AJC Varsity

Star QB is one of more than 20 blue-chip prospects to transfer this year

‘It’s a trickle-down effect of the colleges having a portal and kids going other places for opportunity,’ says McEachern coach Kareem Reid.
Former Carver of Columbus running back Zach Watts was his region's player of the year as a freshman leading Carver to the Class 2A title. He will suit up for Carrollton this season. (Jason Getz/AJC)
Former Carver of Columbus running back Zach Watts was his region's player of the year as a freshman leading Carver to the Class 2A title. He will suit up for Carrollton this season. (Jason Getz/AJC)
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Thomas County Central quarterback Aidan McPherson’s successful appeal for eligibility after his transfer from Rome was big news this week, but McPherson is hardly the only big-name player who has transferred this offseason.

McPherson is one of eight members of AJC Varsity’s Georgia Power 100 who have changed schools. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has identified more than 20 players with several Power 4 offers who have transferred (list below).

“It’s become such a norm now,” Thomas County Central coach Justin Rogers said earlier this summer. “I don’t think any of us are surprised seeing transfers around the state. You become numb to it. Early on, when you saw transfers and it was, ‘Oh, wow. I can’t believe that.’ Now it’s back-page news.”

McPherson’s transfer was front-page news, but only because he had transferred before, from Northwest Whitfield to Rome. The GHSA passed a bylaw in 2025 that made second-time transfers automatically ineligible, even if they move into their new districts.

GHSA executive director Tim Scott credited the rule with helping decrease the number of transfer eligibility requests to 4,744 last academic year from 5,916 the year before.

But Scott also told the AJC he has not noticed that hardship appeals of the two-transfer rule have been any harder to win than eligibility appeals. He said close to 60% of appeals are successful overall.

McEachern coach Kareem Reid says transferring is a accelerating trend. His team gained four blue-chip recruits this offseason, including linebacker Joakim Gouda, who is committed to Georgia. Gouda played at South Paulding last season.

“It’s a trickle-down effect of the colleges having a portal and kids going other places for opportunity,” Reid said. “I have no issue with it. It’s parents trying to make the best move for kids.”

Reid said college teams are less patient with young players today.

“High school development is more important than ever,” he said. “If you don’t create value for yourself in the first two years (in college), they’re pushing you out the door. They want that spot and they want their money back. People can be upset about it, but that’s the world we’re living in. A lot of Georgia programs do a great job preparing kids for the next level. That’s what it boils down to.”

Below are some of the more significant player transfers this season.

An asterisk means the players are members of AJC Varsity’s preseason Georgia Power 100.

Player / former school / new school