Four of the state’s top 25 senior recruits are cornerbacks, according to the 247Sports Composite. That’s the most since 2017, when current Atlanta Falcons corner A.J. Terrell was a Westlake Lion.
This year’s group includes North Cobb’s Marquis Groves-Killebrew, Valdosta’s JaDarian Rhym and Walton’s Marcus Allen. The fourth, Collins Hill’s Travis Hunter, is the first consensus No. 1 cornerback nationally from the state since Eric Berry in 2007. He’s not on the list below, however, as he made the Georgia Power 100 as a wide receiver.
These 10 are the latest members of GHSF Daily’s Georgia Power 100.
*Marcus Allen, Walton: Allen (6-2, 175) is a three-year starter and was first-team all-region and GACA all-state as a junior cornerback for a Class 7A playoff team. Only 26 passes were thrown his way last season. He broke up nine and intercepted two. He also blocked two kicks. A top-300 national prospect, Allen committed to North Carolina in June.
*Deyon Bouie, Bainbridge: Bouie (5-11, 170) is the consensus No. 50 senior prospect nationally, though he missed last season with ACL and MCL injuries. Bouie started as a freshman and intercepted six passes for Bainbridge’s 2018 Class 5A championship team. He had 510 yards receiving as a sophomore. Bouie, an early Georgia pledge, is now uncommitted.
*Caleb Downs, Mill Creek: Downs (6-0, 185) is the consensus No. 2 safety prospect nationally among juniors, making him his school’s highest-rated player ever. He’s started since he was a freshman. As a sophomore, he had 70 tackles, broke up 14 passes and intercepted four passes, returning two for touchdowns for a Class 7A team. He also played wide receiver and wildcat quarterback. He made GACA all-state. His coach, Josh Lovelady, says he has the best football IQ of any player he’s coached in 25 years.
*Marquis Groves-Killebrew, North Cobb: Groves-Killebrew (6-0, 180) is a top-100 national prospect and cornerback who committed to Georgia in May. He’s the highest-rated prospect at North Cobb this century. He played his junior season at Brookwood.
*Kayin Lee, Cedar Grove: Lee (6-0, 160) is a top-100 national junior prospect and was the Region 5-3A defensive player of the year in 2020. In eight games, he had 27 tackles and intercepted three passes. He’s the top secondary prospect in his school’s history.
*Ethan Nation, Roswell: Nation (5-10, 170) is a consensus top-150 prospect and the No. 20 cornerback among juniors. He was GACA all-state as a sophomore in 2020, when he intercepted eight passes for a Class 7A playoff team. Nation is uncommitted.
*Jake Pope, Buford: Pope (6-1, 190) is a top-300 national prospect and Buford’s best all-around player, a two-way starter who excels at safety, receiver and return man. As a junior on a state-winning team, he had 60 tackles, six behind the line, seven TD receptions and more than 400 return yards. He’s the highest-rated safety prospect Buford has had this century. He’s uncommitted.
*JaDarian “J.D.” Rhym, Valdosta: Rhym (6-1, 170), a three-year starter at cornerback, made first-team AJC all-state last season for a Class 6A semifinal team. A top-200 national prospect, he committed to LSU in January. He’s Valdosta’s top college prospect since Malcolm Mitchell and Jay Rome in 2010.
*Marcus Washington, Grovetown: Washington (6-0, 170) is his school’s first consensus four-star cornerback prospect in history. A rising junior, he committed to Georgia in May. He made GACA all-state in 2020. He’s run 100 meters in 10.76 seconds and triple-jumped 44 feet, 3 inches.
*Caleb Wooden, Archer: Wooden (6-2, 185) had 53 solo tackles and four interceptions for a Class 7A playoff team last season. He was second-team all-Gwinnett County. Wooden committed to Auburn last month.
Coming Friday: Athletes/two-way players
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