*Best player: Schley County’s Zayden Walker (left) is a four-year starter with 2,475 all-purpose yards, 51 touchdowns and 44.5 tackles for losses in his career, during which Schley is 34-6.

*Best position: Defensive back. Nine made GACA all-state last season.

*Most highly recruited: Manchester defensive lineman Justus Terry is the consensus No. 8 prospect nationally.

*That’s interesting: Walker, Terry and Bowdon’s Kaiden Prothro, a junior, are five-star recruits, an extraordinary number for Class A Division II, which comprises schools of 400 students or fewer.

*Snubbed: There are 33 returning GACA all-state players in Division II, and 14 didn’t make this list.

*Underrated: Greenville’s Antavious Richardson was overlooked for all-state teams last season, perhaps because he played for a 2-7 team. He put up more than 1,200 rushing, passing and return yards. In May, he won the Class A Division II 100 and 200 meters. In June, he committed to South Florida.

*What else is news? Region 7 has 10 of the 26 players. They come from 2023 finalists Bowdon (three) and Manchester (three), plus Trion (three), which went 11-1 last season, and Greenville (one).

Offense

QB - Kade Smith, Trion, Sr.

RB - Aaron Bryant, Clinch County, Sr.

RB - Shane Marshall, Irwin County, Sr.

WR - B.J. Jones, Lanier County, Sr.

WR - Kaiden Prothro, Bowdon, Jr.

TE - Logan Stokes, Trion, Sr.

OL - Jermaine Harris, Macon County, Jr.

OL - Key’Mori Kendrick, Warren County, Sr.

OL - Jaden Revell, Manchester, Sr.

OL - Jayle’en Simons, Bowdon, Sr.

OL - Christon Zanders, Telfair County, Jr.

ATH – Antavious Richardson, Greenville, Sr.

PK - Andy Ramirez, Trion, Sr.

Defense

DL - Elijah Fears, Irwin County, Sr.

DL - Darious Holsey, Metter, Sr.

DL - Justus Terry, Manchester, Sr.

DL - Marquis Williams, Brooks County, Sr.

DL - Kevin Wynn, Greene County, Sr.

LB - Javon “C.J.” Favors, Manchester, Sr.

LB - C.J. Crite, Lincoln County, Sr.

LB - Dylan McGrinn, Bowdon, Sr.

LB - Zayden Walker, Schley County, Sr.

DB - Camauri Brinson, Brooks County, Sr.

DB - Corey Donaldson, Metter, Sr.

DB - Steve Miller, Greene County, Sr.

DB - Javion Woodard, Irwin County, Sr.

P – Dustin Barrett, Towns County, Jr.

Produced by Georgia High School Football Daily, a free e-mail newsletter. To join the mailing list, click here.

About the Author

Keep Reading

The Jackets' Nest is home of Thomas County Central football in Thomasville, Ga. The football team has averaged 59 points per game through Week 5. (Caitlyn Stroh-Page/AJC)

Credit: Caitlyn Stroh-Page

Featured

Julian Conley listens during opening statements in his trial at Fulton County Superior Court in Atlanta on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. The 25-year-old is accused of fatally shooting 8-year-old Secoriea Turner in July 2020. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)

Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com