Prospects Putting Themselves On the Map, Part II
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We are through 4 weeks of the high school football season. So far, we have seen numerous teams and players show out and start turning some heads. Here, we take a look at which players are starting to turn into…
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Continue ReadingWe are through 4 weeks of the high school football season. So far, we have seen numerous teams and players show out and start turning some heads.
Here, we take a look at which players are starting to turn into prospects with big 2022 seasons.
Keegan Stover Keegan Stover 6'3" | 215 lbs | QB Rabun County | 2023 State GA – QB – Rabun County
Stover transferred to Rabun County this season and was faced with the daunting task of replacing record-breaking QB Gunner Stockton. So far, he is having an elite 2022 campaign. Rabun County is off to a 3-0 start, and Stover has thrown for nearly 1000 yards and 13 TDs in just 3 games. He is also completing 62% of his passes and has thrown 0 INTs. Stover plays as a true pocket-passing QB and can pick apart the defense when standing tall in the pocket. He has an extremely accurate arm and is extremely gifted as a decision-maker. In my opinion, one of the best senior prospects in GA without an offer, and he has the production to prove it.
KJ Smith – QB – Roswell
From Malik Willis to the late Robbie Roper, Roswell has a history of producing great QBs. KJ Smith could be the next to join that list. Smith entered this season with just one start under his belt, but he already looks like a seasoned veteran through the early part of the season. He has completed 61% of his passes for nearly 700 yards and 5 TDs-3 INTS. Those are respectable numbers, and he is only going to continue to get better. On film, Smith has awesome pocket prescience and is nearly impossible to bring down in the pocket. He is creative but also remains controlled. He has a good arm as well and can put some nice touch on his passes. I expect him to continue to get even better and help pull Roswell through their region schedule.
Baxter Wright – QB – Gainesville
I was able to get some eyes on Wright this preseason and was impressed with how he carried himself. Just a few weeks in, it looks like he has improved a lot since then. On the year, Wright has completed 70% of his passes for over 800 yards and has added 9 TDs to 2 INTs. His production has helped lead Gainesville to a 4-0 start through one of the hardest parts of their schedule. On film, Wright shows great creativity and the ability to make accurate throws while under duress. He has an unconventional release and play style, but he makes plays on a consistent basis. If this kind of production can be kept up throughout the year, Gainesville has a chance to go undefeated behind their junior QB.
Jaylen Poe – RB – North Paulding
In my opinion, Jaylen Poe is the best senior RB in Georgia with no offers. Last season, he broke onto the scene with a 972-yard and 18 TD season. With receiving yards, he eclipsed 1000 total yards. So far this season, he is on pace to blow last season’s numbers out of the water. In just four games, Poe has run for nearly 650 yards and 8 TDs on an amazing 9.1 YPC. He has also nearly doubled his receiving yards from a season ago. Poe is a bigger back at around 5’10 210, but has great burst and runs with excellent vision. This season, he looks like a more versatile player that has become a factor in the receiving game and shows promise as a blocker. Looking ahead, I think Poe will develop into an outstanding player at the next level as he continues to elevate his game each week.
Jonaz Walton Jonaz Walton 5'9" | 190 lbs | RB Central | 2026 State GA – RB – Central
Walton had received some buzz coming into the year, but he is having a breakout freshman season and is starting to develop into a household name. This season, Walton is averaging a ridiculous 12.4 YPC while rushing for 853 yards and 5 TDs. He is on pace for a historic season. On film, Walton is as patient and decisive as a runner as anyone in the state, and he is doing it at such a young age. He also already has great size and will continue to get even bigger over the next few seasons. His first offer came in from UGA recently, and then came Vanderbilt. With two SEC offers already under his belt, look for him to continue to grow into a blue-chip RB prospect.
Ayden Jackson – WR – Walton
Jackson showed some flashes last season of being an explosive weapon at receiver. Now at Walton, he is starting to showcase his playmaking ability and is even starting to see his recruitment pick up. Jackson has been on the receiving end of plenty of passes from Jeremy Hecklinski Jeremy Hecklinski 6'0" | 180 lbs | QB Walton | 2024 State GA and has proven to be a touchdown threat every single play as he averages 26.4 YPC. To put it simply, Jackson is an excellent route runner and an explosive athlete. There aren’t many prospects that can keep up with him, and he is also a threat with the ball in his hands. After his big start, he has seen a few offers roll his way. If I had to guess, there will be plenty more.
Peyton Zachary Peyton Zachary 5'8" | 160 lbs | WR Kell | 2026 State GA – WR – Kell
Zachary is a prospect slowly growing into one of the most prolific receivers in the 2026 class. Admittedly, I was unaware of Zachary coming into the season, but he has surprised me and a lot of other people with the impact that he has made through the first few games. Zachary broke onto the scene in the Corky Kell Classic against Cherokee Bluff, where he caught 7 passes for 121 yards and a TD. Later, he helped lead Kell to a close victory over Sprayberry. His stat line? 6 receptions for 116 yards and 2 TDs. At around 5’6 150 pounds, Zachary is a smaller prospect, but he plays with a chip on his shoulder and is extremely versatile. He is physical, quick, and able to find soft spots in the defense. Zachary has picked up a few offers so far, and I don’t think they are going to stop rolling in anytime soon.