Fitzgerald was the Class AA runner-up in 2015. With champion Pace Academy and almost every other private school leaving AA this season, the Purple Hurricane is probably the favorite to win the championship that would be Fitzgerald's first since 1948.
Four Fitzgerald players are on the AA preseason all-state team. Those include J.D. King, an Oklahoma State commit who rushed for 2,432 yards last season. Others are QB James Graham, also a 1,000-yard rusher who is listed as athlete; TE Lecitus Smith; and DB Josh Reliford.
The classification's most highly recruited player didn't play a down last year. That would be Vidalia LB/FB Nathan McBride. He lost his junior season to injury but recorded 128 tackles and 697 yards rushing as a sophomore. He is rated the No. 2 inside-linebacker prospect nationally.
Also rated among the top 100 senior prospects in Georgia are Hapeville Charter CB William Poole (committed to Georgia), Callaway WR Callaway Sanders, Laney DT Tyrone Truesdell, Southwest DL B.J. Sharpe, Fitzgerald TE Smith (committed to Virginia) and RB King, and Spencer LB Giovonnia Moore.
And what could turn out to be the best player in AA, QB Emory Jones of Heard County, wasn't picked, as Rabun County's Bailey Fisher has had a more productive career to this point. Jones, a junior, committed to Ohio State on Friday.
Offense
QB - Bailey Fisher, Rabun County
RB - J.D. King, Fitzgerald
RB - Isaiah Foster, Chattooga
WR/RB - John Wesley Kennedy, Benedictine
WR - Braylon Sanders, Callaway
TE - Lecitus Smith, Fitzgerald
OL - Mike Adams, Chattooga
OL - Samuel Collins, Vidalia
OL - Theron Cooper, Dodge County
OL - Cole Hart, Elbert County
OL - Ye'Majesty Sanders, Spencer
ATH - James Graham, Fitzgerald
PK - Peyton Bush, Dodge County
Defense
DL - Melton Brown, Jefferson County
DL - B.J. Sharpe, Southwest
DL - Tyrone Truesdell, Laney
DL - C.J. Wright, Screven County
LB - Kyler Eldridge, Model
LB - Chris Harris, Benedictine
LB - Nate McBride, Vidalia
LB - Giovonnia Moore, Spencer
DB - Chris Dublin, Model
DB - Geronda Hall, KIPP Atlanta Collegiate
DB - William Poole, Hapeville Charter
DB - Josh Reliford, Fitzgerald
P - Noah Cannon, Rabun County
Coming Wednesday: Class AAA
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