worth. A tremendous breakout year for Johnson passing for 2,700 yards with 24 scores and rushing for 618 putting 10 more touchdowns on the board. The three-star committed to Mississippi State in July of 2024 decommitting in mid-September. Other offering programs include Purdue, Cincinnati, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Troy, USF, UCF, and West Virginia.

If the jump from freshman season to sophomore year with Central (Carrollton) is any indication of what to expect from JR Harris, Georgia teams better watch out. Harris by all accounts had a standout ’23 season covering 1,855 yards with 20 touchdowns while rushing for 529 and seven more scores. The difference in completions and attempts were not vastly different, but the yards per completion took a five-yard bump ending with 2,667 yards in the air and 29 touchdowns. Harris added 458 on the ground reaching the end zone eight times. Appalachian State has already offered the 2027 recruit.

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