Record-setting receivers fuel Douglas County’s state title hopes

With two game-breaking Division I receivers on the roster, Douglas County coach Johnny White has a nice problem on his hands. Fortunately for him, Aaron Gregory and Devin Carter have become close friends who don’t have an ego about who gets the ball — or if either one of them gets the ball.

White retells his favorite story about how the pair is more concerned with winning games than they are with racking up big stats.

“We played Newton last year and (Gregory and Carter) had been very involved, so Newton decided to just cover them the rest of the game. So, we just ran the ball the entire second half,” White said. Douglas County completed only nine passes but rushed for 439 yards in the 35-15 win. “And after the game both of them came running over to me and bragging about how well they blocked. They were so happy. That’s all they were concerned about.”

And although their blocking skills will be very helpful when they reach the next level — Gregory at Texas A&M and Carter at Florida State — it’s their ability as receivers that makes the difference.

Gregory, a member of the 2025 AJC Super 11 class, had 53 catches for 914 yards and nine touchdowns in 2024. Carter caught 41 passes for 669 yards and five touchdowns. Defenses must focus on either one at their own risk.

“Pick your poison,” said Douglas County receivers coach Hilton Alexander, a former star wide receiver at Southside High School and Morris Brown who played three seasons in the NFL. “If you try to double Aaron, Devin’s going to kill you one-on-one. And if you double Devin, AG’s going to kill you one-on-one.”

Alexander described Gregory, a 6-foot-3, 180-pound wideout, as big, physical, fast and smart. Gregory is a four-star prospect with long legs and long arms that are capable to making highlight-reel catches.

“He’s a matchup nightmare for defenders because nine times out of 10, you’re not going to go against anybody that size,” Alexander said. “I tell him, you’re probably going to be bigger and stronger than anybody that goes against you, so play like that. Don’t just be big, play big.”

Carter is 6 feet, 175 pounds, with a unique blend of quickness, toughness and finesse.

“He’s just a gamer,” Alexander said. “He’s won a state championship before (at Cedar Grove) so he knows what it takes. He brings his hard hat to practice every day, and he’s a leader, because when the kids see how hard he works, it makes them want to do the same thing.”

Gregory and Carter are both originally from Augusta and grew up playing against each other in the youth leagues, starting in the fifth grade. But the rivalry stopped and the friendship between the two has grown since they arrived at Douglas County.

“We both play at a high level,” Gregory said. “We’re going to be happy for each other. And if he sees something I can do better, he’ll tell me. And I do the same thing. Having us together, watching each other on different plays, definitely helps.”

They were both chosen to play in the Navy All-American Bowl. That experience helped solidify their friendship even more.

“It was just vibes from there,” Carter said. “Since then, we’ve been growing, getting better.”

White said: “I like the way they feed off each other. They know they can both help the team, and the team aspect is so important to both of them. That’s what I love about them.”

Neither receiver expressed any individual statistical goals; both thought it would be ideal if they each finished with 1,000 receiving yards.

“I don’t know if that’s ever been done,” Gregory said. “And we came pretty close last year.”