AJC Varsity Class 2A preseason all-state: Underrated RB among selections

Ahead of the 2026 football season, AJC Varsity is announcing our preseason all-state teams. Today, we announce Class 2A.

Class 7A, 6A, 5A, 4A and 3A have already been published.

Best player: Heard County is the preseason No. 1 team, and one reason is the return of the classification’s most prolific yardage producer, Ethan Tisdale. The Memphis-committed quarterback totaled more than 2,500 passing yards, 1,000 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns last season, when the Braves made the semifinals.

Most highly recruited: Ja’Bios Smith is a consensus top-200 senior national recruit and Swainsboro’s second-highest-rated prospect this century behind former Georgia and current NFL player Demello Jones. Smith has committed to Florida.

Best position: Linebacker. Smith is a blue-chipper, but this classification is full of small-college prospects who play like one. Those include the ones chosen here — Caden Cobb at Brooks County, Eduan Carter at Fitzgerald and Cam Hughes of Dodge County — but also just-misses Cope Durand of Jasper County, JK Fruster of Rabun County, JT Hanson of Heard County and Jabari Dawson of Cook.

That’s interesting: East Laurens has not won a playoff game since 2000 nor had a Power 4 (or 5) signee this century, but the future looks bright under third-year coach Jesse Hicks. Wide receiver Major Floyd and defensive back Bryson Hazley, both juniors, are top-250 national prospects for a team coming off a 3-8 finish. They were first and second in receiving yard and second and third in solo tackles as sophomores.

Snubbed: The team doesn’t include a long snapper, but Bleckley County’s Zayden Lassiter is taking his specialty talents to Georgia Tech. He’s rated the No. 3 long snapper nationally by Rubio Long Snapping.

Underrated: If measurables are what determine scholarship offers and recruiting rankings, what’s missing from AB Hilton (6-0, 210 pounds, 10.71-second personal best in the 100 meters)? He rushed for more than 1,500 yards last season. Hilton is committed to South Florida but rated only the consensus No. 148 player in Georgia.

What else is news? With state finalists Worth County and Toombs County playing in a higher classification, Class 2A appears to be wide open. Teams with three preseason all-state picks are Bremen, Dodge County, Fitzgerald and Thomasville.