Georgia’s top players by position: Quarterbacks

Georgia had four senior four-star (or above) quarterbacks last season, too. They were Denmark’s Aaron McLaughlin (N.C. State), Cartersville’s Carlos Del Rio-Wilson (Florida), Grayson’s Jake Garcia (Miami) and Prince Avenue Christian’s Brock Vandagriff (Georgia). There were four in 2018, led by Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields, recent NFL first-round picks.

Prior to that, Georgia rarely had even two four-star signal callers in one class. From 2001 to 2010, there were only five total.

This is the first in a series of 10 feature articles that recognize the 10 best players by position. These players are the first official members of GHSF Daily’s Georgia Power 100.

*Jacurri Brown, Lowndes: A four-year starter, Brown (6-4, 205) can become the first quarterback in Georgia’s highest class to lead a program to four consecutive semifinals or to rush and pass for more than 1,000 yards for three straight seasons. He’s a two-time first-team all-state player. His rushing and passing yards accounted for 68.6% of Lowndes’ offense last season. He’s passed for 3,387 yards, completing 52.8% of attempts, and rushed for 3,323 in his career. Brown is a consensus top-250 national player and Lowndes’ highest-rated QB recruit in history. He committed to Miami in March.

Credit: Daniel Varnado

Credit: Daniel Varnado

*Thomas Castellanos, Ware County: A four-year starter, Castellanos (5-11, 190) has passed for 5,097 yards and rushed for 2,713 yards in his career. He made huge strides as a passer last season, completing 59.5% of his passes for 2,881 yards and 23 touchdowns. He ran for 939 yards and 24 touchdowns for a 10-2 team and made first-team all-state. A consensus three-star recruit and Ware County’s highest-rated recruit this century, Castellanos (5-11, 190) committed to Central Florida in March.

*David Dallas, Trinity Christian: Dallas (6-0, 188) passed for 2,272 yards and 17 touchdowns and led his team to the Class A Private final last season. He has thrown for 4,942 yards and 43 touchdowns in his career. He committed to Western Michigan in June and had several other mid-major Division I offers, plus four from Ivy League schools.

*Holden Geriner, Benedictine: Geriner last season became the first Benedictine quarterback ever to make the AJC’s first-team all-state team. He’s also Benedictine’s first four-star recruit at any position this century. Geriner passed for 2,770 yards, completing 67.8% of his passes, for 25 touchdowns and only three interceptions for a Class 4A semifinalist. He threw for more than 300 yards in a game four times, each against a playoff team. A top-250 national recruit and consensus No. 17 quarterback, Geriner (6-3, 215) committed to Auburn in February.

*Sam Horn, Collins Hill: Horn is the consensus No. 8 senior quarterback prospect nationally and the second highest-rated recruit in Collins Hill history behind teammate Travis Hunter, his main target at wide receiver. Horn committed to Missouri in February, just two months after leading Collins Hill to the Class 7A title game. Horn was 361-of-552 passing (65.4%) for 3,910 yards (tied for 11th most in state history) and 41 touchdowns and made first-team all-state. Horn has the frame (6-4, 190) and arm of a potential NFL quarterback.

*R.J. Johnson, Westlake: Johnson passed for 3,197 yards and 26 touchdowns with only two interceptions as a sophomore last season for an 11-2 team that won a region title and reached the Class 6A semifinals. He hit on 70.9% of his attempts. He’s Westlake’s top QB prospect since Cam Newton. Johnson (6-2, 200) has mid-major offers but can expect Power 5 opportunities with a big junior season.

*Dylan Lonergan, Brookwood: Lonergan was 174-of-268 passing (64.9%) for 2,249 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2020, when he led Brookwood to an 8-3 finish in Class 7A. He threw for 433 yards in the opener and averaged 293 per game until a late October injury. His father, Dan Lonergan, was a backup quarterback to Todd Blackledge at Penn State. Dylan Lonergan (6-2, 200) is the consensus No. 4 QB prospect nationally among juniors. He is uncommitted.

Credit: Daniel Varnado/Special to the AJC

Credit: Daniel Varnado/Special to the AJC

*Malachi Singleton, North Cobb: Despite missing a few games, Singleton passed for 1,691 yards and rushed for 1,091 in 2020, leading North Cobb to a 10-2 finish and Region 3-7A title. Two of the state’s elite receivers, Denylon Morrissette and Sam Mbake, have joined North Cobb in the offseason, setting up Singleton and the Warriors to have a huge year. Singleton (6-2, 210) is the consensus No. 15 QB prospect nationally among juniors. He is uncommitted.

*Gunner Stockton, Rabun County: Stockton can finish as the most prolific quarterback in Georgia history. A four-year starter, Stockton has thrown for 9,518 yards and 122 touchdowns. Trevor Lawrence’s state records are 13,902 and 155, respectively. Stockton (6-1, 220) has rushed for 3,416 yards, giving him 12,934 rushing and passing yards along with 184 combined touchdowns. The best in those categories are Deshaun Watson’s 17,134 (13,077 passing, 4,057 rushing) and 214 (155 passing, 59 rushing). Stockton is on pace to surpass all of those marks except for Lawrence’s career passing yards. The consensus No. 6 senior QB prospect nationally, and his school’s top-rated recruit in history, Stockton committed to Georgia in January.

*A.J. Swann, Cherokee: Swann is a pocket passer who has led Cherokee to its best two-year record (16-6) in 17 years while throwing for right at 2,500 yards and 22 touchdowns both seasons. Swann passed for 437 yards and three touchdowns without an interception against Region 5-7A champion Milton in 2020. A consensus three-star prospect and his school’s best QB prospect in history, Swann (6-3, 200) committed to Maryland in March.

Up next: Running backs