STOCK RISERS: South Georgia Linebackers On The Rise

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If you're a college coach looking for an impactful linebacker, South Georgia is a great place to start looking. There are plenty of big-time defenders who had breakout seasons in 2022, and a lot of them could see their recruitment take off soon.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's take a look at who they are...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Nicholas Pace - Colquitt County</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An absolute tackling machine and the leading tackler across the state in thee 2024 class, Pace brings that South Georgia toughness and physicality to the position. He's smart, instinctive, and flies to the football with ease. He can read plays before they happen and shows a great motor when attacking the ball-carrier. He reacts quickly, knows how to tackle, and led a strong Packer defense all season long. He owns the middle of the field but knows how to get sideline to sideline as well. As a junior last fall, Pace made an eye-opening 162 tackles and 10 TFLs. He showed he's an excellent run defender, but can get after the quarterback as well, adding three sacks to his total as well. He made 10+ tackles in 10 games this season, proving to be one of thee more reliable and consistent linebackers in South Georgia. He also showed the ability to make plays in coverage, picking off two passes during his outstanding junior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cooper Thornhill - Camden County</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another South Georgia linebacker who had an excellent junior season tackling everything in sight, the Camden County linebacker showed good instincts and dished out some monster hits throughout the fall. The physical junior tackles well, but his ability to read screens and plays out of the backfield really stands out. He runs hard and covers a lot of ground at 6-foot-1 195-pounds. He gets off blocks and gets after the ballcarrier and has enough versatility to play both inside and outside next season as a senior. Thornhill made 132 tackles and 11 TFLs this fall. He has 10+ tackles in nine games as a junior, leading Camden County into thee 7A playoffs. He ended the season on a high note, making 43 tackles in his final three games of the year. He has a true nose for the football and should lead a strong Camden County defense as a senior in 2023.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://www.hudl.com/athlete/14750382">[player_tooltip player_id='1077524' first='Quentin' last='Clark']</a> - West Laurens</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A two-way standout for a small West Laurens program, Clark flashed consistently all season long and made play after play at linebacker this year. The hard-hitting junior was a reliable defender all season long, making 105 total tackles on the season along with 7 TFLs. He has a solid frame and appears to be one of the better overall football players on the field. He runs well at 6-foot-3 200-pounds and knows how to deliver a big hit on the ball-carrier. He also made six sacks on the season, showing he can make plays both against the run and the pass. He plays hard and has a chance to have a big senior season next year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->