Scrimmage Preview: Westlake at Milton

Scrimmage season is here and some of the state’s best are going at it this week. One of the most anticipated scrimmages of the week is between two of the best programs in the metro-Atlanta area. Westlake at Milton. Two of the most talented teams you’ll find across the state, both teams are full of D1 talent and have state-championship aspirations this fall. This will be a hard-fought battle and the winner will prove that the hype around their team is real going into the season. Here are a few players to know going into the scrimmage... &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="71313" first="Lebbeus" last="Overton"] - DL - Milton</strong> He may be a junior, but the 6-foot-4 270-pound edge defender is an easy 5-star due to his size, explosiveness, and natural playmaking ability. As a sophomore last season, Overton made 21.5 sacks (leading the state) and proved to be one of the top pass-rushers in the country regardless of class. The young man has “SPECIAL” written all over him, and it’s led to offers from Georgia, Alabama, Texas &amp;M, Oklahoma, Stanford, Ohio State, and many more. He’s the top-ranked 2023 prospect not only in Georgia, but in the country as well. Look for the 5-star to have another monster season as a junior. &nbsp; <strong><a class="pn-player-link" href="https://prepredzone.com/player/avieon-terrell/"><span class="name-pointer">[player_tooltip player_id="34007" first="Avieon" last="Terrell"]</span></a> – Westlake</strong> The 5-foot-10 195-pounder is another fundamentally-sound cornerback who is constantly working to perfect his craft. He is the younger brother of current Atlanta Falcon cornerback AJ Terrell, so Avieon knows what it takes to play at the next level and possibly on Sundays. He’s a playmaker who is technically sound and already holds offers from Clemson, Georgia, Florida, among others. He’s put on some decent weight in the off-season and has performed well across multiple 7-on-7 tournaments this spring and summer. The Westlake Lions will have one of the best defenses in Atlanta this year, and Terrell will by a big reason why. &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="95164" first="Jordan" last="McDonald"] - RB - Milton </strong> One of the top running backs in the state, McDonald is a bowling ball of a running back who loves contact and shredding tackles. He’s so strong in the upper and lower body and does a great job of breaking tackles and wearing down defenses as the game goes along. The 6-foot-0 210-pounder holds offers from FSU, Georgia Tech, LSU, Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina, among others. McDonald rushed for 1,338 yards and found the end-zone 22 times last fall. Expect him to be one of the state’s leading rushers again as a senior. &nbsp; <strong>RJ Johnson – Westlake</strong> Although he’s coming off a special sophomore season where he threw for over 3,200 yards and 24 TDs, the West Atlanta native still hasn’t seen many major offers come his way. The 6-foot-2 200-pounder has plenty of size and his arm continues to get better and better. He’s mobile enough to make plays with his feet, but his arm is what makes him one of the top QBs in the Atlanta area. He’s carried the momentum of his big sophomore season into this spring where he led Westlake to the 2021 Corky Kell 7-on-7 tournament. He showed control of the offense, poise, good arm strength, but most importantly, he showed accuracy. He’s finally starting to see some interest come his way, and he recently earned an offer from Middle Tennessee State. If he continues to improve and develop as a passer, he should see even more offers come his way shortly. &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="137437" first="Debron" last="Gatling"] - WR - Milton</strong> One of the top 2024 prospects in the state, the athletic receiver is coming off an impressive freshman season last year where he caught 21 passes for 333 yards and 2 touchdowns. The 6-foot-1 180-pounder shows great hands, knows how to get open, and makes the game look easy for someone his age. Look for his numbers to continue to increase this fall as a sophomore. He currently holds offers from Georgia, LSU, Tennessee. Texas &amp;M, FSU, Georgia Tech, among others. &nbsp; <strong><a class="pn-player-link" href="https://prepredzone.com/player/cayden-lee/"><span class="name-pointer">[player_tooltip player_id="34028" first="Cayden" last="Lee"]</span></a> – Hillgrove</strong> There’s been a lot of hype around Lee for a while now, and even though he’s dealt with some injuries so far in his career, it’s easy to see the overall talent, dedication, and effort that he brings to game. He’s an incredibly twitchy receiver with great feet and the ability to create separation. He works hard on his craft, he’s dedicated to perfecting the details of his game, and he’s only getting better. He has good size 6-foot-0 180-pounds, but his reliable hands and ability to get by defenders and make plays down the field make him one of the state’s best in the 2023 class. As a sophomore last season at Hillgrove (GA), Lee caught 34 passes for 525 yards and 9 TDs. Lee already holds offers from Georgia, Auburn, FSU, and Kentucky, with more likely coming his way down the road. &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="34033" first="Bryce" last="Thornton"] - ATH - Milton</strong> One of the top 2023 defensive backs in the state, Thornton is an athletic defender at 5-foot-11 185-pounds who has done a great job of adding weight and muscle to his lean, athletic frame. He has great ball skills, changes direction well, and is consistently one of the fastest players on the field. As a junior, Thornton will play some running back too to go along with him starting in the secondary. He’s a good-looking prospect with two more years to develop and prove why he’s one of the best in his class. Thornton currently holds offers from Georgia, Tennessee, UCF, Oregon, and Miami.