A sleeper linebacker north of Atlanta in Cherokee County, McCarty is a tough linebacker with great instincts who plays bigger than his size. He has a nose for the football and is a sure-tackler, making an impressive 100 tackles, 12 TFLs and one forced fumble last season as a junior. He’s one of the top returning linebackers in the region and has a chance to light up the stat sheet as a senior. He’s now ranked as the No. 64 linebacker in the state for the 2026 class.

He may not be the biggest defender around, but McCarty was clearly one of the more productive linebackers across Cherokee County last fall as a junior. He plays hard, he gives great effort, and knows how to strike the ball-carrier behind his pads. He’s a guy that teammates can rally behind who plays every play like it’s his last. He brought his very best every game and lit up the stat sheet with 100 tackles, 12 TFLs and one sack. He constantly found his way to the ball and could see those numbers increase even more in 2025.