Jessie Phelps' season started two weeks later than most, but the 5-foot-8, 205-pound power back from Macon’s Rutland High has caught the field, now leading the state in rushing with 875 yards.
That’s in only three games as Bibb County Schools, being cautious over COVID-19, didn’t kick off until the week of Sept. 18. Phelps has played only three games. He rushed for 247 yards against Luella, 307 against Worth County and 321 against ACE Charter. He has scored nine touchdowns.
“Jessie is a hard-nosed downhill runner,” Rutland coach Russell Eason said. “He has great balance. He has improved his overall speed from last season, which is allowing him to pose bigger issues for smaller second-level tacklers. He wears defenders down, which is why he is racking up extra yards in the second half.”
The state’s passing leader remains the same. Flowery Branch’s David Renard added 256 more yards last week, giving him 1,290 on the season for a 3-1 team.
The leading receiver is now Collins Hill’s Travis Hunter. The junior five-star recruit had a career-high 14 receptions for 160 yards and four touchdowns last week against Alpharetta. He has 51 catches for 617 yards and 10 touchdowns for a 4-1 team.
Rushing
875 - Jessie Phelps Jr., Rutland [4A leader]
827 - Amehre Morrison, River Ridge [6A leader]
812 - Jayden Bolton, East Coweta [7A leader]
811 - Kyle Oakes, Towns County [A Public leader]
747 - Phillip Johnson, Temple [2A leader]
718 - Marc Harris, Haralson County
708 - Caleb Cannon, North Cobb Christian [A Private leader]
698 - Trenton Johnson, McIntosh County Academy
698 - Detravious Mathis, Upson-Lee [3A leader]
695 - Jerrian Hames, Calhoun [5A leader]
659 - Murphy Reeves, Fellowship Christian
648 - Keith Adams Jr., Cherokee
646 - Joshua Pickett, Habersham Central
619 - Justin Williams, East Paulding
614 - Griffin Caldwell, Wesleyan
613 - Phil Mafah, Grayson
603 - Cody Brown, Parkview
602 - Dallas Johnson, Eastside
602 - Jackson Clouatre, Habersham Central
599 - Greg Daniel, Calvary Day
598 - Keywon Brown, South Atlanta
587 - Josh Rogers, Eagle’s Landing Christian
584 - Narada Levett, Central (Carrollton)
579 - Malachi Hosley, Northside (Columbus)
562 - Clark Howell, North Hall
561 - Pierre Summers, Pacelli
545 - Jordan Boone, Gordon Central
544 - Taeo Todd, Troup
542 - Cameron Garnett, Harlem
540 - Naim Cheeks, Gainesville
539 - James Schlegel, Aquinas
538 - Jackson Wilkerson, Strong Rock Christian
534 - Tony Cobb, Charlton County
532 - Kale Gibbs, LaGrange
532 - Joseph Wallace, Model
527 - Jarod Whitmore, Pickens
527 - Ashaud Roberson, Richmond Hill
521 - Richard Seay Jr., Discovery
514 - D.J. Reid, Northgate
513 - Malaki Starks, Jefferson
511 - D.J. Bell, Pierce County
505 - Ree Simmons, Brunswick
504 - JBen Haynes, White County
501 - Jeremiah Ellis, Harlem
497 - Damari Alston, Woodward Academy
495 - Jofranstar Graham, Evans
490 - Jaylon Ramsey, LaFayette
490 - Thomas Castellanos, Ware County
487 - Elijah Stephens, Turner County
486 - Harrison Allen, Darlington
477 - Kobe Stonecipher, Gilmer
463 - Cedrion Brundage, Putnam County
462 - Keon Smart, Walker
461 - Jirah Douglas, Hiram
460 - Lang Windham, Rabun County
459 - Micah Bell, Ola
458 - Xzavier Green, Westside (Augusta)
456 - Khoreem Miller, South Gwinnett
454 - Kobe Harris, Douglas County
452 - Daba Fofana, West Forsyth
449 - Jabin Ford, Taylor County
445 - Jamario Clements, LaFayette
444 - Devin Barnett, Starr’s Mill
441 - Casson Clark, Hawkinsville
438 - Omari Arnold, Brooks County
436 - Marcus McFarlane, North Gwinnett
434 - Gunner Stockton, Rabun County
431 - Kaivon George, Locust Grove
430 - Jake Hall, Ola
428 - Damarion Owens, Sprayberry
427 - Darius Stone, Aquinas
Passing
1,290 - David Renard, Flowery Branch [4A leader]
1,274 - Brock Vandagriff, Prince Ave. Christian [A Private leader]
1,269 - Sam Horn, Collins Hill [7A leader]
1,222 - Blake Kytle, Mount Vernon Presbyterian
1,195 - Clete Cooper, East Hall
1,156 - Makinley Everett, Dade County [2A leader]
1,103 - Dylan Lonergan, Brookwood
1,077 - Christian Lewis, Calhoun [5A leader]
1,049 - Thomas Castellanos, Ware County
1,048 - Spencer Robicheaux, Savannah Christian
1,022 - Coleman Smith, Mount Pisgah Christian
1,005 - Ryan Rose, Wesleyan
975 - Zach Holtzclaw, Dawson County [3A leader]
969 - Blake Ethridge, Veterans
942 - Holden Geriner, Benedictine
935 - Brooks Pangle, Greenbrier
931 - Mason Mikell, Bacon County
925 - Justin Johnson, Central Gwinnett [6A leader]
920 - Stephin Craig, Lovejoy
912 - Owen Brooker, Northwest Whitfield
898 - Jonathan Powell, Columbus
854 - Nathan Payne, Mountain View
851 - A.J. Swann, Cherokee
816 - Mason Kaplan, Norcross
812 - Caden Dickey, Northview
807 - Ben Stowe, Stephens County
799 - Nick Hanson, Heritage (Ringgold)
788 - Colten Gauthier, Hebron Christian
785 - Joshua Brown, Camden County
767 - Rion White, South Gwinnett
763 - Michael Maginnis, Newnan
753 - Ronnie Baker, Thomasville
745 - David Dallas, Trinity Christian
742 - Daniel Shoch, East Coweta
741 - Sam Streicher, Pickens
739 - JBen Haynes, White County
729 - Brayden Mauldin, Paulding County
727 - Logan Cross, Social Circle [A Public leader]
727 - Clayton Jenkins, West Hall
719 - Gunner Stockton, Rabun County
716 - Stratton Tripp, Cartersville
714 - Brady Meitz, North Forsyth
702 - Kyle Durham, South Forsyth
698 - Cash Allen, Chattooga
698 - Jaylon Brown, LaGrange
697 - Logan Helcher, Union County
692 - Maurice Fench, Heard County
692 - Bryce Archie, McEachern
687 - Elijah Robinson, Northside (Warner Robins)
672 - Cam Long, Manchester
658 - Quayde Hawkins, Bainbridge
658 - Ayden Duncanson, Whitefield Academy
657 - Jake Merklinger, Calvary Day
654 - John Alan Richter, Jones County
653 - Amarion Blanks, Turner County
652 - Lonnie Ratliff IV, Duluth
Receiving
617 - Travis Hunter, Collins Hill [7A leader]
575 - Cole Speer, Calhoun [5A leader]
565 - Tayshaun Shipp, Worth County [2A leader]
527 - Gamarion Carter, Stephens County [3A leader]
505 - Myles Redding, Whitefield Academy [A Private leader]
475 - Horatio Fields, New Manchester
469 - Macere Walker, East Hall [4A leader]
465 - Brodie Swader, Dade County
465 - Connor Larson, Flowery Branch
462 - Nic Hester, Chattooga
458 - Andrew Douglas, Mount Vernon
449 - George Futch, Savannah Christian
448 - Tucker Hartsfield, North Forsyth
447 - Mekhi Mews, Central Gwinnett [6A leader]
436 - Terriyon Moore, Bacon County
430 - Trent Broadnax, Benedictine
407 - Tra’Vonte Williams, Atkinson County [A Public leader]
405 - Vaudree' Bedford Jr., Columbus
396 - Montavious Tabor, East Hall
392 - Logan Johnson, Prince Avenue Christian
389 - Mykel Hand, Pickens
384 - Zac Dyer, Prince Avenue Christian
380 - Maurice Turner, Coffee
376 - Bryant Olson, Monroe Area
375 - Trey Goodman, Norcross
371 - Nigel Hussey, South Gwinnett
363 - Mossiah Carter, Mountain View
358 - Brayden Collett, Greenbrier
357 - Frantzyr Chardavoine, Paulding County
354 - Sal Sengson, Flowery Branch
351 - Nick Speros, Mount Pisgah Christian
349 - Samuel Mbake, Brookwood
348 - Rodrigo Lopez, West Hall
345 - Evan Lester, Christian Heritage
343 - Ray Morrison, Northwest Whitfield
336 - Braxton Johnson, Bainbridge
335 - Mitch Thompson, South Forsyth
334 - Jordan Jones, First Presbyterian
328 - Jaden Gibson, Dawson County
325 - Zaquan Bryan, Benedictine
325 - Oscar Delp, West Forsyth
317 - Jack Luttrell, Hebron Christian
312 - Shawn Hardy, Camden County
312 - Adriel Clark, Rabun County
312 - Justin McCarty, Veterans
311 - Christian Mathis, Marietta
307 - Brannon Nuckolls, Murray County
305 - Willie Williams, Mitchell County
304 - Baxley O’Brien, Flowery Branch
300 - Devonte Ross, Cartersville
300 - Adarrius Harshaw, Cherokee
300 - Justin Luke, Northside (Warner Robins)
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