Region IDs: 12 NWGA Hidden Gems

It's time to take a deeper dive into each region of Georgia and uncover some hidden gems, starting with the NW corner of the state.    Bishop played sparingly this fall while backing up Colorado signee [player_tooltip player_id='206164' first='Julian' last='Lewis'], but there's a solid sample size of good film from his junior season. Bishop, who doubles as a baseball athlete, flashes solid arm talent and isn't afraid to rip the ball into tight windows. He shortens up his delivery and can get the ball out in a hurry to attack the short areas. Like many baseball athletes, Bishop has a long, natural delivery and slams all his momentum onto his front foot, allowing him to get on top of the ball and rocket it over the middle of the field. Carrollton will have a full QB battle for the first time in a long time, and Bishop can play at a high level if given the opportunity.     [player_tooltip player_id='1640025' first='Markell' last='Taylor'] is a good-looking prospect who makes an impact at all levels of the field. He fires off the edge as a blitzer and flashes impressive closing speed, which he pairs with the motor to run after the football to the far sidelines. Taylor has solid cover skills, but I am most intrigued with him as a run-and-chase guy. He flies hard to the football and arrives with violence. Taylor is an impressive-looking prospect with long arms, a cut frame, and solid giddy-up. He is a clear D1-caliber S with a knack for making chaos plays.     Patchtin is a big play threat who averaged 25 yards per reception as a junior. Smaller prospect but has the ability to contribute at all levels of the field thanks to his ability to separate and settle down in soft spots. Works smooth footwork at release points and has an uncanny ability to catch DBs guessing, offering him opportunities to slip into wide-open zones. Flashes good hands and times his jumps well when he needs to extend to make grabs. Patchtin should generate some FCS attention, especially if he can build off his breakout 2024 season.     Will Anderton is a stout, steady IOL prospect who is now listed up to 6'4 315. He has plenty of mass on his frame, but looks to have thinned out some as he has gotten taller. Thanks to his size, strength, and strong anchor, he is hard to move and does most of the people pushing himself. He stalls defenders but is instinctual enough to click off one assignment and handle another if needed. Anderton would play best in a power scheme and is worthy of some FCS attention given his physical gifts.     Grayson Warmack is a thin, active S prospect who led Cartersville in PD's last season, according to MaxPreps. He drives on routes aggressively and puts himself in a position to jump routes and make plays on the football. He looks like a refined tackler. He might not be a striker at his lighter weight, but he settles low to the ground, survives twitchy moves from ball carriers, and uses his length to upend. Warmack is a massive sleeper who is an unsung hero on a team with several P4 prospects. He should be viewed as a small school prospect, and those schools should view him as a steal. Warmack doubles as a basketball athlete.     Henderson is a strong-mitted, thick OL prospect who projects on the interior of the offensive front. He is hard to move and is capable of catching, anchoring, and ultimately stalling rushers. He will excel most in a power scheme, where he can utilize his power and sheer strength to create divots in the defensive front and occupy space. Henderson is a massive prospect who would instantly provide competitive depth for some smaller schools.     Ross is an impressive playmaker for Pepperell who projects as an RB. He is now up to around 5'10 170 and plays bigger than listed. He isn't afraid of contact, dropping his hat and firing his feet to drive through contact. He might not be a straight-line blazer, but he is sudden and has good vision, allowing him to create yards in traffic and take advantage of cutback lanes. His experience playing several spots all over the field will only help his future development, but he is a small school RB prospect who should generate some college looks.     Dominic Nicolisi is a twitched-up, long OL prospect who can play at multiple spots. He is quick out of his stance and fires to the second level with ease. He also plays mean, often delivering powerful punches to knock defenders off their feet. He keeps his feet active when locked into battle with a defender, ultimately escorting them to the water cooler. I like Nicolisi a lot. He is long, has room to grow, and is super intriguing athletically. I consider him a massive sleeper and think he is more than worthy of FBS attention.     Norton is a two-way player for Gordon Lee, but I think he projects best at WR. It will be hard to find many receivers in GA with better ball skills than Norton. He catches everything away from his body, even when he has to go over the top or when pressed against the sidelines. He is a smooth mover who consistently creates separation over the top against his current level of comp. Norton doubles as a baseball player. He is a massive sleeper who should find a home at the D1 level. He should be viewed as a steal if he slips lower than that.     [player_tooltip player_id='853294' first='Peyton' last='Groce'] played both ways for Gordon Lee and was at or near the top of several leaderboards in terms of production. He projects as a scat-back, where his speed and playmaking ability in space would complement a bigger back well. A good way to tell how fast and electric a kid is is to watch the defenders trying to make a play on him. When Groce sticks his foot in the ground and gets vertical, he kicks up dust and leaves would-be tacklers falling over themselves trying to get a hand on him. Based on a quick look, I think he has D1 speed.     Brody Raby is a new freshman on my radar who is well-developed for his age. He is a massive 6'4 205 and has a baseball and basketball background. His mechanics are pretty unconventional. He doesn't incorporate his lower body much into his throws, and instead just rips hard through the ball with aggressive arm action. Even then, he spins the ball well and can rocket it down the field when needed. He is nonchalant in the pocket and doesn't appear rattled in the face of pressure. He is a solid athlete who is tough to tackle in space, which will only get harder as he continues to grow. The shell of a really good QB prospect is there. As he grows into his frame and refines his marksmanship, Raby has all the tools to be a notable QB prospect.     Buckner is a 6'4 200 basketball player who sticks out like a sore thumb amongst his competition. He is an obvious mismatch threat and uses his frame to climb the ladder and win over the top. He is tough to bring down after the catch too. Even as competition rises and separation gets harder at the next level, Buckner will never line up across from someone bigger than him. He should be viewed as a jump-ball threat who can get you a few tough yards after the catch if needed.

It's time to take a deeper dive into each region of Georgia and uncover some hidden gems, starting with the NW corner of the state.