Top Performers From the Playoffs Round One

It’s playoff time in Georgia and we saw some top players rise to the top. This is where the best players are expected to play at their best, and we saw that happen all over the state on Friday night. Here are some top performers from week one of the Georgia high school playoffs.... &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="33862" first="Gunner" last="Stockton"] - QB - Rabun County</strong> In a big63-14 win over Pace Academy on Friday night, Stockton proved why he’s one of the top dual-threat QBs in the country. He’s a passer first, and threw for five touchdowns in the game, but he was able to show off his legs early and often. He was effective on the ground from the start, and ended the night with season-best 154 rushing yards and two touchdowns, both coming in the first half. After running through the Pace Academy defense in the first half, Stockton saw plenty of windows to throw too in the 2^nd half, and ended the night 18/21 for 302 yards and five touchdown passes. He knows how to wear down a defense, and once he makes in-game adjustments, he’s almost unstoppable to stop. He makes the corrects read pre-snap and always finds a way to get into the right play. https://twitter.com/MattDeBary/status/1460252290821074950?s=20 <h2></h2> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="34064" first="Kayden" last="McDonald"] - Defensive Line - North Gwinnett</strong> One of the top 2023 defensive line prospects in Georgia, McDonald had the game of his life in the first round against South Forsyth this past weekend. A big, nasty interior lineman, McDonald is quick and explosive at 6-foot-3 325-pounds and knows how to terrorize opposing linemen. Against a strong South Forsyth offense, it was McDonald who stole the show, leading North Gwinnett to an impressive 29-15 win. McDonald was a wrecking ball all game with SEVEN sacks in the victory. He was unstoppable all night long, not letting the War Eagles do much of anything offensively. Along with his seven sacks, McDonald also threw up 11 total tackles on the night. https://twitter.com/ColinHubbard22/status/1459397336778616838?s=20 &nbsp; <strong>Chad Alexander - RB - Archer</strong> An explosive running back out of Gwinnett County, Alexander came up big in round one, leading Archer to a big 46-7 win over Alpharetta. When he touched the ball, he made game-changing plays. On just 9 carries, Alexander took off for 173 yards and three touchdowns. He showed excellent burst, top-end speed, and the ability to blow through takes. He showed a 2nd gear and saw daylight the second he got through the line of scrimmage. Only a junior, Alexander is a back to keep an eye on if he keeps running like this moving forward. https://twitter.com/ChadAlexanderJr/status/1459956074879066116?s=20 &nbsp; <strong>Waltclaire Flynn Jr. - OL - Grayson</strong> It’s never easy to be named a "top performer" as an offensive lineman, but sophomore Waltclaire Flynn Jr. made it look easy on Friday night in a win over East Coweta. Not only did he commit to play in the 2024 All-American Bowl, but he had a monster game on the field, helping the Rams score six rushing touchdowns in the 48-14 win. He graded out at 80% with 7 knockdowns on the day as well. He’s a road-grader who opens holes on a consistent basis. He was named "Offensive Play of the Game" for the Rams even though two other players each scored three touchdowns in the game. https://twitter.com/RamsFBrecruits/status/1460024848193921025?s=20 &nbsp; &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="119304" first="Kyle" last="Durham"] - QB - Johns Creek</strong> Durham and the Gladiators had a tough task on their hands this week as they traveled west to take on the mighty Rome Wolves, but the senior was able to lead his team to victory. Durham has been consistent throwing the ball all season and saved his best play for the playoffs. Against a tough, talented Rome defense, the 6-foot-2 185-pounder went 22/33 for 376 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 23 rushing yards on the ground. The Gladiators are playing great football right now, and if Durham can continue this play, they could be tough to handle the rest of the way in 6A. https://twitter.com/Kyle_Durham4/status/1460072718552944650?s=20 &nbsp; &nbsp;