Williams, deep quarterback group head GIAA team
*Best player: Jakhari Williams, First Presbyterian. The quarterback passed for 1,814 yards and 15 touchdowns as a sophomore last season for a GHSA Class A Private quarterfinal team and region champion.
*Best position: Quarterback. Four 2021 all-state players at this position return along with two all-region quarterbacks from the GHSA. In addition to Williams and John Milledge’s Briggs Eady, there are Westfield’s Hunter Kirkley, Piedmont Academy’s Justin Reynolds, Brookwood School’s Rodge Waldrop and Deerfield-Windsor’s Thomas Ray.
*Most highly recruited: Williams is a top-250 national recruit among juniors and the highest-rated GISA prospect this century.
*That’s interesting: Colton Smith of Brentwood made first-team all-state with Washington County last season. Smith and another all-region linebacker, Cyler Bloodworth, transferred to Brentwood. The Sandersville schools are three miles apart. Brentwood was GISA’s Class 2A champion last season and has won three state titles under 23rd-year coach Bert Brown.
*Snubbed: Rodge Waldrop, a 6-5 junior quarterback, passed for 3,168 yards and 32 touchdowns in 11 games as a sophomore last season at Brookwood School of Thomasville.
*Underrated: He’s not underrated among those who’ve faced him, but Jordan Triplett’s statewide acclaim doesn’t match his accomplishments. He rushed for 1,699 yards as a sophomore last season after going for 1,704 as a freshman. Those totals came in 10-game seasons. Triplett plays for Frederica Academy on St. Simons Island.
*What else is new: Fifteen of the 29 players play on one of the 14 GHSA schools that moved to the GIAA this season. John Milledge Academy, the GIAA’s three-time defending Class 3A champion, has the most players with four. There are now 44 GIAA teams playing 11-man football.
Offense
QB - Briggs Eady, John Milledge Academy, Sr.
QB - Jakhari Williams, First Presbyterian, Jr.
RB - Griffin Green, First Presbyterian, Sr.
RB - Keondre Glover, Stratford Academy, Sr.
RB - Jordan Triplett, Frederica Academy, Jr.
WR - Brayden Smith, Tattnall Square, Sr.
WR - Destin Moore, Brookwood School, Sr.
WR - Jashaun Powell, Robert Toombs Christian, Sr.
OL - Brady Rollins, John Milledge Academy, Sr.
OL - Web Davidson, Tattnall Square, Jr.
OL - Peyton Williams, Pinewood Christian, Sr.
OL - Emery Doss, Augusta Prep, Sr.
OL - Connor Hutto, Valwood, Jr.
ATH - Fernando Washington, Mount de Sales, Sr.
PK - Mack Mikko, Heritage (Newnan), Sr.
Defense
DL - Jacob Miles, Heritage (Newnan), Sr.
DL - Dylan Thornton, Brookstone, Sr.
DL - Marquerious Mitchell, Terrell Academy, Sr.
DL - Justin Jameson, Gatewood, Sr.
LB - Banks Eady, John Milledge Academy, Sr.
LB - John Thornton, Pacelli, Sr.
LB - Colton Smith, Brentwood, Sr.
LB - Ethan Johnson, Deerfield-Windsor, Sr.
DB - Charlie Guinade, Strong Rock, Sr.
DB - Carter Payne, George Walton Academy, Sr.
DB - Jalan Butts, John Milledge Academy, Jr.
DB - Wells Muller, Brentwood, Sr.
ATH - Jamal Chandler-Fuller, Heritage (Newnan), Sr.
P - Liam Weidner, Lakeview Academy, Sr.