2026 Team Preview: West Forsyth Wolverines

There's a lot of change this fall for West Forsyth, but the returning standard and talent make one thing clear: a push for the playoffs in 2026 is not only a possibility, but an expectation. West Forsyth has cracked a formula of consistency over their program's existence, which will be put to the test in year 1 under new HC Jacob Nichols. Here is what and who to look out for.   By the numbers...   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>West Forsyth has made the playoffs in 8 of the last 10 years</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>West Forsyth has won at least 8 games in each of the last three seasons, the only such run in program history.</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>According to MaxPreps, the top 5 leading returning tacklers for West Forsyth combined for 288 total tackles in 2025.</li> </ul>   Offense    Hawkins rushed for 476 yards and 7 TDs last fall, doubling as a breakout candidate and the team's leading returning rusher from a year ago. Coaches call him a "hard nose RB" and praise his vision. He has a unique multi-sport background, doubling as a rugby player. He is a smaller but physical and urgent one-cut runner who fits the mold for West Forsyth RBs. There's a good chance he pushes 1,000 yards as a senior.     Jackson, who received all-region honors last fall, returns as a starter and anchor up front for West Forsyth. He finished with an 87% blocking grade last fall, according to coaches. He is a short, but stout and powerful blocker with manipulative strength at the point of attack. He is difficult to move and plays with an edge at the point of attack. He is a functional athlete who moves well for his body type. I would consider Jackson a small school prospect, and underrated.     Matrale is another all-region performer from last year, and returns with a 90% blocking grade. He played center last fall, a spot that will only help raise his stock, especially at 6'3. He is a broad-shouldered, strong player who looks even bigger than listed. He is a raw athlete, but plays with a physical edge and fires his feet to displace defenders. He has strong mitts and is capable of steering and popping defenders off their feet. With two years left to develop, Matrale has runway to grow into a legitimate target on the recruiting trail.     Adams is a bit of an unsung hero for West Forsyth, playing as more of a traditional H-back. He caught 14 passes for 162 yards and 3 TDs, so there is some explosive play ability here. Coaches love his versatility, and they call him a "spark plug", which relates back to my unsung hero claim on Adams.     Similar to Hawkins, Spaulding returns as both an impact player and a breakout candidate. He caught 8 passes for 132 yards and 2 TDs before battling with injuries down the stretch. West Forsyth has had some success with big, prototype X receivers, and Spaulding fits the bill of someone who can win over the top and make physical plays down the field. I am a big fan of Spaulding, and I think there is a chance he could see some late development as a D1 prospect.    Defense    Biggs broke onto the radar last fall and built some buzz around himself. He picked up all county nad all region accolades last year, flirting with nearly 100 tackles and 10 TFLs. He is an active, physical player who will play bigger as a junior. D1 and FBS programs are starting to pay attention, and I expect that attention from college programs to maintain as his prolific HS career carries on.     Gaiter recently committed to West Georgia, and in my opinion, that is one of the biggest steals in the 2027 class. He is a tall, lean, cut player at 6'0 190. He will project as a big physical corner who can manipulate receivers physically, but he has more finesse than you would expect. He was productive against the ball, productive as a tackler, and has made big jumps in the weight room this offseason. His coaches think his best ball is ahead of him, and I would agree.     Muccioli is an underrated player on this West Forsyth squad who finished with over 70 tackles on way to an all-region and all-county junior season. He is a fundamentally sound tackler with impressive speed off the edge, which also translates in the form of sideline-to-sideline speed. He has tacked on 15 pounds since last fall, so he is well equipped to make even more noise as a senior.     Krog played in just 7 games due to injury, but still finished with nearly 30 tackles and a handful of TFLs as a junior. Had he stayed healthy, coaches believe he would have been an all-county player. He is a long, active player who impresses me in man coverage. He is smooth in his backpedal and leverages receivers well when coming downhill, consistently arriving at the ball. He is a team captain, and should he stay healthy, his senior year should be his most productive season yet.     Stiff is another productive, all-region player from a year ago with a rugby background. He is an overlooked, but active and physical player who appeared in every game at LB as a junior. He is a smooth tackler, and his coaches believe he will make a jump as a senior. He is currently talking to small schools and will have eyes on him as a senior.    Breakout Picks    Vahle broke onto the radar this spring with an offer from Boston College, and he has the developmental upside to maintain status as an FBS recruit. He is raw, but a big body with the general movement skills to hold his own. As he fills out, he will find a physical edge. He works on both sides of the ball, but at his size, I project him as a box safety. He is the definition of a true traits eval.     Similar to Vahle, Davis has the traits and, most importantly, the time to step up and develop as an FBS prospect. He is a truly impressive specimen, standing at all of 6'4 200 and burning 11.4 in the 100M, an almost absurd reading at his size. He is raw, but having seen him in person, he can move. He will get work at TE and come off the edge. As he settles in, I imagine programs across the D1 landscape will be paying close attention here.     Morgan received a lot of praise from his coaches this offseason, and he is in line to step up and get some run on varsity as a junior. In fact, his coaches said he "had the best spring practice session for us". He is a tank in the weight room, and with his strong and powerful frame, he should help grind down the curve of defenses this fall.     A couple of injuries down the stretch sidelined Yeager, but he is back healthy, and his coaches believe he is on the verge of a breakout this fall. He plays both ways, but might project best as a receiver. He is an explosive receiver who can separate after the catch. He flashed in the spring game, and is on good footing heading into a healthy junior year.     Juneau is a younger player who is generating some rave reviews from his coaches. He is listed as an RB/LB, but he can play all over the field. and at a high level. He is a positionless player right now, but his HR ability on offense and speed on defense paint a picture of the caliber of athlete he is. He should be fun to watch as he settles in.     Olowu is listed as an EDGE, but could probably play up and down the line with his stout, strong frame. He is not only strong, but he has an explosive first step, which is what allows him to play at a high level as an edge. His coaches call him the "alpha dog" on the defensive front, and I wanted to make note of that quote.    2026 Outlook   For the first time in program history, West Forsyth has won 8 games or more over each of the last three seasons. This year, Jacob Nichols steps in as the head coach after a few years serving as offensive coordinator. There is massive turnover on offense, including senior departures at QB, RB, and the top 4 leading receivers from a year ago.   Regardless, breakout talent is emerging on offense, and the defense is littered with stout, strong players, especially in the second level. There's plenty to replace here, but I am bullish on this roster and believe they will make the playoffs once again in 2026.

There's a lot of change this fall for West Forsyth, but the returning standard and talent make one thing clear: a push for the playoffs in 2026 is not only a possibility, but an expectation. West Forsyth has cracked a formula of consistency over their program's existence, which will be put to the test in year 1 under new HC Jacob Nichols. Here is what and who to look out for.