2023 Small-School Breakout Candidates

<p>Over the last few weeks, I have scanned every level of GAHSFB to predict my breakout candidates for the 2023 season. To wrap up these initial predictions, I'll go through and list some small-school prospects set to make a name for themselves this fall. </p>   <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='426879' first='Rodge' last='Waldrop']</em></strong> - 2024 - QB - Brookwood School</p>   <p>Despite noticeable physical gifts, years of starting experience, and plenty of production, Waldrop is entering his senior season with no offers and is still under the radar. However, at this rate, it's hard to imagine Waldrop not earning those offers somewhere down the line. Waldrop stands at a commanding 6'5 200 with room to add more mass to his frame. For a bigger QB, he has an athletic delivery and looks natural while maneuvering around the pocket. Waldrop has noticeable arm talent and is capable of making all throws on the field. He can drive the ball into tight windows, but his touch and anticipation throws are where he really shines, frequently hitting his receivers in stride behind the safeties. He is capable of making off-platform throws and has the arm strength to rip the ball downfield even while on his back foot. He is tough to bring down in the pocket, partly because he is a large presence who can shed off weak tackling attempts from defenders. However, he also senses pressure well and does a solid job of eluding rushers while keeping his eyes downfield to throw. Waldrop is a clear D1 player at the QB spot who has the upside to really make an impact at the collegiate level. It seems like a matter of time before that first offer comes in. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/RodgeWaldrop/status/1638660355550240780?s=20 </div></figure>   <p><strong><em>Solomon Burney</em></strong> - 2024 - ATH - John Milledge</p>   <p>Burney is another athletic prospect who could see his recruitment pick up over the course of his senior season. Most of Burney's production comes at QB, where he is a huge 6'5 200 presence in the pocket. He is still noticeably raw in his technique and delivery, but he showcases some great arm strength and can make some college-level throws. He also shows the ability to hang in the pocket and take on contact while he's throwing. This offseason, Burney showed that he could play some WR/S, which adds to his already impressive makeup. As a receiver, he is a long strider and can get downfield in a hurry. He isn't super twitchy and is still learning to create separation, but he showcases good hands and has an obviously huge catch radius. At safety, he is built like someone who can come downfield to make plays on underneath routes or play against the run. Once he adds more weight and reaches his peak physically, he could be a dangerous physical weapon. Burney has yet to settle into a position, but he has obvious athletic upside that could be hard for colleges to pass up. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Soloburn1/status/1682855982936866822?s=20 </div></figure>   <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='415047' first='Antone' last='Johnson']</em></strong> - 2025 - ATH - Tattnall Square</p>   <p>Johnson is a freakishly athletic playmaker that lines up at both WR and RB. He also plays some defensive back. To me, Johnson is easily projectable to play RB at the next level. At 6'0 170, he looks like a natural at the RB spot and has some intriguing measurables. As of now, he has room to improve physically, but fortunately, there is plenty of space for him to fill out and add some muscle to his frame. Johnson is an incredibly elusive and evasive runner with good vision. Once he finds an opening up front, he is able to quickly accelerate to the open field. He isn't a super powerful runner, but he can piece his way between the tackles and does show a physical edge on defense and special teams. He has a pretty solid understanding of when to bounce it outside vs when to stay the course over the middle of the field. He has the effortless speed and acceleration to glide past defenders and separate once he is off to the races. Johnson is a gifted pass catcher as well, showing impressive ball skills as he can rise up over defenders to make grabs. Johnson is easily one of the best sleepers I've evaluated in Georgia and is a clear candidate to make a name for himself this fall. He checks a lot of boxes and will be an absolute steal at the next level. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Antonejohnson_/status/1672415503451553792?s=20 </div></figure>   <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='414291' first='Branan' last='Griffin']</em></strong> - 2026 - QB - Putnam County</p>   <p>Griffin was a tough competitor for Putnam County, putting up decent numbers as a freshman. Griffin is a good athlete at the QB spot, showing the ability to make plays in the run game and make plays outside of the pocket. He is a tough runner who doesn't shy away from contact. He can hang tall in the pocket as well as drop his shoulder and move the pile forward for extra yards. On film, he has a longer, slower-developed delivery. However, it looks like he might have cleaned up some passing mechanics heading into year two. He showed the ability to throw with good timing and ball placement, especially on the move. Griffin is still developing, but it takes some grit and gamesmanship to have a successful season as a freshman. With a year of starting experience under his belt, look for Griffin to take another step forward. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/BrananGrifin/status/1598079445666918400?s=20 </div></figure>   <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='212303' first='Mason' last='Townsend'] </em></strong>- 2026 - OL - Prince Avenue</p>   <p>Townsend has been on the radar for a while now and raised his stock even further after playing a critical role up front in the state championship run for Prince Avenue. Fundamentally, Townsend is one of the most polished 2026 blockers in Georgia. He plays with excellent hand placement and is able to refire his hands to combat moves from the defensive front. Townsend isn't off the charts when it comes to measurables, but he has plenty of time to grow and max out his frame. Regardless, he plays with good pad level which allows him to out-leverage even the biggest defenders he has to line up against. Townsend is also a good athlete, showing on film that he is capable of making his way downfield to search for blockers. Townsend is well-developed when it comes to playing the actual game. Once he starts to show more physical upside and fill out, colleges will start to pull the trigger. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Iblock4funMT/status/1605759600996884484?s=20 </div></figure>

Over the last few weeks, I have scanned every level of GAHSFB to predict my breakout candidates for the 2023 season. To wrap up these initial predictions, I'll go through and list some small-school prospects set to make a name for themselves this fall.