Prospect Finder: Scouting Bartow County

Georgia is undoubtedly one of the best states in the country when it comes to high school football talent. This makes finding some of the truly best prospects in the state can be a challenge. Here, we will go through several counties in Georgia and find the best prospects the area has to offer. Next up, Bartow County.

Top 5

Sacovie White Sacovie White 5'10" | 165 lbs | WR Cass | 2024 State GA – 2024 – ATH – Cass

White, a UGA commit, is among the most explosive playmakers in the entire country. Don’t let his 5’9 height fool you. He plays much bigger than his size and can go up and get the ball through contact. He also happens to be a tremendous route runner and can do some damage with the ball in his hands. White is also a big-time player on defense. He can close space in a hurry and lay the lumber on receivers. White is an elite athlete and will get a shot at the highest level of CFB as a result.

Malachi Tolliver – 2024 – OL – Cartersville

Another UGA commit, Malachi Tolliver has been a force in Georgia for the past year and has certainly received the attention that he deserves. Tolliver is well-developed at this stage in his career. He has a strong lower body and is a decent athlete. Once he sits down on defenders, he can drive them way out of the picture if his hands are on time. Tolliver is clearly a gifted athlete physically and could be a solid player for UGA with a few years of development.

Devin Henderson Devin Henderson 5'11" | 185 lbs | ATH Cass | 2024 State GA – 2024 – ATH – Cass

Henderson is a true Swiss army knife player that has done nothing but produce during his high school career. Henderson has played practically every position outside of the OL/DL the last few seasons and has looked good at every spot. With the ball in his hands, he is able to finesse his way around defenders and dissect running lanes in the secondary with ease. He is a great defender as well, playing with good instincts and has the speed to close the gap in a hurry. Henderson will give one program at the next level a very experienced and versatile playmaker.

Langston Hogg Langston Hogg 6'3" | 260 lbs | OL Cartersville | 2026 State GA – 2026 – OL – Cartersville

Hogg has a pretty impressive offer list for a freshman and for good reason. Hogg still has a lot of growth ahead of him physically, but he has a mean streak and plays a violent brand of football, which you can’t teach. He fires his hands with good force, placement, and timing. He also plays with good pad level and has enough lower body strength to sometimes win with leverage. He is a good athlete that can also line up at the TE and HB positions in some formations. Once he reaches the peak of his physical development, he will be even more of a dominant OL prospect.

Bear McWhorter Bear McWhorter 6'4" | 300 lbs | OL Cass | 2026 State GA – 2026 – OL – Cass

McWhorter has established himself as one of the best 2026 prospects in Georgia. He already sits at a very impressive 6’4 295 and moves well for a prospect of his size. He has good lateral agility which he uses to get downfield. For a bigger guy, he locates linebackers well and strikes with good timing. McWhorter has obvious lower body strength. Once he gets leverage on defenders, he is able to move them out of the way to open up the offense. McWhorter already holds major P5 offers and his offer list won’t stop growing anytime soon.

5 Intriguing Sleepers

Khristian Lando – 2024 – ATH – Cartersville

Lando has been on my radar for a few months now. While his recruiting stock has picked up a little, he is still a sleeper in my book. Lando is a very dynamic two-way player that plays hard on both sides of the ball. He is incredibly agile as a runner and has fantastic vision. His wiry frame allows him to slip by tacklers with relative ease and he has enough burst to accelerate away from the defense. At LB, he flies all around the field and packs some punch at contact. I have graded out Lando as a P5 caliber player and it seems like a matter of time before P5 schools get involved.

Ethan Blome Ethan Blome 5'9" | 180 lbs | RB Adairsville | 2024 State GA – 2024 – RB – Adairsville

An incredibly productive runner that has a knack for making explosive plays. Blome is incredibly shifty with impressive suddenness. He can make defenders look silly as he separates and turns upfield. Blome is a super-balanced runner with an uncanny ability to stay upright. He can not only finesse his way around defenders, but he also shows fantastic body control as he absorbs contact and gets back on his feet. His long and powerful strides allow him to accelerate effortlessly and trot away from the defense. Blome is a true sleeper.

Samuel Carlsen – 2024 – OL/DL – Woodland

Carlsen is another intriguing two-way player. This time, he does his damage on the line of scrimmage. Carlsen has a unique blend of athleticism and violence. He moves well at 6’3 275 and is an impact-oriented player. On offense, he generates enough force to completely level defenders. He also has enough lateral agility to recover and beat the defender to a spot. His violence and speed might translate better to defense where he can play a little more unhinged. However, regardless of where he ends up, he is a good athlete with a mean streak and some upside.

Richard Houston – 2024 – ATH – Cartersville

An athletic prospect that plays very well in space. OLB/N type player that can hold his own in the box and in the secondary. Houston is a fundamentally sound tackler, showing the ability to shuffle, react, and strike. Houston is very much a reactionary player, showing little to no hesitation in his game and always gives himself a chance to make a play on the ball. His lateral quickness is very impressive as he is able to keep the action in front of him while allowing himself to open up and run when needed. Houston’s speed in space makes him a fun player to watch on film that can have some serious value at the next level.

Tayvian McKibbins Tayvian McKibbins 6'4" | 270 lbs | OL Cass | 2025 State GA – 2025 – OL – Cass

McKibbins is a strong, stout offensive line prospect that has developed nicely over the past year or so. With his thick, strong legs and sheer power, he is the definition of a road grader, carving open holes in the running game. Once he anchors down, he is an immovable object that prevents his 1 v1 matchup from getting penetration on the QB. McKibbins recently picked up his first offer from Alabama A&M and I expect he will see that offer list continue to grow.

Breakout Candidates

Jakai Baldwin – 2025 – DB – Cass

Productive defender last year for Cass that might be overlooked on their roster. With another big season, there is a good chance you will see his recruitment start to take shape. He has that prototype long frame that schools often look for in their CBs, and he often uses his reach to his advantage to reach in and poke the ball away from receivers. He reads and reacts to the QB very quickly as he can jump routes and make plays on the football. Baldwin has the speed and reach that is needed to play CB at the next level, but he also has fantastic ball skills and can play well in space. Keep an eye out for this prospect on the trail.

Tre Winters – 2025 – WR – Adairsville

Legitimate basketball prospect that made some plays and flashed some upside on the gridiron this past year. Winters is a natural mismatch at around 6’4 170. As you could expect in a basketball athlete, he can jump out of the gym and it translates to the football field as he is able to rise up and highpoint the football over defenders. With another offseason under his belt of developing his football skillset, Winters could break out this fall and start to turn some heads on Friday nights.

Nate Russell Nate Russell 6'2" | 175 lbs | QB Cartersville | 2026 GA – 2026 – QB – Cartersville

Rising 2026 QB that is set to step up and take the keys for Cartersville this fall. Played sparingly as a freshman on varsity and showed some moxy and noticeable toughness. On film, it seems like he has a natural grasp of the game. He plays with good anticipation and throws the ball with good timing and placement. He made accurate throws to all levels of the field and is only going to add more and more arm strength from here. Russell throws a good ball, but he is also tough and plays the game at a high level from the neck up. Cartersville should be in good hands this fall at the QB position.

“Can’t-Miss” Games

September 8th: Adairsville at Cass

October 6th: Cass at Cartersville