STOCK RISERS: 2023 Two-Way Players Get Rankings Boost

Spring practice is finished across the state of Georgia and that gave Prep Redzone an opportunity to release our latest <a href="https://prepredzone.com/georgia/rankings/2023-rankings/">2023 Georgia Rankings.</a> New players emerged in the latest update, and we are happy to rank a number of different “under the radar” two-way athletes in the peach state. Here are some 2023 athletes who saw a rankings boost in the latest<a href="https://prepredzone.com/georgia/rankings/2023-rankings/"> 2023 Prep Redzone Georgia Rankings</a>.   <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="34051" first="Aaron" last="Gates"] - Trinity Christian School</strong> A two-way standout from outside of Atlanta, Gates is a tremendous athlete who helped lead the Lions to an undefeated 14-0 season and a state championship last fall. The 6-foot-0 180-pound Florida Gator commitment has great ball skills and showed them off all season offensively, catching 51 passes for 900 yards and 11 touchdowns on the year. He's excellent after the catch and has a knack for getting behind the defense for a big play. Whether he's streaking by defenders or taking a quick screen pass, good things happen when Gates has the ball. Defensively, his length and athleticism make him a natural in the secondary, and he should get a strong look there at the next level. He can lock down just about every receiver in the classification, and he'll be tough to catch passes on once again this fall. He's a true playmaker, and now he's ranked as the No. 39 prospect in Georgia.   <div dir="auto"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="34039" first="Jalon" last="Kilgore"] - Putnam County </strong></div> <div dir="auto"></div> <div dir="auto"> An explosive small-town athlete who can make an impact as a receiver and defensive back, Kilgore was a big-play threat all season in 2021 and made just about very catch matter on offense. Defensively, the 6-foot-2 190-pounder from Eatonton is an outstanding safety prospect who made 88 tackles and caused four fumbles. He's a hard-hitting, physical defender in the run game, but he has excellent hands as well, consistently coming down with the football. As a receiver, Kilgore caught 37 passes for 921 yards and 11 touchdowns. His ball skills, size, and overall athleticism are why he's one of the top overall prospects in his regions. He's a dynamic player and it's led to D1 offers from Florida, Clemson, South Carolina, and Oklahoma, among others. He was one of the most productive two-way players in the entire classification, and he's expected to do more of the same as a senior in 2022. Kilgore is now ranked as the No. 39 prospect in Georgia for the 2023 class.   </div>   <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="325728" first="Za'Quan" last="Bryan"] – Benedictine</strong> One of the more productive receivers in the state last year, Bryan is an excellent two-way player for the state-champion Benedictine Cadets, making play after play at receiver and defensive back. The Cadets were just about unstoppable offensively, thanks to senior QB [player_tooltip player_id="33932" first="Holden" last="Geriner"] and his offensive weapons, one of them being Bryan. The speedy junior was tough to stop for everyone last year as he hauled in 95 passes for 1,376 yards and 15 touchdowns. He led the team in receptions by 42, and was the go-to option for Geriner in the passing game. He's exceptional after the catch and can really take off down the field when given some space. He's a reliable route runner, has great hands, and was a big reason why the Benedictine offense dominated all season long. Defensively, Bryan is a reliable in coverage and knocked away 7 passes to go along with 1 INT. He wasn't tested often, but when he was, he didn't give up much. He also proved to be a sure tackler, making 51 tackles on the season. He's one of the top playmakers in the Savannah area and will hope to lead the Cadets to back-to-back titles next fall. Bryan is now ranked as the No. 54 prospect in Georgia for the 2023 class.   <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="320362" first="Martel" last="Hight"] Jr. – Rome</strong> A dynamic two-way player out of Rome, Hight Jr. is a playmaker as both a receiver and a defensive back, and it's led to a commitment to Louisville. A multi-sport athlete who also stars on the basketball court for the Wolves in the off-season, the 6-foot-0 175-pounder has great hands and consistently shows that he's one of the top athletes on the field at all times. A quick, twitchy prospects, he reacts quickly in coverage and knows how to make a play on the ball. His strong, reliable hands allow him to be a productive receiver, catching 62 passes for 1,069 yards and nine touchdowns last fall. He's a deep threat down the field with impressive ball skills and a knack for making plays. He's great running in the open field but knows how to make a tough catch in traffic as well. Defensively, he plays with confidence and knows how to deliver a punishing hit. He'll be one of the top players in an absolutely loaded Rome team in 2022. Hight comes in as the No. 2 ATH and No. 58 prospect in Georgia in the latest 2023 Prep Redzone Rankings.