2023 Small-Town WRs To Know

It’s always nice to find some small-town players who are starting to come into their own, and there are plenty of "diamond in the rough" types all across rural Georgia. The talent is extremely deep in the 2023 class and there are quite a few receivers who are looking to break out in 2021. Who are some small-town receivers to know in the 2023 class? &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="34040" first="Adam" last="Hopkins"] - Thomas County Central</strong> One of the top young playmakers in all of South Georgia, the rising junior from Thomasville is a versatile athlete who can make plays both as a receiver and a defensive back for the Yellow Jackets. The 6-foot-0 170-pounder is a shifty player with quickness and ball skills. He’s not overly big, but he does have some length ho him and shows the ability to snatch the football out of the air. Even as a sophomore last fall, Hopkins proved he was consistently one of the top athletes on the field every play. He’s made a true impact early in his high school career and it has led to offers from Georgia, Florida State, South Carolina, Georgia Tech, among others. In 2020, Hopkins caught 29 passes in 9 games for 387 yards and 6 touchdowns. He’s a big-play waiting to happen and is expected to be one of the top-ranked 2023 wide receivers in the peach state. &nbsp; <strong>Jaden Gibson - Dawson County</strong> In North Georgia is where you’ll find one of the biggest sleeper wide receivers in the state. The two-sport star from Dawsonville is coming off an outstanding sophomore season where he totaled over 1,110 yards and 11 TDs in 10 games. He’s one of the top young athletes in the state and ended the 2020 season as one of the top receivers in all of North Georgia. The 6-foot-2 175-pounder can play just about every skill position on offense, but really shines last season as a wide-out. He showed impressive speed for his size and the ability to go up and make a tough grab over a defender. He has reliable hands, and he knows how to take off and pick up extra yards after the catch. He showed good burst and playmaking ability for a sophomore. He now has experience making big plays at the varsity level and should have another big season for the Tigers this fall. &nbsp; <strong>Jack Luttrell - Hebron Christian Academy</strong> The sophomore from Dacula was a big target last year for South Carolina Gamecock signee Colten Gautheir, and he made the most of it with 45 catches for 778 yards and 4 TDs. He was a big-play threat all year for the Lions and proved that he was one of the biggest deep-ball threats in the region. He has a knack for making big plays down the field and even reeled in an 85-yard TD reception at one point during the season. Luttrell was one of the most productive sophomore receivers across the state last year and is expected to be a reliable target in the Lions’ passing game again this fall. &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="34016" first="Jayden" last="Drayton"] - Brunswick </strong> IF you’re looking for an under the radar athlete in South Georgia, Drayton is your guy. He’s never going to impress you with his size, but he plays bigger than his physical stature. He’s explosive with the ball in his hands but shows great footwork on defense as a cornerback. He’s fundamentally sound for his age as it relates to quickness, footwork, and change of direction. He plays the ball well in the air and is always a threat to pick up big yards on offense. He can hurt defenses from a number of different spots and has the speed to get behind defenses when given an angle. Drayton is a player who knows how to play both ways and should continue to make an impact on both sides of the ball in 2021.