2022 Two-Way Athletes to Know

Only the best athletes in Georgia can play on both sides of the ball. In small rural towns, the best players HAVE to play both ways. In bigger programs, it takes a special athlete to be able to play on both offense and defense, especially in 7A where there’s so much talent on both sides of the ball. We still see it happen every year, and there are a few 2022 athletes who are set to make an giant impact for their teams on both offense and defense. Here are a few two-way players who are set to have a big year in 2021.. &nbsp; <strong>Xavier Smith - Langston Hughes </strong> Langston Hughes is one of the top programs in that are on Atlanta and are coming off a big 2020 season thanks to Smith. The hardest-working player and best athlete on the team, Smith accounted for 20 TDs last year, with 15 coming through the air as the QB. Smith will be the starting FS this year and will still have packages on offense. He runs a 48.4 in the 400m and a 22 in 200m. He’ll still get some time at QB this fall, but the staff plans to put him in multiple positions on offense in order to get the ball in his hands. The 6-foot-2 190-pounder has a good size and frame, but he’s pretty fast for his size. He also has some explosiveness to his game that other big athletes don’t have. He also runs a 48.4 in the 40-yard dash and should see more interest coming his way soon. Look for him to be one of the top athletes in the Atlanta area this fall. &nbsp; <strong>CJ Washington - Cedartown </strong> Maybe the top two-way athlete in Northwest Georgia, Washington is an excellent RB/LB who has dominated so far in his first three years at Cedartown. He’s a punishing running back at 6-foot-0 220-pounds who bounces off tackles with ease in his region. Washington rushed 73 times for 698 yards (9.6 ypc) and 15 touchdowns last season and will be asked to run the rock again as a senior. He’s also a standout linebacker and that’s where he’ll be playing at the next level. Washington is committed to play football for the Georgia Bulldogs and is expected to get a look at both inside and outside linebacker once he gets to campus. He runs well, can dissect plays before they happen, and is extremely physical. He doesn’t miss a ton of tackles, and he’ll leave a bruise on the ball carrier when he meets them. He’s one of the top linebacker prospects in the state, but he’s also one of the best two-way players that you’ll find. &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="101837" first="Kyle" last="Efford"] - Dacula</strong> One of the hardest-hitting defenders in Gwinnett County, Efford is a dynamic athlete who made lots of plays at both linebacker and running back for the Falcons last year. He’s a tough, gritty player who loves contact. He knows how deliver a big hit on defense, but his ability to get off blocks and make plays in the backfield really stood out last year. The big, physical 6-foot-1 225-pounder was a bowling-ball at running back and knew how to get down-field in a hurry. Once he gets rolling past the line of scrimmage, Efford was tough to bring down and had a true nose for the end-zone. Look for Efford to continue making big plays not only on offense and defense next year, but on special teams as well.