Under the Radar 2023 ATHs To Know

Matt DeBary February 1, 2021 @ 04:03 PM

More and more prospects are emerging in the 2023 class, and many are about to break-out on the scene in 2021. If you're an athlete playing high school ball in the state of Georgia, chances are there that you might have to play on both sides of the football. In small towns, you see players playing both ways on just about every team. Here are a few 2023 athletes to know in the state of Georgia moving forward.   Jalen Darden - Central Macon One of the Charger's best players coming into 2021, Darden has been working exclusively on defense for the first two years and is expected to be a big part of what they do offensively as a junior. Darden likely has the best hands on the team and should help out immediately at wide receiver. As an outside linebacker, Darden made 41 tackles, one sack, and one interception. On the field, everything he does is at maximum effort level. The staff at Central expects him to be a tone-setter for the next two years and to really push the team to the next level. At he continues to grow he'll be able to develop into top prospect in the Macon area over the next two years.   Jordan Franklin - Burke County Franklin is primarily a defensive back, but he's shown great athleticism and was able to help the Bears some on offense last fall as a sophomore. As a rusher, Franklin carried the ball 35 times for 186 yards and seven touchdowns. He has good speed for his size and plays with a physical presence. The Burke County staff believes he definitely belongs on the defensive side of the ball and plan on moving him to safety to take advantage of his physical play. Franklin's a big hitter who has a natural feel for the game. He has a high ceiling as a defensive back and once he's healthy, he should have a big season this fall. He is recovering from patella tendon surgery so won’t be available until May.   Devontae James - Terrell County The 5-foot-10 175-pound OLB/RB from small Terrell County is a true athlete and one of the more under the radar prospects in the state. He has a decent frame but his athleticism is what truly stands out about this South Georgia sophomore. At linebacker last season, James made 60 tackles and 9.5 TFLs. He has quick feet and has some natural cover skills from the linebacker spot. As the year progressed, the Terrell County staff moved him around to where he covered the opponent's top receiver, and James more than held his own. He's still developing like every other sophomore out there, but he's a small-town athlete to know with an incredibly high ceiling for 2021 and beyond.