Stetson Bennett of Pierce County is the state's leader in passing yards, but he's still a quarterback that many haven't heard about. He plays in rural South Georgia on a team that is good (6-3 record) but unranked in Class AAA after Bennett led the Bears to the quarterfinals last season as a sophomore.
Bennett also is only 5 feet, 11 inches, which hurts when it comes to recruiting. But he's putting up numbers. The junior is 191-of-293 for 2,541 yards and 23 touchdowns with eight interceptions. He threw five TD passes against Appling County in a 55-42 loss on Oct. 23. Stetson has rushed for 568 yards.
"He is one of the best quarterbacks in the state, and I am having difficulty getting him the exposure he deserves," Pierce County coach Sean Pender said. "Because he is undersized on paper, he gets overlooked, but when I tell you he is the best quarterback I ever coached, I am telling the truth, and I have had some good QBs come out of my programs."
Pender notes that Bennett is intelligent. He had a perfect score on the reading portion of the ACT. "He shows up three days a week to study with me an hour before school." Pender said. "This student-athlete has put the time in both in the offseason and during the season."
Here are Georgia's leading rushers, passers and receivers entering the final week of the regular season.
Rushing
1,939 - Taylor Trammell, Mount Paran Christian
1,928 - Cedric Maynard, Callaway
1,711 - Colby Wood, Jefferson
1,687 - Brittain Brown, Cherokee
1,643 - Brian Herrien, New Manchester
1,545 - J.D. King, Fitzgerald
1,456 - Quarderman Sloan, Drew
1,442 - Dameon Pierce, Bainbridge
1,418 - Isaiah Foster, Chattooga
1,401 - Lofton Tidwell, Landmark Christian
1,387 - Russell Halimon, Allatoona
1,379 - Sidnee Johnson, Adairsville
1,363 - Mecole Hardman, Elbert County
1,340 - Rico Frye, Starr's Mill
1,322 - Emeka Nwanze, Northview
1,309 - Mikel Collins, Brantley County
1,308 - Ton Evans, Northgate
1,295 - Desjuan Harris, Veterans
1,259 - D'Angelo Albert, Woodland (Stockbridge)
1,255 - Patrick Brown, South Effingham
1,246 - LaPerion Perry, LaGrange
1,242 - Devin Wynn, Greene County
1,231 - Tyray Devezin, Etowah
1,228 - Daetrich Harrington, Alexander
1,228 - Jaylen Shelton, Ridgeland
1,227 - LaBron Morris, Cedar Grove
1,225 - Chris Pittman, Pickens
1,224 - Darius Mincey, Tattnall County
1,221 - Billy Mance, Thomson
1,221 - D.J. Pollard, Irwin County
1,214 - Marvin Kinsey, Riverwood
1,209 - Javian Bradford-Jackson, Warner Robins
1,204 - Justin Hope, Worth County
1,200 - Quay Reviere, Upson-Lee
1,195 - Lyn-j Dixon, Taylor County
1,190 - Tijai Whatley, Darlington
1,181 - D.J. McBrayer, Bremen
1,173 - Damarious Owensby, Central (Carrollton)
1,168 - Milton Shelton, Blessed Trinity
1,166 - Chris Rodriguez, Ola
1,160 - Jalyn Shelton, Ridgeland
1,150 - Chris Dublin, Model
1,146 - Trevae Cain, Banks County
1,124 - Michael Babers, Habersham Central
1,117 - Sam Jackson, McEachern
Passing
2,541 - Stetson Bennett, Pierce County
2,498 - Jake Fromm, Houston County
2,443 - Kyle Banks, North Paulding
2,363 - Seth Shuman, Valdosta
2,354 - Addison Shoup, Walton
2,346 - Mack Green, Hapeville
2,332 - Trevor Lawrence, Cartersville
2,324 - Isaiah Green, Hughes
2,324 - Noah Smith, Villa Rica
2,317 - K'hari Lane, Macon County
2,275 - Casen Conway, Centennial
2,265 - Quintarius Neely, Roswell
2,224 - Kiernen Hamilton, West Forsyth
2,215 - Kyle Wilkie, Creekview
2,177 - Brad Davis, Fannin County
2,136 - Brantley Mauldin, Paulding County
2,080 - Devin Lancaster, Ringgold
2,056 - Chase Brice, Grayson
2,041 - Chase Owens, Chattahoochee
2,007 - Baylor Whitfield, Alexander
1,972 - Nolan Donley, Cherokee
1,954 - Bailey Fisher, Rabun County
1,938 - Joseph Mancuso, Union County
1,926 - Micah Maxey, Central Gwinnett
1,924 - Courvoisier King, Howard
1,923 - Will Lovett, North Cobb
1,907 - Corbee Wilson, Heritage (Ringgold)
1,861 - Chase Parrish, Colquitt County
1,852 - Bradley Hunnicutt, Jones County
1,847 - Justin Tomlin, Southwest DeKalb
1,827 - Austin Parker, East Hall
1,791 - Jordan Douglas, M.L. King
1,775 - Will Bearden, Archer
1,757 - D'Vonne Gibbons, Stone Mountain
1,695 - Jawon Pass, Carver Columbus
1,671 - Derrick Evans, Central (Macon)
1,667 - Brett McLaughlin, Bainbridge
1,662 - B.J. Phillips, Mays
1,646 - Davis Shanley, South Forsyth
1,644 - Romario Johnson, Newton
1,641 - Joseph Cambridge, Riverdale
1,625 - Austin Holloway, Eastside
1,621 - Ryan Glover, Woodward Academy
1,607 - Cameron Turley, Mill Creek
Receiving
1,118 - Justin Hall, Alexander
1,102 - Alphonso Stephens, Howard
1,075 - Tyler Storey, Bainbridge
1,067 - Louis Hall, Woodstock
1,013 - Cole Taylor, Lassiter
997 - Markese Jackson, East Hall
987 - Major Bellamy, Central Gwinnett
961 - Zach Maldonado, Hart County
942 - Cooper Earls, Fannin County
937 - Tye Hill, Villa Rica
882 - Jai Creamer, Rome
873 - Chase Royer, Pierce County
861 - Kawaan Baker, Hapeville
853 - Antonio Gandy-Golden, Paulding County
836 - Sam Gilbert, Union County
811 - D.J. Owens, North Paulding
805 - Blane Mason, Centennial
799 - Will Blanchard, Northwest Whitfield
794 - Trey Brown, Macon County
787 - Trevor Kolb, Creekview
779 - Terrius Callahan, Cartersville
751 - Randrecous Davis, Mays
741 - Jayden Comma, Roswell
739 - Aaron Knowles, Cherokee
736 - Davis Polley, River Ridge
728 - Anascio Washington, Bacon County
728 - Luke Grant, Heritage (Ringgold)
728 - Chad Terrell, North Paulding
722 - Blake Hundley, Chattahoochee
720 - Dorian Miles, Brookwood
713 - Dominick Blaylock, Walton
712 - Brian Davis, Creekview
711 - Jaquez Ezzard, Hapeville
707 - Andre Tarver, Ringgold
706 - Tray Eafford, Lee County
702 - Ezra Naylor, North Atlanta
692 - Quintez Cephus, Stratford Academy
682 - Antonio Gibson, Eagle's Landing Christian
680 - Ivorie Childers, Central (Macon)
680 - Josh Sims, Eastside
679 - Drew Tejchman, North Cobb
677 - Dearius Young, New Hampstead
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