Georgia HS football quarter-century team shows wealth of talent in state

Georgia High School Football Daily’s quarter-century Georgia high school football team is so good that it includes one Heisman Trophy winner (Travis Hunter) and not another (Cam Newton). It includes two quarterbacks who led teams to national titles (Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence) and not two others (Newton and Stetson Bennett). It includes many players who became NFL stars, such as Eric Berry and Nick Chubb, and others who weren’t big stars beyond high school.

This team of 28 players is based mainly on the players’ high school careers, so some of the more famous names of the period, such as Newton and Pro Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson, as good as they were as five-star prospects in high school, were beaten out at their positions by even more productive high school players. The 28 represent the best at their positions since 2000. They are listed with their senior seasons in parentheses.

Offense

QB (dual threat) – Deshaun Watson, Gainesville (2013)

Set state record for passing yards (13,077) and passing touchdowns (155). Rushed for 4,057 yards, scored 63 touchdowns. Led Gainesville to its first state title; Red Elephants were 46-9 in Watson’s four seasons. Starting quarterback on Clemson’s 2016 national championship team. First-round NFL draft pick, played seven NFL seasons.

QB (pro style) – Trevor Lawrence, Cartersville (2017)

52-2 as a starter, two state championships (2015, 2016), led a 41-game winning streak. AJC all-class player of the year in 2016; AP in 2016, 2017. State records with 13,908 passing yards, 161 TD passes, breaking Watson’s records. Consensus No. 1 prospect. Led Clemson to 2018 national title as a freshman. No. 1 overall NFL draft pick, five-year NFL starter for Jacksonville Jaguars.

RB – Nick Chubb, Cedartown (2013)

Rushed for 2,690 yards, 41 touchdowns as a senior in 11 games; rushed for 2,721 yards with 38 touchdowns as a junior in 10 games. First Georgia rusher to exceed 2,500 yards twice. Two-time Class 4A offensive player of the year. Three-time 1,000-yard rusher at Georgia. Four-time 1,000-yard rusher in the NFL. Four-time Pro Bowl player.

RB – Jahmyr Gibbs, Dalton (2019)

Rushed for 4,882 yards in career, 2,554 with 40 touchdowns in 11 games as senior. Class 6A offensive player of the year. Rushed for 420 yards, eight touchdowns in one game. Played at Georgia Tech, Alabama. First-round NFL draft pick. Made Pro Bowl in first two NFL seasons. Rushed for 1.412 yards last season for the Detroit Lions.

WR – Travis Hunter, Collins Hill (2021)

AJC all-class player of the year with 85 receptions for 1,284 yards, 12 touchdowns, four interceptions. As a junior, had state-record 137 receptions for 1,746 yards, 24 touchdowns. Had eight interceptions. Won the Heisman Trophy at Colorado. Second overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

WR – Tavarres King, Habersham Central (2007)

Caught 207 passes for 3,726 yards, 37 touchdowns in career; set single-season state records for receptions (99), yardage (1,634) in 2007. Led Habersham to its best two-year run (21-5) in school history. Had 20 career TD receptions at Georgia. Played three NFL seasons.

TE – Arik Gilbert, Marietta (2019)

Led Marietta to its first state title since 1967 with a senior season of 105 receptions for 1,860 yards, 15 touchdowns. Yardage ranked No. 3 in state history and No. 1 all-time in the highest classification. AJC all-class player of the year and Georgia’s first Gatorade national player of the year. Consensus top-10 recruit. Former LSU, Georgia player now at Savannah State.

OL – David Andrews, Wesleyan (2010)

Three-year starter at center and defensive tackle, two-time all-state. Two-way starter as a sophomore on Wesleyan’s 2008 Class A championship team. Three-year starter at Georgia. Undrafted free agent, played nine NFL seasons. Starting center on the Patriots’ 2015, 2017, 2019 season Super Bowl winners.

OL – Mitch Hyatt, North Gwinnett (2014)

Three-year starter, two-time first-team AJC all-state player for teams that finished 11-2, 13-2, 8-3 in the highest class. Consensus No. 23 national recruit. Signed with Clemson. Four-year starter, two-time All-American. Played left tackle on two national championship teams. Did not play in the NFL.

OL – Zeb McKinzey, Parkview (2002)

2002 AJC all-class player of the year, the only offensive lineman ever to win that award. Led power-oriented Parkview teams to three consecutive 15-0 seasons in the highest classification and a state-record 46-game winning streak (since broken). Injury-shortened career at Georgia.

OL – Tate Ratledge, Darlington

Two-time first-team AJC all-state. Tenth-highest-rated Georgia offensive line prospect this century, consensus No. 38 player overall. Three-year starter at Georgia. All-American in 2024. Two national titles. Second-round draft pick. Projected starting right guard as a rookie this season for the Lions.

OL – Andrew Thomas, Pace Academy (2016)

Two-time first-team AJC all-state pick. Four-year starter. Led Pace to its first state title in 2015 as a two-way player. Had 59 tackles on defense. Top-50 national recruit. Started as a true freshman at Georgia. Won the SEC Jacobs Blocking Trophy as a senior. First-round NFL Draft pick. Six-year starter (2020-25) with the New York Giants.

ATH – Eric Berry, Creekside (2006)

2006 all-classification player of the year. Two-way player in high school who rushed and passed for more than 1,000 yards as a senior; led team to a 37-5 record as starting quarterback. Two-time All-America safety at Tennessee. Played nine NFL seasons, made five Pro Bowls. Member of the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame (2022).

ATH – Richard LeCounte III, Liberty County (2016)

Three-time AJC first-team all-state. Had 399 career tackles, 13 interceptions, 13 forced fumbles, more than 3,000 yards rushing and receiving and 750 yards passing in career. First-team All-SEC at Georgia. Played three NFL seasons.

PK – Ryan Fitzgerald, Colquitt County (2018)

Made 51 of 68 career field goal attempts, eight for more than 50 yards, the longest 60. Made a state-record 22 field goals as a senior. Averaged 40.7 yards as a punter. First-team All-American at Florida State. Rookie this season for the Carolina Panthers.

Defense

DL – Derrick Brown, Lanier (2015)

AJC all-classification player of the year. Recorded 106 tackles, 42 for losses, 12 sacks as a senior; 33.5 sacks for his career. Consensus top-10 national recruit. Three-year starter at Auburn, consensus All-American in 2019. First-round NFL draft pick. Six-year NFL starter (2020-25).

DL – Robert Nkemdiche, Grayson (2012)

First Georgia player since Herschel Walker in 1979 to be regarded as consensus No. 1 recruit in the country. First-team AJC all-state as a sophomore, junior and senior. Had 41 sacks in career, led Grayson to first state title as a junior. Rushed for 17 touchdowns that season. Played three seasons at Ole Miss, five in the NFL.

DL – Charles Johnson, Hawkinsville (2003)

2003 AJC Class A defensive player of the year; 2003 GSWA Class A player of the year. Credited with 16 sacks on the the school’s 2003 Class A 15-0 championship team. All-SEC pick at Georgia. Played nine NFL seasons. Member of Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame (2023).

DL - Elijah Griffin, Savannah Christian (2025)

Four-year starter with 96 career tackles for losses, 44 sacks. His final three high school teams were 33-6. Three-time first-team AJC all-state, two-time classification defensive player of the year. Consensus No. 3 prospect nationally. Now a freshman at Georgia.

LB – Sammy Brown, Jefferson (2023)

2023 all-class player of the year; had 153 tackles, 2,289 rushing yards, 40 touchdowns as a senior. Four-year starter at Jefferson, Commerce. First-team AJC all-state three times, honorable mention a fourth. Five-star prospect now at Clemson. Projected starter at Will linebacker as a sophomore.

LB – Tray Blackmon, LaGrange (2004)

2004 Georgia all-class player of year; 2004 Parade All-American; 2003-04 GACA Class 3A player of the year; led team to 3A state titles as junior, senior. LaGrange was 55-2 in Blackmon’s four varsity seasons. Played at Auburn, in the CFL. Member of the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame (2024).

LB – Roquan Smith, Macon County (2014)

AJC Super 11 pick, two-time Class 2A defensive player of the year. Had more than 150 tackles as a senior. Rushed for 263 yards and had 24 tackles in one region championship game. Consensus top-50 national recruit. Won the Butkus Award at Georgia in 2017. First-round NFL Draft pick. Seven-year starting NFL starter. Three-time Pro Bowl pick.

LB – Raekwon McMillan, Liberty County (2012)

Class 4A defensive player of the year as a senior. Compiled 456 tackles, 10 forced fumbles during career. As a senior, had 159 tackles, 35.5 for losses, 8.5 sacks. Consensus top-25 national prospect. Member of Ohio State’s 2014 national championship team. Played five NFL seasons.

DB – Caleb Downs, Mill Creek (2022)

2022 all-class player of the year. Led Mill Creek to its first state championship. Scored 41 career touchdowns, which came rushing, receiving and returning interceptions and kicks. Four-year starter with 187 solo tackles, 19 interceptions. Consensus top-10 national recruit. Two-time All-American entering junior season at Ohio State.

DB – Jeff Francoeur, Parkview (2001)

2001 all-class player of the year. Had 15 interceptions, 837 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior. More than 1,000 yards receiving as a senior. Top player on two 15-0 Class 5A championship teams. Committed to Clemson to play tight end but signed with the Atlanta Braves. Member of the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame (2022).

DB – Alec Ogletree, Newnan (2009)

Class 5A defensive player of the year as a senior. Two-time AJC first-team all-state. Four-year starter who led team to records of 7-4, 11-2, 13-1 and 13-1. Top-20 national recruit. First-team All-SEC at Georgia. First-round NFL draft pick. Nine NFL seasons. Member of the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame (2024).

DB – Greg Reid, Lowndes (2008)

2008 all-classification player of the year. Three-time AJC first-team all-state player. Two-way player who rushed for over 1,000 yards as a junior and senior; won state title in 2007; freshman All-ACC in 2009 at Florida State. To be inducted into the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame in October.

P – Jake Camarda, Norcross (2013)