Recap: Milton Survives Denmark 21-14

For the first time ever, Milton and Denmark met on the gridiron. It was a game of momentum swings, and Milton got the final push. The Eagles cruised through the 1st half, making huge plays on both sides of the ball, and on special teams. However, Denmark made it interesting in the fourth, but Milton had one more stop left in them. Here, we take a look at some standouts for both squads.   Milton   [player_tooltip player_id='338659' first='Luke' last='Nickel'] - QB - 2025   Nickel proved why he is one of the most highly touted signal callers in the 2025 class. He punched in all three TDs for the Eagles, and played well despite being under constant pressure from a pesky and aggressive Denmark pass rush. Nickel showed an uncanny ability to navigate the pocket and showed off a laser-throwing arm. He made some of the drive throws, but he also made some touch throws, one of them for a TD. Nickel is confident, and Milton has a chance in plenty of the games they play if he can continue to make plays as he did on Friday.   Marc Essley - WR - 2024   Essley is a smaller receiver and might not be where your eyes go when you see Milton's pass catchers, but he had an extremely productive night, reeling in 2 of the 3 passing TDs from [player_tooltip player_id='338659' first='Luke' last='Nickel']. Essley showed good route-running ability and created space all night. Both of his TD catches were close to the goal line, where he showed great concentration and soft hands on both TD grabs.   Jack Lawson - LB - 2024   Lawson was a frequent contributor in a Milton defensive front that made physical plays all night. Lawson in particular lined up all over the field, showing off his ability to rush the passer and drop back into coverage. With his versatility and ability to fly to the ball, Lawson is an underrated prospect that should keep creeping onto the recruiting scene.   Caleb Moran - LB - 2023   Moran, one of the leaders of the Milton defense, was a tone-setter all night. He was physical, explosive, and just all in all a very dominant player. He played close to the line all night, holding his own against what was a potent Denmark rushing attack at times. He also showed the ability to fly around the field and run sideline to sideline. Moran is yet another versatile Milton defender that is flying under the radar.   Rob Billings - DB - 2023   Billings, a Clemson commit, has drawn plenty of buzz this season, and he showed why against Denmark. Billings came down with a huge INT early in the game, which quickly swung momentum in the way of Milton. Throughout the rest of the game, Billings was flying all around the field and delivering devastating blows on ball carriers all night. He has the unique ability to impact the ball in numerous ways, and he showed why on Friday night.   Denmark   Anias Blackman - RB - 2023   Blackman, a widely unknown prospect on the recruiting trail, came into the game with a chip on his shoulder, and he played that way. Blackman showed impressive elusiveness and the ability to fight through contact. He has a lower center of gravity and can create some momentum downfield. Blackman punched one in for a TD earlier in the game, and will likely be an impact player for Denmark going forward.   EJ Adams - DB - 2023   Adams is one of the more under-the-radar prospects on the Denmark team, and he was arguably the MVP for the Danes on the defensive side of the ball. Adams was targeted early and often, and did not back down from competition. He did an excellent job of flipping his hips and running with opposing players. For a smaller defender, he has good ball skills and does a good job of playing through the ball.   [player_tooltip player_id='330811' first='William' last='Hodges'] - DL - 2023   Hodges was a game-breaker for the Danes on Friday, making multiple plays to keep Denmark in the game. His biggest play coming earlier in the game, where he delivered a huge hit on the QB to force a fumble. Hodges made plenty more plays all night, showing off his explosiveness and a high motor as he was a frequent visitor to the Milton backfield.   [player_tooltip player_id='94017' first='Dee' last='Crayton'] - LB - 2023   Crayton, another Clemson commit, came along late and was the catalyst behind a late Denmark comeback effort. Crayton, who is projected at LB, came into the game late at RB and powered his way into the endzone for a Denmark TD. On top of that, he turned around and helped the Denmark defense make some key stops in crunch time. Crayton played his best when it mattered the most.   Brendan Hester - TE - 2025   Hester was one of the most physically impressive prospects on the field Friday night, and it looks like he could develop into one of the more intriguing 2025 TEs in Georgia. Hester showed some serious grit and physicality on numerous catches as he was able to hold onto the ball while getting rocked by defenders. For his size, he showed an uncanny ability to create space and get open. With more development, Hester is a prospect that is certainly worth watching.

For the first time ever, Milton and Denmark met on the gridiron. It was a game of momentum swings, and Milton got the final push. The Eagles cruised through the 1st half, making huge plays on both sides of the ball, and on special teams. However, Denmark made it interesting in the fourth, but Milton had one more stop left in them. Here, we take a look at some standouts for both squads.