Class AAAAAAA blog: Early preseason football top 15

1. Grayson: The Rams possess the most high-end talent in the classification, and it's not close. Seven Grayson players are among 247Sports' top 102 senior prospects in the state. No other region, much less another team, has that many major Division I recruits. Some are transfers. Dual-threat quarterback Carlos Del Rio has moved in from McEachern. Daejon Reynolds has come from Central Gwinnett, where he had 88 receptions for 1,534 yards and 14 touchdowns in only 11 games. The two are committed to Florida. Other D-I-committed rising seniors are Jamal Haynes, Region 8's athlete of the year in 2019 (to Georgia Tech); running back Phil Mafah (Clemson); and defensive linemen Noah Collins (Central Florida) and Victoine Brown (Louisville). All were productive all-region players in 2019. The seventh senior D-I player is Jibrahn Claude, a safety. There's also rising junior cornerback Andre Stewart, a transfer from Marietta who is committed to Auburn. Also watch linebacker Grady Bryant, whose size (played at 5-9, 180 last year) might not win him SEC/ACC looks, but he was the team's best defensive player in 2019. With a lesser senior class, Grayson beat eventual champion Marietta at home in the 2019 regular season but was 0-2 against South Georgia powers Colquitt County (regular season) and Lowndes (quarterfinals). This season, Grayson will be in Region 4 with Parkview.

2. Lowndes: The Vikings return nine first-team all-Region 1 players from its state runner-up team of 2019. Defensive tackle Thomas Davis was the region's defensive player of the year. He recently committed to Mississippi State. Jacurri Brown, who will be a junior, rushed for 1,559 yards and passed for 1,330. Safety T.J. Quinn and defensive end Jacques Hunter are top-100 senior recruits, according to 247Sports. Lowndes didn't have any of those last season. Strangely, Davis isn't rated, but likely will be. Lowndes must adjust to a new head coach, Jamey DuBose, who replaced the retiring Randy McPherson. It's not the idea off-season to have a new coach given school closings. DuBose won two state titles in Alabama at Central of Phenix City.

3. Parkview: This 2019 region champion and state semifinalist returns eight players who were all-region last season. Those include perhaps the state's best running back, Cody Brown, who rushed for 1,676 yards and 20 touchdowns despite missing two games. Other all-region players who are back include offensive linemen Jackson Walls and Arbab Elsayed, defensive lineman David Patterson, defensive backs Quincy Bryant, Ronnie Hamrick and Terrian Williams and wide receiver Jared Brown. Parkview has improved its victory in each of coach Eric Godfree's six seasons, which is nearly impossible to do. He inherited a 3-7 team. Parkview was 12-2 last season, losing only to Lowndes and Marietta, the state finalists. Winning another region title will be tougher now, though. Parkview is grouped with Grayson in Region 4.

4. North Gwinnett: Another region-winning state semifinalist in 2019, the Bulldogs have two of the state's most heavily recruited players – linebacker Barrett Carter and cornerback Jordan Hancock. Both are among the state's top 10 senior prospects. But North Gwinnett's 10 other first- or second-team all-state players are graduating. That includes the potent offensive trio of QB J.R. Martin, RB Devin Crosby and WR Josh Downs. Rising senior Ashton Wood played some last season as the backup quarterback. Wide receiver Bobby Ezzard has several Division I offers and can expect a breakout season. Another wide receiver, Seth Anderson, is also D-I material. The defense returns about five starters. Linebacker Corbin Hood is the most proven outside of the blue chips Carter and Hancock.

5. Colquitt County: The Packers have four returning first-team all-region players and must replace all-time leading rusher Daijun Edwards, now at Georgia, and quarterback Jaycee Harden, who passed for 3,250 yards and 39 touchdowns. The team's best player is probably wide receiver Lemeke Brockington, a three-star recruit who got some all-state recognition last year after catching 53 passes for 923 yards. Brockington recently committed to Minnesota. Colquitt County was 9-3 last season, its first under coach Justin Rogers.

6. Camden County: Camden was 8-3 last season, its losses to Colquitt County, Lowndes and Marietta. This should be the best team since coach Bob Sphire arrived in 2017. Running back Jamie Felix, a four-star recruit according to 247Sports, rushed for 767 yards last season. Offensive tackle Micah Morris is a top-100 national recruit. He recently committed to Georgia. Wide receiver Shawn Hardy is a top-75 state recruit. Joshua Brown, who was 29-of-45 passing, 457 yards as a sophomore backup last season, figures to replace Logan Watson (1,708 yards in nine games) at quarterback. The five leading tacklers are graduating, but several underclassmen played significantly on defense.

7. McEachern: The Indians were 12-1 in 2019 under first-year coach Franklin Stephens. His second team won't be nearly as star-studded. The team lost running back Jordon Simmons to Michigan State and defensive lineman Jamil Burroughs and wide receiver Javon Baker to Alabama. Also leaving were quarterback Carlos Del Rio to Grayson and wide receiver Dacari Collins to Westlake as transfers. Del Rio is committed to Florida, Collins to Clemson. So there's rebuilding to be done. McEachern's 2019 backup quarterback, Bryce Archie, showed promise as a sophomore. He was 40-of-62 passing for 543 yards. McEachern's leading tackler, Ese Dubre, is the region's only player listed as a top-100 senior recruit in Georgia. He's a three-star linebacker. McEachern's 10-win standard will be a challenge given the turnover and the Indians' schedule, which includes games against North Gwinnett, Grayson, Marietta, Hillgrove and Florida power St. Thomas Aquinas. The good news is that McEachern is in milder Region 2, which the Indians should win. That's a break from facing Marietta,Hillgrove and North Cobb.

8. Harrison: The 2019 Class AAAAAA champion got a promotion back into the highest classification and will be in the same region as Marietta.The Hoyas must replace quarterback Gavin Hall (Toledo), linebacker Ryan Smith (Duke) and running back David Roberts (Marshall). But the Hoyas had a good junior class. Those making all-Region 6-AAAAAA last season were wide receiver Marques Owens, defensive lineman Bryce Stanfield, middle linebacker and leading tackler Marcus Bleazard and place-kicker Christian Lowery. They'll be all-state candidates in 2020. Harrison is probably the team to beat in Region 3 ahead of Marietta.

9. Archer:The Tigers have averaged 10 wins and won three state titles since 2013. They made the quarterfinals last season, losing to Parkview. They lost to Grayson in overtime in the regular season to finish as runners-up in Region 8. The 2019 team relied heavily on its senior class. Quarterback Carter Peevy, a four-year starter, is heading to Mercer. All-state center Ethan Lane signed with N.C. State. Returning is Renoldo Spivey Jr. a first-team all-region player who might be the new league's best running back. He's not big (5-foot-8), but elusive, and ran for 841 yards in 2019. Defensive back Edwin Mangual will be a three-year starter. But unproven players must step up if Archer is to maintain its tradition as a top-10 program. Archer is now in Region 7. That beats old Region 8, where Archer contended with Grayson. Norcross will be the Tigers' toughest region foe.

10. Marietta: The defending state champions lost as wealthy a senior class as imaginable, a group that included quarterback Harrison Bailey (signed with Tennessee), tight end Arik Gilbert (LSU), wide receiver Ricky White (Michigan State), defensive end B.J. Ojulari (LSU), defensive back Rashad Torrence (Florida) and offensive lineman Jake Wray (Colorado). Daniel Martin, a four-star recruit as a rising junior cornerback, is the only blue-chip prospect showing up on recruiting sites. Martin and another sophomore, linebacker Carlos Cervantes, were the only non-seniors among Marietta's defensive leaders last season. Marietta is counting on its sophomore class as 2019 backup quarterback Tyler Hughes and running back Milon Jones, both in the class of 2022, figure to be some of the team's top weapons this fall. Hughes is more mobile than Bailey was. Hughes threw two TD passes last season in the GEICO Bowl in Las Vegas against Eastside Catholic.

11. Norcross: The Blue Devils finished strong after an 0-4 start last season, winning six of its last eight and finishing second to Parkview in Region 7. They also return more all-region players than the other six teams in the new region combined. (Parkview has moved to Region 4, but Archer has moved in.) Defensive lineman Kamren Lark, linebacker Jalen Garner and defensive back Josh Graham were first-team all-region as juniors. Garner probably was the best player on the team. He had 148 first hits and 32 tackles behind the line and now has some 20 scholarship offers. Six other Norcross underclassmen made second-team all-region. Mason Kaplan threw for 1,778 yards and 19 touchdowns with only three interceptions as a junior. Leading rusher Kaleb Jackson also returns. Norcross could be the most improved team in this class in 2020.

12. Milton: Milton is just two years removed from a state title. The Eagles will remain a state contender and even a national presence. They are playing St. John's of Washington, D.C., on Sept. 12 and Life Christian Academy of Virginia on Sept. 18. Milton returns rising junior quarterback Devin Farrell, who threw for 1,054 yards and rushed for 808. Other returning all-region players are tight end Jack Nickel (offers from Georgia Tech, Kentucky and others), defensive back Bryce Thornton (started as a freshman last season), kicker Jason Aussin, wide receiver Matt Evert and linemen Cameron Dye and Zack Tumminia. The biggest graduation losses will be 1,000-yard rusher Ahmad Junearick, all-state linebacker Jack Rhodes and region defensive player of the year Zander Barnett. The five leading tacklers (and nine of the top 10) are graduating, so there's some concern there. Milton is the team to beat in Region 5. Roswell is expected to be the main rival.

13. Mill Creek: Mill Creek has averaged 10.4 wins the past five seasons and reached the quarterfinals at 10-3 last year, the first under coach Josh Lovelady. He'll have to work without 1,800-yard rusher Chancellor Lee-Park and all-around-good Parker Wroble, two all-state offensive pieces. Five other all-region players are graduating. Fullback/linebacker Christian McIntyre and defensive back Brayden Dudley are returning all-region players. Dudley has several mid-major Division I offers. So does cornerback Emon Hill. Thurman Harris, who started as a sophomore, returns as quarterback. Defensive back Caleb Downs was the team's third-leading tackler as a freshman.

14. Collins Hill: The most promising thing about the Eagles' 6-5 season in 2019 was the sophomore combination of quarterback Sam Horn (196-of-301 passing for 2,326 yards, 22 touchdowns) and Travis Hunter (49 receptions, 919 yards). Hunter, who is committed to Florida State, is the No. 1 cornerback prospect nationally among rising juniors, according to 247Sports. Horn has an offer from Appalachian State. Logan Brown (36-496) will be another proven receiver who returns. The defense was more senior-oriented, but James Smith and Jonathan Martin return on the defensive line. Both were honorable-mention all-region last season. Each of Collins Hill's losses last season came against top-10 teams. Collins Hill still must deal with North Gwinnett and Mill Creek in what is now Region 8.

15. Roswell: Roswell lost its coach, Matt Kemper, to region rival Etowah. Chris Prewett, the defensive coordinator, was promoted last week. Roswell graduated 12 all-region players including region player of the year John Copenhaver, a tight end, and fellow all-state player Trey Zimmerman, an offensive lineman. Both signed with North Carolina. Returning all-region players are linemen Caden Bondurant and Antietie Ntekop and wide receiver Marquis Willis. Michael Fitzgerald, who stands 6 feet, 5 inches, is expected to get his chance at quarterback in place of graduating Ethan Roberts. Wide receivers Ryan Hill and free safety Dillon Holifield also should emerge as playmakers.