Having Division I prospects on the roster is no guarantee of success in Georgia high school football, but it sure makes a team look good on paper.
Here are 11 of the best-looking. This list draws heavily from 247Sports' Composite rankings of Georgia's best 180 seniors and 50 juniors. It is not intended to identify all players from these schools who have scholarship offers.
*Buford: The Wolves have nine players in the 247Sports Composite rankings of Georgia seniors and juniors, more than any other school. Those who are committed are DT Quay Picou (No. 23) to Tennessee, OG Nick Polino (No. 68) to North Carolina, LB Austin Smith (No. 94) to Tennessee, DB/WR David Curry (No. 145) to Virginia and LS Blake Ferguson (No. 172) to LSU. Preseason all-state LB Joshua Thomas, who has 21 reported offers, is uncommitted. Buford's most recruited juniors, each with at least nine offers, include TE Isaac Nauta (No. 3), DT Benjamin "Shug" Frazier (No. 24) and ATH Xavier Gantt (No. 38).
*Cedar Grove: DT Quentez Johnson (N.C. State) and DB Christopher Fredrick (Syracuse) are committed. DT Antwuan Jackson is rated the No. 11 junior in Georgia. Senior DE Gus Cumberlander, with 20 offers, adds to what is probably Class AAA's most heavily recruited defensive line.
*Creekside: Defending AAAAA champion Creekside has perhaps the best pair of tackles in the state - Venzell Boulware and Marquel Harrell (committed to Auburn). Harrell is projected as a guard in college. LB Joshua Moon, projected as a safety, has 12 offers. But the team's top prospect is WR Jayson Stanley, an AJC Super 11 pick. Georgia appears to lead Auburn in his recruitment, according to 247Sports.
*Grayson: The Rams' bid to bounce back from its 4-6 finish in 2013 looks good on paper, especially on defense. Already committed are DT Justin Young (Georgia), DB Jordan Hayes (Duke) and LB Mohamed Barry (Wisconsin). LB Daniel Fennell has more than 20 offers, including one from Georgia Tech. DE Mykelle McDaniel has six offers as a junior, including one from Georgia.
*Griffin: The best trio of wide receivers at one school resides in reigning AAAA champion Griffin, where Georgia has a commitment from Christian Owens and Duke has a pledge from Keyston Fuller. A third wideout, Darequavious Mangham, is rated the No 63 senior in Georgia. LB Jordan Colbert, projected as a safety, is committed to Auburn. He is rated the No. 20 prospect in Georgia.
*Mays: Five seniors are committed to D-I schools from this Atlanta program. They are DE Natrez Patrick (Georgia), OL Dallas Warmack (Alabama), WR Tyshawn Brown (Purdue), DE Aaron Cochran (Louisville) and LB Charlie Patrick (Georgia State). Natrez Patrick and Warmack are the most heavily recruited, each ranking among the top 25 seniors in Georgia. Cochran and Charlie Patrick are new to Mays. OT Malik Mackey (No. 129) is another top-180 senior. Top-50 juniors include CB Nygel Edmonds (20 offers), WR Randrecous Davis (Kentucky offer) and LB Tobias Little (Georgia Tech offer).
*McEachern: No wonder McEachern is finding itself in national rankings. The Indians have two of the top six recruits in the state. OT Chuma Edoga (No. 3) is headed to Southern Cal. RB Taj Griffin (No. 6) is committed to Oregon. Also committed are OG Chandler Jones (Louisville) and WR T.J. Rahming (Duke). DT Julian Rochester is the No. 4-ranked junior in the state and has 16 offers, with Auburn and Georgia leading the way.
*North Gwinnett: The Bulldogs could end up with at least five D-I signees from its 2015 class. OT Mitch Hyatt, the No. 2 Georgia prospect behind Westover's Trent Thompson, is committed to Clemson. TE Daniel Imatorbhebhe is going to Missouri. DE Anree Saint-Amour lists Ohio State and Michigan State as his leaders. WR Almonzo Brown also appears headed for the Big Ten (Minnesota or Ohio State currently). CB Jaye Stackhouse is waiting for an offer from his favorite, North Carolina. Junior WR Josh Imatorbhebhe has 10 offers, including one from Michigan.
*Sandy Creek: RB Eric Swinney, the state's No. 12 prospect, has committed to Ole Miss. Trent Sellers (Georgia Tech) and Javonte Lain (Old Dominion) also have committed. Both are defensive ends. Junior OL Chandler Tuitt has offers from North Carolina and Ole Miss.
*Stephenson: Chauncey Rivers, the Super 11 defensive end, leads a pack of four Jaguar seniors who are committed. Rivers is headed to Georgia. The others - ironically since Stephenson isn't known for passing - are wide receivers Dexter Neal (South Carolina), Nekyle Lundie (Nebraska) and Isaiah Zuber (Kansas State). A fourth projected receiver, Tyler Taylor, is committed to Georgia State, as is DE Drew Harris. C/DT Javon Barnes and LB Dareus Brown also have several D-I offers. Khalil Ladler, a starter in the secondary since he was a freshman, is rated the No. 9 junior in Georgia and indicates no favorite among about 20 offers.
*Tucker: The Tigers are stacked with an athletic defense again. Alabama-committed DE Jonathan Ledbetter, rated the No. 10 senior in Georgia, and CB/KR Duke Shelley, rated No. 37, are at the top. RB/LB Elijah Sullivan is committed to Auburn. RB Delvin Weems, a transfer from Sandy Creek, is going to Marshall. DE Tabarius Peterson is a top-50 junior.
Special mention
Alpharetta QB Austin King is committed to N.C. State, and DE Andrew Butcher is going to Tennessee ... Archer TE Connor Redmond and WR Kyle Davis are committed to South Carolina, and preseason all-state DB Dylan Singleton has an offer from the Gamecocks. ... Baldwin's backfield features QB Tajhea Chambers (committed to Arkansas State) and RB Kentavious Thomas (Mississippi State). ... Carver of Columbus DE Mekhi Brown (Alabama) and DB Khane Pass (Louisville) are D-I committed, and QB Jawon Pass is the No. 5 junior prospect in Georgia. ... Clinch County and Elbert County each will have blue-chip prospects in consecutive classes. For Clinch, DB/QB Octavis Johnson is committed to South Carolina, and all-state DE Chauncey Manac is Georgia's No. 6 junior prospect. For Elbert, DT Ken Allen has an offer from Georgia Tech, and QB Mecole Hardman is the No. 18 junior prospect in Georgia and has offers from Clemson, Miami and Tennessee. ... Coffee TE Jalen Wilkerson and OG Cole Minshew are committed to Florida State. ... Columbia QB Andre Brown (Indiana) and his main target, WR Shadell Bell (Clemson), are committed to D-I schools. ... Etowah twins Brad and Scott Morgan, both linemen, are committed to Georgia Tech. ... Greater Atlanta Christian has the most high-end prospects in Class AA. LB Tyler Cooksey has committed to Georgia Tech while WR Darius Slayton and RB Micah Abernathy each are among the top-20 prospects in Georgia. ... GAC's Region 6-AA rival, Hapeville Charter, has a pair of SEC-bound defensive players: DE Arden Key (Alabama) and DB Antoine Wilder (South Carolina). ... Hughes LB Montavious Atkinson is committed to Auburn, and DL D'Andre Walker, the Region 3-AAAAAA defensive player of the year, is the No. 16 prospect in the state. ... Jonesboro QB Zerrick Cooper (No. 12) and DB Jordan Griffin (No. 33) are both on the top-50 juniors list. ... Lanier RB Tario Fuller is committed to Purdue, and DT Derrick Brown is the No. 10 Georgia junior.... Three Mill Creek seniors are committed - OT Kaleb Kim (Auburn), QB Daniel David (Appalachian State) and OG Josh Fannin (Middle Tennessee). ... Milton will have two D-I signees: OG Nick Wilson (Stanford) and LB Quarte Sapp (18 offers). ... Shiloh has a pair of top-100 players: CB Jeremy McDuffie (state 100-meter champ) and WR Cameron Stewart (Central Florida). ...Westlake's top prospect is a junior, DB Nigel Warrior, but the Lions should have at least three D-I signees this season. ATH Julian Jones (Arkansas State) and WR Hasaan Patterson (Old Dominion) are committed, and DT DeQuan Hawkins has offers from Georgia and Georgia Tech.
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