POY Watch: Troup’s Hudson a pleasant surprise at QB

Kobe Hudson was supposed to be a wide receiver, but Troup didn't have a true quarterback this season. Or so it thought.

Hudson, a four-star wide receiver recruit who is committed to Auburn, got the call to replace Montez Crowe, who passed for 3,984 yards and 40 touchdowns last year. He's now at Savannah State.

Perhaps unexpectedly, Hudson is playing as well as any quarterback in the state. His passing yardage has increased with each game - from 191 to 196 to 252 to 338 to a whopping 537 last week against Chapel Hill.

If Troup plays 12 games this season, as it did in 2017, Hudson is on pace to throw for 3,633 yards, not far off Crowe's standard.

"He is very talented and can play either at the next level," Troup coach Tanner Glisson said. "Athletically he hasn't surprised us, but maturity level he has. He has really grown over the past year as a leader. I think a lot of credit has to go to our QB coach Paul Brewer. First it was Montez breaking records, and now it's Kobe. He does such a great job developing quarterbacks."

Hudson, a junior, is moving up on GHSF Daily's Player of the Year Watch. New to the POY Watch this week are Lowndes RB Travis Tisdale and Archer QB Carter Peevy.

The POY Watch is intended to be a fun look at some of the state's best players. Players naturally will drift in and out, and that should not be taken as a critique of their season. It is an honor to appear in the POW Watch even for a single week.

1. RB Jamious Griffin, Rome: Griffin rushed for 147 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries in a 49-14 victory over Cass. In five games, Griffin has rushed for 1,017 yards and 15 touchdowns - at least two in every game - on 98 carries (10.4 yards per carry). He has caught six passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns. A three-star recruit, Griffin is committed to N.C. State. Rome (5-0) is ranked No. 1 in Class AAAAA and No. 19 nationally in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25.

2. WR/DB Jadon Haselwood, Cedar Grove: Haselwood had three receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown and eight tackles, 2.5 for losses, in a 45-0 victory over Lovett. In five games, Haselwood has 22 receptions for 289 yards, 14 tackles, eight pass breakups, an interception, a 16.2-yard average on punt returns and a 39.7-yard average on kickoff returns. The consensus No. 1 recruit in Georgia, Haselwood is committed to Georgia. Cedar Grove (4-1) is ranked No. 2 in Class AAA.

3. QB Chandler Byron, Monroe Area: Byron rushed for 152 yards and four touchdowns on 19 carries and was 6-of-10 passing for 237 yards and a touchdown in a 39-0 victory over Morgan County. In five games, Byron has rushed for 1,083 yards and 15 touchdowns, at least two in every game. He's 27-of-49 passing for 772 yards and seven touchdowns with only one interception. Byron is not a highly rated recruit and does not have an offer. Monroe Area (5-0) is ranked No. 3 in AAA.

4. RB Derrian Brown, Buford: Brown rushed for 151 yards and one touchdown on 30 carries in a 48-24 loss to Archer. In five games, Brown has rushed for 839 yards and scored 12 touchdowns on 119 carries (7.1 ypc) and caught six passes for 75 yards. A top-250 national recruit, Brown is committed to Texas. Buford (3-2) is ranked No. 2 in Class AAAAA.

5. WR Ramel Keyton, Marietta: Keyton had five receptions for 120 yards in a 21-14 loss to St. John's College (D.C.), the No. 4 team nationally in MaxPreps' Xcellent 25 rankings. In five games, Keyton has 40 receptions for a state-best 662 yards and 10 touchdowns while playing against four nationally ranked opponents. Keyton, a four-star top-200 national recruit, has committed to Tennessee. Marietta (1-4) is unranked in Class AAAAAAA.

6. QB Kobe Hudson, Troup: Hudson was 25-of-33 passing for 537 yards and six touchdowns in a 56-24 victory over Chapel Hill. In five games, Hudson is 73-of-111 passing for 1,514 yards and 18 touchdowns with only one interception. He has rushed for 327 yards and scored six touchdowns on 32 carries. A junior, Hudson is a top-100 national recruit, the No. 13 wide receiver prospect nationally in the class of 2020. He is committed to Auburn. Troup (5-0) is ranked No. 5 in Class AAAA.

7. RB Travis Tisdale, Lowndes: Tisdale rushed for 414 yards and six touchdowns on 21 carries in a 71-35 victory over Valdosta. In six games, Tisdale has rushed for 1,097 yards and 16 touchdowns on 85 carries (12.9 ypc). He has 11 receptions for 131 yards. A three-star recruit, Tisdale is committed to Kentucky. Lowndes (5-1) is ranked No. 10 in Class AAAAAAA.

8. QB Dylan Fromm, Warner Robins: Fromm was 34-of-46 passing for 491 yards and six touchdowns in a 39-34 victory over Northside of Warner Robins. In five games, Fromm is 113-of-182 for 1,724 yards and 16 touchdowns with three interceptions. A three-star recruit, he is committed to Mercer. Warner Robins (4-1) is ranked No. 6 in Class AAAAA.

9. WR Dominick Blaylock, Walton: Blaylock had seven receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown in a 45-21 victory over Newnan. In five games, Blaylock has 423 yards receiving, 71 rushing and 51 passing and eight touchdowns. Blaylock is a five-star recruit and the consensus No. 31 player nationally. He committed to Georgia before his junior season. Walton (5-0) is ranked No. 2 in Class AAAAAAA.

10. QB Carter Peevy, Archer: Peevy was 13-of-15 passing for 204 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns on four carries in a 48-24 victory over Buford. In five games, Peevy is 71-of-100 passing for 996 yards and 16 touchdowns with two interceptions. He has rushed for 115 yards and three touchdowns. A junior, Peevy is a college prospect but unranked by recruiting services. Archer (4-1) is ranked No. 5 in Class AAAAAAA.

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