Athlete category contains 5-star recruits, POY candidates

This edition of the Georgia Power 100 features 16 players who are multi-position athletes.

While it’s a bit of a catch-all category, it’s not a sweep of borderline candidates. It includes five-star prospects such as Jefferson’s Sammy Brown and Dougherty’s Kameron Davis, who are player-of-the-year candidates in their classifications if not statewide. Most play at smaller schools, which can’t afford not to employ them on offense and defense.

This is another in a series of feature articles that recognize the state’s best players by position or role. They are chosen based primarily on high school production, though college potential also is considered. These players are the members of GHSF Daily’s Georgia Power 100.

*Ty Adams, Swainsboro: The 2021 Region 2-2A player of the year, Adams rushed for 1,778 yards for a state semifinal team. He passed for 451 yards, recorded 39 tackles and intercepted two passes, returning one for a touchdown. Adams (5-11, 175) committed to East Carolina in June. He’s projected as a cornerback.

*C.J. Allen, Lamar County: Allen is 247Sports’ No. 3 Georgia prospect overall and No. 2 senior linebacker nationally. He was a first-team all-state performer and Region 3-2A’s player of the year in 2021, when he had 91 solo tackles, three interceptions (two returned for touchdowns) and three sacks for a 6-4 team. He also rushed for 1,080 yards with seven 100-yard rushing games with 16 touchdowns. He’s Lamar County’s highest-rated prospect in history. Allen (6-1, 215) committed to Georgia in June.

*Khalil Barnes, North Oconee: Barnes was Region 8-4A’s player of the year in 2021 while playing receiver, running back, quarterback, cornerback and return man. Barnes had 771 yards receiving and 204 rushing. He made 30 tackles and broke up 13 passes. Barnes (6-1, 185) is a consensus three-star recruit who committed to Wake Forest in June.

*D.J. Bell, Pierce County: He’s essentially a running back but does most of Pierce County’s passing. He ran for 1,870 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2021 despite playing only nine games because of injury. He had five consecutive games over 245 rushing, twice with 45 attempts, all against playoff opponents. He was 21-of-50 passing for 446 yards and eight touchdowns. Bell (6-0, 170) has an offer from Georgia Tech.

*Ahmad “A.J.” Brown, Crisp County: Brown was Crisp County’s best player and a first-team all-state performer as a junior. He came off the field only on kickoffs and punts and led a young team to the Class 3A semifinals. He had 27 receptions for 541 yards and six touchdowns as a receiver but had 276 yards and nine touchdowns rushing and passed for 149 yards. As a safety, he had 25 tackles and three interceptions and two return touchdowns. He’ll play more quarterback this season. Brown (6-1, 195) committed to Ole Miss in June.

*Sammy Brown, Jefferson: Brown, the consensus No. 9 junior prospect in the country, was limited to seven games in 2021 but rushed for 753 yards on just 58 attempts (13.0 ypc). He had 35 tackles at linebacker, his projected college position. He returned two kickoffs and an interception for touchdowns. He rushed for 1,368 yards as a freshman. Brown (6-2.5, 225) ran a 10.69-second 100-meter dash at the state meet last spring.

*Kameron Davis, Dougherty: Davis (5-10, 200) is a consensus five-star recruit projected as a running back in college. He’s Dougherty’s quarterback. As a sophomore, he was 107-of-176 passing for 1,787 yards and 15 touchdowns and rushed for 1,363 yards and 16 touchdowns for a Class 4A team that was winless the season before and hadn’t made the quarterfinals since 2005.

*Nathan Efobi, South Forsyth: A consensus top-400 national recruit, Efobi (6-4, 285) is potentially the state’s best two-way lineman. He’s an outstanding pass blocker on offense, where he likely will play in college, but had 20 solo tackles, seven for losses, and three sacks on defense for a Class 7A school.

*Aaron Gates, Trinity Christian: Gates is one of the state’s best receivers (51 receptions for 900 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2021) but was first-team all-state last season as a defensive back, where he had 23 tackles as a cornerback. He was also a top return threat. A top-400 national recruit, Gates (6-0, 180) committed to Florida during his junior season.

*R.J. Johnson, ELCA: Johnson was credited with 32 pass breakups and three interceptions as a cornerback and 23 catches for 594 yards and six touchdowns as a receiver for a Class A Private semifinal team. He’s also a top basketball player (17.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game). Johnson (6-2, 180) committed to Arkansas in June.

*Jalon Kilgore, Putnam County: Kilgore, a first-team all-state Class 2A player last season, had 37 receptions for 921 yards (24.9 ypc) and 11 touchdowns for a 12-1 team that gave Putnam County its first region title since 2010 and first quarterfinal appearance since 1996. Kilgore had 88 tackles and forced four fumbles as a strong safety. Kilgore won the Class 2A long jump title as a sophomore and has qualified for state in the 200 and 400 meters. A consensus top-500 national recruit, Kilgore (6-2, 195) committed to South Carolina in June.

*Caleb LaVallee, Whitefield Academy: LaVallee was a first-team all-state performer and Region 2-A Private’s player of the year last season. He had 121 tackles, 16 for losses, and six sacks for a 6-5 team. He rushed for 695 yards and scored 12 touchdowns, one as a receiver. LaVallee (6-1, 215) is Whitefield’s highest-rated prospect in history. He committed to North Carolina in June.

*Jack Luttrell, Colquitt County: Luttrell played at Hebron Christian last season for his father. The two now are in Moultrie. For Hebron, Luttrell had more than 900 all-purpose yards and 33 tackles and punted. Typically viewed as a safety in college, Luttrell (6-0, 175) committed to Tennessee before his junior season.

*Mike Matthews, Parkview: Matthews (6-3, 180) is the consensus No. 1 junior safety prospect nationally and Parkview’s most highly rated recruit in history. He’s in this category because he’s a two-way starter who had 48 receptions for 764 yards and seven touchdowns with 27 tackles and two interceptions in 10 games. Matthews’ reported favorites are Clemson, Georgia and Notre Dame.

*Branden Strozier, St. Francis: When an ACC school signs a St. Francis player, it’s usually for basketball, but Strozier (6-2, 175) committed to Clemson in May as the Alpharetta private school’s top football recruit in history. He was his region’s defensive player of the year in 2021, when he had 37 tackles, five interceptions and 20 pass breakups. He had 41 receptions for 872 yards and 11 touchdowns. Strozier is a top-400 national recruit.

*Zayden Walker, Schley County: As a freshman last season, Walker (6-3, 220) had five sacks, four other tackles for losses, three forced fumbles, a blocked punt, 1,001 rushing yards and two receiving touchdowns. He’s a brother of Auburn defensive tackle Zykeivous Walker.